The Best Tabletop Electronic Drums (Are They Worth Buying?)

[@GodslayerXUL]

The most important advantage in my opinion with the Yamaha devices is that they have 8 pads instead of 7. And the pad arrangement makes more sense. You can have both hi-hat and ride while still having two crash cymbals. Can't really do that with the cheaper devices. They only have two cymbals and this awkwardly positioned pad in the front middle. That's why I went for the DD-75. That was more important to me than having more sounds and presets. That information I thought was missing in the (otherwise nice) video.

[@markguilbeau4404]

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[@carlosfilho9404]

This is a critical advantage of the Yamaha. It surprised me that the reviewer missed that.

[@axelroller2000]

You are absolutely right bro, I just bought the DD-75 with the pedal add-ons for more comfort and efficiency to play it. And I chose this model because it has 2 crashes and also the hi hat is played with the arm crossed and not open as in the other models mentioned by the guy in the video. I could easily invest a little more budget and buy the Alesis Nitro but I just needed something easy to move and already assembled to make it easier to transport, especially to rehearse with my band or practice at home by myself, as well as to have control of the sound and not disturb the neighbors or stun me. I will only use my acoustic drums to play live or record in the studio, so I think it was definitely a good investment, I spent approximately 422 dollars including pedals, while the Alesis Nitro costs approximately 530 dollars in my country, that's more than 100 dollars difference!

[@pcallas66]

I'm not a drummer, but I wanted the DD 75 so I could record. I got it as a birthday gift. I've written a few songs. I'm not crazy about the pedals that came with it, but I did use it on an old analog 16 track recorder and the kit sounds absolutely huge when recorded to tape. I am going to go for the pedal upgrade. I'm fairly limited in space, but I think as a non drummer, I'm having a lot of fun with it. Great video.

[@paohaus6482]

The Yamaha DD 65 was my first “drum kit”, it was amazing while learning and afterwards for having some good fun and experimenting. You don’t need anything but passion to get jamming!

[@gankeepoon5647]

That time DD75 model not sale in my Country. But ok.DD 65 the only different is cymbal sound a bit weird.

[@stephenrally2432]

I have had the Yamaha DD65 since about 2007. It has seriously held up well! I recently got an Alesis Nitro mesh, which I do like a lot, but the DD65 served me well for many years and I still use it as an ultra portable set.

[@yaketyyakumo3315]

Just a little PSA about the pedals on the Yamaha: if you’re on a budget, you can use any standard keyboard sustain pedal, or a Rock Band kick pedal and a 1/4” adapter, as the hi-hat pedal. And you can use a Guitar Hero kick pedal and a 1/4” adapter as the kick pedal. (I don’t know if this still works on the 75 but it definitely works on my 55.)

[@Petteblubb]

This is why I like your videos.. You don't only shows your own kit, you want to spread the world about there's a lot of options for beginners as professionals to drum. Godd job :)

[@65Drums]

Thanks Pette!

[@zynel413]

(: boj ddoG .murd ot slanoisseforp sa srennigeb orf snoitop fo tol a s'ereht tuoba dlrow eht daerps ot tnaw uoy , tik nwo ruoy swohs ylno t'nod uoY ..soediv ruoy ekil I yhw si sihT (I need to get a hobby)

[@drummerboypoyntz87]

I've had one of the Medeli type sets for over 2 years, mainly because of space in my house. My real kit spends most of its time stored in the loft unfortunately. But the tabletop kit keeps me playing, enables me to record midi on my DAW, and is quick and easy to take to church and play through the PA system on Sunday morning. Obviously it takes some getting used to, but I bought a second hand 'Rock Band' game pedal from ebay and it really improved the bass drum aspect of playing. One thing I will say though, these things are sometimes sold with the phrase 'beginner kit' or 'for those who are learning'. These table top kits are the worst thing to learn on: The pads are to small; the layout is wrong; the feel is completely different. Their real benefit is that they are cheap and convenient. Thanks for all you videos Justin, I find them enjoyable and helpful.

[@65Drums]

good analysis, thanks for talking about how you use these :)

[@ryoaev]

I have a Yamaha dd65 and I really recommend it, it's great for just sitting on my desk for making music, it's great fun and you actually can hit the pads surprisingly easily! Speakers are great quality and the option for midi is really useful. Would suggest you buy a dd65 or 75 if you wish, they're well worth the money

[@Falasi4]

I learned drums on a dd-55 and then dd-65. Great learning options for many styles of music but the biggest weakness is the touch sensitivity is pretty hard to modulate. Fine if you are just banging out a rock tune but tricky for anything requiring more finesse. Actually sound really good on recording, especially if you spend just a little EQ time. Midi out lets you keep using it as a trigger pad after you upgrade to a full size set.

[@golcese]

