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Drum triggers allow you to achieve electronic sounds with your acoustic drum kit, opening up many new sonic possibilities.
Drum triggers are devices that attach to drums and convert the acoustic energy of the drum hit into an electrical signal. This signal can then be used to trigger sounds from a drum module.
Triggers are easy to use once you get the setup right, and modern drum triggers do a fantastic job of recognizing dynamic levels.
In this guide, I’ll show you the best drum triggers on the market. If you want a hybrid setup, these triggers will give you excellent performance and reliability. They also look great and have reasonable prices as well.
In a Rush' Round-Up
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Best for Kick
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Budget Pick
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Best for Full Kit
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How I Tested and Selected the Best Drum Triggers
I’ve frequently used a hybrid drum setup for gigs, especially with a kick drum and snare trigger for playing metal gigs. While setting up pads with a module is always fun, I really enjoy using triggers on the acoustic drums.
In my search for triggers, I tried out every option out there. I wanted to find the best possible products that would stick with me for a long time.
When I tested the triggers, I mainly wanted to look at responsiveness and expressiveness. I played the drums in various ways to see how each trigger would perform. After that, I checked out build quality, ease-of-use, and value.
Sensitivity and responsiveness were critical factors, guiding my selection toward triggers that accurately captured the nuances of a drummer’s performance, without any false triggering.
Compatibility and ease of integration with different drum modules and electronic setups were also key considerations. I selected drum triggers that seamlessly integrate into a drummer’s existing kit without unnecessary complexity.
Drum Triggers For Hybrid Setups Reviews
Yamaha DT-50S Acoustic Drum Trigger
Yamaha DT-50S Acoustic Drum Trigger Review
The Yamaha DT-50S Acoustic Drum Trigger is compatible with all drum trigger modules, and it’s the perfect acoustic drum trigger for professional-level live music performances.
The Yamaha DT-50S works brilliantly with snare drums, rack toms, and floor toms, and it’s incredibly accurate and consistent with picking up the vibrations of drum hits.
It’s also effortless to install and I find that it stays firmly in place on the drum hoop.
When it comes to the nuances in your playing—subtle ghost notes, dynamic accents, and intricate rolls, The DT-50S excels in capturing the full range of your drumming expression.
Another thing that makes this a great trigger unit is its durability and ease of use. It’s housed in a sleek die-cast metal body that takes up a small footprint on any drum.
I particularly like how unobtrusive it is; it blends well onto the rim of the drum when installed and it has a sturdy build quality.
This drum trigger has a knurled screw that allows you to adjust the sensor’s sensitivity level, which is a useful feature if you want it only to pick up firm hits and not want the device to ‘mistrigger’.
Yamaha has developed an excellent drum trigger that will enable you to explore a wide range of sounds in conjunction with your acoustic drums. For the price, it is one of the best drum triggers available.
Pros
- Accurate and consistent triggering
- Best drum trigger for snare drums
- Adjustable sensitivity to prevent mistriggering
Cons
- Very few negatives
Roland RT-30HR Acoustic Drum Trigger
Roland RT-30HR Acoustic Drum Trigger Review
The Roland RT-30HR Acoustic drum trigger, is one of the best drum triggers for professional use and is now the industry standard for live drumming performances.
I’ve used this trigger so many times for metal gigs and pop gigs, and it’s always proved to be a reliable workhorse.
This is one of the most advanced drum triggers on the market, with exceptional trigger sensitivity and lightning-fast processing speeds. There is minimal latency, and the trigger sets off exactly when desired.
The Roland RT-30HR is the ideal drum trigger if you are looking to get started with hybrid setups utilizing electronics live, and it will enable you to explore a wide range of sounds.
It is super easy to install and works very well with all drumheads and sizes besides kick drums.
This dual drum trigger triggers both the drumhead and the rim separately, making this one of the best drum triggers for snare drums.
I find this drum trigger extremely reliable – the Roland RT-30HR sends an electronic signal only when required.
The trigger unit is housed in a light fiberglass body that’s strong and durable. The build quality of this acoustic drum trigger is of great quality, and it’s straightforward to install on all different types of drum hoops.
Pros
- Extremely responsive and accurate triggering
- Lightweight and robust unit is very easy to install
- No latency and no accidental misfiring of the trigger
Cons
- Ideal for snare drum, but possibly too bulky for smaller drums
Roland RT-30K Acoustic Kick Drum Trigger
Roland RT-30K Acoustic Kick Drum Trigger Review
The flagship Roland RT-30K Kick Drum Trigger offers the same high level of performance as the RT-30HR acoustic drum trigger, but it is specifically designed for use on a bass drum.
