Should You Buy The Alesis Nitro or Surge Mesh Electronic Drum Sets? What are the real differences?

[@callahan3411]

Great job reviewing and comparing these two drum kits. Not all the other KZbinrs take the time to really prepare and come up with a video as organized and helpful as this one

[@SlowRiderDucati]

I had to raise my nitro by 12 inches. Go to home depot with one of the legs then find the black iron pipes which are pre cut and threaded. The 1 inch threaded diameter pipe then just screws into the hollow leg. The extra weight on the bottom of the kit adds a lot of instability and it looks factory. I also added four more drum pads and 3 additional cymbals using stereo splitters and cables to plug and play since each drum cable going to the brain is stereo and can be split into two triggers. So I have 8 drums and 4 cymbals all on my nitro mesh brain plus hi hat and double base pedals. So maxed out 13 triggers.

[@jemorebb]

I bought my first e-drum around January which is the nitro. Following month sold it then got the surge. Big difference way better for the price.

[@wardog3d]

Thanks for comment, I snagged a surge for my 1st edrum, but I have been worried I over spent. It's nice to know my gut wasn't wrong about spending a little more. Surge is a lot of fun for not a lot of money and I love the rack on this thing.

[@pipeh3e8]

Once you play double pedal, there is no turning back. Thank you for the info, that's what I was looking for

[@clint68]

Great video! You’ve helped me make my decision. Surge, here I come!!

[@viki2162]

You cant use double bass pedal on the nitro kit. It’s not responsive enough at all and the pad is too small. I had to buy a Yamaha kp65 kick drum pad to accommodate my double bass which was 70 bucks. Works great but if I had a choice before I got the nitro I would have went for the surge for the kick drum and the snare.

[@demonicsweaters]

Yep, I agree on all points.

[@alexwalker67]

I own a Nitro kit which I bought after watching your videos in 2019. Great kit but I would agree with it's shortcomings. My biggest bug bare is that the interface is for right handed players and being a lefty I found that mildly irritating. Good video. Thanks.

[@demonicsweaters]

Can't you just set it up left handed?

[@alexwalker67]

@@demonicsweaters I do. But editing can be frustrating because the pad on the right on the module isn't the drum I'm aiming for. It's far from a deal breaker, but it's worth noting.

[@kdakan]

It's really a good idea to program some of the tom rim sounds to different ride and crash sounds on the alesis surge mesh kit. And also you don't need to spend that much money on ez drummer just to use the sounds, as logic x pro or even garageband (which is the free version of logic x) have very good drum kit sounds out of the box.

[@johnfoster535]

Surge is a great value...I'm an experienced drummer....tweak internal settings to improve sensitivity and dynamics vastly improving factory settings and sounds. Kick pedal surprisingly solid quality and playability. Most stock sounds suck....only a couple of the provided kits are barely passable. However, carefully tweaking every drum, cymbals and hi-hat in your custom kits reveals quality that surpasses many of the VST kits I have used !! It has been fun setting snare rim to a nice rim shot sound with just the right reverb and eq on it, then balancing the volume of it to the snare drum.....resulting in a very real sounding result ! Surprising quality and playability for the low price.....well worth it ! Remember it is an instrument ! Many that complain of things breaking are animals pounding like a gorilla on this kit...better for them to buy claw hammers and become carpenters !!

[@eduardodlfv_drums6578]

i have the Alesis Surge kit and it is really cool, i use it for my drum covers. It´s a great e-kit to practice and i feel like the pads are better. i like the fact that the it has a 10 inch snare, and that the bass drum is a mesh pad. Works really cool in garage band so you can use any of those kits. Nice video comparation :)

[@demonicsweaters]

Very cool, yeah it has some nice upgrades over the Nitro for not too much more money!

[@michaelmdrummer2016]

yes! good chosen! 🥁🥁

[@pedroantoniorodriguezmarto5593]

Another upgrade of the Surge kit is the choke function in the ride cymbal. A lot of improved features for only 170 dollars/euros. Personally, there's no doubt about the best choice...

[@demonicsweaters]

I didn't know it did that!

[@ilemraz]

doesnt the nitro also have a choke function?

