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Electronic drum pads, also commonly known as sample pads, are extremely versatile additions to a drummer’s arsenal and are used to add exciting dynamic layers to lots of styles of music.
Electronic drum pads are commonly utilized in pop music; where a drummer is required to reproduce samples or specific drum sounds off of a record live.
This is essentially a basic acoustic electronic hybrid setup- where a drummer combines an acoustic drum set with an electronic drum pad to explore a wider variety of sounds.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at the best electronic drum pads to cater to all different budgets and performance requirements. I’ve compared performance, design, versatility, and cost to give you my top recommendations.
Contents
- What are the Best Electronic Drum Pads?
- How I Tested and Selected the Best Electronic Drum Pads
- In-Depth Electronic Drum Pad Reviews
- Electronic Drum Pads Buyer’s Guide
- Different Types of Drum Pads
- What Is The Purpose Of Electronic Drum Pads?
- What is a Hybrid Drum Setup?
- How Do Drummers Like to Use Sample Pads Live?
- Types of Drum Pads to Avoid
- Electronic Drum Pad FAQs
What are the Best Electronic Drum Pads?
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Most Popular Amongst Pros
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Best SPD-SX Alternative
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Best Realistic Playability
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How I Tested and Selected the Best Electronic Drum Pads
With there being so many good electronic sample pads available these days, I looked at a few key features to identify the best options.
Firstly, I looked at how many playable pads each sampling tool had. With a larger number of pads, you get more playability. However, it’s also great to have a smaller sample pad that is more portable.
I then played the pads on each device to see how responsive they were to varying dynamic levels.
After that, I checked out the features and tools. I wanted to see how much storage capacity there was for custom samples if available, and I played around with different sound editing tools to establish how useful they’d be for live gigging situations.
Through all my testing, I was able to find seven pads that I truly enjoyed using.
In-Depth Electronic Drum Pad Reviews
Roland SPD-SX Pro Sampling Pad
Roland SPD-SX Pro Sampling Pad Review
The SPD-SX Pro is Roland’s latest addition to their lineup of extremely usable and high-quality electronic pads, and this is their new flagship model with a host of powerful new features.
This is the best sampling pad I’ve ever used. It’s the leading option at the moment, thanks to all the top-tier features.
They have made some enormous improvements and upgrades to the iconic SPD-SX to deliver an even better and more expansive drumming machine that is built for the most demanding gigs.
To start with, the SPD-SX Pro has an upgraded 32GB of internal memory, which is 8 times more than the original SPD-SX, which only has 4GB, to allow you to load up even more samples onto the device.
Additionally, the SPD-SX Pro now boasts an impressive 16-step sequencer, more responsive trigger pads, improved pad crosstalk protection, colorful LED backlighting for the pads as well as a clear 4.3-inch color display.
The customizable backlit pads are a huge upgrade, as drummers have had to previously use tape with the SPD-SX to be able to distinguish between the pads on dark stages, but these can now be seen easily.
Roland has also improved the internal build quality of this drum pad, which makes playing the SPD-SX Pro a delight to play. The pads are wonderfully responsive with a greater degree of sensitivity.
The isolated circuitry now means there is less noise and virtually zero cross-talk between the pads.
And the new sounds included with this model are a massive step up in terms of realism and sound quality. With the pad, you receive more than 1550 pre-loaded sounds that are also fully customizable.
In addition to better quality sounds, the SPD-SX Pro also now has more expansive audio output options, with 8 external outputs that can accommodate 4 stereo triggers or 8 mono triggers.
Taking into account all of these improvements, Roland has stepped up its game massively, and the SPD-SX Pro has now firmly cemented itself as the best electronic drum pad available.
Pros
- Backlit, customizable LED lights behind the pads are easy to see on dark stages
- 1550+ pre-loaded sounds that sound incredible
- Improved playability and pad response with zero cross-talk thanks to isolated circuitry
- Large color display that aids easy navigation and visibility
Cons
- The best features and usability commands a high price tag
- Has only one master FX knob and one effect on/off button compared to SPD-SX which has 2 effect control knobs and 4 quick effect select buttons
Alesis Strike MultiPad Percussion Pad
Alesis Strike MultiPad Percussion Pad Review
The Strike MultiPad is Alesis’ answer to the legendary Roland SPD-SX, and it’s an exceptionally well-designed and highly usable drumming sample pad.
You get 9 velocity-sensitive LED backlit trigger pads, 7000+ pre-loaded sounds, an onboard sampler, 32GB of onboard memory, and much more.
This electronic percussion pad has all of the features you could want to expand your sonic potential.
For live use, in particular, the Alesis Strike MultiPad is a fantastic option to choose from. It shares many of the same features as the Roland SPD-SX Pro, but it’s also offered at a slightly more affordable price.
