NAMM 2016: Alesis takes Strike action with "groundbreaking" new electronic drum kits
Company says they play like they're acoustic
Alesis Strike Pro
Alesis Strike Zone
NAMM 2016: Alesis is expanding its roster of electronic drum sets with the Strike range, which the company says contains "the first-ever electronic kits to deliver the very best of both acoustic drums and electronic drums in terms of feel, playability, looks, sound quality and control."
There are two kits in the range - known as Zone and Pro - both of which benefit from new drum and cymbal designs. The drums have larger dual-hoop pads and adjustable Alesis Mesh heads, for example, while the shells are made from multi-ply wood.
The cymbals, meanwhile, are said to feel "spectacularly realistic", offering a larger bell area. They're also said to be quieter than previous iterations.
Sounds are provided by the new Strike Performance Module, which contains 200 kits and over 1000 instruments. It has onboard sampling capability, SD card storage, and USB/MIDI connectivity - you can create kits on your computer using the Strike Software Editor and transfer them over. You can keep track of your settings on a 4.3-inch LED screen.
Find out more below and on the Alesis website. The Strike kits will be available in Q2 of this year, with prices set at £1150 for the Strike Zone and £1750 for the Strike Pro.
Strike "Zone" kit: 5-Piece Professional Electronic Drum Kit with 3 cymbals
- Strike Performance Module with 4.3 colour LED screen
- Over 1000 drum and percussion instruments and 200 Kits
- Mesh heads (Patent Pending) with larger shells and standard drum sizes
- Strike software editor for creating your own custom kits and instruments
- Sample your own sounds or load .wav files
- Convenient USB/MIDI connectivity
- 12" Strike snare pad w/wood shell
- 8"-10"-12" Strike tom pads w/wood shells
- 14" Strike kick drum pad w/wood shell
- 16" Strike ride cymbal (3-zone) w/full rubber pad and hammer marks
- 14" Strike crash cymbal w/choke, full rubber pad and hammer marks
- 12" Strike hi hat cymbals (top & bottom) w/full rubber pads and hammer marks
- 4-post chrome rack
Strike "Pro" kit: 6-Piece Professional Electronic Drum Kit with 5 cymbals
- Strike Performance Module with 4.3 colour LED screen
- Over 1000 drum and percussion instruments and 200 Kits
- Mesh Pads with larger shells and standard drum sizes
- Strike software editor for creating your own custom kits and instruments
- Sample your own sounds or load .wav files
- 14" Strike snare pad w/wood shell
- 8"-10"-12" Strike tom pads w/wood shells
- 14" Strike tom pad w/wood shell
- 14" Strike kick drum pad w/wood shell
- 16" Strike ride cymbal (3-zone) w/full rubber pad and hammer marks
- (3) 14" Strike crash cymbals w/choke, w/full rubber pads and hammer marks
- 12" Strike hi hat cymbals (top & bottom) w/full rubber pads and hammer marks
- Premium 4-post chrome rack (new upgraded rack system)
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I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.
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