[@4804127385]

Great video, I’ve been looking online at different electric drums, and yesterday I went to the music store to try them out, I liked the nitro for the price and since I’m a beginner. But I wasn’t a fan of the size of the pads, the kick pad and the rack. I think the Surge is the way to go

[@SomalianDuke]

How is it?

[@Avsword]

I'd also like to know your opinions on the surge

[@scottyg5403]

Now I'm thinking I should have paid the extra money for the Surge. I did buy an extra cymbal and Tom for my Nitro mesh kit. Excellent video!Thanks

[@skyjim777]

Thanks for the idea of setting the surge #2 Tom rim to a ride and having another crash. I was considering buying another crash so you saved me some $$$. I’m very much a novice so thanks for the advice.

[@hippopotamussskaarj6810]

The comparison I needed, nice vid!

[@djkevinkelly]

Awesome video. I bought the Nitro a couple of years ago (and he has an awesome video on how to create Def Leppard drum sounds) and the frame IS LOW/SORRY! No joke. I even did a video on how to raise your rack and make it look professional. And now I'm realizing that other people just put furniture risers underneath theirs and now I'm like "D'OH!!!" I just ordered the Surge and I'm super excited!

[@demonicsweaters]

Awesome, congrats on the surge!

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

The surge looks so much more appealing to me I hope it sounds great

[@donaldschaefer296]

The Nitro has an expansion kit you can purchase that comes with a duel zone tom and a crash cymbal and works great.

[@shawngrenaud]

The tom and crash inputs are there so I guess any dual zone tom and 'single zone with choke' crash will work.

[@philipboot2341]

Comes out in the UK next week hopefully. Preordered mine £89. 😀

[@TheSateef]

i bought a surge kit second hand and only just realized the tom rims can be programmed separate from the drums which is totally awesome. now i have a timbale, cowbell and china cymbal all for free.

[@nico3641]

How much floor space does it occupy once assembled? I can't find this info out anywhere to see if it fits in a small room.

[@legeneralalexander6618]

Thanks for the very informative video. I am an absolute beginner but quite tall. I was leaning towards the Nitro but the Surge would probably fit my build better. Cheers,

[@joelf5565]

Also, I believe only the crash cymbal is chokeable on the Nitro, but on Surge so is the ride.

[@vince5348]

Great review. You're the first reviewer to talk about the height of the rack. Since I'm tall, one of my concerns is the height of the kit. Thanks to your video, I know the Surge is the model for me. Thanks!

[@demonicsweaters]

Glad it was helpful!

[@isthisagoodyoutubehandle]

Oh my god thank you. I found a version of the nitro mesh at walmart that wasn't in any online stores. It came with the nitro module, but a binary kick pedal rather than the pad tower and another single zone 8" pad instead of the dual zone snare and it It was only $350. Now i know that i can literally just buy dual zone DM10 pads for all the inputs to upgrade. Since i just use the USB midi into a daw, i dont care about the module's sound quality, only that it works with the pads i need. I can't believe this crazy plan is actually gomna work lololol.

[@kateleara2455]

Thank you for being so honest, looking for my first drum set and nervous to get the wrong one. This video helps a lot!

[@demonicsweaters]

Glad to help!

[@Ayushdrums]

I bought surge and I'm happy with the purchase.

[@vernonchristianmarquez5664]

Thank you for the review god bless

[@dirtydoge756]

I'm a noob to the nitro set and turning down the volume on the hats was a game changer, holy fuck. I also turned up the snare. Gang.

[@shaneskebab856]

Cooperate needs you to find the difference between these two electric drum sets

[@one04all33]

FINALLY thanks man! 8:28 BIG!

[@dbmdrums1105]

This is gold man ! Thanks Justin .

[@blinddog1212]

Great review! Are both of these Alesis options fairly compact? Space is an issue here, so I'm looking for something functional but small space-friendly. Thanks again!

[@demonicsweaters]

The nitro is a bit smaller/lighter

[@ciskemerlijn6161]

Hey,I see you have changed out the drum module? What module is it,and what price is it? Have a nice day:)

[@michaelbao8849]

Such a great help! Thank you.

[@PhilipCockram]

Thanks , this helped me decide .The better hardware of the surge is worth the money to me .

