Back in the day electronic drum pads were considered a ‘flashy extra’ for tech-minded drummers. Now they’ve become an essential tool for many players and inspired the hybrid drumming revolution, where acoustic drums and electronic pads are combined to expand your sonic palette within one setup.
Most modern musicians have a head for production and are influenced by all sorts of genres, so it makes sense that they would want to load their samples onto a drum pad and take it to the stage. Why stick to just acoustic drums when some of these pads offer up to 9 playing surfaces, on-board effects and as much as 32GB worth of storage for your perfectly crafted tones?
You don’t need to look far to see the best electronic pads I’ve included in this guide nestled amongst the kits of pro players including Rush’s Anika Nilles, Sleep Token’s II and even Benny Greb. Scroll through the last few NPR Tiny Desk Concerts and you’ll see the same. As a result, drummers around the world are being introduced to a new normal for modern gigging kits.
Drum pads are still a favourite with percussionists, producers and DJs too, thanks to their MIDI capabilities. If you've spent hours getting every sound just right in the studio, it makes sense to bring those same sounds to the stage.
In my opinion, the best electronic drum pad on the market today is Roland’s ubiquitous SPD-SX Pro, thanks to its intuitive design, high quality playback and unmatched durability. It includes 32GB of storage, customisable LEDs for each pad, loads of sounds on board and a powerful multi-effects engine.
Best overall
The Roland SPD-SX Pro is the industry standard for triggering loops, samples and backing tracks. With 32GB of internal storage, support for WAV, AIFF and MP3 files, customisable LEDs, perfectly sensitive pads and exceptional build quality, it's not hard to see why.
To the untrained eye, the Pro model looks an awful lot like the standard SPD-SX, and one thing we will say up front is, if the Pro looks a little pricey, the standard model is absolutely still worth your time. The difference in price is approximately $400/£200 between the two models. We have included the Pro on this list as a stand-in for both, since it’s the better model, but budget conscious buyers should feel confident in either; we're talking best of the bunch here, either way.
Loading your own samples into the SPD-SX Pro is completely straightforward. Files can be imported via USB flash drive or Roland's dedicated desktop app, then assigned to any of the nine pads in just a few presses. Roland's onboard sounds are, quite frankly, iconic too. They are synonymous with electronic drumming and they're all included here (the Pro has 1,550 and the regular edition has 210), making it just as capable straight out of the box as it is once you've built your own library.
Pro-specific features include the desktop app for complete sample management, customisable RGB LEDs to truly tailor your live rig to your needs, a crisp 4.3-inch colour display, four direct outputs for routing individual pads separately, eight external trigger inputs and 200 user kit slots, double that of the standard SPD-SX.
All in all, the Roland SPD-SX series is top of the range for hybrid kits, sample usage and live backing tracks.
“There’s more to the SPD-SX Pro than just a face-lift and some pretty lights. With vastly improved connectivity plus tons of fantastic new features, the latest in the SPD family is a must for any serious hybrid drummer.”
Read more: Roland SPD-SX Pro review
Best value
Listen, I love a bargain. If versatility or bang-for-buck is what you’re after, check out the Strike MultiPad from Alesis. It offers 32GB of storage space, over 8,000 sounds, plus sampling and looping capabilities, so there’s plenty here to get stuck into; and it’ll cost you around $699/£470. The sampling function works well and it’s easy to record and edit audio directly on the console, making it particularly useful if you like building your sounds as you go.
The looper is fun to use and allows for phrases of up to 16 bars, while the 4.3” colour screen makes navigating the various functions relatively painless. There’s also a front-facing headphone jack, which is handy for rehearsing without bothering everyone else in the room. One of the coolest features, though, is the RGB lighting. The lights are fully customisable visual indicators which can reflect tempo, drum or loop assignments, sample duration and much more. It’s a small thing, but it looks great on a dark stage.
Some users might experience sluggish loading times when switching between functions, even with the latest firmware update installed. While this is not too much of a problem at home, on stage each second is precious so, live users should bear this in mind.
Overall though, this is one of the best all-rounder pads on the market, with an impressive amount of functionality for the money.
"The Strike MultiPad comes with a huge memory and an enormous number of samples out of the box. It’s a joy to play and the customisable LED lights are a masterstroke."
Read more: Alesis Strike Mulipad review
Best for beginners
The Alesis Samplepad 4 is the definition of ‘cheap and cheerful’. It’s perfect for beginners, or anyone interested in triggering samples and electronic drum sounds, but not married to the idea and not willing to blow a huge budget. It has four pads made from comfortable, sturdy rubber and a solid chassis, all packed into a very small footprint. This makes it an easy addition to an acoustic kit without having to completely rethink your setup.
The 25 onboard sounds and 10 kits are great for those new to electronic percussion, but won’t be winning over any EDM producers. The loop facility is hours of fun and pad control mode is very helpful. At this price, the ability to upload, trigger and mess around with your own samples is pretty awesome too. You can load WAV files via an SD card, giving you a very straightforward way into custom sample triggering without spending serious money.
