What to connect an electronic kit to depends on what you want from it. Drum software such as EZdrummer 3, Superior Drummer 3, Addictive Drums 2 and Steven Slate Drums replaces the module's sounds with recorded kits, on a computer. Learning apps such as Melodics, Clone Hero and our own Drum Coach read the kit's MIDI and score what you play. The kit makers' own apps edit settings for a few of their own modules only. The table compares 14 apps on how they connect, what they do with the kit, and what they cost in the US today.
Upbeat Studio makes one of the apps in this table, Drum Coach. It is not ranked anywhere on this page: it sits in the table with the same columns and the same criticism as every other row, its e-kit features are described exactly as its own support pages describe them today, beta included, and the picker never shortlists it.
Quick answer
Learn with scoringMelodicsFree, or $34.99/mo or from $131.88/yr · 4.7 (620)
Real kit soundsAddictive Drums 2from $169
Free soundsGarageBandFree · 4.1 (117,595)
Play along and recordYamaha Rec'n'ShareFree · 2.2 (1,303)The best-rated option for each need, by the same ratings as the table: a high score from a few reviews counts for less than one from thousands. Nothing here is paid for.
What the data says
Roland's V-Drums Play app works only with the V71, V51 and V31 modules, and Roland's own pages point TD-02, TD-07 and TD-17 owners to Melodics instead.
Yamaha's two apps cover the DTX402 family and a handful of modules. For most electronic kits, the useful apps come from someone else, and nearly all of them accept any brand that sends MIDI.
Every drum sound program here runs on a Mac or a Windows computer only, as a standalone program, a plugin or both, and three of them are free to start: Steven Slate Drums 5.5 Free, BFD Player and MT-PowerDrumKit 2.
GarageBand is the only option in the table that also plays its own drum sounds on an iPhone or iPad.
Melodics, Clone Hero, Yamaha's DTX402 Touch and our own Drum Coach say they score what you play over MIDI, and Drum Coach labels its e-kit scoring as beta, for exercises only.
DTX402 Touch scores only Yamaha's DTX402 kits. Drumeo's app does not say it reads a kit at all.
Side by side
Ratings and review counts are the stores' and retailers' own, pulled on 2026-10-07. A cross means the feature is not there; a question mark means neither the listing nor the maker says. Prices are US dollars as listed on the named store on the date in each card; they change, so check the store before you buy.
One by one
OursLearn with scoringPhone only
Upbeat Studio
$14.99/mo or from $59.99/yr4.6 from 2,213 reviews, App Store and Google Play
Pick it if you want scored exercises from your e-kit on a phone or tablet and accept that e-drum support is in beta.
Skip it if you want scored song play-alongs on the e-kit today, or an app for a Mac or Windows computer.
In its e-drums beta, Drum Coach connects to an e-kit over USB MIDI (or Bluetooth MIDI on supported Roland modules) and scores your hits in exercises and practice sessions on a phone or tablet, with pad and delay calibration. Know before choosing: e-drum support is labeled beta on iOS and Android, and songs do not accept e-kit input yet.
Sources (10)
E-drums is currently in beta on iOS and Android (not on web).source
USB cable works on virtually every e-drum.source
Bluetooth MIDI is a great wireless option on supported Roland modules (TD-07, TD-17, TD-27 and similar).source
Exercises and practice sessions with live e-drum hits, scoring, pad calibration, and delay calibration.source
Exercises and practice sessions work with e-drums today; songs will show that e-drums aren't ready for them yet.source
Hit each highlighted pad a few times so Drum Coach can map its MIDI note, then Save pad map.source
If your kit isn't listed but has USB MIDI, try Connect e-drums anyway.source
Yes, you can record your practice sessions in Drum Coachsource
2 more in the full Markdown version of this page.
Learn with scoringPhone only
Melodics Limited
Free, or $34.99/mo or from $131.88/yr4.7 from 620 reviews, App Store
Pick it if you want every lesson and song lesson scored on your e-kit, on iPhone, iPad, Mac or Windows.
Skip it if you use Android, or you want the e-kit to sound like a recorded acoustic kit.
Melodics connects to an e-kit over USB on Mac, Windows, iPad and iPhone (and over Bluetooth MIDI on supported kits with the iPhone app), recognizes many kits plug and play, and scores every lesson and song lesson on timing and note streaks. Know before choosing: there is no Android app, and the full lesson and song catalog needs a subscription.