I live in the Netherlands where the population density is high and shared-walls and row houses are the norm. I built a small sound proof room in my house so I can play drums there without bothering neighbors, but it's small, dark, and my drum kit is terrible. So a few months back I stumbled upon the KAT KTMP1multipad and I realized it was so small and portable I could play it anywhere in the house with head phones or through speakers with the volume at a reasonable level. I decided to get one and test it out to see if the KAT could be an adequate replacement for my terrible physical kit. Long story short - It can, and I highly recommend it. It's like 99 bucks. It's one pad divided into four smaller pads. You get 50 build-in sounds, and it's very portable. Downsides are it has no internal speaker and the add-on kick pedal and hi-hat controller for it are pretty bad, especially the hi-hat pedal. I tried using a Yamaha silent-kick and a few other pedals, but the KAT multipad doesn't recognize them. If you live in an apartment, and have noise issues and space issues it is an ideal multi-pad. Though four pads for drum sounds may not be enough for you. It wasn't for me, so I got two. I have two, (99 bucks a piece). One angled slightly above the other. I run them through a small passive mixer (75 bucks) and out to speakers. The kick pedal and hi-hat trigger cost like 160 bucks. I mount the two pads on the bases of two cheap cymbal stands (50 bucks for both). Total price tag for this very portable and versatile kit its less than 500 bucks. Keep in mind it's 500 for my suped up kit, but you can use one multi-pad on a kitchen table and its cost with the pedals is around $250 Though it's a great space saver, and I love being able to use headphones, and it's so portable, the thing I actually like best about and recognize gives it great value is that the on-board sounds are pretty good, and the tune / reverb / volume / sensitivity / balance controls allow you to get much better tones then you would get out of a standard cheap drum kit. Let's face it, even with new drum heads perfectly tuned, you can only make a cheap Tama or Pearl kit sound so good. And cheap cymbals sound terrible. Even the first few grades of Zildjian cymbals can be pretty underwhelming. So often, if you don't have more than a grand or, when you get a kit, you can end up with some pretty lousy sounding gear. For a while, when I was first starting out I had a snare drum that sounded like a bag of Doritos. So, having tried the KAT and having had a lot of time on very average low to mid range kits, I think the KAT sounds better and feels better (except for ride cymbal and hi-hat). Which is why, when I sold my Pearl kit and snare and cymbals, I kept the hi-hat and the Ride cymbal. The multi-pad just isn't sophisticated and nuanced enough to allow you to do the full range of things you can do with physical cymbals. For super intricate hi-hat work and / or nuanced ride cymbal work, it's good to have the real things on hand. To go backwards and ramble about portability, I wish I could go back in time and hand myself this thing 20 years ago. When I think of all the hours spent lugging huge drum sets around to gigs and band practices, and think that I could have carried my whole current KAT setup in a messenger bag instead, I feel bad for my younger self. Back to main point - try the KAT KTMP-1 Multipad. It's really, really good value for price. SUMMARY The mutli-pad is great. Very good velocity and sensitivity. Not a lot of cross-talk issues. Occasional failure of pads to trigger, but not more than once or twice in a song max. No way to put additional sounds on, but the onboard ones are pretty good. It's solidly build. Can withstand a significant beating. Super portable. As for the accessories: The KAT bass drum trigger isn't half-bad once you get your pedal all set up just right with that weird inverted beater. The KAT hi-hat trigger, not so great. In fact it's noisy, cheaply built, and not dynamic at all. The depth of the pedal on the hi-hat clutch is way to much. You have to push down and pull up too much to trigger the open / close sound. Here's what you do to make it better. Open the pedal and figure out how to adjust the depth. Either add additional foam, or put a bolt in the mechanism to shorten it's maximum possible open position. Once you do that, it becomes bearable.

[@predicate]

the ads are getting smarter!

[@ThatTimDenham]

I got the DD-65 used to play at my office. Perfect. Have them in a corner and when I feel like playing I go over and play. Awesome. I wish I had the DD-75 because I could use the extra custom kits and more voices always gives you more options. Nice review.

[@gavin.cichello6165]

I asked for an electric drum set for Christmas and.............my parents got me the petod1 thing and I was kinda disappointed. Not what I was expecting but I couldn’t exactly expect them to spend 400$ on an alesis. But I’ve saved up money and now I’m getting the alesis surge so I have both. So not the end of the world😁👍

[@mathewm.3699]

I have a Yamaha dd55, it was my first "drum set". Fired up my love for drums, and I plan on using it as a sample pad now.

[@wolfetteplays8894]

@New York adventure yep, custom sounds ain’t just modifying the existing drums

[@charlessamuel5184]

I bought a Yamaha dd65 for church use. I used it for a year and I upgraded to Roland spd 30 with kd8 kick and fd8 hihat. The best tip i can give is save it up for Roland series.

[@65Drums]

totally agree

[@arnaldocambraia8681]

Other price... not compare.

[@thatoneguy3332]

I think they're great for beginners to learn the basics of drumming. I'd say after a good few months people starting off can move onto a proper drum set

[@rhythm-t3023]

I have the DD-65 that's for my studio recording project and I also have the DD-75 for practicing and for a little small gig like a small church and café or outside by the train station making some money.

[@ryanglick4597]

I have the Yamaha dd65. I love it personally and it lasted me for a long time and also great for my small bedroom to practice. I enjoy the Yamaha dd65

[@Afflict8dGaming]

I actually have a hatchback and my whole drum set fits in it

[@CoreysReviews]

I personally have a tabletop drum set that I've been trying to practise with, because I'm trying to get into drums. I have a Livingstone DD-305, and honestly, the kit sucks. For such a cheap set, the sounds in the module are okay. The best thing I can say about this drum set is that for such a cheap set, some of the sounds are actually half decent. It has about 30 kits, but there's only a small handful of sounds in the entire module I actually like. I have been able to cobble together my own custom kit with my favourite toms, favourite cymbals, and my favourite snare from each kit, which has made things a little better, and I'd be fine with the drum set if the sounds were my biggest issue. Unfortunately, the sound of the kit is the least of my complaints with the set. I can't stand the way the drum set feels. Compared to how the hi-hat and the snare is usually placed on a drum set, the way the snare and the hi-hat is placed on a tabletop is just weird. What makes things feel even stanger is how your hi-hat is placed where the snare would realistically be, but your pedal for the hi-hat is placed where your hi-hat would actually be, which can get quite disorienting. Another issue I have is since it's so confined being a tabletop, bouncing your arms up and down in a confined space is nowhere near as much fun as playing on a kit that's surrounding you. Like you said in the video, tabletops are nowhere near as fun to play on as a proper kit, and it's even worse for me since I'm a beginner. My biggest problem with the kit though is the kick pedal. Again, like you said in the video, the pedal isn't really a pedal at all, but more of a button that you stomp on. Let's just say even the pedal from the Roland TD-1K would probably feel better than this. It's nothing like using a proper kick pedal with a proper kick drum tower. The button is extremely finicky, and impossible to use. It sounds okay when using the right kit, but that's nothing when the thing doesn't even work half the time. It has an extremely cheap feeling, and it moves around way too much. It's also pathetic in terms of response. There have been countless times where I press the pedal once, and the sound initiates twice, times it doesn't work at all, and the set being so finicky makes staying in time literally impossible. It's not just a result of me being an amature drummer either. I've played proper electronic drums in stores that have way better kick pedals, and other people who've played the set say the pedal is complete crap. It doesn't help that I'm trying to learn how to do hard rock/metal, such as Skillet, Nirvana or System of a Down. It's so bad I literally had to use one of the custom kits to replace the floor tom with a bass drum. I know it's cheating and I really don't like doing it, but doing this immediately improved my timing, and the kit isn't as unplayable as it used to be. However, I'm aware that it's an extremely bad habit, and it's seriously limiting me. Basically, the kick pedal is so problematic, not to mention the restriction of using a tabletop, the poor quality of the drum set is actually affecting my drumming. This is why my father and I have been looking to get a better drum set. If any beginners are out there who are looking for a relatively cheap electronic drum set to practise on, from personal experience, I strongly would not recommend starting with a tabletop unless you absolutely have to. The one I've got sucks, and it's impossible to use. I'm looking to get a better electronic drum set, and in my eyes, the sooner I upgrade, the better.

