Look, #1 thing about ekit is not pissing off wife, fam and neighbor… #2 is you don’t have to add a bunch of hardware to add a cymbal or effect. #3 is you don’t get random noises making your snare wires come to life or the entire kit feeding off Sonic’s from other drums . And most listeners are not going to notice most of things drummers might bitch about , regardless of the genre of music
Kind of like the difference between having an acoustic piano or a good electronic stage piano. My acoustic piano needs practically yearly service, my electric piano is always perfectly in tune and there are no tiny mechanical bits to fail. I guess on the other hand, the physical feel of the piano, the way the hammers hit the strings and cause other strings to vibrate,etc. can't quite be replicated. Same with drums.
Zack I first saw your videos a year and a half ago and they really inspired me to make drums my main instrument. I was only going to be the drummer for a bit since my jazz band didn't have any drummers at time but when I saw your videos I saw how fun drums truly could be. Thank you and I hope you a great future🙏
It's one thing to make it like that with all the cymbals and stuff loaded in, but it's a whole other thing when an expert can actually distinguish the specific one from which samples have been extracted. That's CRAZY!!!! As a sound engineer, this kit is a steal. I can honestly now envison building a real recording studio entirely in my apartment in Montreal city. This could like switch my life around and make me saved literally 10's of 1000's of dollars on setting up a soundproof studio and/or renting, complaints issues and negotiation, storage etc when you take all the hassle into consideration and how easy those are to record, this is what I've been waiting for for the last decade!!!!!!!!!!
Bro spotting myself in the front next to your drum kit going full surprised pikachu 😭 thanks for being so fucking nice after, and you’re welcome for fixing your hats 😉
@@ZackGrooves looking forward to more from that gig. Had my jaw on the floor, was hilarious, and I had the best seat in the house. Can’t thank you enough dude
I just got a job at my local guitar center, they have two of these set up for the public to play.. they sound great! Very cool to see you playing one 🤙🏼
yes, another for the ranks of the electron revolution. 6:11 content. I've been shedding on a DTX 502 with some aftermarket mounts for almost 10 years. I remember the older electronic drums because I still use one. Not as old as the 70's antiques but with the same dated single-zone piezo technology. I have fond memories of playing rock in kitchens and getting it to unconventional practice locations and am really impressed/oddly satisfied with jazz being played in a kitchen with full band + drumset being set up in the living room. Keep grooving.
That kit sounds fucking good. Like, you're not gonna replace your jazz acoustic kit with it, but for many people this is an amazing option. It's 3k here in Europe so I think I'm getting one as soon as I stop doing my digital nomading.
Nice review, Zack! Thanks for making it so entertaining; I like that you brought the band in addition to playing it yourself. I'm not impressed with my electronic kit for exactly the reasons you gave. It's the next step up from entry-level, but as a still-beginner drummer trying to master technique, mechanics, and dynamics around the kit, it cannot replace practicing on my acoustic set.
In theory it should be more responsive and lighter and quicker to play. Unlike acoustic you don’t need a lot of power for it to give in and reverberate. But not for the upstroke where it bounces off and helps you on the way up
So, I'm a saleman for a certain musician gear company, and just so happen to also be a drummer. Some of the features you may have missed on the kit are that every single pad is dual zone, so the bells on the cymbals play the bells of the cymbals, the edge of the snare and the center sound different, and the same is true for every Tom. The other cool feature you didn't point out is that every cymbal has choke capability, meaning you can choke your cymbals by hand, adding to some artistry in that part of your playing. Lastly, the brain of the kit has space for additional cymbals and Toms, and even a second snare, so if you want to upgrade your kit's size, you can. The brain is so complex you can micromanage and mix your triggers and sounds from there. Just truly a masterwork of engineering from Alesis in the E-kit field.
You missed the most significant feature this kit has that no other one that I am aware of has - it has BFD software built right into the module so you do not need to lug a laptop around with you. It can run any of the many excellent BFD expansion packs that are available from a variety of different companies.
