# Beginner Drummer, Apartment set?



## Opeth666 (Nov 11, 2012)

I am wanting to get into drums, but where I currently live thats not possible with an acoustic set, so I was wondering is there any good cheap $700 or less electric kits that possibly have a double pedal feature that I could look into?


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## iron blast (Nov 12, 2012)

the alesis usb pro kit if you have a decent laptop and sample library like dkfh will be a good starter


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## DTSH (Nov 12, 2012)

Ditto the Alesis. Sometimes you can find used Yamahas for a decent price, check craigslist (people often refuse to ship them).


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## StewartEhoff (Nov 12, 2012)

What these guys said. ^

Remember the pre-sets on the kit are largely irrelevant, seeing as it can be run through superior. (highly recommended purchase).


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## ArrowHead (Nov 12, 2012)

I tried this, but the real answer can be tough to accept - 

Apartments often have thin walls, and no insulation between floors. In these cases, it's not the acoustic noise that is the biggest issue, instead it will be the thumping of your feet and the rack as you hit the drums echoing through the floor. What's worse is situations like this are usually amplified through the floor so that it's quite literally LOUDER in your neighbor's apartment than it is in your own.

So if you're in a situation, like myself, where you can hear the neighbor's footsteps or television, etc... then you might want to re-think the kit. Too often people assume they hear their neighbors because the neighbors are being loud. More often the sound really is louder in your apartment than it is in the one it's coming from.

I'm not trying to rain on your parade. Just passing on a little wisdom as I just had to disassemble and box up my own beloved e-kit myself after complaints from neighbors. Even with soft-tip sticks, mesh heads, two layers of exercise mat underneath, and the softer rubber style cymbals, there was still "tap tap tap thuddy thuddy tap tap tap" resounding throughout the building.

TLDP - electronic kits won't always solve noise issues. They can still be WAY TOO NOISY for an apartment.


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## linguos (Nov 13, 2012)

ArrowHead said:


> I tried this, but the real answer can be tough to accept -
> 
> Apartments often have thin walls, and no insulation between floors. In these cases, it's not the acoustic noise that is the biggest issue, instead it will be the thumping of your feet and the rack as you hit the drums echoing through the floor. What's worse is situations like this are usually amplified through the floor so that it's quite literally LOUDER in your neighbor's apartment than it is in your own.
> 
> ...



This. I learned to drum in a third story dorm room on an electric kit with headphones. Nevertheless I was frequently interrupted by the angry person living below me.


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## Opeth666 (Nov 22, 2012)

I live in a townhome with pretty thick walls, I was mainly concerned about the houses beside me


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## Sinborn (Nov 22, 2012)

If you are on the ground floor with the e-kit, especially if your dwelling is built on a slab (no basement), you should have no issues with transmitted noise to your neighbors. Nothing stops sound transmission like mass.


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## flyfishingmusic (Nov 23, 2012)

A Standard kit equipped with 'Feather' or 'mesh' heads will be cheaper than any decent ekit as well as properly prepare you for real drumset playing.

Either way $700 ain't enough


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## iron blast (Nov 23, 2012)

The Alesis usb pro kit cost $299 new and mesh heads for it can be had cheap. It will be plenty quiet for most circumstances. Good luck finding a acoustic kit that isn't complete ass at this price point. Also adding mesh heads to a acoustic you wont be able to hear what you are playing unless you add triggers and a module completely defeating the purpose witch brings you back to square one.


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## flyfishingmusic (Nov 23, 2012)

Can't seem to find the USB PRO KIT available anywhere except 
Amazon.com: Alesis USB Pro Kit Drumset with SURGE Cymbals: Musical Instruments

and nowhere for $299

but it doesn't matter the 6" discs and non moving hi hats that are common to the under $1,000 ekits are no way to learn to play the drums.

I know the attitude might be "just for now/to get started" but it would be like suggesting someone learn guitar on something like this 






Having used the mesh heads, they are quiet not silent.

A Pearl Sound Check can be had for under $600 Pearl Soundcheck 5-Piece Drum Set with Zildjian Cymbals | Musician's Friend but then there are still the sound offs, mesh heads etc. Which would get you going and keeping you a good neighbor.

A Used drum set would be a bit cheaper, come with more and both are a better learning instrument

For my teaching studio I use these





They are a hybrid set can be an OK ekit or an OK shell-less acoustic kit...about $1,000

Just my 2¢ (and over a ¼ century playing the drums)


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## ArrowHead (Nov 24, 2012)

iron blast said:


> The Alesis usb pro kit cost $299 new and mesh heads for it can be had cheap.



My kit was based around a USB Pro kit. It cost a bit more than double that.


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## iron blast (Nov 24, 2012)

Apparently the price has gone up a little at least the average cost certainly has. Regardless they still are able to be had a fair bit under $700 even with upgrades. Not trying to beat a dead horse brother.


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## ArrowHead (Nov 24, 2012)

iron blast said:


> Apparently the price has gone up a little at least the average cost certainly has.



You might be thinking of a different unit. They've been $600-700 since they first hit market.

The Dm-6 and 8 kits that came out a couple years ago were going pretty cheap for a while. This may be what you saw.


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## iron blast (Nov 24, 2012)

you may be right on that man


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