Much like the Roland RT-30HR, I’ve used the Roland RT-30K kick drum trigger extensively for gigs and festivals, and I have found this to be as reliable and durable.
It responds extremely quickly and accurately to each intended kick drum strike.
It’s the perfect kick drum trigger for any drummer exploring hybrid drumming by layering electronic drum samples on top of the acoustic drum sounds.
I have found that combining a blend of real kick drum mic’d up live with electronic samples from the kick trigger works very well for more intense styles of music such as metal and drum ‘n’ bass.
This roadworthy premium kick drum trigger is a great investment for any drummer that wants to create a much bigger kick drum sound live for heavy styles of music or for electronic music genres such as dubstep, house, or drum ‘n’ bass.
Pros
- Perfect for metal and electronic music
- Rugged and lightweight fibreglass body
- Best drum triggers for kick drum
Cons
- Can potentially scratch the bass drum hoop if you screw it too hard while mounting
Pintech RS-5 Drum Trigger with Trigger Trap
Pintech RS-5 Drum Trigger with Trigger Trap Review
Next on our list is the Pintech Stick-On Drum trigger which is an affordable yet effective drum triggering product. It includes a durable Trigger Trap mounting system that ensures the trigger stays firmly put.
This Pintech Drum trigger is an adhesive unit that sticks to the bass drum head and senses vibrations on the drum skin that then triggers a response through an integrated Piezo trigger.
I found this to be one of the best drum triggers for you if you want a low-cost alternative to triggering your kick drum that still works effectively.
The Kwik Klip mount helps keep the trigger secure on a drum head, and the unit is unobtrusive and doesn’t negatively impact the sound of a drum.
This trigger unit works with all drum modules and brains, and it’s a low-cost solution that enables you to replace acoustic drums with samples in the studio and live.
Pros
- Amazing value for money
- Accurate piezo triggering
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Not all housed in a single unit
- Included cable is very short
ddrum Acoustic Pro 5-Piece Drum Trigger Kit
ddrum Acoustic Pro 5-Piece Drum Trigger Kit Review
The ddrum 5 Piece Drum Trigger Set is a good investment for any drummer looking to incorporate electronics into a full drum kit setup. It’s a great value bundle that includes all the triggers for a full five-piece drum set.
I borrowed a friend’s kit once who had these, and I found they offer accurate and reliable triggering performance.
These distinctive red drum triggers fit on most drum hoops- all that’s required is a drum key to firmly secure them in place on the rim. The triggers work with most existing modules using XLR cables.
Ddrum has been a pioneer in drum triggering technology for over 30 years, and these triggers are reliable and are also superb value for money.
The sensors within the units accurately pick up each drumhead stroke to enable you to take advantage of electronic samples that can be loaded into sound modules.
If you are in a metal band, playing electronic music, or even performing with a pop artist, these are some of the best drum triggers to buy to allow you to set up your triggers across a full drum set.
Although the build quality of these ddrum drum triggers isn’t quite up to par with the Yamaha and Roland drum triggers, they offer good value and will meet the needs of modern drummers.
Pros
- XLR outputs for secure connection
- Excellent value bundle for use on a full drum set
- Durable and robust metal units
Cons
- Not the same level of quality as Roland or Yamaha
- Over tightening screws can ruin the threads
Drum Trigger Buyer’s Guide
If you’re a drummer, you know that having the right gear is essential to putting on a great show.
Drum triggers allow you to build hybrid drum set configurations that can take your performance to the next level by opening up new possibilities for sound and creativity.
Drum triggers are used to augment the sounds of an acoustic drum set, or they can be used to create a completely electronic drum set.
The best drum triggers clip securely to the rims of your drums, have dual-zone triggers, are highly responsive, and are durable enough to last years of frequent use.
If you’re new to the world of electronics and drum triggers, choosing which ones to buy may seem a bit overwhelming. I’m going to explain everything you need to know so that you can make an informed decision on which triggers to get.
You may need only one, or getting multiple might be a much better option. Knowing this will allow you to establish a budget.
You should choose a trigger setup that best caters to your setup and the style of music you’re playing.
Rap and pop drummers may need more drum triggers than a rock drummer will need since those styles of music often rely on more electronic sounds.
Here are a few more things that you need to know.
Benefits of Drum Triggers
- Increased Sound Control: Drum triggers allow you to fine-tune the sounds of your drums to create a unique sonic palette that’s perfect for your style of playing. You can use drum triggers to change the pitch, timbre, and volume of each sample, giving you unprecedented control over your sound.
