Electric or acoustic

Probably the one question I get asked more than any other is. 'should I buy an electric or acoustic drum kit'. Rather unhelpfully the answer to this, and most questions around learning, is that it depends on your situation and what you want to use it for. Both types of kit have their pro's and con's, their supporters and detractors. Its probably easiest for me to look at each type separately.

Electric Kits
These are great if you are short of space as many of them are on a rack that easily folds away reducing the space required when not in use. They are also good if you are likely to upset the neighbours with your practice. Having said that however they are NOT silent and you still get a lot of stick noise from them as well as noise transmitted through the floor from the bass pedal. There are several solutions available to help with this though. Another nice feature of most electric set ups that my drum students certainly like is they have built in metronomes and also the ability to plug in a music source so you can practice with your favourite music and hear both the music and your drumming at the same time in your headphones.

Acoustic Kits
Nothing beats the sound and feel of acoustic drums. They just sound better and as they physically move air, unlike the electric alternative, you can actually 'feel' what you are playing. They do take up space though and can be extremely loud. In fact when using acoustic drums in my studio here in Eastbourne I always insist that students wear ear protection. Don't let that put you off completely though. There are a whole range of dampers, pads, covers and even mesh drum heads that can be applied to help keep the noise down.

At the end of the day the choice is yours. Here at Ravebugs I am always more than happy to advise, set up and even source the perfect drums for you if you feel a little overwhelmed by the choice out there.

Until next time.

​keep drumming and have fun.

Phill