Sources (11)
Most MIDI drum kits work with Melodics.source
All MIDI instruments can be mapped to Melodics.source
Method 1: USB MIDI Setup (works for all drum kits)source
Some drum kits support Bluetooth MIDI, a low-latency protocol for sending MIDI data wirelessly.source
Melodics scores your lessons based on how accurately you played and how consistently you kept a clean streak.source
Plug & play on any electronic drum kit, with custom MIDI mapping available.source
Hundreds, with new lessons added every week.source
Melodics software runs on Windows, macOS, iPad, and iPhone.source
3 more in the full Markdown version of this page.
Phone only
Musora Media Inc.
from $29.99/mo or from $229/yr4.4 from 5,118 reviews, App Store and Google Play
Pick it if you want video lessons, plus a large song library to play along with on your kit; lessons need no MIDI.
Skip it if you want the app to read your e-kit's hits and grade your playing.
The Musora app gives an e-kit drummer Drumeo's video lessons and courses plus a large transcribed song library with looping, tempo change and instrument removal to play along with on your kit. Know before choosing: no Musora page describes connecting the kit to the app or scoring what you play; Musora says no MIDI is required for its lessons and that feedback comes from its instructors.
Sources (8)
There is no MIDI, cables or external software required for our lessons.source
Our interaction happens with our instructors via student focus and personalized lesson plans.source
Drumeo’s lessons work seamlessly with both acoustic and electronic drum kits.source
The official Musora App, is available for both Apple and Android devices!source
Choose from a library of 5000+ professionally transcribed songssource
Remove any instrument from the mix so you can play that part yourselfsource
Start a 7-day free trial and get full access to guitar, piano, drums, bass, and singing lessonssource
Our YouTube channels (like Drumeo, Guitareo, Pianote, and Singeo)source
Real kit sounds
Toontrack Music AB
from $99No rating yet
Pick it if you want recorded acoustic kit sounds on a Mac or Windows computer, with one-click e-kit presets.
Skip it if you want lessons or scoring, or you have only a phone or tablet.
EZdrummer 3 swaps your module's sounds for recorded acoustic kits on a Mac or Windows computer, standalone or inside a DAW, with one-click e-kit presets, velocity and hi-hat tuning, and recording of your takes. Know before choosing: it needs a computer, and Toontrack says a dedicated audio interface is what makes live playing low-latency.
Sources (8)
Map EZdrummer 3 to your e-kit at the click of a button.source
Record your takes straight into EZdrummer 3.source
A 64-bit host (with support for VST 3, AU or AAX). Standalone is included.source
Roland, Alesis, Yamaha and Pearl are among the most popular brands includedsource
most modern modules connect via USB; older modules may require a separate MIDI interfacesource
A USB adapter or your computer’s built-in audio won’t get you there.source
Download free, fully functional 10-day trials.source
Comprehensive MIDI library of grooves and fillssource
Real kit sounds
Toontrack Music AB
from $319No rating yet
Pick it if you want advanced e-drum settings, like ride positional sensing and custom CC zones, on a computer.
Skip it if you only want lessons or scoring, or you need a light install on a small laptop.
Superior Drummer 3 is Toontrack's full drum production studio, and for an e-kit it adds e-drum presets plus advanced settings such as per-articulation hi-hat CC thresholds, snare and ride positional sensing and custom CC zones. Know before choosing: the complete sound library is a very large download, and Toontrack lists no free trial for it.
Sources (8)
E-drum mapping presets for most brandssource
Get started playing instantly with one of the the e-drum presetssource
64-bit host (with support for VST, AU or AAX). Standalone is included.source
Record your takes straight into EZdrummer 3 or Superior Drummer 3.source
Superior Drummer 3 lets you build fully custom CC zones, assigning different articulations based on CC value ranges.source
Roland, Alesis, Yamaha and Pearl are among the most popular brands includedsource
Bring your music to life with EZdrummer 3, EZbass, EZkeys 2 and EZmix 3. Start your free 10-day trials today.source
Complete install: Approx. 236 GB download and an additional 55 GB for the installation process.source
Real kit sounds
XLN Audio
from $169No rating yet
Pick it if you want ready presets for over 60 e-drum kits and a Record MIDI button, standalone or as a plugin.
Skip it if you want lessons or scoring, or you want everything on a phone or tablet.
Addictive Drums 2 plays your e-kit through acoustic drum kits recorded in studios, standalone or as a plugin, with ready Map Presets for over 60 e-drum kits and a Record MIDI button that captures what you play. Know before choosing: it is sold as collections that bundle it with expansions, either picked by you or curated by XLN, and XLN recommends a dedicated audio interface for low latency.