[@jrsiv4462]

In researching these sets I can't find an expansion kit for the Alesis Surge, only the Alesis Nitro. Is there an expansion kit for the Surge, or is the Nitro crash and tom compatible with the Surge brain?

[@kingrizz9737]

I've had a surge mesh kit for 3 years and it's been nothing but hassle and problems from the start. Within a month the snare drum wire snapped inside of it. The mesh on it wore away and broke. The hi-hat pedal stopped working, the kick pedal's piezo stopped responding a month after that. The cymbals have mostly survived but one died last year. It's been an absolute nightmare. I don't know whether to buy another one or not.

[@johnsiggers1682]

I have read about 10 comments now on youtube reporting problems and apparently they arent very good over the phone either!

[@nothingman24]

Since the surge has mesh I imagine it would have a better feel than the harsh rubber pad, but is it any quieter?

[@demonicsweaters]

The nitro is also mesh pads. I think rubber and mesh are about the same volume

[@joelf5565]

I want the surge for myself, but I also want to teach my 6 yr old son. Is the Nitro better for a 6 yr old or can they be both shortened and positioned the same for closer play?

[@demonicsweaters]

I would stick with the Surge. The new version of the Nitro is terrible. You can lower the surge just as low as the older Nitros.

[@joelf5565]

Thank you. I went with the Surge and it seems just fine for me and my son. In the pre owned market it was $50 more than the Nitro Max with upgraded module. $100 more than Nitro with older module. I’m glad I went with the Surge cause those dual zone Toms are like getting 3 more Instruments on a kit (cowbell, maracas, and splash cymbal). Plus the metal frame is quite sturdy. I can’t imagine banging away on a plastic frame.

[@michaeldoherty7439]

Thank you for sharing your insight! I am a guitarist looking into buying an electronic drum set in the $500 range. Do you think a Roland TD-1K is better than the Alesia Surge? I am leaning towards the Surge but def need to hear some advice from drummers!

[@demonicsweaters]

The TD-1K is probably about the only Roland drum kit I wouldn't recommend over the surge, haha. I'd look for a used TD-6, TD-9, TD-11 or even TD-5 (if you can find one) which you could find for around the same price as a surge if you wanted to go with Roland kit.

[@michaeldoherty7439]

@@demonicsweaters Thank you for the advice!

[@MarioSalazar07]

Very good and informative. Thank you very much!

[@Ross-vh2rl]

Found a brand new Surge at a thrift for $100. Was missing the bass drum, so I bought the only electric kick pad I could find at the local music store, a Alesis "Real Head Kick Pad"...everything checks out on it but it doesn't make any sound and the module doesnt reconize it when you hit it either...im thinking its not compatible because its dual zone or something like that? Know anything about it? Thanks

[@demonicsweaters]

There’s no dual zone kicks. Maybe it’s the cable snake.

[@VintageGearMan]

Looking at buying a used kit. Big question,,,,, can I use my Tama Iron Cobra pedal on this kit? The idea of practicing on Alesis pedal then going back to my Tama pedal live could be a problem. Weirdness involved getting used to the Alesis and then my normal gigging Tama pedal.

[@demonicsweaters]

yep!

[@VintageGearMan]

@@demonicsweaters Awesome news. Thank you!

[@313astrologytv-7]

Can you buy just the bass pad and connect it to the less expensive one?

[@demonicsweaters]

Yes

[@arenasriyan1425]

Very nice and informative video. Thanks

[@demonicsweaters]

glad to help

[@HugoStiglitz88]

Having 2 different sounds on a cymbal isn't a bad thing to me at all assuming the module has okay samples. Like for a long time my left crash has had a crash sound on the rim and a splash sound on the bow and it works great once you tweak the threshold and sensitivity. Problem is the trash simmons module keeps shutting off on its own and I keep breaking and resoldiering cymbals so I kinda want a new kit

[@mechols56]

good stuff!!! Thanks

[@grueurgrue2108]

I used to have a Yamaha dtx500. It was fine, but then I got the Surge, and I like it much better. Got it used for 200 bucks. Only thing is it came with an off brand brain called an Ion. Seems identical to the Alesis, but not totally sure yet.

