The Best Drum Sets for Kids: Ultimate Guide for Parents

Should You Buy an Electronic Kit or an Acoustic Kit?

This question is probably the number one asked question by parents when their children show an interest in drumming. It ultimately depends on your living situation.

If you’re living in an apartment, you’re likely going to have to get an electronic drum kit for your child to play. Even if you live in a house, maybe you can’t tolerate the noise. Drums are very loud.

But if you are in a house and can deal with the noise, I highly recommend your child learning on an acoustic drum set. There’s a feel and nuance to playing real drums, so best to kick them off on the right foot.

Learning on acoustic drums provides a much more solid foundation for when they begin school band or private lessons. Most middle schools and high schools do not have electronic drum sets.

What Size Kit Should I Get My Child?

There’s two sizes of drums you can buy — full-size or junior-size. Junior kits are much smaller in size and are perfect for smaller kids, around ten years and younger.

If your child were to sit down at a full-sized drum kit, they might have an issue reaching the pedals or hitting the tom drums and cymbals. Full-size drum kits usually feature a 20″ or 22″ bass drum, so it could be far too big for your child.

When you’re child is learning, you want them to be as comfortable as possible while playing, so stick to a junior-sized kit if they’re under ten years old.

What is a Shell Pack?

As you move up into the pricier end of drums, they’re no longer sold as a complete drum sets. Shell packs only include the toms and kick drum — no cymbals, snare drum, or hardware. Shell packs also usually don’t include a snare drum.

But why, you might ask? Drummers buying the shells alone usually already own hardware and cymbals, and in general, drum manufacturers aren’t cymbal makers. The good thing about junior kits, is most of them (all I’ve listed here) include everything your child needs to play.

Will My Child Need a Drum Kit to Take Lessons?

If you want, you can start your child on drum lessons before you buy them a set. That’s exactly what my parents did. I was only allowed the rental snare drum and could only play the full drum set at my lessons and at school. In fact, here’s a photo of me doing just that back in middle school right before I got my first drum set. It was a good move on my parent’s part, I believe.

What Does “Number of Pieces” Mean?

When you see a drum set listed as a 5-piece or a 3-piece, you only count the number of drums. The cymbals are not included in the count, so be sure to read thoroughly as to what you are buying.

What Are The Different Pieces of a Drum Set?

Snare Drum

The snare drum is what I consider to be the main and most important drum of them all. When you clap your hands to a groove, this is the drum you’re emulating. The snare drum is the backbone of a drum set and provides a sharp, staccato sound when struck.

On the resonant head (bottom), there are stiff wires held under tension against the head.

Snare drums are used in more than just drum sets; they can be heard in orchestras, concert bands, percussion ensembles, symphonic bands, marching bands, and drumlines.

Bass Drum

Bass drums are types of drums that usually are played with a kick pedal. They’re generally the largest drum in a kit. Bass drums provide a big, low-end thump, that can really be felt when you’re at a show. Bass drums can also be referred to as kick drums.

The term kick drum originates from studio recording engineers in the 70s, not from orchestra drums that actually were being kicked. This is a complete, fabricated myth. Although, it does sound like it would be correct.

Some drummers decide to use more than one bass drum, particularly in metal and hard rock. This was a big phase in the late 70s and 80s during the hair band and metal phases. Today, most drummers opt for a single kick drum with a double kick drum pedal.

Tom Toms

Tom Toms are generally deeper drums that have no snares. They were added to the drum set in the early years of the 1900s.

Most drum fills you are familiar with feature tom drums. In your head, I know you can imagine the drum fill from In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins.

Tom drums are generally between 10 and 18 inches, but drum makers do offer them in smaller and larger sizes. Other types of tom drums include concert toms, rototoms, gong drums, and floor toms.

I personally love the sound of concert toms. These drums feature no resonant head and were very popular with drummers in the late 70s and early 80s, particularly in progressive rock.

Ride Cymbal

Ride cymbals are usually the largest cymbal in a traditional drum setup. The main role of a ride is providing a steady and rhythmic pattern.

Ride patterns in jazz are extremely well-known and will most likely be one of the first things your child learns when taking private lessons.