So .. I have played this at Andertons Music Co , UK where it’s set up right now for demo.. I’m normally a Roland guy but I have to say the strata prime is way above any of their previous kits. It does feel better ! The kick feels fantastic and the cymbals all respond so much more realistically than others , including Roland TD-27. The samples are crisp. A serious player in the e-drums world. And a refreshing/ exciting alternative to the Roland options. Acoustically (outside of the headphones) it’s also significantly quieter, especially the kick drum !) Currently £3000 makes it great value for money too 👍
try the Roland VAD706, you can tune the sounds in a lot of different ways with the TD50X, and the visual/feel of the set is extremely close to acoustic also. with electronic drums, you can put custom samples, like the amen break samples for example, super fun
Ya bro these are great! I was in the market for a Roland vad307 for live use at my church when they announced this kit. I was using mesh heads with roland triggers and a ddrum module on my DW and I just couldn’t take it any more! 😅. Went with the alesis and have been so satisfied with it! It’s got the sauce 😮💨🤌🤪
i would never expect an ekit to replace an acoustic kit in a jazz situation... yet, the strata prime still makes a convincing substitution, especially if you have more than one kind of playing situation
I played this kit in the local Guitar center and it does feel nice. I liked the sounds for the drums and some of the crash cymbal sounds. I found however that the high hat sounds all sounded artificial. I have not tried all the kits but I tried over a dozen at the store and none of the hats sounded great. The Module is slick with the big screen and easy navigation.
Eyes closed, I cannot tell at all that it's an electronic kit. My band's drummer has used a TD-27 exclusively for years, and we all love it. We save our ears, he switches kit sounds based on the style of each song, and there's no mic bleed on the stage. People not liking electric kits are just like the dummies saying they won't use amp emulators for their guitars. The audience can't tell the difference between a Kemper and an AC-30
For a kitchen, the sound you got was amazing, very little boxy room sound, however the stand up bass volume was a little low, I guess because it was un-amplified, all and all a very impressive recorded mix.
I grew up playing Acoustic kits, but have a $1500 Alesis kit right now. E-Kits can't hold a candle to Acoustic kits, however the lower volume (allowing you to play at night, or in apartments) make E-kits something that have a place for practice. But no E-kit will ever have the dynamic and tonal response of the traditional Acoustic kits and Cymbals. But if you just have that "drumming itch" that needs scratching? Mid to High-end E-Kits are a great way to play without annoying neighbors or house-mates.
Having an E Kit is great. The ones worth playing are expensive though. Hook that up to SD3 or something similar and very versatile, and in the end, maybe cheaper than recording your own kit.
Sponsord or not, very inspirational. Great to observe and hear in a jazz setting. Of course, you don’t have to tell the cats when they bad but GREAT STUFF. Thanks
The TD-30 is an incredible kit but this kit is miles ahead of a TD-30. That being said you cannot beat Roland for durability - Alesis has improved but are still notorious for piezo and wiring failures. Early versions of the module software on the Strata were problematic but they seem to have fixed most of the serious bugs now.
I love you so much, 2 minutes in to the video and i got a big ass smile on my face. I started following you around the 50K mark i think, and i legit watch your videos to cheer up. Also im a metal drummer and i learn a lot about jazz from just watching you play.
Zack, wish you would have mentioned the amplification system you used on the kit? Looked like a couple of small studio monitors on the floor in the background. I know Alesis makes a pretty good powered speaker and am surprised they didn't send you one as well for the review. Maybe the best option for the jam would have been to use a blender powered headphone amp with Vic Firth headphones for everyone in the band. This may have been the way to go as you can really hear more of the fine details of the music and the guys may have had a better experience with the electronic kit. I have played the Alesis, it is by far their best effort, I like the cymbals. Still keeping my TD27kv. Great video however keep it up!
Could you @ZackGrooves please tell me the footprint of the setup you had? And probably also how large that carpet is and has to be to cover all the feet of the rack?
Because I live in an apartment I have Zildjan L80's and an acoustic kit with drumtec real feel heads. I play like this now for 4,5 years. Really the only struggle is that I can't tune the drums I play on gigs. It's always a sort of guess and hope that they will sound right, same with buying new cymbals, I can only test them for 2/3 hours a week in a rehearsal, not some weeks combining, getting everything out of a cymbal without a band also. I'm now at the time I want to try and look for empty office spaces or something so I can jam and tune after work hours over there. Still looking into what are the best options, any suggestions would be great.
*Gets the Matt Gartska stack and IMMEDIATELY starts playing Physical Education wtf...*
Yeah that boi was something else
'Alexa, Add this video to "Bad Porno intro's" playlist'
Oh yeah! Hahhahaha
My literal thought when the opening happened
This is the best ad ever, every single drum/cymbal company should sponsor you lmfao Love you Zack!
