Whenever drums become a topic of discussion among parents, most people become nervous, thinking that their hyperactive kids will be even louder than before and that the whole neighborhood will never sleep again.
Just like any other instrument, drums can help children refine and develop a barrage of new skills. Unlike other instruments, drummers use all of their limbs and are mentally engaged with their kit even when performing the simplest of beats.
If you don’t feel too comfortable purchasing a “regular” drum set for your child, there is an amazing alternative – electronic drums. Technically, they’re the same as acoustic drums, but they’re almost whisper-quiet to the outside world while your child will get to hear everything on their headphones.
In today’s article, we’ll talk about how electric drum kits help kids learn how to drum, develop numerous skills, and grow as musicians. All the while, you won’t have to listen to loud percussive noises, no matter how energetic your child is.
What are Electronic Drum Sets?
Electric or electronic drums are modeled after traditional (acoustic) drum sets. The key difference between them is that electric drums feature pads that resemble the parts of real drums, but unlike their acoustic counterparts, they’re made of gum rubber material that barely produces any noise when hit.
Another important difference between electric and acoustic drums is that the former can be paired with headphones. Your child will still get to enjoy a real drumming experience, but you and your neighbors won’t have to “participate”.
Electronic drum sets are also drastically more versatile, featuring dozens of programmable sounds, effects, equalizers, modules, and most importantly, a variety of training features designed to help beginners jump into the world of drumming with both feet. If you still can’t imagine what an e-drum kit sounds like, check out our Instagram page and see how kids enjoy playing their electronic drum sets.
Benefits of Electronic Drums for Kids
It’s easier to play along to songs
All musicians, drummers included, are typically drawn to a particular instrument and want to learn how to play their favorite songs. It’s very difficult for drummers playing on an acoustic kit to play along to anything because they’ll either have to play very softly to hear the song or crank the volume on their music players to be as loud as their drum playing.
With electronic drums, this issue does not exist. On a simple electronic drum kit, your child will be able to simply play one of the inbuilt tracks on the drum set, equip their headphones, and start playing. Many e-drum sets allow drummers to upload any songs they want to play along to. If you want to see how kids learn to play along to songs in our school, check out our TikTok page.
Electronic Drums are More Beginner-Friendly
Many kids feel frustrated during the first couple of weeks of learning how to play drums. Each part of a traditional drum set will produce a different sound depending on how fiercely and where it is hit. With electronic drums, there are no distinctions between slight taps and forceful strikes – everything sounds the same unless programmed otherwise.
This enables children to experience what it would sound like to play drums like a pro, even if they’ve just sat on the drum throne for the first time.
Moreover, nearly all electronic drum sets come equipped with dozens of training features. From inbuilt metronomes and easy training tracks to tap-tempo and more. Your child can use these features to tackle some of the elementary drum-playing skills alone.
Practice Quietly
Most children that play an acoustic drum set have to negotiate a time when they’re allowed to practice. Even the most generous of parents can only suffer through all this noise only once or twice a week, and as most parents will agree, kids don’t like restrictions.
Your child will be able to practice, play, or even compose songs on an electronic drum kit whenever they like. Since they’re almost soundless, your child’s electronic drum set won’t be louder than, say a TV or dishwashing machine.
More specifically, the sound of e-drum sets typically ranges between 60 and 75 dB; even the loudest electronic drum sets. For comparison’s sake, dishwashers are usually 50-60 decibels loud.
The Portability of Electronic Drum Sets is Ideal for Drum Lessons
A basic acoustic drum set typically weighs around 70 pounds, and this is just the “bare bones” setup comprised of a bass drum, snare, and one tom. The cymbals and other necessary parts can triple or even quadruple this weight, so needless to say, carrying them to and from the car when taking your child to music lessons won’t be too easy.
On the opposite end, electronic drums can weigh as little as 30 pounds in total. More importantly, they can be disassembled easily and quickly.
If you want to ensure your child has the best drumming education possible, you’re more than welcome at The Music Box. We’re Tampa, Florida’s premier music school, and have all the necessary tools to give your kid a fun, enjoyable, and highly educative learning experience.
Even though beginners coming to The Music Box are free to practice and learn on one of our drum sets, all children love to play on their own the most since they’re accustomed to how their drums sound and feel. If you still haven’t bought a kit for your child, we warmly recommend an entry-level electronic set.
Welcome to The Music Box: Enroll Your Child in the Best Drum School in Tampa
There are thousands of self-taught drummers that have made big names for themselves in the music industry, but even the most successful ones agree that lessons provided by professional drum coaches would’ve been an invaluable help.
At The Music Box, we’ve staffed some of the most experienced drum coaches and strive to provide all of our students the knowledge they need to form bands, play live gigs, practice more efficiently, and learn everything there is to know about music theory.
You can find our HQ at 4321 Gunn Highway in Carrollwood, Tampa, Florida, or simply follow this link and our support staff will help you enroll your child in The Music Box.