[@DirtShy]

I went ahead and purchase the Alesis command for the better module.

[@maddoxdaehling5246]

Does it have one of those pedals that crash the cymbals together? (I'm new to drums not sure about all the names)

[@demonicsweaters]

yes, those are called hi hats. It's the pedal and cymbal pad on the left

[@nathandurgasingh3570]

Really good explanation in this video

[@damianbecerra]

What if I already bought a Nitro Master kit and I want the snare bigger and the double bass

[@demonicsweaters]

Look for Roland PD120 or PD100 on used markets

[@jon1268]

What do you think of the command? I’ve been between buying a new surge vs a used command. A lot of reviews just say save for Roland. I’d appreciate your advice though!

[@demonicsweaters]

I would actually agree with them for the most part. For $999 you could get a TD-07 which is a great sounding little kit. I think the only other kits I’d consider by Alesis would be a Crimson II and a Strike Pro.

[@jon1268]

@@demonicsweaters thanks. So not worth it to go for a Surge or Command even if you use a software for better sounds? Appreciate you helping a beginner here!

[@demonicsweaters]

@@jon1268 It just depends on what you want to do. Personally, I hate using VSTs most of the time. They're a pain in the ass, and not as much fun as just using a decent module. Granted I own, SD3 and it sounds incredible, but I barely use it. It's so much faster and enjoyable making custom kits on my TD-6 than messing with all the zillions of settings within SD3. The Surge and Nitro are great entry level kits, but if you go above that, I'd just get a Roland or even a Yamaha. like the DTX6K-X.

[@jon1268]

@@demonicsweaters thanks! Didn’t realize softwares were such a pain in the ass. I’m looking to just jam to music I like and record some decent sounding covers. But the less complicated the better.

[@lancetothebeat]

Is there a way to make it a 3 zone cymbal? Like a software that is compatible for Alesis Nitro/Surge. Thanks!

[@demonicsweaters]

Nope

[@freetvplusmore9815]

which kit is better alesis forge or the surge undecided they both look good

[@simonbroke-smith7783]

Very helpful - thank you 🤘😁🥁👍

[@edwinhernandez6627]

Buy once cry once, spend the extra 170.00 dollars for the better kit ( Surge) .😋🥁

[@guyfoxe]

Thanks for this video!!

[@demonicsweaters]

My pleasure!

[@robb7565]

I have the Nitro Alesis Nitro Mesh, if the modules are the same would it be safe to say that the surge 10 inch snare would work with the Alesis Nitro Mesh. Hoping that if I can get a used Surge snare it could save me from buying a new kit just for the larger snare. Thoughts would be appreciated. Thx man. !!!!

[@demonicsweaters]

Yeah it should work

[@jesuss7365]

Thank you !

[@TechGorilla1987]

The only lingering question I have is this: Is it better to use the USB/MIDI or the actual hardware MIDI jacks. My TASCAM US144 Mk2 has hardware MIDI in and out as well as a control panel app to adjust latency. What are the advantages of each?

[@demonicsweaters]

USB is easier, that's the main difference. 1 cable provides midi in/out.

[@demonicsweaters]

Also the latency controls are for audio, not MIDI. But you will notice a change using either midi connection. You want to have your buffer down as low as you can. Maybe try both connections and see which one performs better. But it may have a lower latency with just the Tascam since you're only routing through a single USB rather than two, but the MIDI DIN connections might be slower than USB so it might balance out to being about the same or worse.

[@TechGorilla1987]

@@demonicsweaters Oh. Heck. You instantly made sense. I got it. Plus, I have USB cables up to about 50ft. I do not have MIDI cables though. You're the absolute reason why so many people have purchased this kit. Now it makes sense why so many laud the MIDI/USB thing as USB is more universally available to the average consumer than MIDI specifications.

[@lorenkelley6630]

LOVE my nitro. Will it last forever if you beat on it for years with recording and practice? No. But I bought a second on sale, kept the first set parts for extras and perfectly happy👍🏽

[@Subilon]

That’s exactly what I did.Great to have a second Tom and crash

[@jakekaye6545]

Great video as usual Justin👍. What do you think on building a hybrid kit like yours vs something like an Alesis strike kit. I know they are close to $1800. How much has been invested into your kit?