Look, #1 thing about ekit is not pissing off wife, fam and neighbor… #2 is you don’t have to add a bunch of hardware to add a cymbal or effect. #3 is you don’t get random noises making your snare wires come to life or the entire kit feeding off Sonic’s from other drums . And most listeners are not going to notice most of things drummers might bitch about , regardless of the genre of music
Kind of like the difference between having an acoustic piano or a good electronic stage piano. My acoustic piano needs practically yearly service, my electric piano is always perfectly in tune and there are no tiny mechanical bits to fail. I guess on the other hand, the physical feel of the piano, the way the hammers hit the strings and cause other strings to vibrate,etc. can't quite be replicated. Same with drums.
Zack I first saw your videos a year and a half ago and they really inspired me to make drums my main instrument. I was only going to be the drummer for a bit since my jazz band didn't have any drummers at time but when I saw your videos I saw how fun drums truly could be. Thank you and I hope you a great future🙏
100% definitely sponsored 😂
wdym?
No way bro we didn't watch the vid
wow, good catch
1:32 yes
Your bright 👍
It's one thing to make it like that with all the cymbals and stuff loaded in, but it's a whole other thing when an expert can actually distinguish the specific one from which samples have been extracted. That's CRAZY!!!! As a sound engineer, this kit is a steal. I can honestly now envison building a real recording studio entirely in my apartment in Montreal city. This could like switch my life around and make me saved literally 10's of 1000's of dollars on setting up a soundproof studio and/or renting, complaints issues and negotiation, storage etc when you take all the hassle into consideration and how easy those are to record, this is what I've been waiting for for the last decade!!!!!!!!!!
"Am I correct in this assessment?" "...I guess"
It being lighter means it’s more responsive and lighter and quicker to play
@@Neptoid yeah, like a bird, flying
Bro spotting myself in the front next to your drum kit going full surprised pikachu 😭 thanks for being so fucking nice after, and you’re welcome for fixing your hats 😉
OMG ITS YOU. YOU LEGEND
@@ZackGrooves looking forward to more from that gig. Had my jaw on the floor, was hilarious, and I had the best seat in the house. Can’t thank you enough dude
@@ZackGrooves
Hi 👋 I’m Josh
I just got a job at my local guitar center, they have two of these set up for the public to play.. they sound great! Very cool to see you playing one 🤙🏼
yes, another for the ranks of the electron revolution. 6:11 content. I've been shedding on a DTX 502 with some aftermarket mounts for almost 10 years. I remember the older electronic drums because I still use one. Not as old as the 70's antiques but with the same dated single-zone piezo technology. I have fond memories of playing rock in kitchens and getting it to unconventional practice locations and am really impressed/oddly satisfied with jazz being played in a kitchen with full band + drumset being set up in the living room.
Keep grooving.
Bro this intro is something else, had me rolling😂😭
That kit sounds fucking good. Like, you're not gonna replace your jazz acoustic kit with it, but for many people this is an amazing option. It's 3k here in Europe so I think I'm getting one as soon as I stop doing my digital nomading.
These sound better than any other Roland on the market. The only e-kit I’d ever consider again and I’ve had a few Roland’s over the years
The Mingus "yeah😩" was on point.
when?
@@monkedonke963:23
I'm currently cleaning my studio while watching this, love you Zack!
Currently getting signed on by a big name record label while watching this video!
@@Djacob_oh word? which one??
@@SergioOnDrums hmm. This was a while ago and I’ve been signed by so many labels since then. But at the time I think it was Sony.
I ever loved Alesis sound before, I love Alesis sound these days. Great KIT!
Love your content man! One if my favorite drummers and I’ve been a fan since 2020. You inspired me a lot!
Nice review, Zack! Thanks for making it so entertaining; I like that you brought the band in addition to playing it yourself. I'm not impressed with my electronic kit for exactly the reasons you gave. It's the next step up from entry-level, but as a still-beginner drummer trying to master technique, mechanics, and dynamics around the kit, it cannot replace practicing on my acoustic set.
It's pronounced "Alesis"
Thanks
No, it's "Alesis"
In theory it should be more responsive and lighter and quicker to play. Unlike acoustic you don’t need a lot of power for it to give in and reverberate. But not for the upstroke where it bounces off and helps you on the way up
So, I'm a saleman for a certain musician gear company, and just so happen to also be a drummer.
Some of the features you may have missed on the kit are that every single pad is dual zone, so the bells on the cymbals play the bells of the cymbals, the edge of the snare and the center sound different, and the same is true for every Tom.
The other cool feature you didn't point out is that every cymbal has choke capability, meaning you can choke your cymbals by hand, adding to some artistry in that part of your playing.
Lastly, the brain of the kit has space for additional cymbals and Toms, and even a second snare, so if you want to upgrade your kit's size, you can. The brain is so complex you can micromanage and mix your triggers and sounds from there. Just truly a masterwork of engineering from Alesis in the E-kit field.