Sources (10)
Connect any e-drum kit for a natural, responsive drumming experience. Plug & play with zero setup hassle.source
Standalone Application (Windows and macOS)source
VST, AU, AAX (64-bit)source
Addictive Drums 2 includes Map Presets for over 60 e-drum kits.source
If the drum module has a USB jack, you can simply use a regular USB cable.source
we recommend that you get a dedicated audio interface for music productionsource
These are the Map Presets included in Addictive Drums 2source
The Record MIDI button can record straight from your e-drum kit, but also from the AD2 track in your DAW.source
2 more in the full Markdown version of this page.
Real kit soundsFree sounds
Steven Slate Drums
Free, or $9.99/mo or $119.99No rating yet
Pick it if you want processed, mix-ready drum sounds in a DAW, with a free version that never expires.
Skip it if you want to play without opening a recording program, or you want lessons or scoring.
Steven Slate Drums 5.5 turns e-kit hits into Slate's processed, mix-ready drum sounds inside a DAW, with preinstalled e-kit maps, remappable notes and hi-hat pedal CC control, and its free version is a usable kit that never expires. Know before choosing: Slate sells it as a plugin, its support FAQ (last updated in 2020) says it requires a host DAW, and no current Slate page mentions a standalone app.
Sources (10)
No, SSD5 is a plugin that requires a host DAW for setup and use.source
macOS Support in AAX/VST/AU Formatssource
Windows Support in AAX/VST Formatssource
If you're using mapping for an E-Kit, make sure to check some preinstalled kit mapssource
Most E-Drum kits use this function to track Hi-Hat pedal positionsource
It also works great with most electronic drum sets.source
Get the fully-functioning, never-expiring SSD 5.5 demo with one incredible Deluxe 2 Kitsource
Access over 2,400 professional MIDI grooves across all genres.source
2 more in the full Markdown version of this page.
Real kit soundsFree sounds
inMusic (BFD Drums)
Not publishedNo rating yet
Pick it if you want a free drum sound program for Mac or Windows, on its own or inside a recording program.
Skip it if you want lessons, scoring or play-along songs, or you want to play through a phone or tablet.
BFD Player is inMusic's free drum sound program for Mac and Windows, running on its own or inside a recording program, with keymaps for various Alesis and Roland kits so your e-kit triggers sampled acoustic drums drawn from BFD3. Know before choosing it that it needs an inMusic account and an internet connection to authorize, and its paid expansions do not work in BFD3 (nor BFD3 expansions in it).
Sources (14)
It’s completely FREE!source
BFD Player offers the same high quality drum kits, grooves and mixing options for songwriters and music producers.source
BFD Player is a free drum program for Windows & macOS, available as a Standalone Application or Software Instrument in your favourite DAW.source
Options include various Alesis kits, Roland models, Superior Drummer, General MIDI, and many more.source
Unfortunately, not all E-kits will have a keymap available within BFD Player.source
BFD Player is a free Drum Software Instrument, utilising some of the iconic drum sounds/samples from BFD3.source
Power on the drum module and connect it to your computer using a USB Type B > A or C cablesource
Ensure your Kit is listed, highlighted, & Checked to confirm it is enabledsource
6 more in the full Markdown version of this page.
Real kit soundsFree sounds
Manda Audio
FreeNo rating yet
Pick it if you want a free sampler plugin with downloadable e-kit presets, used inside a recording program.
Skip it if you want to play without a recording program, or you rely on multi-zone pads and cymbals.
MT-PowerDrumKit 2 is a free acoustic drum sampler plugin for Mac, Windows and Linux with pre-processed rock and pop sounds, a groove library and downloadable e-kit presets per model, so your kit can trigger it inside a recording program. Know before choosing it that it does not run on its own and does not support multiple pad zones, so a cymbal's bow and edge share one sound.
Sources (12)
The MT Power Drum Kit is a free drum sampler offering the powerful, high-quality sounds of an acoustic, realistic drum kit.source
Download the full version of MT-PowerDrumKit 2 VST/AU/AAX drum plugin for free.source
MT-PowerDrumKit will work in most hosts that support the VST, AAX or AU standards.source
The plugin should now be available as a virtual instrument in your DAW.source
Ubuntu, Arch, Fedora, openSUSEsource
If you use electronic drums, here you can find a preset for your particular E-Drum modelsource
Download the preset from the list which is named as your drum set or a model which comes closest to yours.source
you can simply select a field and then just hit the corresponding drum on your kit to automatically assign the sent notesource
4 more in the full Markdown version of this page.
