⚠️ This guide is for electronic drums on Mac and Windows.
Playing acoustic drums? Check out our acoustic drums calibration guide.
On iPad or iPhone? Use one of these guides instead:
Get connected
Most electronic drum kits work with Melodics, so let's get yours set up.
Connect your kit with a USB cable. A direct USB connection works best.
Select Drums as your instrument. Click the instrument icon in the top left corner of Melodics and choose Drums.
Choose your kit. Go to Settings, set Instrument type to E-drums, then pick your kit from the Input dropdown. Many kits are plug and play, with no setup needed.
That's it. Pick a lesson and start playing!
Kit not showing up?
No stress, we've got you. If your kit isn't in the Input dropdown, you can set it up yourself. Some kits won't appear until you've done this, so if yours is missing, start here.
Go to Settings.
Click Configure MIDI instrument.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
Still not showing up?
If Melodics can't find your kit at all, work through these:
Check your cable. Make sure it's plugged in firmly at both ends.
Try a different cable or USB port. Avoid USB hubs, extensions, and cables longer than 2 meters (6 feet).
Alesis kits: if you're having trouble connecting, try a USB 2.0 hub.
Restart your computer to clear any software or driver glitches.
Close other music apps that might be using your kit.
On Windows, turn off USB power-saving features.
Factory reset your drum module. Here's how for popular kits.
Check your kit is sending MIDI
Check your kit is sending MIDI
To check your kit is connected at all, outside of Melodics, open a free MIDI monitor and hit a few drums. If notes show up, your kit and cable are working, and the issue is in Melodics. If nothing shows up, the problem is the connection or the kit itself.
Mac: MIDI Monitor
Windows: MIDI-OX
Using a MIDI to USB interface?
You'll need to configure your kit yourself, as Melodics can't recognize supported kits through an interface. Make sure the cable runs from the MIDI OUT on your drum module to the interface's MIDI IN. If you can, connect directly with USB instead.
Drums or hi-hat not playing right?
Let's sort it. If your kit is connected but some drums trigger the wrong sound, don't trigger at all, or your hi-hat won't open or close, try these in order:
Reset to default. If your kit is in our supported list, go to Settings, hit Reset all MIDI settings to default, then reselect your kit from the Input dropdown. Supported kits work best with their built-in setup, and some (like Alesis Strata and Strike kits) stop working properly if you reconfigure them. If Melodics tells you your kit is already set up, keep the current setup.
Factory reset your drum module. If your module's settings have been changed at some point, it may no longer send what Melodics expects. A factory reset puts it back. Here's how for popular kits.
Still not right? Our advanced e-drum mapping guide walks you through fixing it, hi-hats included.
More tips
Hearing a delay when you play?
Delay (latency) usually comes from your sound setup, not your drum connection. It's often down to the headphones or speakers you're using. Check out our sound setup guide for Windows or macOS.
Left-handed?
Lefties, we got you. Turn on Left hand drums in Settings to flip the layout. Every lesson works left or right handed.
Still stuck?
We've got your back. Chat with us using the chat button on this page. Our chatbot knows the fixes for lots of specific kits and setups, and it can pass you to the team if you need a hand.