Alesis Strike Pro Review and Guide: All You Need to Know!

When searching for the right electronic drum set you’ll quickly find out that there are many to choose from.

The Alesis Strike Pro is a moderately priced electronic drum kit with some premium features. In this review we’ll discuss what makes this kit such a popular instrument with drummers all over the world as well as looking at some alternatives that you might want to check out.

Alesis Strike Pro Review

Alesis is a world-renowned brand in the music industry and you will see their name in many areas from music production to performance and more. The Strike Pro is a mid-range drum set and typically retails in the $2500-$3000 price range.

So what do you get for the money? Well, Alesis have made a number of features a priority with the Strike Pro.

They’ve gone for realism with bigger drum pads around the kit. They’ve also included a host of different drum sounds to choose from. If that isn’t enough for you, the Alesis Strike Pro also comes with the ability to import your own custom samples.

Altogether this drum kit sits on a robust and sleek-looking chrome rack. As far as value for money goes the Alesis Strike Pro looks awesome, so let’s get into it.

Module

Alesis Strike Pro

First up we’ll examine the Alesis Strike Performance module. This module has a very clean look with no clutter and a simple and easy-to-interpret interface. On the face of the module is a selection of buttons, dials, and faders. There are 12 faders in total and these can be used to control each individual drum or cymbal trigger.

Above the faders, we have buttons for simple functions such as play, pause and record as well as controls for altering your current sound selection. The color display can be used to navigate through each function on the Strike Performance module.

There’s a handy big dial right below the display which can be used for easily scrolling through samples, kits and songs. Using the Strike Performance module is fairly intuitive and if you run into any confusion there is a detailed and clearly written user manual to help you out.

On the back of the module is where you’ll find the inputs and output section. There are 21 different ¼ inch connections, comprising of 13 inputs and 8 outputs. In total there is room for 12 different drum triggers which is a substantial amount by most drummers’ standards (this is including 2 inputs for the hihat).

The 8 individual outputs can be routed in any way you like, either to a live desk for gigging/rehearsals or to an audio interface for studio recording.

You also have MIDI in/out functionality, USB connectivity and an SD card slot on board the Strike Performance module. This module is ripe for computer recording and means that the kit itself can be used as a MIDI controller for any VST virtual drum sets you might already own.

It’s fully compatible with either Mac or PC and the connecting USB cable has been provided. Once connected you can select the Strike Performance module in your DAW and elect to use it to either lay down MIDI tracks or import your own sounds to the module.

The latter can also be done using the SD card slot. Just below the dial we have a ¼ inch input for headphones as well as a corresponding volume control knob.

Drums

Alesis Strike Pro Drums

The Alesis Strike Pro comes with 6 drums and 5 cymbals. What’s most noticible about the Strike Pro versus many competing kits in its price range is that it comes with different-sized drum pads. This is a welcome addition and adds to the realism while playing on the drum set.

There are four toms in total and they range in size from 8 inches to 14 inches in diameter. They each have quite a deep shell and a custom Alesis sparkle finish which really adds to the realism.

There is a control knob on each drum and you can use this to customize the trigger response to your preference. The snare and toms all come with trigger sensors in the rims which means you have an extra layer of sound options at your disposal.

Each drum has a mesh drumhead which can be tensioned with a standard drum key. Alesis inform us that there are multiple sensors and multiple contact points within each drum shell.

These sensors are what determine the dynamic level of your playing. It’s important that the drumheads are not too loose as it’s possible that you could damage the trigger sensors otherwise.

All toms are mounted on the 4-post chrome rack which Alesis have provided. This rack is sturdy and looks great. It’s strong enough to withstand the rigors of gigging and is relatively easy to set up.

The bass drum consists of a 14 inch drum pad which is mesh also. This bass drum setup is compatible with any standard single or double bass drum pedal.

One really nice feature of the Strike Pro is that the snare is both 14 inches and sits upon a separate snare stand. While it’s convenient to mount the toms to a rack, most drummers like to have the flexibility that comes with using a separate dedicated snare stand.

The drum can be easily moved to accompany different playing styles and overall there’s also just a more solid playing feel when using a free-standing snare stand.

Cymbals

Alesis Strike Pro Cymbals

As mentioned there are 5 cymbals with the Alesis Strike Pro. This includes a hihat, ride cymbal, and 3 crashes. In actuality, you can reassign many of these cymbals to any configuration of your pleasing. If you’re used to playing with more than one ride cymbal, then simply re-assign the trigger using the module.

When it comes to the cymbals themselves, Alesis have tried to improve the sizing so that it’s more akin to playing on a real acoustic setup. The hihat is 12 inches which is not unheard of with acoustic drums.

It’s a nice size to play on and means that the pads are not too heavy. You can fit the hihat pads to any regular hihat stand using a traditional hihat clutch. Unfortunately in many package deals, you’ll find that the hihat stand is not included, so be sure to shop around for the best deal.