[@demonicsweaters]

Personally I wouldn't buy anything other than the Nitro or the Surge by Alesis and maybe the DM10 if you found one of the older models used. The Strike has a terrible reputation of falling apart and not working correctly. The Commands and the Crimsons sound absolutely awful and worse than the Nitros IMO. I have a lot in my kit, but I've swapped out a million parts. You could do something nice for much cheaper than what I did. Or, just get a Roland TD-07 or TD-17 and you'll have a sweet kit that is reliable and holds it's value, the new Yamahas sound really good too. Another hybrid build I want to try is just with a ddrum DDTI straight to computer.

[@ashleysaunby2002]

@@demonicsweaters great vid, very informative, thanks. Are you saying the Alesis Command sounds awful, presumably because it uses a different control module? I was looking at getting the Command as I heard it had a variable opening hi hat peddle which the Surge and Nitro don’t.

[@demonicsweaters]

@@ashleysaunby2002 well, I wouldn't say it sounds as bad as I was saying, but there's a lot of useless junk samples in the Command, Crimson, and Forge modules (they're all the same module). One thing about it though is you can actually add your own samples. I'm sure if you spent some time with it, and making your own kits, it would be good.

[@lukasveverka3956]

Acording to Double bass at nitro, I cut that rubber part with piezo, removed metal part and now double bass works because trigger is more sensitive. but my beaters of my Mapex Falcon are very close to each other :D Now my plan is to do conversion with that modified trigger to put it into drumhead and use that on 16" Bass drum from kids set - DIY version of Roland KD18 (in my case KD16 :D)

[@joehenthompson2023]

Great video! Very helpful as I have been looking at nitro as an option. Very straight forward. Do you think the Alesis DM TOUCH iPad Drum Module a viable option for a drum module in 2021? Pros and cons? Thanks.

[@demonicsweaters]

most likely not, especially if you're expecting Apple to back support anything from 2014, haha.

[@joehenthompson2023]

@@demonicsweaters. That's made it clear for me. It's a shame though, at the time the concept and idea was pretty sound at the time, having a docking system to connect all your triggers and other stuff. But You're right haha. Without apple back supporting tech, the dock becomes a boat anchor of the past! Thanks again.

[@fikrihairudin1006]

Hi,just straight with me Nitro or surge? Btw,this is my first drum/e kit

[@demonicsweaters]

Depends on what you're looking for, budget, needs, etc... If you want me to 'just be straight with you', buy an acoustic kit.

[@fikrihairudin1006]

@@demonicsweaters its not like i dont want to buy acoustic but i want to buy e drums because noise and space

[@Top-Jimmy]

@@fikrihairudin1006 Go the Nitro mate

[@JohnSmith.907]

fantastic video!

[@0000song0000]

whats the difference between the debut and the nitro sets? 😛 i am not a drummer because i cannot make any noise 😶

[@demonicsweaters]

What's a debut set?

[@rogglerjr]

@@demonicsweaters It's like the turbo mesh, but with even less proper pedals (just buttons), smaller pads and cymbals, and is basically targeted towards younger children

[@verbatim411411]

Hi! You mention in the video that you can make the rim of one of the toms into a bell ride out of the box for the Surge. How do you go about doing that? Thank you!

[@olivertschernij]

Hello Justin, is one of these quiter than the other? I live an apartment, on the first floor though with no neighbours under or next to me. There’s only one apartment above which will be great regarding the neighbour problem 😄 However I want as quiet e-drums as possible.

[@demonicsweaters]

no, they're about the same

[@olivertschernij]

@@demonicsweaters Is the kick drum material exactly the same on the two drum kits?

[@SubhashKumar-gv7ch]

@@olivertschernij Surge has a mesh kick drum which definately is quiter than the nitro's rubber kick drum.

[@olivertschernij]

@@SubhashKumar-gv7ch I was wondering regarding the kick drum.. Thanks for clearing that up!

[@SubhashKumar-gv7ch]

@@olivertschernij My pleasure helping a fellow drummer!!! 🤘

[@Framesofperception]

Can one buy a nitro expansion pack with an extra tom and a cymbal, and connect to the surge?

