Can i plug an electronic drumset into a pa system?

Question

ive played acoustic drums for 5 years and now I'm planning on getting an electronic drum set but i just want to know if i can plug into my bands pa system

Answer 1

Definitely. Just need the correct lead from your kit to the pa.

Answer 2

The correct way to do this is take the mono (single) or stereo outputs (dual channel) of the midi processor and run them into a D.I. box.  Once the D.I. box has taken the line level signal to a mic level signal you're ready to insert the signal into the mixer which would now behave gain-wise just like any other microphone.

As a professional sound guy I would like to say THANK YOU for using an electronic drumkit.  They're always in tune, only require 1 or 2 channels on the mixer, and REALLY help control stage volume!

Bar bands and bands in smaller venues should be required to use those kits!

Answer 3

Yeah, but you will probably need to get an adapter.

Answer 4

Hi AJ... Most definitely you can do this.  If your band is set up to run in stereo.. the electronic drums will sound GREAT!   So.. when you get the kit.. all you should need would be two  1/4" to 1/4 inch instrument cables..... exactly like your guitar player uses.  On the back of the kits sound module is 2 output jacks.  L and R.  Either plug these into 1 stereo channel on the mixer and have the pan set straight up on the mixer channel, or... plug into 2 separate channels, and just be sure they are panned hard left(on the mixer) from the modules left output, and hard right(on the mixer) from the modules right output. Good example of this would be from module left output to Mixer Channel 1 input, panned hard left.  Output of module right to Mixer Channel 2, panned hard right.

  I have a late 80's Yamaha kit, and this is how its been done several times with this kit.  On the new ones.. if theres dedicated outs on  the kits sound module for each pad... can plug into the mixer just like you would mic an acoustic kit. WAY more flexibility that way.

Hope this has helped.  Keep playin!  

Answer 5

Yes you can. Don't forget that you'll need some kind of monitoring system  so you can hear yourself. You can't rely on being able to hear the sound coming out of the mains.

Have fun!