[@laskholt]

I see there is a few old timers like my self that restarted their drumming with one of these. I bought a dd65 to go back to drumming after 30 years. You are right that the 'pedals' are no fun, so those where quickly switched to better ones. I later sold the unit and got at least half of my money back. I bought a Roland TD-9, which I now use for practice and trigger SP3 for recording. Recently I bought the dd65 back again, planning to use it for travelling and playing with old band buddies, then using a jamhub unit to connect their vocals, keyboard, guitar and bass. No problems to bring along and setup is super easy and relatively quite. I also own a SDP-30 which I don't find any use for. One of the things that differs the Yamaha from the others is the placement of the hi-hat. It's placed very clever, giving you the right "right hand over the left hand' practice. For those looking into these for a start because of the budget, small space or easy to bring - go for a used one. You will get most of your money back by reselling if you choose to, and much more fun experience than banging on anything else. By far not perfect, but a very good start.

[@aldorthegreat5267]

You see i have a different view on these than most people. I bought one of those lap tables for in cars and put mine on that and had my road kit

[@gregt5150]

I still have a Yamaha DD-55. I switched to a Simmons kit 2 years ago. The DD-55 has held up to major abuse and still sounds good.

[@Jtdubbzz]

Hey man, nice video! I am very new to the tabletop drum scene, as in the past few days lol. But I just picked up off Craigslist a “like new” DD65 for $100 and from the same guy, brand new with tags on, the Yamaha hi hat and kick drum pedals for $80 and I’m happy I did! I feel the more realistic design pedals are a given for playing stationary at home and will last a lot longer than the stock pedals, but the stock pedals will be great for travel. With that said, I am thrilled with my purchase, this is EXACTLY what I wanted! Something to sit next to my desk for quick drum beats to record, and to play along too with guitar. Before this week I had no idea these even existed, I’ve been playing drums for 20 years, and for what I’m doing right now at home, this is perfect. I must say, I am amazed at how natural they feel, within reason of course, but you use the same coordination. I jammed on these for a while today (btw you can record and save 5 of your own songs up to 10,000 beats) literally swiveling my drum throne between these and my guitars and amp, and I didn’t think once I wish I was playing my kit. Will I ever play out with it? No lol. Will I take it to my buddies to hook into the PA and loop a beat to jam keys and guitars to? Abso-freakin-lutley! All-in-all, I would easily recommend these to someone with reasons similar to mine, and for someone who wants to come up with cool drum and percussion sounds and doesn’t want to spend a lot of dough, and basically only take up as much room as a snare drum while doing so...

[@bummerdrummer1902]

Holy crap! You actually made the video! Thanks so much.

[@65Drums]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[@joshuastraus4453]

@istoleyourwaffles are you my brother?

[@theblackknight870]

@@joshuastraus4453 what a beautiful moment

[@edpatch2778]

@@joshuastraus4453 family Reunion

[@theswime945]

Thanks dude. You're absolutely right about space constraints, that's the whole point. For me it's all about getting MIDI signals into a computer in a very confined space, with consideration for my neighbours in the wee small hours. What I really want is an acoustically silent but responsive USB kick pedal and same for hi hats. Come on, inventors! Cheers, Simon.

[@Eric-dd8bk]

You are in the exact same shoes as I am. Have you found anything that works for your and my needs and requirements yet? All I care about is the MIDI connectivity and sensitivity to different velocity since Im stuck in an apartment second floor with a grumpy neighbor downstairs, and I only use one of those drum VSTs to track my drums. Don't care for the looks nor the feel of it as long as there's some rebound on each pad and comes with at least 2 pedals that work, as well as are velocity sensitive.

[@JonDeth]

I have a really old Casio that was comparable to the Yamahas of the day, and it's still up to date compared to the ones around today. I think for recording and practice needs on the road, they make sense for a drummer. I'm a guitarist, and sometimes I go through bouts of playing the drums a lot every few years, but mine never got a tremendous amount of use. I can also sequence top notch drum tracks, so that makes them a novelty for me. *I suppose with that point made, if you're going to be on the road or somewhere you will be deprived of your kit for a significant length of time, then for the dedicated drummer, they're a must.* You also made a critical point, they're really not all that fun to play! lol. I love playing my full sized electronic and acoustic sets, but when it's not a staple in your daily life as a musician, these tabletop sets are fairly awkward.

[@lairdsky4604]

Watching the Yamaha DD55, evolve to the DD65 and now the DD75 is fascinating.......I can see 👀 why so many kids are using them, the real sound sampling and playability just keeps getting better.

[@MichaelJohnsonGeek]

I have a DD-50 that I am using to learn how to play drums on. I found it at a pawn shop with no pedals, so I 3-D printed new ones. It works great!

[@AdvancePlays]

I'm looking at getting one of these for writing the drum parts to my music. I'm not a drummer, so I don't have any reservations about it feeling weird or not working as I expect or anything like that, I just wanna hit it and hear a noise lol. I also don't have the space for a full kit, and of course they cost a whole lot more, so I'm definitely in the target audience for devices like this.

[@djsilent01]

This is me in a nutshell. I’ve been on MPC’s my entire musical journey. I haven’t a clue on playing drums. But I want something fun and different. Something I can just pick up and play. But also trigger my vsts when ready.

[@daviator4720]

I have used the Pyle ( Medli ) version now for the last 2 years… Works great… I am using it for recording in a space limited environment. I find unless you are a drummer, most don’t even realize it’s not “real “ kit . For the money good value 😊

[@karmalord]

The DD65 over Medelli (sp) would be the go to as you can add the upgraded foot pedals to the DD65. Not sure you can upgrade with other brands. I have an old DD55 which I play around with and did upgrade those pedals, but not with the same ones you mentioned.