[@demonicsweaters]

They work, but the clamp won't fit the rack

[@shawngrenaud]

Another good video, Justin! Invaluable information for anyone currently weighing the cost vs features of the two kits.

[@demonicsweaters]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@michaelmdrummer2016]

I choose Surge and add a new crash from Yamaha! In a second time a use the new cash for ride and now I have two alesis crash and one ride Yamaha! I simple solution!

[@TechGorilla1987]

Demonic!!!! I needed to follow up on this because I am (and please forgive the foul language), Frigging STOKED with this kit. You're probably the absolute best salesman for this kit hands down. I'll detail what we have since the kit arrived the other day... I got the DW 5000 series tractor throne. (Guitar Center) 7 1/2" bed risers for the rack Proper sticks that have some grip so I quit throwing them across the room. (Guitar Center) and last but not least - I got the Nitro Mesh Expansion pack as another commenter suggested ($99 at GC also) and THAT, sir, was the biggest surprise of the evening. This sumbitch has DUAL zone tom and a crash with choke as well as cords and all the hardware to mount it all. I expected single zone at that price point. You want to talk about a value-added box of hardware. On that note,, I wanted to remind people about what you said regarding this kit - all of the tom, snare and cymbal inputs are DUAL zone and have stereo (2 channel) cables already included. You can put a dual-zone on any position! I'm almost speechless. I know I may be easily impressed or such a noob that I am stupid, but damn if this kit isn't just kicking it with surprises. I just ever so briefly touched on recording with Ezdrummer, and THAT is a serious game changer for sounds. It makes this thing sound like I paid a WHOLE lot more for it.

[@demonicsweaters]

That's great, I'm glad you're enjoying the kit! Yeah, EZ Drummer is killer. Check out their expansion EZX kits too. There's a ton of great sounds you can get.

[@simo7321]

Hi, looking to get a drum kit for my kid and myself, what do you think of the Alesis Command Mesh? I can't find the Surge.

[@demonicsweaters]

They seem okay, but if you're going too much higher in price I'd just get a Roland TD07 or Yamaha Dtx6k

[@simo7321]

@@demonicsweaters ok, thank you for the quick reply.

[@dannypowers2487]

Can you add the Nitro extra tom and cymbal kit to the Surge ? Will it work ?

[@demonicsweaters]

yep, but the mount won't fit on the rack, so you'll need a different clamp

[@rexxo4246]

Hi, great video, I just wonder if you can adjust the volume for each pad/tom?

[@demonicsweaters]

yep

[@Javier-qk7ms]

Hello Justin, it is been I while I check one of your videos. Question: Can you adjust the height of the horizontal bars of the rack on which module, cymblas and toms are mounted? I ask this because my 7 year old son wants to learn to play drums and I would like to learn too, however I don't have the space or money to buy two sets and maybe one with adjustable heigth can work for bot of us taking turns different days.

[@demonicsweaters]

Yes you can, though you need to use the included hex wrench to make adjustments and it’s not the easiest thing in the world

[@Javier-qk7ms]

@@demonicsweaters Thanks a lot. I will keep that in mind but then it sounds doable.

[@VWAPTradah]

can you buy an add'l crash for the surge?

[@demonicsweaters]

Yes, the module has two expansion ports, one more tom and one more crash. amzn.to/4fXSyR9

[@jakelairdify]

Is the Surge snare compatible with the Nitro command module? I'm thinking about upgrading later on to a larger 10" snare, and this would seem like the most cost effective route.

[@demonicsweaters]

Yeah, it should work

[@brianw.359]

I think I want multi zone cymbals and toms, though if you wanted to go cheap these are an option.

[@demonicsweaters]

Speaking from experience, dual zone toms aren't as important as you might think. It's much better having multi-zone cymbals. If you can afford it, take a look at the Roland TD-07, $999, audio over USB, dual zone cymbals and snare, and a great little module.

[@otto7848]

Thank you very much!

[@samuraioodon]

hi would the nitro be good for a complete beginner? i love classic rock music and enjoy those beats, kind of inspired me to learn drums. do you think nitro is good enough for now and later? thank you

[@demonicsweaters]

Absolutely! I recommend it all the time to people new to drumming!