Ride cymbals are usually placed on the side of the dominant hand, above the floor tom. Some ride cymbals are loud, bright, and pingy, while others are extremely dry and perfect for jazz and bop.

The ride pictured to the left features what are called rivets. You can see them on the right side of the picture.

Rivets are intentionally drilled into the cymbal and give it a sizzle when struck. Sizzle cymbals are popular in jazz and blues music.

Hi Hat

Hi hats are similar in nature to the bass drum, as they require a foot pedal to operate. This foot pedal is actually an entire piece of hardware that allows the play to open and close two different cymbals stacked opposite of each other.

Upon using the foot pedal, the hi hat makes a “CHICK” sound. Hi hats were first referred to as “sock” or low-boy cymbals, as they were just a small cymbal mounted to a foot pedal on the floor.

These cymbals are also played with drumsticks and at varying levels of being open and closed, creating either a tight, rhythmic sound or a loud and washy sound. Playing the hi hat with your foot is very common in jazz music.

Where To Find a Used Junior Drum Set?

If you’re looking for a way to find a drum set on the cheap, consider purchasing a used set of drums. Guitar Center usually has a decent supply of used gear in their stores. Another great resource for used gear is a franchise company called Music Go Round.

This is your best bet for finding a quality drum set at a much cheaper price than purchasing one brand new.

If you like to shop online, you can check Ebay or Amazon. Once you find a drum set you like, click on the listing and scroll down to where you see used & new (y) from $xx.xx and FREE shipping. You generally can find used deals on whatever product you may be interested in.

What Age Should My Child Begin the Drums?

As soon as your child can hold a drumstick, they are ready to start. It truly is amazing how early young ones can learn new things. There’s really no standardized age for a child to begin learning the drums. In my opinion, when it comes to music and learning an instrument, younger is always better.

Tony Royster Jr is a prime example of this. His father started teaching him drums at the young age of three and he grew to be one of the greatest drummers of our generation. Watch his solo at age 12 here.

Make Sure Your Child Is Actually Interested In Drumming

I cannot stress this enough as you don’t want to have a drum set arrive at your door only for you to be the one who is playing it.

With today’s technology, you can use iPhone or Android drum apps to get an idea if your son or daughter would be interested in playing the drums

Understand The Age Group Junior Drum Sets Are Meant For

 These types of kids drum sets, as I said above, are intended for children under 10 years of age.

I believe you can start your child as early as three years old with a junior drum kit. But for those with little ones who are a bit younger, read on for some percussion options for toddlers.

Learning a Musical Instrument Takes Patience

Be sure to instill in your child’s head that they need to practice if they want to become better. One of the greatest benefits of playing drums at a young age is reinforcing a strong work ethic. This will not only benefit your child as a musician but in all areas of life as they grow into teenagers and adults.

Maintenance is Important

As a student of drums, learning how to maintain the drums is just as important as learning how to play them. Be sure to instill a great sense of work ethic in your child for proper maintenance.

Understand Common Drum Terms

In addition to learning the the different pieces of the drum kit, children learning drums and percussion should quickly familiarize themselves with the following drumming terms.

• Drum Shell — the heart and soul of every drum. If you were to disassemble all the metal hardware from a drum, you’d be left with just the shell: a metal or wooden hoop of varying diameters and lengths.
• Drum Head — the plastic skin that covers the top and bottom (most the time) of a drum. Drum heads are held in place by tension rods and lugs.
• Batter Head — this drum head is the side of the drum you hit with sticks or a mallet.
• Drum Key — a T-shaped tool with a square head; drum keys are used for tuning drums by adjusting tension rods at each lug on a drum. If you’re a parent, I highly suggest taking a minute to read my guide on tuning drums, as you’ll most likely be doing this for your child.
• Ply — Wooden drum shells are made up of multiple layers of wood called plys. A 7-ply drum shell has 7 layers of wood.
• Drum Set vs Drum Kit — there is no difference; these words mean the same thing.
• Drum Throne — Drum thrones or drum stools are the seats that we drummers sit on when we play. I would suggest staying away from thrones bundled with children’s kits and have many of my favorite suggestions you can read about here.
• Kick Drum vs Bass Drum — Bass drums can also be referred to as kick drums. I wonder if it was because drummers used to physically kick them. Both of these terms mean the same thing.