[@trevellellis4176]

My friend, I have to say this that I own Yamaha DD-65 & DD-75. And I don't have any issues of neither one of them at all. The reason why I have those 2, well I did use the DD-65 quite awhile until I saw the DD-75 that has more features than the DD-65 ok no I don't like those pedal triggers that came with it it was a pain in the ass to use those triggers so right now I'm using the Yamaha KP-65 kick pad, well I had the Yamaha HH-65 it went off track so I'm using the Aleses HiHat real feel controller. Those are are on my DD-75. And my DD-65, I'm using Yamaha KP-65 kick pad, and KAT Hi Hat foot controller. I'm mainly using the DD-75 for practicing and I'm using my DD-65 for my little studio work.

[@paulstockmasterjr1777]

I have an older DD-55 that was my test bed for deciding on getting a acoustic set. Still use it as a tie in to my Alesis Forge.

[@Frontier2000AnoDomin]

Back in the 90s I used the Yamaha DD-50 to record drum and percussion parts for video game scores. I´d never use the internal sounds, but use it as a controller to record midi for GM in-game music. This was a hell of a lot a quicker and more "natural" sounding than tapping away on a MIDI keyboard or step programming. In fact I would play the drum parts with sticks and the percussion parts using my hands. The pads were sensitive enough for hand percussion. Since the good old days, the DD-50 has been replaced by a full Roland V-Drum kit for drums and (recently) a Yamaha Multi DTX 12 for hand and timbale stick percussion. Even with these 2 devices I never use the onboard sounds (unless live). I still only use them as MIDI controllers. I´ll be giving my son the DD-50 to practice as it still works fine. I will in fact be recording all of the sounds off the DD-50 to add to my "vintage" UVI BeatBox Anthology 2 collection. They might all ways come in useful for some kind of retro project. All in all, if you purchase one of these "table top" drum sets with reasonable quality pads it´s a useful composing and DAW recording tool and you can also start to explore the world of drumming at the same time.

[@domjones5465]

Hey Jason. I am a composer (not a drummer) looking purely to have something compact in the studio to trigger superior drummer 3 plus big orchestral percussion etc and it sounds like these are quite good for that although annoying as regards the hard rubber and associated noise! Was wondering if there are any other options? You've got smaller pads that you can play with your fingers but for me I think that would be like playing it on a keyboard which is what I do currently?

[@Eric-dd8bk]

I just don't understand why people over look these electronic compact kits when they have MIDI capabilities with which you can control real professional sounding vsts and record professional grade drum tracks. Especially the professional drumers. Maybe they are like the tube snobs of the guitar world that refuse to play anything but tube amps.

[@greg4272]

Thank you very much for the detailed and useful information, you saved me a lot of research! I was just looking for a simple tool to record drums to my songwriting, where no drumkit would fit.

[@kennynvake4hve584]

I settled on the DD65, because I just today(4.27.2020) found them on the side of the road, in a house clean out...so yes, for me, the cheapest and best set is the DD65...nice video...thanks...

[@PanasonicTooth]

Whaaaat? Did it all still work?

[@acerbt]

I got my dd75 a year ago now. The main thing is that many of the sounds are just the standard xglight and other standard awm drums used on their home keyboards. This includes the xg drum kits used for playing rhythms and midi files, but it also includes the higher quality multi layered power kit found on yamaha's psr-e 3 and 4 series keyboards which are their higher end home keyboards. All of these sounds are on the dd65 and 75, but the 75 has the advantage of some sounds being taken from the dtx 400, 500, etc lines of kits to augment that. I will admit they did slide back a little on the 65 and 75 xg sounds though, since the 55 had the higher quality xg light/ xg drum kits that were available on things like the first tiros keyboards, and the psr-640/740. The 65 and 75 use the lower quality standard xglight stuff. Over all though, I like mine. i'll be going to school soon away from home, so I'll probably take my dd75, the ku 100 kick unit, and the hh65 high hat controller to play in my dorm room.

[@PaulDes]

I have a little experience in this matter.. been drummer in many bands for years, and then suddenly "done" and after 40 years started again ... Yes on yamaha DD65 as test (can I ?) And the sound was nice, purchased additional foot pedals, yes indeed that buttons were frustrating, but after some month however switched to a E-drum kit.. only here I got the feeling of a drum set back ... ☺☻

[@jackman017m]

thank you for this comment, i was about to buy that yamaha but you are right about the feeling !

[@parasiteunit]

The DD65 is the one I have Am giving serious consideration to getting an RCA output array (like the ones you used to see on old stereo units) so I can retrofit some external pads. Know of a few people who have used similar items as simply "a brain + trigger kit" for MIDI.

[@jampopoy18]

Can you make a update version of this? Thanks! Really want to buy one for our church

[@passiton3801]

I can recommend any of these Medeli built products. Put them thro an amp, it sounds like a drum kit, miked up..

[@ronaldzeoli7528]

Have a Yamaha dd65 use it when I go to Florida for 2 months in the winter for practice and it works great I've had it for 10 years. Only the snare pad has come a little loose. When I'm back at home I have a acoustic kits that I play

[@FatRakoon]

The thing with the various companies all using Midelli pads, but have different sounds... I dont know, but the sounds can be the difference. For example... I used to have a DD50 and a DD55 and they were identical in most ways, the 50 was dark grey while teh 55 wwas silver and the Kick pedal on the 50 worked with a simple switch while the 55 needs the touch sensitive piezo thingy, but the sounds were worlds apart... The 55 sounded fairly decent and the 50 sounded totally synthetic / robotic. I think if anything, that was the difference... Synthesized sounds vs sampled sounds. It will be a similar thing with these that you are showing... They may all look the same ( difference = colour ) and play the same, have the very same pads by teh very same makers, but as you said the sounds will be different... The only way you can truly know, is to actually compare the sounds. I still have the 55 but for the desktop, I upgraded to the DD65 and for my main kit I am stil using an old Alesis DM5 Pro. I did recently go to buy the DD75 but I realised that it sounds pretty much identical to the DD65 and realised that I would simply be wasting money on just having a black DD65 that loos shiny and new, but nothing else.

[@jmarkashe660]

Nice thing about the Yamaha kits is the positioning of the drums. For instance, the snare and the high hat are positioned correctly where as they are not on the Madelli.