You missed the most significant feature this kit has that no other one that I am aware of has - it has BFD software built right into the module so you do not need to lug a laptop around with you. It can run any of the many excellent BFD expansion packs that are available from a variety of different companies.
Dude, welcome back! Can't wait to see what's coming next.
I am honestly blown away by the drumkit... E-drums sets are becoming wild.
I miss your lofi covers ❤
11:54 I was not expecting the sound with that face 🤣
What happened with the neighbour though? 🤣🤣
neighbor lore to be continued..
"Meinl u didn't see this" :D
FYI, the Felp on the pedal. will eat through the mesh on the Kick
I would go for a man that plays chops as loud as they can all the time
Haha!
wait until he finds out about the new zildjian ekits
That Lo-fi beat you did on the last e-kit was “😩” I wish you could do a full cover
Hope efNote sets you up with one of their kits too. Just let you take a little swim in edrums for a bit.
So .. I have played this at Andertons Music Co , UK where it’s set up right now for demo.. I’m normally a Roland guy but I have to say the strata prime is way above any of their previous kits.
It does feel better ! The kick feels fantastic and the cymbals all respond so much more realistically than others , including Roland TD-27. The samples are crisp.
A serious player in the e-drums world. And a refreshing/ exciting alternative to the Roland options.
Acoustically (outside of the headphones) it’s also significantly quieter, especially the kick drum !)
Currently £3000 makes it great value for money too 👍
You know it's a good day when zack posts a long video
the fill @ 12:43 is smooth, right into the sax solo nice
Wow 😮 it works even for straight ahead? I'm impressed 🙌
Wow. Just goes to show. It's not about what you play, it's about how you play it. Mr. Grooves.. 🫡 we salute you. (And mingus) what a good boy!
I have experience with roland v drums but that was close to 20 years ago. These drums have taken what roland did to another level.
try the Roland VAD706, you can tune the sounds in a lot of different ways with the TD50X, and the visual/feel of the set is extremely close to acoustic
also. with electronic drums, you can put custom samples, like the amen break samples for example, super fun
Please play more music with the band. You guys are awensome.
Ya bro these are great! I was in the market for a Roland vad307 for live use at my church when they announced this kit. I was using mesh heads with roland triggers and a ddrum module on my DW and I just couldn’t take it any more! 😅. Went with the alesis and have been so satisfied with it! It’s got the sauce 😮💨🤌🤪
9:47 sounds so clean you could eat your dinner off it
11:20 in, Bass player is kill’n it…. Very nice sounding kit!!
i would never expect an ekit to replace an acoustic kit in a jazz situation... yet, the strata prime still makes a convincing substitution, especially if you have more than one kind of playing situation
I played this kit in the local Guitar center and it does feel nice. I liked the sounds for the drums and some of the crash cymbal sounds. I found however that the high hat sounds all sounded artificial. I have not tried all the kits but I tried over a dozen at the store and none of the hats sounded great. The Module is slick with the big screen and easy navigation.
I Got One In My Studio It Sounds Good I Really Recommend The Alesis Kit🙏🏾
I've been looking into buying the Alesis Strike SE Pro... And my man uploads a video of the Strata!
Eyes closed, I cannot tell at all that it's an electronic kit.
My band's drummer has used a TD-27 exclusively for years, and we all love it. We save our ears, he switches kit sounds based on the style of each song, and there's no mic bleed on the stage.
People not liking electric kits are just like the dummies saying they won't use amp emulators for their guitars. The audience can't tell the difference between a Kemper and an AC-30
Use it as a midi source for addictive drums
For a kitchen, the sound you got was amazing, very little boxy room sound, however the stand up bass volume was a little low, I guess because it was un-amplified, all and all a very impressive recorded mix.
I grew up playing Acoustic kits, but have a $1500 Alesis kit right now. E-Kits can't hold a candle to Acoustic kits, however the lower volume (allowing you to play at night, or in apartments) make E-kits something that have a place for practice. But no E-kit will ever have the dynamic and tonal response of the traditional Acoustic kits and Cymbals. But if you just have that "drumming itch" that needs scratching? Mid to High-end E-Kits are a great way to play without annoying neighbors or house-mates.
I tried this at Guitar Center. GREAT kit.
Having an E Kit is great. The ones worth playing are expensive though. Hook that up to SD3 or something similar and very versatile, and in the end, maybe cheaper than recording your own kit.
the sauce carl put on physical education was crazyyyyy
Sponsord or not, very inspirational. Great to observe and hear in a jazz setting. Of course, you don’t have to tell the cats when they bad but GREAT STUFF. Thanks
Finally, zack is back!!!