Compared to the Roland SPD-SX Pro, I’d argue that Roland’s onboard sounds are better and there are more customization options as well as more extensive connectivity options for additional triggers, etc.
But compared to the original, best-selling SPD-SX that was introduced in 2012, the I/O on the strike MultiPad is much better. You get 5 additional trigger inputs and a hi-hat input too.
This is where I feel the Strike MultiPad truly excels, and this can allow it to become the centerpiece of your studio or live touring rig.
I’ve used it a handful of times for live gigs that I’ve played with a particular artist, and I loved how well it performs on stage.
You can add all different types of external triggers such as a kick trigger, hi-hat controller, and extra pads too.
Overall, this is one of the best electronic drum pads, complete with a range of excellent connectivity options and player-inspired features like LED backlit pads and a huge range of onboard sounds as well as large internal memory.
And to play it’s excellent too, with fantastic pad responsiveness and a very smooth playing feel with minimal cross-talk between the pads.
Pros
- Huge 32GB storage to load your own samples, or simply use the 7000 realistic sounds provided
- Highly responsive velocity sensitive pads that are backlit for extra visibility on dark stages
- Excellent connectivity options allow you to add a range of external triggers with ease
Cons
- Still rather pricey despite all the high-quality features
- Build quality doesn't feel quite as good as the Roland SPD-SX Pro
Roland SPD-SX Electronic Drum Pad
Roland SPD-SX Electronic Drum Pad Review
The legendary Roland SPD-SX is the most widely used percussive sampling instrument among professional touring drummers.
This was the industry-standard option for the past decade, and almost every gigging drummer I know owns one and loves using it.
The SPD-SX is a hugely popular piece of kit amongst modern drummers due to its multi-pad sampling and triggering capabilities.
A drummer is able to strike individual pads to begin and end samples. Hugely impressive, the SPD-SX comes loaded with over 900 onboard percussion sounds.
On-board is 4GB of internal memory, which now looks quite small in comparison to the new SPD-SX Pro’s 32GB, but is still sufficient to load plenty of samples and loops.
Three units of multi-effects with real-time control knobs and four dedicated effect buttons also offer excellent performance capabilities. Much like the SPD-SX PRO, this drum pad has nine playable pads that are responsive and fun to play.
Six of the pads are squares that take up the playable surface and three of the pads sit on the top edge and are struck with the drumstick shoulder. You also get two dual input sockets that also allow for four more external drum pads or drum triggers.
This electronic drum pad is so versatile it makes the perfect addition to any acoustic drum set, percussion setup, DJ rig, or recording studio.
There are lots of connectivity and sync options, and user-routable sound outputs, enabling ease of performance.
Roland has designed a powerful, fun, and dependable electric drum pad that has become a huge hit amongst contemporary drummers looking to trigger samples for live performances.
It boasts an intuitive display guide that is very user-friendly, and the pads are ultra-responsive and enjoyable to play with.
Pros
- Extremely popular thanks to its power and versatility
- Excellent range of connectivity options make it the go-to for touring drummers
- Very reliable and dependable for live performances
Cons
- Slightly outdated by today's standards in terms of onboard memory and sounds
- Premium price tag
Alesis SamplePad Pro Electronic Drum Pad
Alesis SamplePad Pro Electronic Drum Pad Review
The Alesis SamplePad Pro is a versatile multi-pad percussion instrument, which is a more affordable electric drum pad option for the modern drummer.
This electronic drum pad features 8 fully responsive rubber pads with blue LED illumination that allows for endless percussive and sampling possibilities to explore.
The pad is expandable to accommodate 2 additional external drum pads or triggers, which makes this a great tool for live use.
On-board there are over 200 individual percussion sounds loaded and you can use a 32GB SD card to store an additional 512 drum samples.
The Alesis SamplePad Pro is perfect for drummers looking to diversify their performance to suit a wider range of styles.
It’s one of the best affordable pads that I tried out. When playing it, I could easily feel how useful it would be in a hybrid drum kit setup.
The multiple pads are thick and responsive, and the user interface is easy to navigate. There are good quality sounds onboard also. Incredibly, this electronic drum pad supports sample playback from a standard SD card.
This electronic drum pad provides a drummer with the tools to play pop, drum & bass, disco, folk, dance music, R&B, and many more musical styles with ease.
Importantly, there are plenty of sync and connectivity options that make this product suitable for most live and studio applications.
Overall this is a fantastic value drum pad and delivers fantastic performance at a great price. It’s my top pick as the best electronic drum pad to suit all budgets.
Pros
- Extremely affordable pad that allows you to load samples
- Over 200 realistic sounds included
- Perfect for both live and studio with some
Cons
- Very little for the price!