[@rockbottomstudioofny9230]

I used to use the DD-55 on my acoustic kit. Found it in goodwill for $20. I was never able to connect via midi when I played on an electronic kit but but as a device for extra sounds it sounded good! Very cool slash cymbal on it which I used a lot. If I had it now I would use it with my drum kit powered my the Roland TD-7 but I run EZ drummer 8. I’ll have to check thrift stores. I’d buy the TD 55, 65, and 75.

[@FatRakoon]

I got the DD65 and I lucked out on mine. I have a DD50 and DD55 too, and the DD50 sounds more synthetic while the DD55 sounds more real. They seem to be identical otherwise, and, like the 65/75, the DD50 is dark grey while the DD55 is silver. Now, I moved home and the 50 got broken and the 55 sort of went missing? - I have an Alesis full sized Electronic kit, and so I was not that bothered about the smeller kits. Anyway, I was in a local cash converters / second hand shop and I saw the DD65 and the price was £90 and there was a £60 sticker on it too! I asked the lady about it and said that I will have it at 60 but not at 90 and so she asked the lad in the back about it and he said I could actually have it for 50! Cool I said... So he went into the back and had a look for the sticks and pedals and power supply, but he could not find them and so he said ah, I cannot find any of the extra bits for it, do you want to make an offer? - I said that without the sticks its only a tad pad and without the pedals its no even a drum kit and withotu the power supply, I dont know if it even works proerly, so I said £20 and I wont return it if its broken? - the guy said ok. The thing is, that I got the pedals and the sticks and the power supplies at home no problems... It worked just fine. What really makes me giggle, is that I have pulled down the unit in my utility room ( My garage turned into a music room ) and I found the DD55 in there.. .Dusty but fully working ) and so I now have both a DD55 and a DD65 in my setup and the Alesis hardly gets used at all.

[@PanasonicTooth]

I got a second hand Yamaha dd65 a couple of years ago. It was probably already 5 years old when I got it, everything still worked at the time, but after 2 years of daily use it has started to shit itself (my favourite pad stopped working bout a year ago, the China pad, which is a great addition that the 7 pad tabletops don't give you). The selection wheel stopped working all together too bout 6 months ago, and in the past month it just started randomly changing through the different drum sets every minute or so. I can't complain as it has probably had a good 5-7 years of frequent playing which is pretty good for a tabletop set. Now I'm thinking of getting a brand new dd75, which I'm hoping to last me 3-5 years of daily playing (anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours a day). I've really become a fan of the tabletop kits, they are so straight forward, portable, fun to use and a legit "giggable" option. The Yamaha pedals are weird but something you can get used to, although they do this double hit thing sometimes depending on how you play them, hard to explain but those who own them will know what I mean. I will be looking at the additional foot controllers this time though as I think that would make for an awesome setup.

[@norcicoso]

I have a Yamaha DD65 , i use it for multipler purposes , but beware that it has a midi issue that Yamaha did not ever fix, the midi out of the hihat is only closed, the open HH does not work. All the 65's have this problem, i don't know if this has been fexed with the 75. The dd65 has some very decent built in sounds and the kits are good too. I have heard some cheap edrums that sound much worse than the dd65. I've used the dd65 even live in some very very small pubs. You can hook the dd65 up to a computer and use any drum software like ezdrummer. I have also been using the dd65 as a percussion module , i use the latin kits from the box and also from ezdrummer. i has lot's of nice features. It also has hand sensitive function so you can use it as a bongo set. I 'm using a Yamaha KP65 with a pearl pedal for the kick and a Yamaha HH65 as the Hi Hat pedal, they both work a charm. I have the thing in the studio with all the other drums. Sometimes my son has also used it on the go at school.

[@tinderbox218]

But these tabletop sets aren't really meant to be a substitute for a full sized e-kit, or even to be played live at all, are they? They're more for electronic/synthesizer musicians who just need some pads to tap out rhythms to a programmed drum machine or as part of a MIDI/sequencer setup.

[@PanasonicTooth]

That might be the case. But honestly I find them to be a fair substitute for a full sized e-kit, aside from the pedals that come with them which can be switched out. The only things I can think of that you can't do on a tabletop that you can on a full size is cross sticking and cymbal chokes.

[@leonline3424]

I don't know about the other drums but the Yamaha DD65 has a very big midi flaw, if you connect the module via midi to let's say EZ drummer you can't control the open close HH function. Yamaha has taken so much shit for this and have never wanted to fix the issue ! But all in all it's a good module and the sounds are good. I also use it as a percussion module.

[@65Drums]

Good to know :)

[@wondercream]

I have been planning to buy the Yamaha DD65/75 if it can integrate to EZDrummer with all the basic functionalities such as the hihat control but couldn't find any on the internet. Glad to now this information. Thanks!

[@Stonefieldmedia]

I use the DD-65 with the HH-65 pedal and XLN's Addictive Drums. Open and close work perfectly and is very playable in my opinion. I use the Yamaha KU-100 for the bass pedal. Works great.

[@aristanaprawira5178]

Hi Justin! I've had DD65 for 2 years. I have to agree with you about "tabletop drum isn't that fun to play". I think DD65 is pretty good for beginner drummer, or for intermediate drummer who has tight budget and limited space for practice (like me). At least I use it in my room for practicing my chops, or warming up before show. DD65 really help me to keep drumming. Greetings from Indonesia :)

[@65Drums]

Thanks for watching :)

[@BeniRoseMusic]

I just need some MIDI drum pads for the studio and I don’t feel like dropping 800 bucks on a Roland multipad and don’t have room for a cheaper Alesis kit. I have the Alesis Samplepad Pro and I hate it. So much crosstalk and missed notes and for live usage the pads are SO LOUD! Would a DD75 be a downgrade from the Samplepad Pro in terms of MIDI control for studio drums?

[@Action_Sloth]

Thanks for the video, dude. I live an hour+ from the friends I jam with the most, so I've been looking for a table top kit I can leave in my car for when we don't have an acoustic kit available and I don't want to pack up my my regular electronic kit. The video helped a lot, I subscribed so keep up the good content 👍

[@stevenlightfoot5175]

I am still using the old DD55 Yamaha for practising with my band in an informal acoustic setting. What I like about this one is the ability to assign different volumes to each pad, which Yamaha confusingly ditched with the DD65. I agree with the criticism of the foot “pedals” that come with the Yamaha sets, the one I’m using just now plays a kick beat when I lift my foot up which drives me crazy!! So I would definitely think twice about getting another Yamaha. I’m looking to move on to another set now and I found your video very helpful.

