Why is Rubber Pad Better?
Rubber Pads vs. Mesh Drum Heads - Which are Better?
Whatever the brand, be it Roland, Alesis or Tourtech etc, their electronic kits will have pads/heads made from hard rubber and/or mesh. Theyre the most popular kinds of material for your kick drum, snare and toms; cymbal pads are almost exclusively always made from some kind of rubber.
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Many early electronic kits consisted of mostly rubber drums with maybe the odd mesh snare as an exception. Roland were then the first brand to pioneer the use of mesh heads on their electronic kits. Since then, many of the biggest names in the business have followed suit, developing their own suite of innovative tech for their own products. Due to this now widespread adoption, mesh head kits have never been more accessible or affordable! However, both mesh and rubber materials ultimately have both their own positive and negative traits.
What do the Different Materials Impact?
When directly compared, both rubber pads and mesh drum heads feature contrasting characteristics in a number of areas. They mainly differ when it comes to rebound, attack and response, with their own noticeably unique feel when compared to an acoustic kit. You may have a kit with all rubber pads, all mesh heads, or rubber pads for your toms/kick and a mesh head for your snare etc. It all depends on the price of the kit.
Here are the main pros and cons of both:
Rubber Pads
More cost effective: many budget entry-level electronic kits will be made up of rubber pads entirely. This helps to keep the overall cost down, as rubber pads are cheaper to produce than their mesh cousins. Some good examples of these types of kits are the Roland TD-1K, the Carlsbro Commander 130, and the Tourtech TT-12S. Theyre all under £365, making them the ideal first set to kickstart your drum journey.
Compact design: rubber pads are generally a lot more compact. They feature a slimmer build, allowing you to easily fold them away on the rack systems that most electronic kits utilise. This makes them perfect if you need a kit with a smaller footprint thatll fit into a small practice space, or one that can be easily packed away once youre finished using it.
Lower quality feel: rubber pads do not feel as good to play as mesh heads, with a noticeably reduced rebound. This feel will also change depending on the exact rubber material itself, as well as the thickness and robustness of it. They are much harder too; some drummers complain of fatigue in their hands and wrists if they play for too long on a kit with rubber pads. If youve ever played on a practice pad, you should expect a similar experience when using rubber pads.
Mesh Heads
Improved playing feel: mesh heads emulate the response, feel and rebound of traditional acoustic drum skins a lot better than rubber pads. Many new electronic kits even have mesh heads that can be tweaked (tension-wise) to suit your preferred level of stick rebound, benefitting your own unique playing style in the process.
More accurate sizes: most kits with mesh heads are usually closer to the sizes of actual acoustic drums. This means theyre a good choice if you swap between an acoustic and electronic set regularly, as you wont have to alter your technique or change your accuracy at all. It also means if you start out learning to drum using an electronic kit with mesh heads, youll be able to translate these skills more easily over to an acoustic kit at a later date.
High-end Engineering: many of the electronic kits with mesh heads feature far more advanced integrated technology. Every nuance of your playing with be picked up in far better detail from ghost notes and rim shots, to cross stick. Improved dynamics once again mirror those that youd find on an acoustic drum head.
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More expensive: due to the material and technology itself, you should expect to pay more for a kit with mesh heads. However, youre paying for a high-quality drumming experience in the process. You definitely get what you pay for if you decide to go for them!
Mesh Head Electronic Drum Kits
Mesh Heads Vs. Rubber-Pads for E-Drums
Playing the drums is all about positive vibrations. Especially when comparing mesh heads and rubber pads on an electronic drum set, you can take that literally. Aside from the typically higher price of kits with mesh heads, the main differences are all related to how a pad vibrates when its hit with a stick.
To cut to the chase: Mesh heads outperform rubber pads in pretty much all aspects, and this is clearly reflected in our lineup. All our electronic drum kits in the MPS series feature mesh heads and only the MPS-150 is still available in a small version with rubber pads. So, lets dig into the reasons why mesh heads are the way to go.
Noise Levels: Mesh Heads are Quieter
One of the main reasons people opt for electronic drums over acoustic kits is the lower noise level. But even among e-drums, noise levels vary and the choice between mesh heads and rubber pads plays an important role here.
While rubber pads are soft and quieter than solid surfaces, they still transfer a lot of vibration back into the pad, producing a louder direct sound. Mesh heads, on the other hand, are far more flexible and allow air to pass through. This helps absorb the sticks energy, leading to less air movement and, therefore, quieter play.
Its also important to note that vibrations dont just travel through the airthey also move through the rack and into the floor. If you live in an apartment or similar setting where noise is a concern, mesh heads are the better choice for maintaining peace.
Playing Feel: Better Rebound with Mesh Heads
Lets face it: No electronic drum set will ever feel exactly like an acoustic kit. Both mesh heads and rubber pads offer a different experience compared to real drumheads. The main advantage of mesh heads is that you can tune them like acoustic heads although, of course, its not about sound. By adjusting the tension, you can control the rebound, which is a key factor in playing feel.
Because of their elasticity, mesh heads tend to offer more bounce than rubber pads. While this may not feel as real as an acoustic head, it can greatly help with finger-control techniques. With a mesh head, playing fast double strokes on toms can feel like a breeze.
Mesh heads are also known for being easier on your wrists. As mentioned earlier, they absorb more energy than rigid rubber pads. This reduces not only noise but also the amount of vibrations sent back through the stick, which can lessen strain on your muscles and nerves. This is especially important for heavy hitters who spend a lot of time behind the kit.
Triggering: Less Crosstalk with Mesh Heads
The fact that mesh heads absorb more of the sticks energy also improves the triggering accuracy of an electronic drum kit. Compared to rubber pads, far fewer vibrations are transferred through the rack to other pads where they can trigger unwanted hits. While modern e-drum modules can already filter out crosstalk, they do this more effectively when working with mesh heads.