Play along and recordFree soundsPhone only
Apple
Free4.1 from 117,595 reviews, App Store
Pick it if you want a free app on Mac, iPhone or iPad to play its instruments from a MIDI device and record your takes.
Skip it if you use Windows or Android, or you want an app to grade your drumming.
GarageBand is Apple's free recording app: on a Mac, Apple documents USB and MIDI connections for playing and recording its software instruments, and on iPhone or iPad a Bluetooth MIDI device can play its Touch Instruments, the drums included, while you record your takes. Know before choosing it that Apple names no e-kit maps and its graded lessons cover only piano and guitar.
Sources (10)
GarageBand turns your iPad, and iPhone into a collection of Touch Instruments and a full-featured recording studiosource
Use a Touch Instrument, microphone, or a guitar to instantly record a performance, with support for up to 32 tracks.source
Use the Sound Library to download additional free instruments, loops, and sound packssource
You can connect a USB or MIDI music keyboard to your computer to play and record software instruments.source
You can connect a compatible Bluetooth® MIDI device to your iPhone, and use it to play and control Touch Instruments in GarageBand.source
Using the Drums Touch Instrument, you can play a drum kit simply by tapping the onscreen drums.source
GarageBand features Drummer, a virtual session drummer that takes your direction and plays along with your song.source
Get started with 40 Basic Lessons for guitar and piano covering classical, blues, rock, and popsource
2 more in the full Markdown version of this page.
Kit settingsLearn with scoringPhone only
Yamaha
Free2.9 from 570 reviews, App Store and Google Play
Pick it if you own a DTX402K, DTX432K or DTX452K and want its training modes and kit editing on a phone.
Skip it if you do not own a Yamaha DTX402K, DTX432K or DTX452K kit.
DTX402 Touch turns a phone or tablet, cabled to a Yamaha DTX402 series module, into a screen for the module's 10 training modes, a Challenge Mode that tests you on 10 practice songs, a recorder and kit editing with over 280 sounds. Know before choosing it that it works only with the DTX402K, DTX432K and DTX452K and needs a USB cable plus a Lightning or OTG adapter.
Sources (11)
DTX402 Touch is a dedicated iOS/Android app for Yamaha DTX402 series electronic drums.source
To use the app, you will need to connect your smart device to the DTX module using a USB cablesource
enjoy playing along to 10 diverse built-in songssource
DTX402K, DTX432K, DTX452Ksource
“Challenge Mode” is a new function on the DTX402 Touch that tests your skill.source
If you can play all 10 practice songs without making a mistake, you will receive asource
lets you record a drum solo or play along with a song to self-assess your performancesource
The exercises are a fun way to learn to read drum music notation, play with dynamics and develop your sense of timing.source
3 more in the full Markdown version of this page.
Play along and recordPhone only
Yamaha
Free2.2 from 1,303 reviews, App Store and Google Play
Pick it if you have a compatible Yamaha kit and want to record phone video with its audio over a backing track.
Skip it if your kit is another brand, or you want lessons or scoring.
Rec'n'Share records phone video together with a Yamaha kit's stereo digital audio over a USB cable and a backing track from your own music files, with tempo detection, A-B looping and AI track separation to turn down the original drummer. Know before choosing it that it is built around a compatible Yamaha drum kit (EAD10, DTX10, DTX8, DTX6 or DTX402 series), and Google Play users rate it poorly.
Sources (9)
Rec'n'Share allows you to record audio and video along with songs from your music library and then share your performances with the world.source
To use the app, you will need to connect your smart device to a compatible Yamaha digital instrument using a USB cablesource
record video from your phone’s camera, stereo digital audio from your Yamaha product and stereo backing tracks from your music librarysource
DTX10 Series DTX8 Series DTX6 Electronic Drum Kits DTX402 Seriessource
the app’s tempo detection lets you add a click, change the tempo and select sections to repeat.source
AI-based Audio track separation function analyzes your favourite songs and allows you to split up to three tracks from each songsource
If the App is not connected to the compatible instrument, the number of times this function can be used is limited.source
Only music data that is not protected by DRM(Digital rights management) can be used with this App.source
1 more in the full Markdown version of this page.
Kit settings
Roland
Free1.0 from 3 reviews, App Store
Pick it if you own a V71, V51 or V31 and want to manage kits and record your drumming on the module from a phone.
Skip it if you own a TD-02, TD-07 or TD-17, or you want lessons, scoring or sound editing from a phone.
