Black Friday drum deals 2024: all of these percussion and drum bargains are still live today

Earlier this year Zildjian, the 400-year-old cymbal company, waded into the e-drum fray with this stylish offering, built around its impressive E-Vault module with a 5” touchscreen and around 32GB of on-board sounds, including a host of ever-expanding, updatable cymbal sounds sampled from Zildjian’s vault.

The Alesis Strata Prime Expanded Electronic Drum Set is as extra as it sounds - ‘expanded’ relates to the additional tom and cymbal you get in the box. This version is a seven-piece kit with 6 cymbals (hi-hat inclusive), and a supremely powerful touchscreen module with an incredible library of BFD-derived sounds and kits. For us, this is the be-all end-all e-drumming solution, with I/O to die for. Usually $4,449, this premium piece of kit has a generous $300 discount over at Sweetwater right now.

Yamaha only really entered the Black Friday discounting game last year, but now they've gone all in. Currently Sweetwater has discounts on three mid-priced DTX kits, but my top pick is $300 off the excellent Yamaha DTX6K3-X. The saving brings the price down to $1,599.99 on a kit that, in our 4-star review, we said: "the pad surfaces themselves feel great to play, and the included sounds are certainly among the best we’ve played at this price range in recent times".

Now, this is a proper bargain - and 18" cymbal from Sab;an's highly-regarded HHX Legacy line. Developed to the requirements of no less than Dave Weckl, and crafted from B20 bronze alloy, it delivers a semi-dry stick sound and a brooding tone.

A $100 saving makes this fantastic beginner kit even better value. Honestly, I've recommended this kit to players who are well beyond beginner level too, thanks to the combination of all-mesh Roland pads, excellent hardware and a neat little module. It's an ideal beginner kit, step-up kit, or home practice kit for more seasoned players.

Donner's Backbeat is by some distance the most expensive of its high-value range, and suitably feature-laden as a result, with touchscreen module, dual-zone mesh pads, Bluetooth connectivity, multi-track USB audio and its USP, snazzy customisable LED lighting on each pad and cymbal. It really does look the business.

EFnote is a brand that continues to make ground on the the reputation of its hardware and fantastic module sounds. I tested th 3X version of this kit in 2023 and absolutely loved it, my main highlight being the cymbals, and in particular those hi-hats which feel incredible realistic and responsive. If you're looking for a kit away from the mainstream of Roland, Yamaha and Alesis, at $300 off, this kit is a steal.

It may be showing its age, but the TM-2 is still a very compelling option for the hybrid-curious, with the ability to load your own samples from an SD card, map them to a pad and play them as part of your kit, and remains more configurable than its younger TM-1 sibling.

There's a chunky $50 saving on this powerful e-kit amp at Sweetwater right now. If you're sick of wearing headphones when you practice, or you want to jam with friends, this 2,000 watt powerhouse is the solution. It's also compact enough that it won't dominate a small space

OK, it's not a glamour buy, but it is, proportionally, the biggest drum saving we've seen. This two-pair holster could get you out of trouble, at a massive 80 - that's eight zero - % off.

Roland make some of the best electronic drum sets available today, but the quality and the name comes at a premium price, which is why we love to see e-kit deals on Roland gear, particularly the top-end models. The VAD504 comes complete with full size drum pads (20" kick, 14" snare, 10" and 14" toms, plus ultra dynamic digital hi-hats and ride, all powered by the TD-27 module.

A Roland flagship, the TD-50K2 delivers in spades. It’s compact without being cramped, delivers the best sounds and features Roland has to offer, and checks all the right boxes in terms of playability. And this weekend, it's a full £500 cheaper!

It doesn't have to cost you the earth to invest in something to improve your drumming this Black Friday. We loved Ludwig's Atlas Pro hardware when we reviewed it and you can consider this single bass drum pedal that series' little brother. For not much cash at all you get a sturdy but lightweight chain-drive pedal with loads o adjustability, including independently tweakable beater and footboard. If you already have the pedal of your dreams, this could even make a decent back-up for live gigs.

For drummers or percussionists looking to add electronic sounds to an acoustic set-up with the minimum of fuss, the SPD-30 is a great choice. And the fact that it's the latest in a line of well-proven tools allows for real confidence in its long-term abilities.

Donner's Backbeat is by some distance the most expensive of its high-value range, and suitably feature-laden as a result, with touchscreen module, dual-zone mesh pads, Bluetooth connectivity, multi-track USB audio and its USP, snazzy customisable LED lighting on each pad and cymbal. It really does look the business. Use discount code EABE for the full reduction.

Roland's all-powerful new sample pad is still pretty new, but already it's discounted at Thomann! This new version includes increased trigger inputs and audio outputs, enhanced audio compatibility, some brilliant visual features, and even sequencing capabilities. For on-stage power and creativity, this is one of the best electronic drum pads around.

Roland TD-07DMK: Was $799.99, now $699.99
With mesh snare and tom pads, acoustic-style hi-hat mounting, Bluetooth connectivity, USB and 25 excellent kit presets, the TD-07DMK is the top of its range. you didn't need to settle for a generic electronic set last Black Friday, this was the best e-kit deal we saw.

Free throne worth $224.99: with select Roland kits!
Drumming is only as comfortable as the throne you park your behind on, which is why we loved this particular deal at Sweetwater. If you bought one of four select Roland kits at Sweetwater - TD-50KV2, TD-50K2, VAD506 or TD-27KV - you got a Roland Hydraulic saddle drum throne with lush velour top, for nothing!

Free $199.99 drum mat: with select Roland kits!
You could avoid the dreaded kit creep and keep your floors or carpets in good condition with a free Roland TDM-20 large heavy-duty drum mat when you purchased select Roland kits at Sweetwater - TD-17KVX, TD-17KV and TD-07KVX included.

Roland e-kit bundles: Save up to $225
Bundles are a great way to get everything you need to start playing. In addition to the kit, bundles can include everything from sticks and a throne, to headphones, a personal monitor, upgrades bass drum pedal, drum rug and more. Last year, Roland's Sweetwater bundles were awesome, including $225 off the Roland TD-27KV bundle, which includes an additional PDX-100 pad and mount.

Roland VAD504: Was £3,777, now £3,190
Roland make some of the best electronic drum sets available today, but the quality and the name comes at a premium price, which is why we love to see e-kit deals on Roland gear, particularly the top-end models. The VAD504 comes complete with full size drum pads (20" kick, 14" snare, 10" and 14" toms, plus ultra dynamic digital hi-hats and ride, all powered by the TD-27 module.

Yamaha e-kits: Get free lessons with any purchase
There were no Yamaha discounts last year, but if you purchased any kit in the Yamaha electronic drum set range from Sweetwater you receiveed access to drum lessons via a free 3-month subscription to Yamaha's Melodics app. What better way to kickstart your playing journey!

Alesis Nitro Mesh SE: Was $449, now $349
This special edition Alesis Nitro Mesh proves that it's possible for great e-kits to be affordable. You get tunable mesh heads here instead of cheap-feeling rubber, which feel closer to playing an acoustic drum set, while keeping the noise down to a minimum. This already affordable e-kit had $100 off as part of the Musician's Friend Black Friday sale.