Crosstalk between pads and long load times make it less suitable for serious touring, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider it for your home studio or smaller gigs where you’re less reliant on electronics. With such a small footprint and low price, this SamplePad 4 would also be excellent for use as a MIDI trigger with a DAW, particularly if you’re just getting started with electronic percussion.
“More facilities are on offer from this fantastic little pad than the scope of this review will allow, and at just over a hundred pounds, it has to be money well spent.”
Read more: Alesis Samplepad 4
Best for live
Straight out of the box, the Korg MPS-10 is an easy recommendation. It packs 10 playable pads where most others have nine, 2,350 onboard sounds where others offer far less, 32GB of memory with around 28GB available for your own samples, and the build quality is exactly what you'd expect from this stellar Japanese brand.
Importing your own samples is refreshingly simple, too. The MPS-10 supports WAV files and everything is managed through a bright touchscreen that's easy to get around once you've spent a little time with it. Another excellent feature is that every sound is loaded into memory at startup, so although it takes an extra second to get going, switching between kits is seamless. The intuitive four-track looper is equally impressive, making it easy to build ideas, layer parts or create arrangements without reaching for extra hardware.
The four pads along the top can also be assigned as continuous controllers, allowing you to manipulate filters and effects in real time. It’s very Korg, although the sound assigned to those pads will need to be muted first.
If you're planning to use a hi-hat pedal, you'll also need to install firmware version 2.0, while the interface itself can feel a little finicky until you get used to Korg's way of doing things.
At around $999/£499, the Korg MPS-10 sits comfortably below Roland's flagship offerings while bringing plenty of fresh ideas to the table. It's thoughtfully designed, enjoyable to play and one of the most compelling multipads to arrive in recent years.
Best out of the box
If you’re looking specifically for something with high quality drum and percussion tones, look no further. The Octapad features 670 built-in sounds, covering everything from acoustic drum kits and world percussion to electronic sounds, FX and samples. There’s no facility for loading your own samples though, so this is very much a case of working with what Roland gives you – but wow, there’s plenty here to get stuck into.
With the phrase looper you can record yourself playing loops in real time and overdub up to three layers. This function is perfect for creating tracks from the ground up in a live scenario, as well as practicing. Four dual-trigger inputs also mean you can connect additional pads, a kick and hi-hat pedal, turning the Octapad into a surprisingly capable mini-kit.
To me, the most innovative aspect here is the pads themselves. They benefit from Roland’s patented V-Drum sensitivity, so they play like a dream, with impressive isolation too. At around 1.8kg, it’s also relatively light and easy to position around an acoustic kit, all without taking up too much space.All in all, the Octapad is a very impressive piece of kit, and the best-in-class for experimental percussionists and rhythmic producers.
"For drummers or percussionists looking to add electronic sounds to an acoustic set-up with the minimum of fuss, the SPD-30 is a great choice. And the fact that it's the latest in a line of well-proven tools allows for real confidence in its long-term abilities."
Read more: Roland SPD-30 Octapad review
Best for synthesized sounds
Let’s get this out of the way: the Nord Drum 3P is a synthesizer. Sure, it’s played with drumsticks and is focused on percussion, but this product is geared directly towards lovers of Kraftwerk, button pushing and knob twiddling. If you’re looking for something to trigger your own samples and backing tracks, you’ll need to go elsewhere.
Still with us? Okay, let’s get into it. With the exceptional build quality we’ve come to expect from Nord, the 3P displays a vast array of sonic capabilities. It has 200 sounds and a huge variety of modulators, oscillators, reverbs, filters and other FX onboard. You can use these to alter specific aspects of each sound and save your creations across 400 available memory locations. There’s also the Nord Beat sequencer app for iOS, which will make beat-makers and producers feel right at home.
The six rubber pads are smooth, responsive and a joy to play. The unit comes in at a modest 4lbs (1.85kg), but feels sturdy and road-ready. The only real downside to the Nord Drum 3P is that this build quality and brand name comes at quite a high price.That said, what they are offering is - much like their keyboards - exceptional quality synthesized sounds for use in live and studio environments. For the right player, that makes it a very compelling proposition.
“The integrated pads combined with sequencing in the Nord Beat app make this the ideal do-it-all drum tool.”
Read more: Nord Drum 3P review
Most customisable
The Roland SPD::One series, with its bizarre second colon in the name, is a curveball. The series is made up of four separate units, each with a specific function. While this could get expensive really fast if you decide you need them all, the idea is that you cherry pick the one/s you need, and enables you to customise your setup accordingly.
Each of the four variations serves its own sonic purpose. The Kick and Percussion models do what you’d expect, while the Electro is loaded with snares, rim shots, claps and cymbals. The SPD::One Wav is perhaps the most useful - and costly - of the group. It comes ready with 4GB internal storage and 12 assignable slots, meaning you can use this as a fully functioning, fully customisable sample pad.