Assembly is Required

Many of the drum kits on this list will not come pre-assembled. You’ll need to crafty and follow some directions. The instructions are simple, but parts can easily be misplaced, so take your time when putting the drums together.

Basic Drum Tuning Tips for Kids

Even if you can’t afford to purchase new drum heads, it’s important to take time to understand how drum tuning works. Your child may not care initially about the sound of the drums, but eventually, they will show an interest in tuning for a better sound. There are zillions of YouTube videos detailing the process of tuning and how dramatically it can affect the sound of your drums: both for good and for bad.

How to Tell if Your Drum is in Tune

Applying even tension across each lug is key to getting a good sound. Your drum head should resonate evenly at every point where there is a tension rod.

To achieve this, a good tip is to hold one finger, index usually works well, in the center of the drum, applying very light tension on the head.

From here, take a drumstick and tap at each tension rod about an inch from the rim. Adjust the tension of each rod so that the pitch across each one is close.

While this practice isn’t very easy, if you are patient and take some time practicing tuning, you’ll get a great sound from each one of your child’s drums.

Should I Tune the Bottom Head Higher or Lower?

This decision will be ultimately up to you. Some drummers advocate for a higher resonant head and others vice versa.

Tuning the bottom head higher often results in a fatter sound whereas tuning it lower can get you a punchier “jazz” sound, at least for the tom drums.

Ways to Make Your Child’s Drum Set Sound Better

Even though all of the youth drum kits on this list are relatively cheap, you still can make them sound very good with a bit of hard work and a couple of extra purchases.

For the sound of the drums, you’re going to need to buy new drum heads. These can be from Remo, Evans, Attack, the name doesn’t matter as long as it’s a quality brand.

The drum heads that come stock with all of these kits are not going to be great, with the exception of possibly the Pearl Roadshow.

I personally use Remo Emperors on my drums. I find that they have a brighter tone and really cut through different kinds of music.

I don’t particularly like Pinstripes, as I believe that they sound cheap and are too thick.

Be sure to check the sizes of your drum shells prior to purchasing new drum heads, as drums come in many different sizes!

Remove Ringing from the Drums Using Dampeners

Drums can sound much better when the overtones or ringing is eliminated from the drums altogether. Many recording engineers swear by dampening the drums. Certain companies, like Moongel, create a product specifically designed to dampen drums.

A homemade variant of this can be achieved by taking a piece of paper towel and taping it to the edge of a drum head where you generally won’t be playing. If you’re crafty, have a look at how I make my own drum dampeners for just $2.

When to Change the Drum Heads on Your Kid’s Drum Set

You’ll want to change the drum heads on your kit when you notice a couple things: wrinkles or big dents on the heads, holes or split heads, the white coating on the heads vanishes.

While the drum still will operate as normal in most of these situations, the sound will be dramatically worsened over time.

Fortunately, a child playing the drums will unlikely ever be able to pierce the drum heads, so you shouldn’t have to worry too much about that issue.

For a full breakdown on drum maintenance, be sure to read our guide here.

When to Upgrade the Cymbals on a Junior Kit

If your little drummer wants to sound better when he or she plays, consider upgrading the cymbals. Generally, cymbals have the most impact to perceived “expensiveness” when hearing a drum set. I believe this is because when cymbals are bad, they are really bad. Take a minute and check out the best cheap cymbals.

Remember, you don’t need to start out with the most expensive cymbals and drums ever, but if your child ever gets to the point where they would like to sound better when playing, these are two ways you can help them.

Plan to Buy Additional Drum Sticks for Your Child

All of the kits I have listed today do come with drumsticks. These aren’t going to be very high quality, but they will work for a start.

If your child does show some interest, I would recommend you buy a brick of drumsticks. You’ll save money and won’t have to buy them again for a long time.

For a young child, I recommend them to play with a thin drumstick – like the Vic Firth 7A. These sticks are much thinner than the standard 5A or 5B, and will be much more comfortable in your child’s hands.