- Extended Playing Options: Drum triggers open up new possibilities for playing styles and rhythms. With drum triggers, you can play any type of percussion sound imaginable, from traditional acoustic drums to world percussion instruments to electronic beats.
- Achieve More Consistent Sounds: Drum triggers can help you create a more consistent sound from show to show, which is especially useful when performing with artists that require you to replicate the same snare or kick drum sound from the record.
- Enhanced Versatility: Drum triggers make it possible for drummers to enjoy the feel and sound of an acoustic drum set while exploring new sounds. These hybrid drum sets offer excellent versatility for a wide range of musical styles.
- No Hassle Setup: With a typical electronic drum set, you have to deal with cables running all over the place and large pieces of equipment taking up valuable space on stage or in your studio. Drum triggers offer a much more streamlined setup.
- Cost Effective: Compared to full-size high-end electronic drum sets, drum trigger systems are much more affordable and still provide a near-limitless sonic potential.
Trigger Modules
For drum triggers to work, you need to connect them to a drum module that produces sound.
On their own, triggers will have nothing to send a signal to. So, you should factor this in when looking to buy triggers, as buying a trigger module is a whole other expense.
If you already have an electronic drum kit, you may be able to run the triggers through the drum module that came with it. You’d just need to check the compatibility with your acoustic triggers.
If you don’t already have an electronic kit, a more affordable option would be to get a dedicated trigger module that has been designed with acoustic triggering in mind. I’ve personally found the Roland TM-2 works well.
Dedicated Triggers vs Piezo Pickups
The two types of triggers you can get are piezo pickups and triggers that are built within their own casing that attaches to rims.
Piezo pickups attach to the heads of your drums. They’re often the more affordable option, but they’re not as reliable or sensitive.
If you want to get the best possible triggers, I’d suggest getting dedicated triggers that attach to the rims of your drums. You’ll get a better response from them, and they also feel like they last a lot longer, putting your mind at ease regarding durability.
Higher-priced dedicated triggers are also a lot easier to use and set up. Piezo pickups require you to find a sweet spot to attach them, and you may get irregular triggering if you don’t position them well. Dedicated triggers are far more reliable.
Dual Triggers
Dual drum triggers are able to signal sounds from both the drumheads and drum rims. These are more advanced and more expensive than triggers that only signal single sounds.
Using dual triggers opens more room for playing possibilities, so these are ideal if you can afford them.
Single-zone triggers will work well if you’re looking for simple sounds and aren’t planning on utilizing triggers too extensively.
However, I suggest thinking about investing in dual triggers from the start, as you’ll most likely grow into them.
Dual triggers are typically much more reliable and easier to use also.
Kick Drum Triggers
While any type of trigger would be able to work on a bass drum, dedicated kick drum triggers are easier to mount to drum shells, and they tend to respond better.
You’ll know that it’s an acoustic bass drum trigger from the name. Two of the most popular specific bass drum triggers are the Roland RT-30K Kick Trigger and Yamaha Single-Zone Bass Drum Trigger.
Cables
Most modern triggers use the same type of cable, which is a TRS cable with ¼-inch jacks on both ends. However, some drum triggers are slightly different. For example, the popular ddrum triggers have aux inputs, meaning you need different types of cables for those.
In the case of the ddrum triggers, you’ll need cables that are a female XLR on the one side and a ¼-inch TRS on the other.
You may need to buy longer cables than the ones that come with the triggers you buy if your module sits far away from your kit.
Drum Trigger FAQs
What Can Acoustic Drum Triggers Be Used For?
Acoustic drum triggers are primarily intended to be used to produce electronic sounds when playing an acoustic drum kit.
They convert your kit into a hybrid setup. You can use them to practice at home, play live gigs, or record drum parts for songs.
You can also use them to record your drums without microphones. They don’t pick the sounds up from your kit as microphones would, but they send signals that you can convert into MIDI notes. This allows you to edit the sounds on your computer.
Which Types of Drummers Use Drum Triggers?
Most drummers who play with modern pop artists use some sort of a hybrid kit. Hybrid kits will have drum triggers most of the time.
Certain artists need their live gigs to sound similar to the instrument parts on their albums, and using acoustic triggers is one of the best ways to achieve that. Acoustic triggers are commonly used in metal drumming as well.
Does Every Drummer Need Drum Triggers?
No, triggers aren’t necessary for every drummer, but they can open up new sonic possibilities. If you prefer a more traditional approach to drumming, you won’t have the need to use them. You’ll only need to use them if you play live gigs with artists that require certain sounds.