[@samuraioodon]

@@demonicsweaters wonderful, thank you for your reply :)

[@samuraioodon]

Hello again, I’m reading lots of issues with headphones not loud enough. Is there a particular reason for this and how to resolve? I need to use headphones.

[@fingereze7202]

@@samuraioodon It really all depends on the headphones and the ohm value of the headphones etc. I got some $30 dollar headphones on amazon which I also use for recording, etc and they sound plenty loud with this kit. You can also adjust the volume for each drum piece so if its not loud enough you can crank each piece up individually as well as the whole kit volume.

[@edgarsousa6630]

People with Surge or Nitro... Where do you place your second crash (bought separately) ? Do you keep the ride on the same place? I've looked into correct positioning rules...But those are for acustic kits. And the size/shape of these edrums is very different.

[@jakelairdify]

Please take with a grain of salt because I'm a new player, but I got the expansion kit (extra crash/tom) and left the ride cymbal in it's original order on the far right. I slid it over a bit to accommodate the extra crash, but I prefer the order I have it in: hi hat, crash 1, crash 2, ride.

[@demonicsweaters]

On the Nitro or any drum set, there's no 'correct' place for cymbals. It's where you find it to be comfortable. I know though there is limited space on the Nitro rack, but it's really up to you. You could put the second crash on the far right, or program that as the ride and put your crash where the ride currently is. Or you could rearrange them in some other way. It's entirely up to you!

[@donaldschaefer296]

Wherever you are comfortable. I put the new crash cymbal on the lower bar that holds toms 3 and 4. My ride is on the middle cross bar to the right just over tom #2 and is an easy reach.I love ride cymbals!

[@edgarsousa6630]

@@donaldschaefer296 Any chance we can see a photo of your kit? Thanks 👍

[@edgarsousa6630]

@@jakelairdify Any chance we can see a photo of your kit? 👍

[@billfarley2210]

Hey just wanted to thank you for the awsome review. I was wondering about the size.no body gives you that.im 6ft. Sounds like the surge is more for me.un fortunately my local musicstore dosent carry anything alesis in store just higher end yamaha and roland.there nice but pricey. I haven't played in 25 yrs.and dont really know if I'm going to keep with it.

[@justcitizen8607]

Millenium MPS-450 is the best in this price range

[@ICU81269]

Great video

[@chodicuss1889]

Will the nitro expansion Tom and cymbal work on the surge Since both of the controllers are the same

[@demonicsweaters]

Yep

[@SefaDrums]

Are you able to add your own samples to this? Thank you

[@demonicsweaters]

no

[@Top-Jimmy]

Well you can..If you use Ezy drummer 3.0 -it opens up an entire new world.

[@Sixfootdig]

What would u recommend between surge and command for the money?

[@demonicsweaters]

The command has a 'better' module according to Alesis, but honestly I think it sounds pretty awful. The drums/cymbals are nearly the same. The only other Alesis kit aside from the Nitro and Surge I would even remotely consider is the DM10. It's been around for a long time, and seems to be pretty reliable. But at that price point, I'd still go Roland over anything made by Alesis.

[@pranjalsarma5388]

I have a command mesh kit . Can I add a 3 zone cymbal and extra tomb?

[@demonicsweaters]

www.vdrums.com/forum/general/products/1144670-can-alesis-command-kit-module-work%C2%A0with-3-zones-ride-cymbal

[@RobF48]

Can either of these sets be used with brushes? All I ever see demo'd is drummers banging away with sticks.

[@demonicsweaters]

No

[@LeechGeist]

If I pick up the bass drum from the surge kit separately, will it work on my nitro? I’m pretty sure it will, but I feel like I need to ask the expert on this one.

[@demonicsweaters]

Yep!

[@LeechGeist]

Demonic Sweaters Cool cool. Thanks man. Really appreciate your videos. They’ve been a huge help.