Your Child Should Begin to Read Sheet Music

As a bit of a side note, when your child is learning drums, it’s a good idea to either get them lessons or have them follow an online instructional course. Understanding drum sheet music is very important to a new drummer and can help set a great foundation as they progress as a player.

Other Considerations with Children and Drumming

Having your child play drums promotes a healthy activity as well as foster a creative mind.

There aren’t too many negatives to learning an instrument and it isn’t relatively expensive to start.

While you may think it’s just a set of drums, you will need to ask yourself a few questions:

• Will I be spending a lot of money on a junior kit?
• Do I need to replace the plastic drum heads ever?
• Do the sizes of the drums matter?

You also have to ask yourself if you’re willing to tolerate a loud drum set in your house, or if you’d opt more for an electronic drum set.

Playing Drums is Great for the Brain

I can understand your hesitance to purchase a children’s drum set, as drumming is a very noisy practice. However, playing drums is incredibly healthy and good for your child’s brain (and even yours if you decided to play).

Drummers have better brain connectivity in the area that connects the two sides of the brain compared to non-drummers, according to a study from Bergmannsheil University Clinic. This connectivity is also linked to their drumming skills and certain brain chemicals. Additionally, when drummers do a finger-tapping task, their brain’s motor control area is less active than in non-drummers.

“Our results show that drummers have higher microstructural diffusion properties in the corpus callosum than controls. This parameter also predicts drumming performance and GABA levels in the motor cortex. Moreover, drummers show less activation in the motor cortex when performing a finger-tapping task than controls.” -Results from the study conducted by Lara Schlaffke, Sarah Friedrich, Martin Tegenthoff, Onur Güntürkün, Erhan Genç, and Sebastian Ocklenburg

One thing is certain—I can assure you that playing the drums makes me feel great and I’m so happy my parents allowed me to start at such a young age. In addition to the health benefits, learning the drums at a young age teaches perseverance and creates a sense of achievement.

Learning an instrument takes lots of practice and it will be difficult. If your child likes a challenge and has fun in the process, it’s a win-win. Learning a musical instrument has also shown to improve math skills, due to the nature of the complexities of rhythm.

While this isn’t something that will be visible from the start, if you invest in the education of your child’s playing via drum lessons, there is a major added benefit.

If you’re concerned about noise, there’s a solution I can suggest! Consider getting your child an electronic drum set. There are so many options of great kits available. There are other products designed to deaden or mute the sound of the drums, dramatically reducing the decibel level outputted from the kit, which we will talk about later on in the article.

Get the Right Size Kit Based on Age and Size

Junior drum sets are most suited to kids between the ages 3-8 and are between 2.5ft and 5ft tall. For children who are taller than average, we recommend going will a full-size kit.

Be mindful of the size of your child and the size of the drum kit. if you buy a full-sized drum kit, your child might not be able to reach the kick drum pedal or all of the drums naturally. 

In this situation, you may want to buy a youth drum set instead of a full-sized drum set.

If your child cannot physically play the drums, they will not be excited or motivated to play the kit and it will likely collect dust.

Buying a full-size drum kit will also depend on whether or not you believe your child will grow into a bigger kit. A small drum set for kids is not necessarily always a bad thing.

One other potential issue with buying a youth drum set is that sometimes children become discouraged if they are not playing on what they believe is a “good” drum set.

Avoid Toy Drums

There are many cheap junior drum kits you can find for sale, mainly at big-box retailers like Target or Walmart. They are not musical instruments; they are toys. If you think you’ll find value in purchasing one, by all means go ahead. I do not believe these toy drums are worth the time (the exception being for young babies and toddlers).

These types of children’s drum kits typically lack the snare drum which is the “main” drum of any kit. It’s the drum that features metal wires on the bottom side of the drum and has a snappy sound.

You’ll most likely get two drums up top and nothing else. Even if one of the drums mounted to the bass drums claims to be a snare drum, avoid this because it likely will not be close to where a snare drum normally sits.

Younger drummers need a standardized kit so they can begin to understand the motions, movements, muscle memory, and coordination when moving up to a bigger drum set.

