Electronic drum sets have never been so popular, and thanks to the additional issues 2020 has brought, many of us turned to our electronic kits as a way to keep playing during the pandemic.
Every year we see the value and power of electronic kits become even greater, and 2020's releases were no exception. From full shells to enhanced affordable setups, these are the electronic drum kits that had you padding around throughout the year.
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1. Roland TD-07KV
This was a last minute qualifier from Roland, but qualify it did! With dual-ply mesh heads all round, Bluetooth, USB and a price tag that puts it in the affordable/midrange bracket, Roland’s TD-07KV is sure to be getting unboxed by many drummers this Christmas. Clearly, you agree.
2. Roland VAD 506
From the moment we clamped eyes on it at NAMM, we knew that the VAD would cause a stir at the other end of the year. Finally, a V-Drums set featuring full-size shells. It’s not cheap, but it does put this technology into a much more mainstream market. The future of electronic drums? We think so.
3. Alesis Strike Special Edition
Next up is the Alesis Strike Special Edition, which gives us a flavour of real drum-style shells at ‘an affordable’ price point. With its 11-piece configuration, and full-size, 20” bass drum, the ability to load-in your own samples and more coming in at just over £2000, it’s certainly popular!
4. GEWA Drum Workstation G9
There’s been a shift over the last 12 months or so, and 2020 was the year that saw an explosion in electronic drums taking on more traits of acoustic kits. The GEWA G9 has been in the works for a while, and was finally released to the public in 2020. We like where this trend is heading, and we can’t wait to see what GEWA comes out with next.
5. 2Box Speedlight Kit
Hats off to 2Box, who’s always come at e-drum design in its own way, and a lot of that stems from its modules. The Speedlight offers an open system when it comes to the type of pads you can connect (any manufacturer’s will work), plus it’ll co-operate with importing your own sounds without fuss too. We love the collaborative attitude!