Imagine some of these, then, peppered in amongst your acoustic drums. A second kick, playable with your right hand, or an entire library of percussion sounds nestling right next to your left foot, so you can offset that cowbell part (yes these are sensitive enough that they can be played with your feet). It should be noted that each of these pads also has one ‘user’ assignable slot, for a sample of your own, so if you’re just looking for something auxiliary with flexibility, the SPD::One is a great offering, if you can look past the second colon…
“Roland has clearly looked at the market and delivered something that is missing. Will TM-2 or SPD-SX users be selling up? Probably not, but we can definitely see the Wav pad joining proceedings for many drummers as a standalone solution to running a click.”
Read more: Roland SPD::ONE review
How to choose the best electronic drum pad for you
The first question to ask yourself is - aside from the fun of getting a new toy (which is 100% valid) - why do you want an electronic drum pad?If you're looking to recreate sounds from your recordings on stage, you'll probably want a pad with plenty of onboard storage and straightforward sample importing, such as the Roland SPD-SX. Definitely budget for the Pro version if samples are imperative to your live sound. If it's more about expanding your sound with percussion, world instruments and electronic textures, a dedicated percussion pad could be a better fit, such as the Octapad, or just the Roland SPD::One Percussion.
It's also worth thinking about how the pad will fit into your setup. Touring drummers might prioritise multiple outputs, reliable triggering and quick kit changes. Producers may be more interested in MIDI control, looping features, or simply opt for the Nord Drum 3P for its incredible potential as a drum synth. If you're building a hybrid kit of any kind, check how many external trigger inputs are available too, as this will determine how easily your setup can grow over time.
Finally, form factor and workflow are important too. So, choose something that will physically fit into your existing setup. And if you’re mostly going to use it live, you’ll want something with an intuitive workflow and a clear screen that’s easy to see on stage.
FAQs
Can I load my own samples onto every electronic drum pad on the market?
Not all of them, no. Most sample pads allow you to import your own audio, while percussion pads generally rely on their factory sound libraries. There are exceptions, such as Roland’s SPD::One series, each of which allows one assignable sound. If custom samples are important to you, check the specifications of any units you’ve shortlisted.
Can electronic drum pads replace a full electronic drum kit?
No. Many multipads support external kick and hi-hat pedals, allowing them to function as compact electronic drum sets for practice, rehearsals or smaller gigs. That said, they're still primarily designed to complement an acoustic kit rather than replace one entirely. We would not recommend using a pad as a replacement for an entire electronic drum kit.
Do I need a computer to use an electronic drum pad?
Not necessarily. Most pads work perfectly well as standalone instruments straight out of the box. A computer is usually only needed if you want to import your own samples, update firmware or use the pad as a MIDI controller within recording software. Oftentimes you can use your phone to do this, too.
Can I use an electronic drum pad with an acoustic kit?
Absolutely. That's one of the most common ways they're used. Adding a drum pad alongside an acoustic kit gives you instant access to samples, loops, backing tracks and electronic sounds without changing the feel of your setup.
Jargon buster
Hybrid drumming - Combining acoustic drums with electronic sounds, samples or triggers in a single setup.
Looping - Recording and repeating a section of audio continuously, allowing performers to build layers in real time.
MIDI - A communication protocol that allows electronic instruments and computers to send performance data to one another. MIDI doesn't transmit audio, only information.
Module - The internal sound engine that processes trigger signals and plays the assigned sounds. In a multipad, this is built into the unit itself.
Sample - A recorded audio file that can be triggered from a drum pad. This could be anything from a snare drum to a vocal phrase or sound effect.
Trigger - A sensor or pad that sends a signal to a drum module, causing it to play a sound.
How we choose the best electronic drum pads for this guide
Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.
When choosing what we believe to be the best electronic drum pads available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.
First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best electronic drum pads on the market right now.
Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.
Why trust us?
☑️ MusicRadar established 2007
☑️ Over 5,000 reviews on-site
☑️ 85+ electronic drum products reviewed
MusicRadar first launched in 2007 and has been an authority on electronic drums and percussion ever since, rigorously testing the majority of key launches since day one. The site is run by a diverse team of passionate musicians who live to gig, record and jam, alongside a core group of trusted specialist freelance writers. We understands what players need, because we’re players ourselves, and we test from this perspective.
Our team have been testing music gear for 18+ years, constantly refining our methodology, delving deeper into products and drawing on our experience of what has come before to understand today’s products better than anyone.
Our testing team includes:
- Expert reviewers with decades of combined hands-on experience testing, playing and owning a wide range of electronic drum gear and with a deep understanding of how e-kit technology has evolved.
- Industry professionals who have worked in the drum/music industry for decades, including Editor positions at leading drumming magazines and websites.
- Our team also includes drum teachers, function drummers, band drummers and players who have worked in drum shops.
19/08/26: This guide has had its first update in a while with a complete overhaul of the product choices and advice, including a dedicated new section covering how to chose the right e-drum pad for you and a jargon buster to clarify key terms used in the guide. A number of products have been launched since our last update, including the Korg MPS-10. The guide has been adjusted to reflect the latest products on the market that we've tested.
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