There are a lot of junior drum sets on the market that are just terrible. While the price is cheap, these drum sets for kids are completely flawed, in that, you will absolutely be buying a second kit relatively soon.

These types of drum sets often do not have working lugs, feature cheaply-made hardware, contain three or fewer drums, and break very easily. You’ll often also see stripped threads, wingnuts that won’t clamp down, and a kick pedal that has little response to playing.

In addition to the lower-quality materials, these drum kits often are missing drums and other parts. Your child will not be able to pick up the correct movement and motions, ultimately leading to re-learning once they own a real drum set.

The cheap price tag may tempt you, but I strongly suggest sticking to the list we’ve curated for picking the perfect drum set for your child.

Not All Children’s Drums are Created Equal

When buying a drum set, it’s important to remember that these kits are not going to be totally professional-grade. Do not expect your son or daughter to sound like John Bonham from Led Zeppelin with these kits!

In all seriousness, this shouldn’t be too much of a deal. Save the better sounding drum set for when your child is totally serious and won’t quit after playing for a few weeks.

Don’t expect to get an amazing, quality finish with these drums. The drums will most likely be wrapped in cheap plastic drum wraps with a glossy finish. You probably won’t have very many colors to pick from.

The Difference Between an Expensive Drum Set and a Cheap Kids Drum Set

Drum kits are not all made equally. There are many factors that can influence both the price and quality of a drum kit.

• Number of drums – some drum kits ship with only three drums and some ship with as many as nine. This can make a huge difference on the cost of production and how much you’ll pay in a store
• Shell quality – drum are not all made from the same wood. Popular woods for drum shells include maple, birch, beech, oak, poplar, basswood, and even steel.
• Brand name – drums made by big-name manufacturers are going to be more expensive, just like if you buy a pair of shoes from Nike.
• Custom drums – if you want to really bring the price up, go for some custom drums. Expect to pay multiple thousands for just the shells.
• Drum wraps vs wooden finishes – Cheaper drums tend to have plastic drum wraps, whereas more expensive kits have finished wood.

Drum Lessons are Very Beneficial

If you feel that your child begins to progress at home once they have a drum set and seem completely interested in playing, taking lessons is a fantastic idea. The younger they start, the better. Although the general consensus is to start a child on drum lessons is age 7, I believe you can start your child even earlier.

Physical development plays a huge role in determining when your child is ready to start playing drums and taking lessons. It is difficult for them to physically hold the drumsticks. I strongly recommend getting your child thinner sticks (Vic Firth 7As) when they are beginning.

The maturity level of your child also needs to be considered. Can your child sit still for thirty minutes at a time being taught one on one? Most of the time you’re more than welcome to sit in on the lesson, but if you’re trying to instill a sense of independence, it might be better to wait outside the room during a lesson.

Take a few lessons with an instructor and see how both your child and the teacher feel about the sessions. Drum lessons for a child are going to be very similar to a math class. They will be learning to count, reading patterns and sheet music, as well as learning basic grooves and technique.

Reading basic drum notion can be very tedious and some young children can find this a bit boring since they won’t be playing fun drum parts. Similar to a traditional classroom, you may want to consider group drum lessons. Your child may be more comfortable sitting in a room with his or her peers, rather than one on one with an instructor.

Encourage Your Child to Watch YouTube Videos of Drummers Their Age to Learn

There’s a lot of great instructional content on YouTube for learning how to play the drums. Here’s a great first drum lesson from See Briggs Rock on how to play your first drum beat. Since Briggs is so young, kids playing drums for the first time really connect and identify with his content, rather than a traditional music teacher.

As a Parent, Consider Learning Alongside Your Child to Help Teach Fundamentals

Even if you have no knowledge of drums and music notation, it’s possible to teach the basics of drumming using simple notation. I’ve written extensively on how to read drum notation. I’d suggest giving that a read if you plan on helping your child learn drum music.

Be sure to take time to understand how the notation works before attempting to teach your child the basics. If you’re looking for a drum method book for your child to start learning, I can’t recommend Carmine Appice’s book more: The Updated Realistic Rock Drum Method. This was the first book I learned from when I began taking drum lessons.