[@braparap]

@@LeechGeist I have the Alesis Forge kit (for about 10years now). It came with the same bass pad as the Nitro kit. In my experience, the pad had nothing to do with the dual bass missing notes and not working. I ordered the mesh 8in upgraded bass pad, and it still didn't work. For me, the Forge bass channel is different than the rest and starts to malfunction at 160-180bpm and can't keep up. It was a long time ago testing it and created a long forum on Alesis's site about it. You can plug the bass channel to any drum pad and get the same result at around 160bpm. I had to get a cable and use the Tom 4 output for the bass and changed the sound to the bass. With that set up, the stock pad that came with the kit worked fine with a pearl dual bass, and could also catch quick heal toe with the single pedal that the bass channel won't catch. But i found the Forge kits isn't capable of keeping up with dual bass on the bass channe and is limited by bpm. But, my kit im using Tom 4 for bass and put the bass line to sound a cow bell (thats still limited to 160bmp). Im not positive the Nitro is the same, but I thought I'd add my experience. :)

[@Mugiwara555]

Nitro works for me I do have a acoustic kit [tama emperial] worth prolly 2k+ cuz of the upgrades I just need some quieter one lmao

[@TechGorilla1987]

Please don't do this to me. My kit is out for delivery and is due by 10:45 this morning. You know I got the Nitro Mesh. **Edit - I'm in love with this kit!!**

[@demonicsweaters]

haha, well you could take that $170 you saved and get EZdrummer 2 :)

[@donaldschaefer296]

You are going to love your Nitro!!

[@TechGorilla1987]

@@donaldschaefer296 Yes, sir....you're SOOOOOOO correct. Haven't even had them up for an hour and I am already in love, This is exactly what a shy player needs in his life to actually PRACTICE without the unrealistic embarrassment one feels when "messing up" on the drums. I really have not even adjust anything with the exception of tightening the heads about a half turn per lug. Playing along with some of the built-in songs (and turning off the drums) can really be a thrill and REALLY sound good when you're on. I'm going to swap my snare up to the second tom now. Do you have a link for the expansion kit you spoke of, fine sir?

[@donaldschaefer296]

@@TechGorilla1987 The practice songs help a lot. I got my expansion kit from guitar center online. It is on sale often for 99 bucks. That extra. Crash cymbal is great on the kit. Have fun.😂👍

[@jakelairdify]

@@donaldschaefer296 I found a combo expansion kit with extra crash AND extra tom, brand new, for $108 on eBay.

[@hojo70]

Sounds like the major drawback on both kits is single zone cymbals

[@pulyabacsi]

Quick question about tom overrides: Can you use a TOM input as a cymbal? I mean, if you buy a dual-zone cymbal can you reprogram the whole TOM 2 dual trigger slot to function as ride and ride bell?

[@rebelrioX]

Yes you can!

[@demonicsweaters]

no not really, I talk about that in the video. The tom inputs are piezo/piezo type inputs, and dual zone cymbals are piezo/switch (usually) also, the Nitro/Surge doesn't have a ride bell sample, or multiple zones of the same cymbal sampled. So there's not much use in trying that.

[@rebelrioX]

@@demonicsweaters SO if i use piezo/piezo type in piezo/switch cymbal won't it work at all?

[@demonicsweaters]

@@rebelrioX It will work, but one zone will trigger normally, and the other you'll have to strike ridiculously hard to make a sound. There are Piezo/Piezo type cymbals out there. Pintech makes some, but like I mentioned as well, the nitro module doesn't have a ride bell sample. Though you could possibly adjust the midi notes to trigger a ride and bell in EZ Drummer.

[@rebelrioX]

@@demonicsweaters Yes, thx a lot for the info. I use different vsts, such as AD2 and SD3 so I don't really care about the module sounds

[@myneckhurts_tt]

i don't know why everyone says the alesis nitro mesh has chokable cymbals, because i tried, and it doesn't have chokable cymbals.

[@demonicsweaters]

Only crash 1 is chokable. If it's not working for you, you probably put the wrong cymbal there.

[@edgarsousa6630]

Does anyone know if Alesis Turbo cymbals (+arm+clamp) can be used on the Alesis Nitro. Man, it's almost impossible to find a Nitro cymbal at a reasonable price online

[@niccolandau9821]

Is it possible to get a Surge snare to work on the Nitro Mesh? I love the Mesh but the larger snare would be a bonus. I made an extra cymbal really easily for about 6 bucks.

[@demonicsweaters]

Yep, it’s the same module