[@passtheparcel2024]

I got the Medeli one an use it every Sunday. I've also got 3 Yammy DD-55's as spares. You need to put them thro a pa, to get the best sound. I mount mine on a heavy duty music stand (modded to take the extra weight). You need to mount the pedals on shaped wedges, so they wont run away when ur playing them.

[@nicklyne184]

I bought the Alesis for my wife, who is an absolute beginner. I was puzzled as to why the snare drum is on the far left and the high-hat in the middle, which is not how a drum kit is laid out. it's a bit confusing, because the way she's being taught is to use the right hand for the snare and the left for the high-hat, so to practice on the set she has to use the side drum as her snare!

[@MrDlt123]

I had one of these that I would use when we played gigs at college dorms, small coffee shops or other places where real estate was tight. Theyre great to use as bongos. TBH, the drumming experiece is quite awful, and the internal speakers are horrible, and if your contemplating integrating this with a DAW; the expressivity envelope is harsh, and tough to make sound authentic. I tried. I finally moved to an Akai MPD-218 and currently use the MPD-226 as the sounds and flow is more realistic and natural. If you want these for fun or to suit a tight temporary workspace, pull the trigger, but I wouldnt hope for much else. If youre looking to get into drumming, personally, I would start with one of the budget Alesis kits only a few dollars above these. Oh, and the sound of the rat-a-tat-tat on these will drive your family, roomates, etc batshyt crazy. They make considerably more noise that the pads on a nitro mesh kit. Keep that in mind.

[@breezyamar]

I own the alesis one. I got it for my room and have a acoustic in the garage. I love it and don't touch my acoustic anymore! Compared to the price of electric drum kits its amazing value. I have it sitting on a snare stand and use real drum pedals cos the ones supplied aren't great. Now it feels like playing a much more compact electric drum kit. I was also surprised at the quality of the sounds. The only downside for me is the noise of hitting the pads. When playing with my earphones it's fine but it's very noticeable when playing to an audience. Overall tho I'm extremely happy with it

[@alec123ization]

How are the sounds?

[@breezyamar]

Keith Moon they are much better than I was expecting. Sound quality is high and I'm pretty sure its all recorded from acoustic rather than synthesised, which I much prefer (this is for the alesis model at least). I spent time mixing and matching and adjusting volumes to make my own custom kit and I'm very happy with it. You also get all the usual percussion sounds you'd find on a electronic kit.

[@alec123ization]

Sounds good. I want to buy one just for fun. I have an acoustic and electric kit but this would be fun on my desk or something

[@iylahsfidgets5857]

Which pedals do U use.

[@sue08401]

I've had the dd65 for close to a decade. I just like the more human sound of someone using sticks. I had to chose between an 88 key piano or a drum kit -- the piano won - So I'll keep the DD65 in my cartage room and bring it out when needed

[@Zer0nuke]

Hi, have you ever had some damage in your kit? Mine starts to fail when I plug it to an External amplifier! The sound is not clear, and suddenly it's volume decreases until absolute silence.

[@thephilosopher5799]

Which piano do you use? Alesis Nitro Mesh is pretty compact. Get a Daw and you’re good to go.

[@Frontier2000AnoDomin]

Back in the 90's we used a Yamaha DD-50 to score the whole soundtrack from a not-too-unknown PC game in the UK. Back then many games still used MIDI for in-game music. The game had around 8 themes that were fairly drum/percussion intensive. Recording these parts using the DD-50 (plugged into the PC with a MIDI cable) was infinitely faster than tapping away on keyboard controller or step-writting. The DD-50 could also be played with your hands, which made conga/bongo parts natural to record. As I remember, we recorded via an AWE 64 interface. Each user who played the game might hear it a little differently though, depending on which MIDI chip their PC used. The game also had guitar parts which were also recorded using a Casio Electric/MIDI guitar. This again made for more natural and quicker performances and recordings. We've since replaced that DD-50 with a full-scale professional Roland kit, but until around 5 years ago, we would still occasionally use the DD-50 for triggering hand-percussion parts. We finally purchased a Yamaha DTX12 for that purpose. Ultimately, we never use the built in sounds from either of our pro Roland or Yamaha hardware on any studio recording. We simply use them to trigger software libraries (normally Superior Drummer). The quality and expanse of sounds simply can't be compared. The moral of the story... a cheap electronic percussive surface can be a viable small-studio solution if you are just using it as a MIDI controller. The biggest problem I remember having was missed triggers/strikes which would then have to be corrected in the DAW. Obviously, playing on a table-top MIDI surface is not going to inspire the same type of performance as using full-sized professional surfaces, but if you're on a budget and don't have a lot of space... we'll it worked for us back in the day.

[@johnjanero3869]

Justin Hi; I bought a Yamaha DD55 waaay back when they first came out. I still use it as a stand alone kit for very small stages, and as an add on with my accoustic kit these units are a lot of fun to play. The sounds are pretty good and very easy to set up. I thought about also using it with my e=drums (DTX 450) as an add on. I really think there are a ton of uses for these types of units..Keep up the great video's

[@cresshead]

cool video would also be interesting to hear views on octapad, spdx, yamaha dtx m12 and the alesis sample pad pro then maybe a separate vid on 'finger drumming: mpc, controller pads, maschine etc

[@JesusJIMSreps]

I'm trying to decide between the Yamaha DD-75 or the Millennium MD-100. What do you think?

[@armin.nerraka]

Thanks for this review! I bought one of this and it fits in my small room perfectly! I even recorded some drum covers ;)

[@MichaelStoneham]

Have you done review of roll-up drum kits like the Rock Jam drumkit and others

[@dmsdrumcovers9506]

I've used these professionally, they really suck. The only one that I found that allowed you to adjust the pad sensitivity was the DD-55. It really made the thing very enjoyable to play. Only problem is when you turn it off, you lose your custom settings. They could make one of these that could really work well if they put some real thought into it. For the time that I needed this kind of kit, I ended up using a Roland SPD-S. It has a hi-hat feature that was pretty good. Nice little full kit with pro hat & bass triggers.