Introduce Your Child to Notable Drummers for Inspiration

Watching other drummers is very important as drumming is both auditory and visual. Seeing the movement, actions, and feeling in a performance can do wonders when beginning to play the drums.

There are lots of famous professional drummers in music today. Don’t just stop there though, however. Some of the greatest drummers of all time come from earlier generations. Here’s just a few to start with:

• John Bonham, Led Zeppelin – Had John not passed in 1980, I am certain that he would be one of the greatest living drummers alive. Bonham was the backbeat behind Led Zeppelin and has some of the most iconic drum parts of all time. He is survived by his son, Jason, who currently plays with Led Zeppelin.
• Steve Gadd, studio musician – Steve is arguably the world’s most recorded drummer. He can be heard on many records from artists like Chick Corea, Steely Dan, Weather Report, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, and many others.
• Dave Weckl, studio musician, instructor – Dave Weckl is a fantastic fusion jazz drummer, playing with the likes of Chick Corea, Manhattan Jazz Quintet, John Patitucci, as well as his own bands. Dave Weckl teaches a fantastic online class for $30 a month. Check it out here.
• Tré Cool, Green Day – You must be living under a rock if you haven’t heard of Green Day before. Tre Cool has been laying down the foundation for the band since the band’s second album, Kerplunk! He is one of the most solid drummers of our day and definitely deserves a spot on the list.
• Josh Dun, twenty one pilots – This duo has become one of the largest bands in the world since 2013 and are two of the hardest working people in the industry. Josh Dun is both a technical master and theatrical entertainer. If you haven’t seen a live performance of these guys, definitely check them out.
• Neil Peart, Rush – Commonly referred to as the most overrated drummer in the world (we don’t think so) is Neil Peart from Rush. Rush laid the foundation for progressive music in the 1970s and evolved into a powerhouse throughout the 80s and 90s. Neil’s mix of intricate grooves and fills with thought-provoking lyrics makes for one great musician.
• Elvin Jones, legendary jazz drummer – Elvin was a fantastic jazz drummer that continues to inspire drummers to this day.
• Buddy Rich, Buddy Rich Band – Buddy is another fantastic jazz drummer who is arguably the best drummer of all time.

Consider Starting Your Child With a Snare Drum Only

For young children who are playing music in band class, a common practice is to start your child out with just a snare drum, either bought or a rental from a local music store.

If you’re unsure if they will want to play a full drum set and just want to test the waters, this can be a good move. Starting off with a cheap drum set might be a good idea, too.

Being in band is a great introduction to private lessons and your child will learn the basic fundamentals of rhythm, as well as play snare drum, bass drum, and cymbals.

When my parents started me with drum lessons, they only allowed me to play the snare drum at first. It was agony. I could only play a drum set at school and in my private teacher’s office during lessons. My parent’s needed to make sure I was serious about drumming.

Transitioning to a Drum Set from Snare Drum

After your child plays the snare drum for a while, they most likely will get curious about a drum set. Hopefully, the school your child attends will have one available for them to play on.

If not, taking lessons can be a great way to get them playing. Your child can get a taste of what playing a real kit is like, learn the basics, and from then you can make a decision if it’s right for them.

I had to practice my lesson materials on my drum set, which included my student snare drum and magazine covers spread out on a table.

I had to get crafty and my parents, as previously stated, knew I was serious about wanting to play.

The Learning Curve

There is a massive learning curve for learning the drums. Stylistically, there are so many ways you can go. In the beginning, your child may only be learning the snare drum and the very basics of stick control, technique, rudiments, and posture.

You can opt to learn the full drum kit from the start, but having a solid foundation of one drum may benefit your child more in the long run. Children do tend to have a smaller attention span, so be sure to find a teacher that really can connect with them.

It’s also important to determine whether or not your child is just playing for fun or actually has a big interest in playing the drums.

There’s No Wrong Way to Set Up a Drum Set

As your child grows and learns, it’s important that they develop their own style and taste. Setting the drums up according to their preference is a big part of this. Encourage them to make adjustments to make them more comfortable. Examples of this include raising and lowering the cymbals, adjusting the angles on the snare drum and tom toms, and moving forward or away from the kit with the drum throne.

