Regarding electronic drumsets:

I generally don't recommend them to beginners. They are not necessarily cheaper than acoustic sets, and require amplifiers, etc. The feel is not the same, and they take up the same amount of room. There are some very inexpensive "table top" drumsets (YAMAHA, Casio ($150-250.00) that are fun, and could be OK, but they are not shaped like drumsets. They can teach you a lot (play-along, coordination, etc.), but in the end they just don't feel the same. Most regular electronic drumsets start around $1000.00 A beginner drumset costs $495 & up. There are even ways to make a regular acoustic drumset become electronic, using cheap (Radio Shack) triggers-$1.50/each, and a sound module ($100-200-used Alesis D4). Then you get both acoustic and electronic. If you are considering electronic because of volume at home (can't make noise!) Electronic sets are an OK idea. The trigger idea also works, by covering the drums with cloth or pads. The triggers will still work, but the drums are silent!

Ed Hartman