[@cedricyoung9883]

DMS DRUM COVERS , have you actually used the Yamaha DD -75 ? I was seriously considering the purchase , and upgrading the foot controllers. I was hoping to use it for rehearsals , and possibly for gigs , but with an acoustic drum set. Of course, with really good amplification.

[@andronouts]

for the size, features, sound quality, and portability...maybe i prefer the yamaha dtx multi 12....but i really like the design of the yamaha dd75...feels like playing a small size drum set

[@Vleckss]

I have the spectrum brand ones they're okay. Have no space for an actual drum kit so have to settle for that. Haven't used any other brands so cant really compare they are fun wish the speakers were a little louder but the fact that it has midi output is what makes it special for me.

[@alvaroruizruiz7538]

I started and learned playing drums on one of those tabletop electronic kit, and to be honest, if there is no other option to begin with (maybe because of your budget, not enough space, whatever...) go for it. Yeah, the experience won't be the best but for a kid willing to learn how to keep the tempo (seriously, it is kinda the only real thing that you can learn on those, and pretty much everyone says I have a rock solid tempo since then so I think the thing works) it is more than enough. After I broke the hell out of that thing (normally the pedals go first and then the kit itself, electronics and hitting, go figure...) I started hitting my bed imagining the different parts of a drumset (another thing I learned on the tabletop thing), then I bought a real drumset second hand (I was really lucky and got it reaaaaally cheap, but I couldn't play it until I rented a place with some friends, also more mistakes and more learning so pretty cool... now I use it from time to time in some gigs), and then I bought second hand a nice edrum kit with stereo pads which I love and use with ezdummer (midi stuff is another cool thing to learn). So yeah, If I didn't give up on drums after all of that, everybody can do it no matter where you start.

[@alvaroruizruiz7538]

@ListenAndLearned yes, as long as they have midi connection they can be used with those kind programs. And about the kick drum pedal as an expression pedal, it depends, some will work, some won't, it's all about the electronics inside.

[@JohnDRobinsonelectronicdrums]

Great video, Justin. these certainly are good for working on demos in a band. much more portable than other electronic drums or acoustic.

[@passiton3801]

I've been using table top drums for years (1990) currently I own 3 Yammy DD-55's (inc a 55c) also a Medeli DD309. I love em. So easy to use, they sound great. Medeli make drums for a lotta other companies, inc Alesis an Thomann... I dont like the styling of the DD-65 an the 75, cos they changed the pad layout, its no longer ergonomically pleasing, and easy to play. With the Yammy pedals, u can make ur own holders, by using a shaped piece of wood with a slot cut for the pedals. This stops the pedals going walkies...Used them for years. I mount them on heavy duty music stands with the sides strengthened, to stop flexing. Wouldn't use anything else.

[@troublesomecorsair]

Owned a Yamaha DD65. It saves space, but it's still pretty big. I think there are much betters ways of cobbling together a space-saving electronic drumset...

[@patticake5311]

I started out on a tabletop set - an Awowo. Almost immediately I bought a snare stand to put it on, and next thing you know, I had bought a used Roland TD-4 module, a rack and some pads because the Awowow pads, like most tabletop drum options, were very hard and hurting my wrists. Thank goodness for the mesh heads on my Pintechs!

[@passiton3801]

I make my own sticks from a lighter wood, to stop my hands hurting, ouch. Much easier.

[@swardcr]

I was lucky brought mine at a car boot sale for 10 pounds, it had a loose wire which I repaired and it works fine, I have been learning drums for about a year on and off and I find this medeli 305 johnny Brooks version to be fine I will use it till I feel I'm good enough to fork out for a more expensive kit

[@anggazulfiawan1954]

really helpful for beginners like me that just start to play drums..consider the space and loud (since i will have my 2nd baby), should go for yamaha dd75 ...thanks bro..regards from indonesia

[@jorymil]

If you're looking for something like this, why not go for a used Alesis Samplepad or Roland pad? Way more flexible.

[@k.stacks2445]

I bought one off of Wish for $28 and it's fine. Even more portable than any of these and also comes with the kick drum pedals

[@philipkrause588]

They are running in a "DAW" and i can use the DAW stuff. too? nice video by the way

[@linglynclarina5098]

I bought the alesis compact 7 last year after i start learning drum for few months. There are not much options to choose from my country (i am from malaysia btw), yamaha and alesis. Comparing the price of yamaha which is about RM1000 and alesis which is about RM700, I chose alesis because thinking that i might be wanted to get an edrum after few years. I m agree with the point that if the tabletop drum is just like a stepping stone in the period of getting an edrum, go for the cheaper option, u will feel the ‘unsatisfactory at one point that makes u want to go for an edrum.

[@TheSunMoon]

Check on Carousell! I bought a 2nd-hand DTXpress IV with speakers, 800sgd. The speakers itself can sell back $300ish. Gotta wait, and sometimes, luck just come 😉

[@ZvikaDror]

Nice review! I have the DD-65 for more than 10 years, playing mostly like hand drums but also with big drum sticks (padded edges), so the pads are still quite "fresh" :) I would be happy if the pads were a bit more sensitive, not sure it DD-75 is worth the upgrade, but I will definitely look into better foot pedals (even the sustain pedal from Yamaha seems nicer than those half balls :) ) Enjoy!

[@nytrayfl2]

Justin, can you please make a video on how to quiet the stick-to-pad noise when using these with a worship band in church? I cannot afford an edrum set right now. Thank you so much.

[@acerbt]

I've herd the alesis compact kit 7 and it actually does have more competent sounds than the dd-305.

[@LightShadow]

My 2c: I wanted to know if I can play drums (I am 51, playing keyboards since the age 16 and this was a dream of mine when I was 7 ) so I opted for the Medely DD309 which is the newer and slightly better model than the DD315 which is similar to the ones shown here. The thing that got me to buy it and not the cheaper model is the ability to play along with built in songs (which is also in the cheaper ones) but the DD309 lets you turn on and off parts of the songs (eg: drums off or bass off). I also recommend it since it has USB and can control any drum VST on your PC.You can also load samples into it from your USB drive and assign them to the pads. To cut a long story short : a month later I bought myself a Roland TD11K and I couldn't be happier. oh , The DD309 is back in its box.

[@LightShadow]

That is quite an interesting idea - THX !