There are lots of drummers out there who have crazy ridiculous drum setups. I can’t even imagine how they manage to get around the drums with the way their kit is arranged. That being said, it’s comfortable for them and that’s what matters.

Drums are Very Loud

It shouldn’t come as a shock that drums are loud instruments. As a parent you must realize that having a practicing drummer in your house may be very annoying and could potentially anger your neighbors, depending on where you live.

Keeping the volume down can be very important if your housing situation requires you to keep the noise down. There are a few different options you have to alleviate the loud volume. Some of the options below will be more expensive than others.

Electronic Drum Sets are Perfect for Kids

Noise a problem? Consider an electronic kit. If your child is seriously interested in playing drums, but you either don’t want to stand the noise or live in an apartment where noise is an issue, consider getting them an electronic drum set. Electronic drum sets are both quiet and offer many more features that a traditional drum set lacks.

Modern electronic drum sets have mesh drum heads where the stick strikes. This type of playing surface feels similar to the material used by trampolines. The result is a very quiet hit that’s much more tolerable than regular drums. E-drums also feature a drum module, which controls everything from the drum sounds to headphone volume.

If you decide to buy an electronic drum set, you’ll also need either headphones or an amplifier to hear the sound. Headphones are a great option for any young student, as they’ll be able to practice whenever they like and play along to their favorite music with the auxiliary input on the electric drums.

The Alesis Nitro MAX is the most budget-friendly “real” electronic drum kit. This isn’t a lame tabletop drum set. The Nitro will get your child playing drums in no time, at a limited volume compared to that of an acoustic drum set.

While the Nitro is at the budget end of the spectrum, Alesis has outdone themselves on the quality for such a low price; it’s also one of the best electronic drum kits under $500.

Use Drum Mutes

Vic Firth makes rubber drum mutes that dramatically reduce the volume of the drum set. They even come with mutes for the cymbals! This kit includes mutes that are 10″, 12″, 14″, 16″, 22″, as well as three cymbal mutes including the hi-hat.

Mesh Drum Heads

Unlike the mutes, mesh drum heads actually replace the current heads on your drum set. These are not as easy to install and remove but will provide the greatest reduction in noise overall.

This pack is offered in the same sizes as the drum mutes. You will need to buy separate cymbal mutes if you choose this option.

Low-Volume Cymbals

Just like the mesh drum heads, low volume cymbals provide the best reduction in dB while practicing drums. These will be more of an investment but work very well if your family lives in an apartment complex or a condominium.

Low volume cymbals will not sound exactly like a real cymbal, but definitely replicate the exact feeling a cymbal has when struck. This pack from Zildjian is an excellent pick.

Drum Shields or Isolation Rooms

This suggestion is ridiculous, I know. But there are people out there who do this to reduce volume from a drum kit. Whether or not you build the booth your self or buy an existing product, this is an option. Know that both buying a drum shield or building an isolation room in your house is going to be very expensive.

Homemade DIY Solutions for Reducing Drum Set Volume

If you’re in a situation where you want to get a little crafty, there are a couple options you have. Some of these are better than others, but here are some ideas.

• Use towels as dampeners on each drum — You can even cut the fabric to each drum size and tape them to the shell. I would use a tape that doesn’t leave a sticky residue, not duct tape. The thicker your towel is, the more volume reduction you will get. Beware as you will also lose a lot of rebound from this practice.
• Stuff the bass drum with blankets or a comforter
• Put sheets or towels underneath the drum heads between the bearing edge and the rim — The bearing edge is the edge of the wooden shell that the plastic drum head sits on. This practice will require you to take the tension rods and rim off, so it may be more of a complicated solution.

For a more in-depth look on keeping the volume down, be sure to read my article on how to play drums in an apartment or shared living space.

Let Your Child Try a Drumming App First

Apps like Real Drum, Pocket Drums, WeDrum, and many others are very popular apps on the iOS store. Drumming apps are generally free (with ads) and give your child a good idea of both what drums sound like and how a typical drum set is laid out.

Basic rhythm can be taught with virtual drums and many include mini-games that allow you or your child to play along with lots of different songs.