The ride is a whopping 16 inches which means it feels nice to play on and not flimsy like you might get with some of the lower budget electronic drum sets. This cymbal has trigger sensors in 3 places – on the bell, the bough and the outer edge.

The combination of these three sensors means that you can produce realistic and dynamic cymbal strokes as well as cymbal mutes by gripping the outer edge.

The other 3 cymbals are 14 inches in diameter which is perfectly fine for what will typically be used as crash cymbals. These cymbals are not quite as responsive as the ride and come with dual-zone technology – so that’s a total of two sensors per cymbal pad. They are however all chokable, just like the ride cymbal.

Hardware

The Strike Pro comes with a chrome 4-post rack which can be set up in minutes. This rack typically will hold 4 toms, the module and 4 cymbals. Each cymbal has an adjustable boom arm for easy positioning.

Depending on your own preference you can set the Strike Pro up either for left-handed or right-handed playing. The module can be positioned just above the hihat for ease of use. The rack is convenient to use, not extremely heavy and folds away for easy transportation.

Sounds

Alesis Strike Pro Sounds

There are over 1600 sample sounds on the Strike Pro module and these range from top-end studio kits to unorthodox SFX sounds. Accessing any of the 110 preset drum kit soundbanks is easy with the control dial on the face of the drum module. You can simply scroll through the selection until you find a kit that you like and then customise it further to your preference.

The Strike Pro also lets you import your own samples onto the module and you can do this using the included SD card or through the connecting USB cable.

Out of the 110 preset kits on the Alesis Strike Pro you’ll find many to suit whatever musical setting you require. This video demonstrates the Strike Performance soundbank in more detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNrKoeDkXpY

Features

  • Varying tom sizes
  • Playable rims
  • 4-post chrome rack
  • Over 1600 different drum sounds
  • A standard-sized 14 inch snare drum on a stand
  • Color LCD screen display
  • SD card included
  • MIDI capabilities

Pros

  • Looks great with a real-kit feel
  • Nice big drum pads. The bass drum in particular is a pleasure to play on.
  • Lots of drums and cymbals for the money
  • Lots of control over your mix with 8 individual outputs
  • Ease of control with 12 faders

Cons

  • Hihat stand and bass drum pedal not included in some packages

How Others Compare

Roland TD-25KV

Roland TD-25KV

Roland are one of the heavyweights in the world of electronic drums. Their TD-25 series represents a kit which is in a similar price range to the Alesis Strike Pro. The TD-25KV has some great inbuilt sounds but loses out when it comes to the amount of pads and cymbals the Strike Pro offers.

Pros

  • Great kit to play on
  • Super selection of studio kits

Cons

  • Fewer drums and cymbals than the Alesis Strike Pro

Yamaha DTX6K3-X

Yamaha DTX6K3-X

The DTX6K3-X is a relatively new offering from Yamaha and has largely taken over from the similarly priced DTX720K. This is a 5-piece drum set with mesh heads and 4 cymbals (including hihat).

Like the Roland TD-25KV the kit does not feature as many pads as the Strike Pro but it has some nice soundbanks included. Hihat stand is included but in many packages online do not include a bass pedal.

Pros

  • Slightly cheaper than the Alesis Strike Pro
  • Smaller, so easier to transport than the Strike Pro

Cons

  • No bass pedal included
  • Small drum pads

FAQ’s About the Alesis Strike Pro

Question: Can I Gig with the Alesis Strike Pro?

Answer: Yes, the Alesis Strike Pro is a professional standard drum kit. It has left and right main outputs or alternatively, you can send your drums to the mixer separately by availing of the 8 outputs.

Question: How Many Drum Kits are on the Alesis Strike Pro?

Answer: 110. You can also save your own custom kits.

Question: What is the Main Difference Between the Strike Pro and the Alesis DM10 MKII Pro Kit?

Answer: The Strike Pro has bigger drums, more cymbals and a better drum module. The Alesis Strike Pro also has hihat stand functionality. Check out the Alesis Strike Pro in action here!

Final Thoughts

The Alesis Strike Pro is a keenly priced drum set with a lot to offer. As you can see from our review and the subsequent comparisons, the Strike Pro is extremely good value.

This drum set would be ideal for a gigging professional or an amateur hobbyist who wants a decent set for which to practise on. But be under no illusions, you can gig with the Strike Pro, and the Strike Performance module offers you complete control over both your front of house mix and your personal monitor feed.

The Strike Pro has been designed and built to appeal to many drummers who require the benefits that an electronic drum set offer. It also comes with a convenient software package which you can use as a Digit Audio Workstation (DAW).

Fans of MIDI will love how compatible the Alesis Strike Pro is whether you’re in a live situation or in the studio. The SD card feature allows you to quickly transfer recordings or samples to and from your Strike Performance module. This makes creating custom kits a breeze.

The Alesis Strike Pro caters to drummers in a way that was previously only available at a higher expense. In most online retail stores you can purchase this drum set for around $2500-$3000 which is less than half of the price of the Roland TD-50KV.

We hope that you’ve found this review helpful in your search for a top electronic drum set. Have fun on your journey!

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