Drum Machines - Electronic Drums:

Drum machines now allow musicians to play background drum tracks on songs and don't require an actual drummer to be on stage performing. Sure it takes aways from the whole "rock group" image, but for a solo artist who wants to keep their costs down, having a drum machine makes perfect sense. They cost between $150-$500 for a drum machine from recognized shops like Guitar Center. The best selling drum machines on Guitarcenter.com are the Boss Dr. Rhythm DR-880 Rhythm Machine ($499), Alesis SR-16 Stereo Drum Machine ($149.99), Boss DR-670 Dr. Rhythm Drum Machine ($279), and the Boss Dr. Rhythm DR-3 ($179). Get down to your local drum dealer and see how they work and sound for yourself. Many musicians find them to be easy to use and program. When it comes to electronic drums, we really like the Yamaha and Roland sets. The Roland TD-12S V-Stage Electronic Drum Set is a high end product ($3299) with excellent sound quality. The Yamaha DTXpress III Special Package with MS50DR ($1899) is a good mid-range drum set that includes DTXP3 module, 3-zone snare pad, 3 single-zone tom pads, 3-zone cymbal pad, dual-zone cymbal pad, single-zone cymbal pad, kick pad, real hi-hat pad, hi-hat stand, and rack system, throne and pedal. You can check out a variety of drum machine and electronic drum kits at Amazon as well (including Boss, Akai, Yamaha, etc.) -- it seems most people are comfortable shopping with Amazon, so we recommend them when possible.