Alesis CompactKit 7 - Portable Tabletop Electric Drum Kit with 7 Pads, 265 Electronic and Acoustic Drum Set Sounds and Drum Sticks

Product Information

All 3 of these digital tabletop drum kits are a lot of fun. They offer an absolute ton of great features at what has now become an incredibly low price. So if you go for any one of these 3 units you’re not going to be disappointed. The TD-02 module also has Bluetooth capability for jamming to your music collection, although you will need an adapter which comes at an additional cost. Alesis have made some great drum equipment over the years, and this a step-up from the entry-level Compact Kit 4. It's a great addition to their lineup, and is equally great ifyou're just starting to play, or simply need a portable setup with velocity sensitive pads and a pair of pedals. You'll no doubt find this auseful percussive tool. Play, learn, develop But honestly. If you get either of these two, you’re not going to be upset. Both are great machines and do way more than most people will ever need. Whether you’re learning to drum, need a new toy or just want something to take on the road. Expert reviewers with years of hands-on experience testing and owning a wide range of electronic drum sets and with a deep understanding of e-kit technology as it has evolved.

In this guide, we’re looking at the best e-kits for kids that will help them take their first steps with the instrument - with options for almost any budget. While we would always recommend going straight for a full kit with individual pads, we've also included a small handful of 'desktop drum pads' which house all playing surfaces within a smaller tabletop unit. These are a great introduction to the concept of drumming, but won't deliver the full experience, so unless space is an issue we wouldn't put these at the top of your list. If you’re wondering who Alesis are, don’t be concerned! They have been in this industry since the 80’s and make all sorts of pro quality drum machines and keyboards. So you can trust the brand know what they are doing. Connectivity: How easy is it to connect pads to the module? Is there an opportunity for expansion with more pads? Is there also USB/MIDI connectivity for recording? When you don’t have a lot of space. Or want to get something for the kids to start with. Or you just want something you can easily take on the road with you. Electronic tabletop drum kits really are an awesome option.

The unit itself weighs in at a sturdy 9 pounds, so it is a couple of pounds heavier than the Pyle. If you want portability it’s worth being aware of, but that’s still pretty lightweight for lugging.

In addition to the realistic feel of the pads, the Compact Kit 7 contains100 songs pre-loaded to play along with. They're great for developing your timing. There's evena coach feature that's designed to push your skills and give you a good workout. The drum sounds are again really good quality – close your eyes, use good headphone and you’ll be struggling not to think these are ‘real’ drums. Sounds are housed on a drum module (or 'brain'). Most modules come with pre-configured kits aimed at different genres of music. Some modules also feature slots for 'user kits' so the player can create their own custom kits mixing and matching the sounds on-board the module. What comes with a kid’s electronic drum set? Features: What additional features come complete with the kit or module and how well do they work? For example, many e-kits now feature Bluetooth connectivity, but how reliable is it and how easy is the connection process? Is it possible to add your own sounds to the module? If so, how easy is this process? If you're looking for a great portable drum unit that's ideal for quiet practice and can even be used on stage/in the studio, then theAlesis Compact Kit 7 is a great choice.

Requirements

With 45 preset drum kits, 5 user drum kits, 265 percussion voices and a USB-MIDI output for use with DAWs and plug-ins, this is a handyhome studio tool. Don't rely on pre-written drum samples that are generic and plain - record your own beats! Highly Portable From here we would recommend utilising the basic training programs included on most modules to improve time-keeping and accuracy. The more of this they do, the more they will be able to jam with music (and other people!). Of course, all of this can be done even more effectively under the watchful eye of a qualified drum teacher. The Alesis looks quite similar to the Pyle-Pr. It has the same 7 pad layout, same body shape, the same foot pedals and weighs in at the same 7.3 pounds. All of which is good news.

The drum sounds are really nice. It comes with 25 preset drum kits and 215 percussion voices and 128 GM (General MIDI) voices. You can create and store 5 custom kits of your own too, plus store up to 100 songs on the unit itself (unlimited of course if you connect to a computer). There is also a metronome system built in for helping with your timing/rythm. Overall, we found the Alesis Turbo Mesh to be an excellent value electronic drum set. All mesh heads feel great and almost as realistic as an acoustic drum head, the drum sounds are great for the price and the coaching modes on-board the module are helpful in helping your child learn their first rhythms and master time-keeping. If you’re on a budget or just looking to have a go at drumming, this kit is well worth your money. So the Yamaha has 8 pads and two pedals. The pedals are really just buttons rather than any attempt at a digital ‘pedal’– as you can see in the photo above. They work, but just could be better. Note: you CAN upgrade these, but I’d suggest living with them for a while to see what you think.There are countless kid’s electronic drum sets online, but not all are created equal. The child-friendly options from brands like Alesis, Roland and Yamaha are a great place to start if you’re looking for a respected name with a strong pedigree from child to pro level. Other brands worth exploring include Millenium, Digital Drums and Simmons. How much should I spend on an electronic drum set for my child? Full-featured drumming fun for drummers just starting out or non-drummers who just want to have fun! The MusicRadar electronic drum set review process is editorially independent and not influenced by any third parties. Our review samples are almost always sourced directly from the manufacturer or via a local distributor. Sometimes review samples are supplied by retailers. Ease of use/setup: How easy is the kit to construct out of the box? Once built, how easily can the kit be adjusted to fit the setup needs of the average drummer? Is the module user-friendly? The CompactKit 7 however offers 45 preset kits, 5 user kits and 265 drum/percussion sounds. The most out of the 3. It also offers USB-MIDI too, headphones output and has a built-in metronome.