It sounds like a drum with mics and already processed, seems to be amazing for a live show in a small club
Gotta say, the kite sounds phenomenal
Zacktherizzler
@11:54 thankiu for this frame alesis
Great kit, I donated mine to my church, and its been solid for 2 years.
2 years? That is weird because the Strata Prime has only been on the market for 3 months.
@@daveattheholdens the shells are the exact same as my pro, just modified motherboard
Yessir was jonesin’ for a video… thanks!
An amazing musician can make any instrument sound amazing.
Mr P.C into All Blues is so real for a jam session with the homies🔥🔥
Best sponsored Ad ever lol
by the year 2030 all drums must be electric ☝
Was the door smacking just a bass drum muted
Goving these to zac was the Smartest thing alesis could do . They really do sound excellent
11:51 absolutely slayed me
My gosh .. Jake Peralta is on the drums, he's killing it! you guys are awemazing
You can adjust all for yourself. Sensitivity, curve and mix volume to taste.
I had a blast seeing your performance at Prishtina Drum Festival if you remember so keep those bootys movin
Yoooo I played with Carl and his brother in college! Mad respect!
How u gonna play brushes???
I lost my shit when homeboy guessed the matt gartska stack
Just stumbled on your channel. Dude you’re a killer. God damn specimen over here.
Nathan really thought he got away with the Mario kart lick at 11:17 😂
sounds like a very common bebop line to me
@@mide8845 Wait what line?
@@IAmBlueChicken a lick you play over the ii7 chord
i need more videos of yall playing standards
I Love this Version of all Blues ❤
The kit sounds GREAT!
Very cool to know the price point will always be a turn off for me.
if you were going for a corny porn intro kinda vibe at the beginning then you absolutely nailed it
That's actually impressive.. usually entry level Alesi presets (Yeah bruh, I just wrote Alesis in plural) sound like shit.
The sounds on the Strata are not Alesis sounds. It uses BFD.
bro knew the cymbal sounded familiar and played the exact matt bit just to confirm haha props
bought my roland td-30 6 years ago for 3K. seems alesis is just now catching up to a 12 year old kit. Love your stuff zack wish i could play jazz lol!
The TD-30 is an incredible kit but this kit is miles ahead of a TD-30. That being said you cannot beat Roland for durability - Alesis has improved but are still notorious for piezo and wiring failures. Early versions of the module software on the Strata were problematic but they seem to have fixed most of the serious bugs now.
These actually sound crazy good for an electric kit
I love you so much, 2 minutes in to the video and i got a big ass smile on my face.
I started following you around the 50K mark i think, and i legit watch your videos to cheer up.
Also im a metal drummer and i learn a lot about jazz from just watching you play.
I need to hear more Zach on trad jazz bro, I can tell he's got hella good language so now I'm curious.
Man I feel like he's gonna LOVE that zildjian kit
That upright is beautiful
Zack, wish you would have mentioned the amplification system you used on the kit? Looked like a couple of small studio monitors on the floor in the background. I know Alesis makes a pretty good powered speaker and am surprised they didn't send you one as well for the review. Maybe the best option for the jam would have been to use a blender powered headphone amp with Vic Firth headphones for everyone in the band. This may have been the way to go as you can really hear more of the fine details of the music and the guys may have had a better experience with the electronic kit. I have played the Alesis, it is by far their best effort, I like the cymbals. Still keeping my TD27kv. Great video however keep it up!
Could you @ZackGrooves please tell me the footprint of the setup you had? And probably also how large that carpet is and has to be to cover all the feet of the rack?
Because I live in an apartment I have Zildjan L80's and an acoustic kit with drumtec real feel heads. I play like this now for 4,5 years. Really the only struggle is that I can't tune the drums I play on gigs. It's always a sort of guess and hope that they will sound right, same with buying new cymbals, I can only test them for 2/3 hours a week in a rehearsal, not some weeks combining, getting everything out of a cymbal without a band also.
I'm now at the time I want to try and look for empty office spaces or something so I can jam and tune after work hours over there. Still looking into what are the best options, any suggestions would be great.
You better be at PASIC this year
I hope skit Zack gets that date
i normally pronounce it alEEsis, but idk
I'm surprised at how well snare buzzes come through
I really need to replace my old TD9-KX with this Strata Prime.
I want her! I WANT IT! 😅
This is like a skit for something bad and dirty 😂
ily zack grooverino