Yamaha DTX Multi Electronic Drum Pad
Yamaha DTX Multi Electronic Drum Pad Review
The Yamaha DTX Multi Electronic drum pad is a little outdated by today’s standards, but it does still have some great features that make it excellent for live use.
This percussion pad has 12 velocity-sensitive playable rubber pads that are thick and responsive. A great feature about the pads is that they respond well to being played with hands and fingers also for a live percussion-inspired performance.
As well as having 12 individual highly responsive pads, this electric drum pad can accommodate 5 additional drum pads or triggers with its extra inputs.
This is beneficial and means that you even can make a small electronic drum set from these additional pad inputs as well as the kick trigger and hi-hat trigger inputs.
It definitely has more playing options than any other pad that I’ve tried and tested, so I think it’s great for drummers who want extensive playability.
This electronic drum pad does have a lot to offer with its large number of board samples and its ability to easily expand with additional trigger inputs.
However, it does have a small onboard memory when compared to the Alesis SamplePad Pro and the Roland SPD-SX. I also find the menu to be a little bit difficult to navigate compared to the other two electronic pads previously reviewed.
Pros
- 12 Highly responsive pads
- Excellent expansion options for additional instruments with up to 7 additional triggers
- Designed to be played with hands too
Cons
- Interface is a little complicated
- Outdated by todays standards in terms of functionality
- Small onboard memory for samples
KAT Percussion Electronic Drum Pad
KAT Percussion Electronic Drum Pad Review
The entry-level KAT Percussion Pad offers a simple, streamlined performance with minimal hassle.
The electronic drum pad is compact which makes it perfect for traveling with and setting up. It features 50 drum and percussion sounds to be played with the 4 velocity-sensitive pads.
This pad is straightforward to use and easy to program the sounds you want onto the four pads you have available. You are also able to adjust the volume of each pad if you choose to do so, as well as the reverb and sensitivity.
Most importantly, it’s very affordable, and the sounds are of decent quality. So if you’re looking to get started in the world of hybrid drumming on a budget, the KAT drum pad might be a good option for you.
This would be my top option if you want to spend as little as possible but still be able to have a hybrid drum kit setup.
One real issue I have with this electric drum pad is the size of the pads. They do offer a pretty good response but they are very small and close to each other, so it is easy to accidentally hit the wrong ones when playing fast rhythmic patterns.
Overall the KAT Percussion Pad is a very affordable electronic drum pad that is surprisingly functional and has a lot of sounds to choose from.
I like that you can adjust the levels of each assignable sample, and the quality of the sounds is actually not that bad.
It features USB and MIDI connectivity as well as stereo outputs for live performances.
Pros
- Very affordable price tag makes it attractive for beginners into hybrid drumming
- External hi hat and kick inputs
- Supports USB and MIDI for external triggers
Cons
- Build quality isn't brilliant
- Unable to store external samples
Roland Octapad SPD-30 Drum Pad
Roland Octapad SPD-30 Drum Pad Review
The original Roland Octapad Electronic Drum Pad has been updated to offer modern connectivity options and the latest triggering technology in a single roadworthy self-contained unit.
The Octapad includes 99 drum kits and additional percussion sounds. It features a large catalog of 600 programmable onboard sounds, as well as a very wide range of percussive sounds for you to explore.
While the Octapad feels great to play, thanks to Roland’s V-drums technology, the main flaw I have with this electric drum pad, along with many other drummers, is its inability for you to import samples onto it.
So with that being said, it doesn’t compete with its Roland brother, the SPD-SX PRO in terms of versatility.
With the onboard sounds it has to offer, it is very smooth and the pads have a fantastic playing response. They are sensitive and feel good to play. The whole unit is road-tough and feels high quality.
I also love the loop feature, which is one of the main draws of the pad. I had so much fun creating different loops and playing drums with them.
This electronic drum pad is a great option if you want a large number of versatile drum sounds in a very well-made unit, but it’s definitely an outdated product when compared to the latest options from Roland and Alesis.
Pros
- Portable electronic drum rig
- Large sound library included
- Excellent playability with V-drums technology
Cons
- Unable to store external samples
- The latest options from Roland and Alesis are superior
- Expensive considering the lack of features
Electronic Drum Pads Buyer’s Guide
If you’re a drummer, you’ve probably considered getting your hands on an electronic drum pad at some point. They’re becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason – they offer a ton of versatility and an amazing sonic potential to expand an acoustic drum setup.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about electronic drum pads. We’ll also show you how to get the most out of your hybrid drumming setup, whether you’re using it for live performances or studio recordings.
Different Types of Drum Pads
All electronic drum pads consist of multiple velocity-sensitive pads that trigger samples or other sounds when struck
They are highly responsive and they will produce a louder or softer sound depending on how hard they are hit. This allows for a more natural and expressive playing experience.
Although electronic pads function similarly, there are different types available that you’ll need to be aware of.