V-Drums Play is Roland's current free phone app for V-Drums owners: paired over Bluetooth MIDI, it selects, renames and groups kits, sets the metronome and records your drumming on the module. Know before choosing it that it works only with the V71, V51 and V31 modules, so TD-02, TD-07 and TD-17 owners have no Roland phone app for their module; Roland's pages for those kits point to Melodics for V-Drums, a desktop app, instead.
Sources (11)
V-Drums Play is a free companion app that lets you control essential functions on the V71, V51 and V31 V-Drums modules from your smartphonesource
Record your drumming to capture performances and check your progresssource
Set the “Bluetooth MIDI” settings of your drum sound module to “ON”.source
configuring MIDI recording using your smartphonesource
V-Drums Play is compatible with the V31, V51 and V71 V-Drums sound modules, as well as all V-Drums kits that include them.source
Control essential functions on the V51 and V31 V-Drums modules from your smartphone.source
Develop playing and timing with free Melodics™ for V-Drums software for macOS and Windowssource
Melodics™ is a desktop app that connects to your V-Drums.source
3 more in the full Markdown version of this page.
Learn with scoring
Clone Hero team
FreeNo rating yet
Pick it if you want a game that scores any MIDI drum kit over a USB or MIDI cable against falling note lanes.
Skip it if you want to read real drum notation, follow structured lessons or record yourself.
Clone Hero is a rhythm game that officially takes any MIDI drum kit over a USB or MIDI cable through its built-in mapper, scores every hit against falling note lanes, and adds an official setlist and public leaderboards. Know before choosing it that its charts are game lanes mapped to your pads rather than drum notation, and its developers ended feature work with V1.1 in 2026 to move to a new game, with bug fixes continuing.
Sources (14)
It's playable with any 5 or 6 fret guitar controller, any midi drum kit, any game controller and even your keyboard!source
Clone Hero is a classic instrument based rhythm game for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.source
Clone Hero has a built-in MIDI mapper for e-kitssource
It supports multiple MIDI notes per mapping, and individual MIDI note velocity thresholds.source
Connect your e-kit with either a USB-B-to-USB-A (printer) cable, or a MIDI cable connected to the MIDI Out port of the kitsource
Add midi input for drumssource
MIDI input is also now fully supported on mobile, giving you even more options for how you want to play.source
Leaderboards mode connects you to the CH Leaderboards servers, where every score you set is submitted, validated, and posted publiclysource
6 more in the full Markdown version of this page.
Method
Where the facts come from. Every spec, feature tick and claim comes from the maker's own page, a store listing, a manual or a retailer's spec sheet, read on 2026-10-07, and the exact words relied on are kept with each row (open "Sources" on any card). Store ratings and review counts are the stores' own on that date, pulled through Sonar, an app-store analytics service. A feature is marked yes only when one of those sources says it; when none does, it is shown as unknown rather than as no.
How it was checked. Every row was researched once and then handed to a second, independent pass whose only job was to break it: open the same pages, check every spec, every tick, every rating and every quote. Rows it could not confirm were corrected, marked unknown, or dropped before publishing.
What this page does not measure yet. We have not put a drum recording through every app at half speed and compared how the hits survive. Time-stretching smears sharp attacks, and drums are all sharp attacks, so it matters; when we test it, the method will be here.
Prices. Every price is in US dollars, read on 2026-10-07 on the store or page named next to it, with a link: Sweetwater, Musician's Friend or the maker's own store for gear and books, the US App Store's in-app purchase list or the maker's pricing page for apps. When a maker sells for less on its own website than in the app, both are shown. Prices change, so the date is part of the fact: check the store before you buy. Nothing on this page is an affiliate link.
Photos. Product photos and icons belong to their makers and publishers, taken from their own pages to show which product a card is about. Each card names its source; a maker who wants a photo removed can write to support@upbeat.studio.
Questions drummers ask about apps and software for electronic drum kits, compared.
To learn with scoring, Melodics or Clone Hero. For better sounds on a computer, EZdrummer 3, Superior Drummer 3, Addictive Drums 2, or a free program such as Steven Slate Drums 5.5 Free. To record yourself on an iPhone or iPad, GarageBand. Most of them work with any kit that sends MIDI over USB.
Not for the module itself. Roland's V-Drums Play app supports only the V71, V51 and V31 modules, and Roland's pages point TD-02, TD-07 and TD-17 owners to Melodics.
Yes, with a USB cable and the right adapter, or over Bluetooth MIDI on modules that have it. Melodics, Drum Coach and GarageBand say they accept both; check which connections your module has first.
Steven Slate Drums 5.5 Free, BFD Player and MT-PowerDrumKit 2 are free and come with presets for electronic kits. GarageBand is free on a Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Made by Upbeat Studio