[@nickbrandwood1]

So, as I was featured in the video X) ... I ended up getting the DD65, and yeah, it was a low investment Eur.170 test to see if the drumming bug would take or not. They hold their resell value on ebay really well too. Anyhow, I replaced it 6 months later with the dtx450 for about Eur.480, but I my 7 year old uses it, its a perfect size for him, and sometimes I either use it for hand drumming or set it up as an extra 8 pads to the kit for messing around with. I briefly looked at geting a kick tower or foot switches for it, but they cost about as much as buying the dtx so....mehh. Generally I don't use the sounds on either, I midi them into a 2011 macbook air with addictive drums instead so they're just triggers. I've never tried a real acoustic drum kit so I can't compare. but as we're on the "what do you think of..." have you looked at this: www.megadrum.info/ ?

[@CeresKLee]

I has surprise that my DD-65 has a full General MIDI synthesizer inside (including the Yamaha XG extended voices). Like pianos, organs, strings, guitars, bass, choir, synths, ethic instruments, etc/!!! You can add couple of MIDI controller keyboards and have the FULL band, at much 32 notes at a time! The downside, the pad has a sweet stop the size a a half dollar in the middle and the sensitiviy dropped off great off this spot. But I did buy nice Yamaha kick drum pedal. I see the hi-hat pedal in my future.

[@RenanAlmeidJr]

Hi!! Don’t you think is a good option for pocket shows? Setting up a full electronic drum is quite difficult and also won’t be very good for the health of your kit, or not? Thks for the content as always!!!

[@eDrumsInANutshell]

Hi Justin, I was looking for a midi trigger pad, to just trigger a VST. And I really just ordered a Millenium/Medeli Tabletop... I think, it will do the job! Only trigger some effects and song parts. I thought of building pad, but then ... I have to use an Arduino for reading the piezos or my expensive eDrumIn inputs. So... 99€, USB MIDI ...Booom! Thanks for your videos!

[@bisaiya87]

Hi, is there any new Tabletop Electronic Drums at the moment. I love the layout of DD75, wonder if there any upgraded model with less noise from the pad

[@mrnitin6057]

Very nice review, it helped. Ordered the Pyle drum kit, it's in mail. Also try the Nekter foot pads. It's all metal with rubber pad and only $16 There is also the Rock Band foot pedal.

[@jesusjacome838]

Hear them in action is better than just the review comments. To me my opinion.

[@velaran5108]

These are actually good options especially if you don't have a lot of space.

[@TehDeejus]

i used a dd65 for kick triggers with the KP65 kick pad for quite a while so i didnt have to mic a kick drum and it took way less room than a 22x20 kick drum i had. it also gave me the ability to have tamborines and other accessory sounds that i didnt have to worry about messing with the cymbals in the overheads. Some of the bar stages are quite small and my kit would barely fit even without the bassdrum.

[@sambelton4321]

I'm interested in a set that is easy to set up and use for small venues. What tabletop set would you recommend that you can use better foot pedals with bass and hi-hat kicks?

[@WillisZzz]

Hey thanks, we've been enjoying your videos! We picked up a CompactKit 7 and love it, especially for the price. Does anyone know if the Roland KT-9 is a compatible replacement for the cheap foot switch that comes with the unit? 3 things we don't like: 1) the "pedals" double trigger often 2) you can't tune the pitch of the drum voices up/down (making most of the kick drum sounds unusable to us, as they are). 3) the cymbal pads have plastic that goes up quite high; it can be tough not to hit the plastic part Other than that, it's super fun and addicting, and small enough to fit in tight spaces.

[@tcav9756]

I have used these once before and would never ever recommend these unless you literally can’t afford a drum kit. Buy a cheap Ekit for £200 instead

[@65Drums]

agreed

[@hingeslevers]

Or buy one of the older ones for 30 bucks or so. I have a couple lying around. They're fun to incorporate in your acoustic drumset as a midi controller.

[@mattmcknight7433]

Tom Cavadino but these are better if you don't have the space or money

[@Ronno4691]

What would be a good amplifier set up for an eKit then? A bass or keyboard amp?

[@PLFORTE1]

Great video! I was actually just recommending something like this for a coworker's niece who's 12 and very interested in playing drums like her father does, so I'm gonna refer her to this video. I've played these before and have given a few of them out as gifts for friends' kids to hopefully get them into playing the drums. I think they're ideal mainly for kids just starting off with drums who's parent's don't wanna spend $300 on an actual sit-down kit like the Alesis Nitro, but want to give the kid a chance to see if they really like the drums if they have some kind of initial interest. And then you go for the Alesis Nitro, or something similar, if the interest grows. Of course, one could argue that starting someone on of these kits would just be a turn off and then they would never get into drums like they would by playing a more realistic set like a small electronic drum set. But that's why I think these are much better for little kids because they're usually impressed by anything and kids under the age of 12 are normally unable to even sit at a regular-sized drum set. I also think these things have a ton of potential as practice kits for adults/experienced drummers working in extremely confined spaces. Think about using one of these with MIDI and adding the Roland KT-1 for a real-feeling kick drum.

[@alexkyriacou214]

I am between dd-75 and roland octapad 30? Which one should i buy?

[@rohanregmi8112]

I want to know when the DD 85 or something like that comes out so I can know if I make a mistake buying the DD75

[@rhpmpp]

Exactly. Me too

[@AngelMartinez-qs3cf]

Which one of these drums have a foot support that I can connect to it and a foot port so I can use an external foot pedal? Great video. Thank you for posting this.

[@johndef5075]

I have full acoustic and electric kits and a Dd65. All are fun.

[@gplifeau]

I have one of the medeli-built units (Pyle Pro) that I impulse bought a couple of years ago (regrets). I'd only recommend buying one used and only if you're desperate to bash something but have zero space. As Justin mentioned, the rubber is incredibly hard, so these are very loud, very annoying, and not very tactile-ly satisfying (not to mention that you'll often miss the pads and hit plastic because the surfaces are so small). It doesn't help that the pads have a very low sensitivity, so don't even think about trying to throw in ghost notes or anything like that. So my advice is: run away. You're literally better off buying a music stand, a pair of brushes, and a piece of paper and playing on that a la Bon Iver.

[@aviaryan9925]

they are good for beginners, and for learning. But eventually you have to buy a full drum kit. If you are new to drumming and can not afford to invest a lot of many then its a good option.