If you’re looking to expand on your electric drum kit collection some electronic cymbals will make a great addition regardless of if you’re a beginner or a pro.
Sometimes it can be difficult to know what will be compatible with your existing drum kit, but usually electronic cymbals are compatible width various brands
We’ll be bringing you the 7 best electronic cymbals
OUR TOP PICK
This 18-inch digital ride electric cymbal has advanced multi-sensor triggering giving you that great feeling of playing an acoustic cymbal. Due to these 5 separate sensors, the cymbal body will detect both hard and soft touches wherever you’re hitting it on the edge or near the center.
The CY-18DR V-Cymbal by Roland offers realistic performance and can mute the sound of the cymbal by holding it with your fingers like you would with real drums. Giving you more freedom with choking the crash or softening the hits during your performances.
The only thing letting this cymbal down is that it doesn’t come with a mount to help assemble it with the rest of your electronic drum kit, so you’ll have to purchase one separately to be able to start including it in your sessions.
You'll be able to connect this 18-inch V-Cymbal with any other drum kit model that connects with ¼” TRS cables.
Pros:
- Multi-sensor driggering
- Able to do soft bell strokes and cymbal chokes
- Exceptional brand for electronic drum equipment
Cons:
- Better suited for professionals
EDITORS CHOICE
If you’re ready to upgrade your old electronic drum kit pieces, then the Roland 15-inch V-Cymbal should be one of the items on the top of your essentials list. This CY-15R by Roland will give you the true feeling of playing, something that the plastic discs from cheap electric cymbals are unable to provide.
It comes with a selectable dual-trigger system, so either choosing the edge/bow or the bow/bell to use it as a ride cymbal or a large crash cymbal for those power sessions.
The 15-inch cymbal is compatible with all Roland TD-series, SPD series sound models. It comes with a ¼” output so as long as you have got the brain module with a ¼” input to match then any drum kit will be compatible with this cymbal.
This cymbal is better suited for those more experienced in drumming or even for those thinking about going professional due to the insane quality that is also reflected in the price. When you buy Roland cymbals, you’re guaranteed top products and top customer service so it’s never money we regret spending.
Pros:
- Imitates the feel of an acoustic cymbal
- High quality and durable construction
- Dual-trigger system so you can play to your style
Cons:
- Professional quality price point
BEST VALUE
If you’re looking for a cymbal that’s ready to play straight out the box as soon as it arrives home, then this Alesis Nitro cymbal will be right up your street. The 10-inch cymbal offers great responses and gives you that natural feeling as if you were playing on an acoustics set.
As we mentioned, the cymbal is ready to play as soon as you get it home as it comes inclusive of the cymbal arm, rack clamp, felt wingnut, and also the 10ft TRS trigger cable. You will have to spare a few minutes to assemble it all together but if you’ve got experience with this sort of kit then you’ll have it up in no time.
Whether you’ll be wanting to achieve soft hits or sound choking with your cymbal, then this Alesis Nitro 10-inch one will be able to provide you with it.
The 10-inch cymbal by Alesis has compatibility with other Alesis drums and other popular e-percussion brands including Roland, Yamaha, and ControlPad, so you’ll be able to use this set with whatever it is that you have.
Pros:
- Perfect compatibility with Alesis drums
- Can play it straight out of the box
- Dual-zone functioning
Cons:
- May need to buy a separate rack clamp to play with other kits
RUNNER UP
Looking for a high-quality hi-hat controller? Then this Roland VH11 V will be just the guy for you. The Roland brand screams reliability and professional quality materials and construction and that’s why it’s one of our go-to brands for e-percussion kits but in particular hi-hat pads.
This VH11 V by Roland is a little different from common hi-hat pads as it is made just out of one piece instead of the normal two that are found but it still feels very natural when you’re playing and you’ll soon get used to the switch up.
This will be a great option if you’re a musician who’s currently touring or on the road as the one-piece construction is easily portable thanks to the fixed bottom that prevents all the parts from moving around when in transportation.
You’ll be guaranteed a great response as the cymbal reacts well to both soft dynamics and more hard-hitting playing, so you can have a versatile choice of what you’re playing in sessions without having to constantly change up your equipment.
It doesn’t come with a hi-hat stand so if you haven’t already purchased one when expanding your kit then you’ll need to do so for this cymbal.
Pros:
- Great response for both soft and hard dynamics
- Ideal for frequency transportation for musicians
- Natural feeling as you play
Cons:
- Doesn’t come with a hi-hat stand
RUNNER UP
If you’ve been brought up around music and playing any sort of instrument has been embedded in you, then you’ll be very familiar with the Yamaha brand. They’re hugely popular in the acoustic instrument industry but also have a great collection of e-percussion equipment as well.
The Yamaha 15” cymbal has a 3-zone operation that will help you achieve 3 different sounds depending on how you’re hitting it, recreating a near-perfect imitation of a real acoustic cymbal.
The Yamaha cymbal has fancy technology inside that collects all the sounds from even the lightest vibrations so you’ll actually feel and sound like you’re playing an acoustic set, this is also benefited by the natural cymbal swinging and stick bouncing when you’re rocking out.
It’s compatible with most other electronic drum sets and should be a top contender if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly electronic cymbal to open up your e-kit.
Pros:
- Budget-friendly option so suitable for beginners
- Picks up vibrations to produce acoustic sounding cymbals
- Natural feel whilst playing thanks to the materials of the cymbal
Cons:
- Doesn’t work with Alesis kits
RUNNER UP
Another option if you’re looking for a hi-hat controller is the 13” one by Yamaha. The hi-hat comes with two different zones, a bow zone and an edge zone that’ll help produce very different sounds whilst you’re playing.
You’ll also be benefited from the pad’s ability to support foot splashing for advanced musicians who’ll be using their sticks elsewhere around the kit.
If you pair this cymbal with DTX900/DTXTREME III drum trigger module then it’ll be able to produce a wider range of hi-hat sounds depending on how much pressure you apply to the pad.
The instruction manual is pretty extensive and if you don’t already know what you’re doing then you may be overwhelmed with all the information provided.
Our advice is to stick to the manual and go straight for a YouTube video to find out how to assemble everything to your kit and get it working properly.
Pros:
- Supports foot splashing
- Two sones helps produce different sounds
- Highly regarded piece of equipment in the music industry
Cons:
- The instruction manual makes it difficult for beginners to assemble
RUNNER UP
If you’ve only just begun drumming and you’re looking to build your own set, or maybe you have a younger child who’s asked for their first electronic drum set as a gift, then this Pintech electronic cymbal will be a top contender if you’re just to stick to a budget.
This durable TC10 cymbal feels very durable and offers great tracking and great dynamics which you’ll be surprised at when you compare it to premium models from other brands. It works especially well as a splash cymbal but is noticeably a bit quieter than other models we’ve tried.
One of the major downsides of this cymbal is that it only has a single zone trigger and is not chokable, which is why it's better suited for those starting out with drumming as more advanced players will be restricted.
Pros:
- Budget-friendly
- Durable quality
- Quiet when you hit it due to rubber material
Cons:
- Has a single zone trigger
- Not chokable
Last update on 2023-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
