Electronic drumming pioneers: 11 trailblazing players who raised the bar for electronic and hybrid drumming

Electronic drum set pioneers: Neil Peart.

E-drumming guides

(Image credit: Roland)

• Explore the best electronic drum sets for all budget
• The best beginner electronic drum sets: plug in and play
• Go hybrid with the best electronic drum pads

DRUMS WEEK 2025: It’s easy to think of using electronics within our acoustic drum kits as something new, but the reality is that it’s been happening for decades. Single-pad drum synths and noise generators have been around since the ‘70s, and the advent of fully-playable electronic drum sets from the likes of Simmons in the ‘80s made the sight of multiple pads and the sound of synthetic drums commonplace.