Sample Pads
These are the most popular types of electronic drum pads and are favored by professional touring drummers as they allow playback of sampled percussion sounds or loops. They are perfect for live settings and also have external outputs for use with additional pads and triggers for a hybrid drum set.
Percussion Pads
These pads are designed to be used with a large number of built-in sounds to augment or replace acoustic percussion instruments. They are less extensive and not commonly used by professionals due to their sonic limitations of not allowing samples to be added.
MIDI Pads
Feature velocity-sensitive pads that are played with hands and fingers. They are very common amongst beatmakers and producers and are frequently used in recording studios and production setups.
They send MIDI data which means they can be used to control other instruments, such as synthesizers or samplers. They are excellent for beat-making in the studio without having to worry about micing up an acoustic drum set.
What Is The Purpose Of Electronic Drum Pads?
They Add Sonic Versatility
Modern music demands more from a drummer. The drummer is nowadays required to replicate the sounds used on a record, trigger loops, as well as play a wider range of sounds such as claps and effects.
The best electronic drum pads open up drummers to infinite sound possibilities to enable drummers to play a diverse range of musical styles, to suit the atmosphere of the artist, and to accurately play what is heard on the record.
In contemporary live music, a drummer is often required to play samples, whether it’s additional snares, electronic bass drum sounds, or electronic hi-hats.
You Can Replicate the Sounds From a Record
The best electronic drum pads are fantastic tools for the modern drummer, providing the opportunity for drummers to load individual samples onto the pads and to play them live to play the music just like it is heard on the album.
This is important for music listeners, who identify with the songs as they listen to them on the record. Music listeners want to hear an authentic live performance.
They Can Connect to External Trigger Inputs
Drum sample pads have made it easier than ever for drummers to utilize hybrid setups live on stage involving acoustic drums, cymbals, sample pads, and external triggers.
The best electronic drum pads like the SPD-SX Pro accommodate multiple external trigger inputs, in addition to having multiple playable rubber pads on the unit itself.
Triggers allow for an authentic and realistic live performance, with the nuances and lifelike playing of a real drummer.
What is a Hybrid Drum Setup?
A hybrid drum set is a drum kit that combines acoustic drums with electronic pads and triggers.
This allows you to use both acoustic and electronic sounds in your playing, giving you a lot of flexibility and versatility.
A sample pad is a perfect tool for building a hybrid drum set.
Sample pads have very powerful features and advanced onboard functionality that makes them ideal for expanding a drummer’s live performance capabilities.
They can accommodate multiple external triggers that allow you to play additional pads and add more electronic elements such as a kick drum pad or hi hat controller.
And of course, the best electronic drum pads have enormous sound libraries on board as well as allow you to load your own sounds.
How Do Drummers Like to Use Sample Pads Live?
Many live drummers use an electronic drum pad in a hybrid drum set to function as an auxiliary snare.
This can be really useful for situations where you need more than one snare sound, such as a live setting where you can switch between different sounds or styles.
I’ve seen many gospel and funk drummers play a clap sound or a fatter snare drum sound from their electronic pad for certain songs.
Live drummers also frequently load up a sample pad with different hi-hat sounds. This can be a great way to add some extra electronic textures and complexity to your beats.
Drum pads can also be used to trigger click tracks and backing tracks by hitting one of the pads, which will then begin running the sequence.
Types of Drum Pads to Avoid
There is another type of electronic drum pad that I did not feature on my list. These are cheap, low-cost products that imitate playing a drum set. These are toys and are not used by any serious drummers.
Although their price may be attractive, they are lifeless and awkward to play. I strongly advise against buying these products and instead investing a little more money into a full-scale electronic drum set for your child or yourself.
Electronic Drum Pad FAQs
Is an Electronic Drum Pad Essential?
If you’re just starting out playing the drums, the answer is no. An electronic drum pad is a useful piece of equipment, but it’s designed for drummers looking to expand their existing setup to incorporate electronic drums.
If you’re a drummer who wants to play lots of different styles of music, and with lots of different artists, then you will definitely want to invest in an electronic drum pad.
How Do I Mount An Electronic Drum Pad?
Manufacturers like Roland and Gibraltar offer attachment products like clamps and stands that will allow you to mount an electronic drum pad within your setup.
You can also purchase a double-braced electronic drum module stand that is excellent for sample pads.
Alternatively, you might be able to cradle a sample pad inside a snare stand basket, but this might not be as effective or secure.
Where Do I Place an Electronic Drum Pad?
Electronic drum pads are frequently placed to the left of the hi-hats, in the position of an auxiliary snare, so that they can be played with the left hand (like open-handed drumming).
Drummers for pop and electronic artists also like to position a sample pad where the high rack tom is normally positioned, for easy-access to be played comfortably with both hands.
