I started getting interested in an electronic drum a few years ago when I met the DTX series. The DTX400 series comes as Yamaha’s most affordable entry-level products.
There are two products, the DTX400K, which is the cheapest kit, and the DTX450K electronic drum kit is the most expensive.
Both of these Yamaha options are great. They have a wonderful feature electronic drum set suited for home use with a bass drum pedal. The 400K kit features low noise bass drum pedal control without a beater.
The Yamaha DTX450K here comes with improved features. It comes with a bass drum kit feature over everything in the DTX400K.
Who is the Yamaha DTX450K for?
This is a company known for creating high-end drum kits. And I think it was Alesis made them start producing entry-level kits. The DTX450K is such a kit.
They are for the following purposes:
- A beginner. If you are looking to enter into the drumming real, you need something affordable, yet quality. This is why the DTX450K may be an ideal choice. It is a typical five-piece configuration with three cymbals.
- Home practice. It is not only beginners who need proper practice. The DTX450K comes basic features for home practice and home rehearsals. But they are not enough to provide full performance. The Yamaha DTX400 drum module does not have enough features to take on more serious work. However, the DTX400 drum has enough sounds to play along. It also comes with an Aux connection, so you connect your audio devices.
- All levels of drummers. The DTX540K features a range of sounds from an electronic drum to percussion. These are perfect for beginners and mid-level drums. It fits their expectation. But experience drum players may find dome these kits too dull. However, drummers of all levels will be inspired by the drumming tutorial this kit comes with. It has given it a taste of innovative exercises to improve timing, skill, and accuracy. This feature will appeal to anyone seeking to make their drumming better.
Overview of the Yamaha DTX450K
This kit is one of the most famous entry-level e-drum sets on the market. It comes as an ideal practice kit that serves well even for seasoned players.
It has the typical configuration of five drums and three cymbals. It is, therefore, a standard full-size kit. The sounds are pretty decent, but not for professional work.
Configuration
From the box, you get:
- The DTX400 module and 3 zone pads
- Three-zone snare pad
- Three single-zone snare pad tom
- One hi-hat
- One hi-hat pedal
- Two cymbals and 12 training functions
- A KP65 Kick pad
- An FP^110A kick drum pedal
- One power adapter
- One year warranty.
These features are pretty standard for modern electronic drum kits. It does not, however, come with drum pedal and cymbals.
Features in detail
Let us look at these features more in-depth and see why they matter.
Pads and Hardware
I wasn’t sure I would like the kit, considering the price tag. But I was pretty impressed when opened and saw how cool the overall kit looked.
The cymbals come in a half-cut-out design. This feature is perhaps for saving on the production cost.
The physical appearance of this kit makes it feel like it could cost the same as Alesis Surge Mesh. But the Yamaha does not come with mesh pads.
It comes with a pedal. And this is one of the strongest selling points of electronic drums Yamaha. The FP110A is a high-quality kick pedal; this is functional and cheap.
Alesis also include this hardware, but they do not have such quality. Hence, the drum electric Yamaha wins. This seems like a perfect inclusion to attract new consumers.
All the pads are quite decent. Well, I could not have expected anything less from a Yamaha electronic drum kit. Their reputation in making high-quality products is displayed here.
Rubber pads are not that bad. They may not be as great as the mesh pads, but they get the job done. With the proper setting, you can actually enjoy their sound.
For these reasons, I would say the DTX450K pads are practice pads. They have fewer rebounds, which means you have to work harder. I think it can be a positive thing. The problem with mesh heads is they give a false impression of acoustic drums.
Also, the pads are quite silent. As we all know, drums are naturally loud. This is one of the reasons many drummers opt for an electronic piece.
This company has been doing great in such products. It is all you can expect from e-drums anyway.
But don’t get me wrong, these are not the quietest pads on the market. If you are looking for more profound silence, you may need to check out the higher line – 700 and 800 series.
Still, they are far better than any rubber pads. It has tried to make it more applicable to all users.
The Module
The Yamaha DTX450K features the DTX400 module. And to tell the truth, this is not on the list of my favorite modules. However, I did not expect anything more from such a price tag.
All entry-level modules don’t sound that well. I can compare this to the Alesis and Roland, and you can’t tell which is the best.
First, the sound module is pretty basic. The best module should have better features like custom samples, multi-velocity sounds, many trigger inputs, recording features, and more. You don’t need them anyway when learning to drum.
It is a pretty basic unit featuring a mat-black finish. This design is not bad at all.
It does not have an LCD or knobs. So, don’t expect to be seeing anything on display. There are only rubber buttons, which you can use to set your module and sounds.
Sounds and kits
There are ten buttons in a row on the module. They will help you change the kits anyway you want.
There is a total of 169 various drum and percussion samples. They are divided into rock kits, orchestral and percussion kits.
The DTX450k comes with ten built-in songs. You can easily play along as you sharpen your drumming skills. Also, you can toggle the drum on and off.
These sounds are perfect for a beginner seeking to know how drumming sounds in the track. And when you hit the mute button, you can copy the original sound. Hence, you can get the best from the practice track.
Learn to keep time
I have not seen any issue with the metronome. It has a good range of time, which is what a drummer needs to practice timing.
It is fairly simple in operation, with a traditional beep. And if you want, you can change your voice. You change the speed by holding the metronome button until you get to the right one.
A suitable training mode
The DTX450K comes with a training mode, not different from many other electronic drums.
You choose the Groove Check, which checks your timekeeping—this mode with following your playing in comparison to the metronome and grade at the end.
Secondly, there is a lesson mode. Here, you get ten separate training lessons. Buy the time you finish; your skills will be much sharper.
The third mode is the Fast Blast. A drummer needs strength and endurance to get through long hours of performance. This mode teaches you that.
Connectivity
I also loved the fact that you can connect this device with an iPad. You can use this with the DTX540K, enabling you to play your favorite pieces.
Consider also that you can use the SongBeats app that shows the visual representation of your setting. The kit creates an animation of every drum or cymbal as they play so you can play along.
With this feature, you can learn to practice songs with pre-recorded drums to continue playing.
This is not all; connecting your iPad lets you tap into other music applications. This is what makes it so functional.
Alternatives
If you are looking for a much more affordable option, the DTX400K mentioned above should be a good choice.
A more expensive choice is the Alesis Crimson II drum set. It is a full mesh kit; hence it feels much better.
And then there is the Roland TD-1K. It is in the same range as the DTX450K. It also has the same number of pads and hardware, though the rack is smaller.
Frequently asked questions
Does the DTX450K feature headphones?
It all depends on the bundle you find. In most cases, electronic drum kits don’t come with extra accessories. So, you can buy quality headphones for drummers.
Can you add more pads?
Well, the experience I have with this kit, I don’t believe you can add a more drum kit or cymbal pads via USB. It is on the DTX500 module and above that can accepts such features.
Can you use the DTX540K as a MIDI?
Yes, this electronic drum kit comes with MIDI input. Hence, you can connect it to your computer or a PlayStation via USB and enjoy creating your own samples.
Final word
The Yamaha DTX450K is a pretty decent solution for beginners. But you will need to upgrade it with time. For practicing and rehearsal, it is all good. It is, however, not my favorite recommendation.
