Electronic drumkits are said to be indistinguishable from the sounds that are produced by conventional or acoustic drumkits. The electronic drumkit utilises the use of computers and sensor pad technology to create a drumkit that can be programmed to make a variety of different sounds and one that can be listened to through earphones. For the learner or someone that likes to make a lot of noise on the drums (who doesn't?) the USB drumkit can be a very diplomatic choice. It is a great way to get plenty of drum playing time without upsetting your family, neighbours or half the street.

USB drumkits vary greatly in levels of sophistication but it is possible to purchase a good set that will give you access to the equivalent of an acoustic set for around 120 pounds. This will buy you a kit that can be set up in the same way as an acoustic drumkit. You are able to move the sensor pads in to place as if they were normal drums or cymbals. The kit comes on a number of stands that can be adjusted to your specifications. So you get a very authentic feel for the drums despite the fact that they are smaller and do not make a noise when they are not switched on.

Drums date back thousands of years. Archaeologists have found evidence of the existence of drums in 6000BC. Typically the drum consisted of a piece of animal skin stretched over a wooden shell. Modern drums are made with synthetic materials and they often have metal rims attached. Alongside the use of new materials drumkits have also made use of modern computing technology and the USB drumkit is a prime example of that.

The electronic drumkit utilises sensors that can be struck like an acoustic drum and these sensors send a message to a central processing system that in turn produces a sound. The major benefit of the electronic drumkit is that it can be programmed to make a number of different sounds and can therefore be the equivalent of owning a number of individual drumkits. An extra bonus of these types of drumkit is that they can be listened to through earphones and the most beneficial of all - the volume can be turned down.

Although the drum dates back to at least 6000BC the drumkit is in comparison a relatively new invention. The first drum kits came about in the 1800s. Players would accumulate a number of individual drums and arrange them n such a way that they could be accessible enough for a single drum player.

The growth in popularity of Jazz music saw the drumkit develop greatly in the 1920s. Jazz music saw the introduction of cymbals to the drumkit. Rock and Roll facilitated another advancement of the drumkit as the drummers developed new systems to make the drums easily accessible. By the 1980s drumkits had developed into a complex rack system and included much bigger drums - this was the era of stadium rock.