The Alesis CompactKit 4 is a tabletop electronic drumset that’s a great first kit for anyone learning the basics of drumming—you even get a pair of drumsticks.
Four pads deliver 80 percussion and effect sounds with realistic feel and response. To make sure you get the most out of them, the CompactKit 4 includes interactive game- and coach-modes that teach basic drum patterns and styles. Even if you’ve never picked up a stick before, the visual feedback on the LCD screen makes it possible to train and get the fundamentals, so you can play along with the music of dozens of included songs. You can adjust the tempo to keep the difficulty level at the right amount of challenge, too.
CompactKit 4’s lightweight, flat design makes it easy to set up around the house to play and then put out of the way when it’s not being used. The all-in-one electronic drumset is also ready to travel on your flight and plug into the wall outlet when you get to your hotel room. Or you can put in six C batteries, so it can sit in a passenger’s lap during a road trip for up to six hours.
Either way, the built-in speakers and headphone output jack mean you can quickly switch between public performance and private practice—whatever fits the circumstances best.
It all adds up to make CompactKit 4 the perfect portable electronic drum kit for an aspiring rock star drummer, no matter their age.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I assign one of the built in sounds to a pad?
CompactKit 4 has several different sounds that you can assign to each drum pad.
To assign a sound to a pad:
- Press Rhythm then turn the dial to select a song.
- Press Pad Assign.
- Hit a pad to change its sound. Each hit will play and select the next sound. Stop after you hear the sound you want to use for that pad.
- Optional: To change the sound of another pad, repeat Step 3.
- When you are finished, press Pad Assign. The sounds are now assigned to those pads.
What does the GAME button do?
CompactKit 4 has a built-in game that can help you learn its various drum patterns. In the display, bars will descend in each column (representing each pad). Once a bar reaches below the line, hit the corresponding pad.
To play the game:
- Press Game.
- Turn the dial to select a rhythm. The upper-right corner will show 1, 2, or 3 stars to indicate the difficulty level: 1 is easy, 2 is normal, and 3 is hard.
- Press Start/Stop to start playing. As each bar reaches the line at the bottom of the display, hit the corresponding pad.
- When the game is finished, you will see your score (000–100%). After 3 seconds, the game will restart.
- Press Start/Stop to stop playing.
What does the COACH button do?
CompactKit 4 has a built-in drum coach that can help improve your skill at learning general drum patterns. In the display, bars will descend in each column (representing each pad). Once a bar reaches below the line, hit the corresponding pad.
To use the Coach:
- Press Coach.
- Turn the dial to select a pattern. The upper-right corner will show 1, 2, or 3 stars to indicate the difficulty level: 1 is easy, 2 is normal, and 3 is hard.
- Press Start/Stop to start playing. As each bar reaches the line at the bottom of the display, hit the corresponding pad.
- When the session is finished, you will see your score (000– 100%). After 3 seconds, the coach will restart.
- Press Start/Stop to stop playing.
Technical Specs
- Pads:(4) velocity-sensitive pads with indication lights
- Sounds
- (70) drum and percussion sounds
- (10) effect sounds
- Songs
- (50) songs
- (20) coach songs
- (1) demo song
- Connections
- (1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphone output
- (1) power input
- Power
- 9V DC, 800 mA, center-positive power adapter (included)
- (6) C batteries (not included) for 4 to 6 hours of use.
- Dimensions(width x depth x height): 18.1” x 10.2” x 5.9”
- Weight: 3 lbs
Box Contents
- CompactKit 4
- (2) Drum Sticks
- Power Adapter
- User Guide
- Safety & Warranty Manual
- 4 velocity-sensitive pads provide realistic sound
- 70 percussion voices, 10 effect voices, and 50 play-along songs built in
- Coach feature displays notes on LCD and instructs user
- Play immediately with included drumsticks and AC adapter
- Take it anywhere with 6 C batteries (not included)