Many drummers face the annoying problem of not being able to play in their homes. That is because drums are an acoustic instrument which is also one of the loudest. Electronic drums give you the flexibility to play them as quietly or as loudly as you would like. You can monitor the sound with headphones, which means you can practice in the middle of the night without disturbing your family or neighbors.

While electronic drums may not have sounded and felt the same as a real drum or cymbal, modern advancements in electric drumming technology make electric drums an excellent choice for drummers of all levels. Electronic drums are the perfect alternative to an acoustic drum kit and are suitable for beginners and pro drummers alike. While they are perfect for silent practice, amplifying your electronic drums is the way to go if you plan on jamming with other musicians or need to take them to a gig and give a stellar stage performance.

Let’s glance through some of the most common ways to amplify your electronic drums and take them to the next level.

Drum Amps

Drum amps are the most preferred way to amplify electronic drums and give you the best bang for the buck. You can achieve fantastic sound with a subwoofer that is in this nice compact unit. The specialized amplifier is optimized for the wide frequency range of electronic drums. They have several knobs to EQ your sound while also having an option for one extra input for another instrument. Try getting your hands on a higher watt amp as they can deliver much higher volumes and be a viable investment in the long term for your drum set.

We also recommend choosing your amp from your electronic drum kit manufacturer to get an optimized one for your set. If you are buying it from another company, check your drum kit’s specification requirements to prevent compatibility problems. The best amp for electronic drums, in the end, is one with a loud sound and an appropriate frequency range. Not all amps are designed for electronic drums after all, and buying an amp without proper consideration will lead to a bad experience.

PA System / Mixer

It might be more expensive compared to drums amps, a PA (public address) system setup is much more versatile than an amp. While drum amps are just limited to one extra input for another instrument, a PA mixer has plugs for many input connections. This versatility is a huge advantage if you plan to work with bands as each drummer will be able to plug their device into the mixer and jam together, unlike a drum amp which is only limited to you. It also has better connectivity and can be used for other purposes than just powering drums like plugging your phone or a turntable into it. One drawback of a PA system is that it does not deliver that exhilarating bass that drum amps do. You will have to invest in a good quality subwoofer to get the rich and deep bass, and you will be able to achieve much higher and greater quality sound with a PA system that way.

Bass Amp

You may also safely use a bass amp to amplify your electronic drums, provided you control the volume. While it may not be the ideal method to amplify electronic drums, it works fine and can sound quite good. A bass amp can deliver a good tone for electronic drums however, you would want to experiment with your amp settings to find some synergy. Nevertheless, a good bass amp can give a rich and deep tone to your drum set, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind.

It is essential to keep the volume down to a reasonable level when using a bass amp with electronic drums since it is designed to amplify a bass guitar. The threshold for maximum volume is lower with an electronic drum kit as it can produce higher and lower frequency pitches compared to a bass guitar. Also, make sure that the amp does not get strained. If the cone starts to vibrate excessively or you notice distortion in the tone, turn down the base settings on the amp immediately.

Keyboard Amp

Keyboard amps can be another fantastic choice to amplify your electronic drums. They have flexible connectivity and tend to be less expensive than drum amps, and some players prefer to use them over a drum amp. Many keyboard amps come with multiple channels and can handle a wide range of frequencies, making them ideal for e-kits.

While drum amps are the optimum choice for electronic drums due to their superior sound quality, others can deliver the goods too. However, it is pertinent to mention that you must stay clear of guitar amps for your electronic drums as they won’t respond adequately to the low range frequencies and result in horrible sound quality.