[badblood]

I've made quiet a few searches on the forum before asking this, so I'm sorry if it's been asked before

I live at home with the rest of my family, parents' bedroom is right under my "music room" (I live on the third floor), and my neighbor's yard is right outside my window! What are my options as far as noise-less drumming is concerned? I'm a total, absolute drum newb.

So I basically have two options:

1) Get an acoustic set and use silencing pads, but I gotta ask, how well do these work? I don't want to buy an acoustic kit just to realize that it's still too noisy even WITH the silencers/mufflers.
I'd much rather get an acoustic than an electric, so I'll try whatever I can do to get one as long as the noise issue is resolved, I can't just ignore the noise problem!

2) Get an electronic set, I'd prefer not to, but since I live at home with no garage, I guess it's my only solution for noiseless drumming, what kits would you recommend? Are these kits "expandable"?

I guess I have a few follow-up questions but those would do for now, thanks for your time

[jim683]

I have been using Roland e-drums for quite a while now. They are not noiseless, they are quite but they can still be heard depending on the type of e-kit your looking to buy. The mesh head kits are much quieter than the rubber pad kits.

There can be an issue if your parents are below you. The bass drum pad can sometimes be heard. There are ways to prevent it. Some people have had good luck with building a platform with layering tennis balls between 2 pieces of plywood to isolate the kit.

I never really liked the silence pads when I had my acoustic kit, but you may not have a problem with them since you prefer acoustic drums, but they are not silent either, just muffled.

A suggestion is to check with your parents and neighbors and try to establish times when it would be ok to practice your drums without silencers. My son had a kit for a while and we let him play it between 5-7 several times a week. It was loud, but he was pretty good and the neighbors never complained.

best of luck in you search for a drum kit, You never mentioned how much you could spend. On e-kits, the really good ones cost quite a bit.........

[badblood]

Thank you for the reply.

From what I understood from reading around, no one is "against" e-kits, but no one is recommending I start off with them either! I'm a complete newbie, I've only spent a grand total of 20 minutes behind a drum set in my life, that was sometime last week. So everyone is recommending that I start on an acoustic.

Why didn't you like the silencing pads?

Do you think you can give me an idea of just how loud a drum set with mufflers/silencers is? Either by description/comparison or even a youtube video! I know it's a weird question, but it would really help, and I don't know what else to do except buy a drum kit just to see how noisy it's gonna be in my house, which isn't very feasible

[jim683]

For me, the silencer pads did not feel natural when playing on the toms and snare. Since you are just starting out, this may not be a problem. They do work and keep the drums quite, the cymbals are not totally silent but are not very loud.

If you can, go to a store that carries the silencer pads and put them on a drum and cymbal and see for yourself, I don't have a video or anything since it was a long time ago that I had the acoustic set.

The e-drums will cost a lot more initially than an acoustic set, especially on the entry level sets.

[beatking]

I prefer acoustic with the mute pads.

beatking

[Church Drummer]

There are some things you can do to make an acoustic kit quiter, I would guess your parents aren't in their bedroom most of the day, and as far as neighbors go if you keep you playing time to reasonable hours of the day, you shouldn't have a problem. As someone else suggested talk to the parents and the neighbors, see if practice times can be set up that will bother them the least. Muffling pads help but they don't have the stick rebound of an unmuffled drum head. Bass drums which will be the most annoying to someone in the room right below you can be dampened by putting some old pillows or blankets in the drum, Placing the drums on Think carpeting will help, and putting some sound absorbing material (just about any thing soft around the set will help). I have a futon sofa in my practice room placed right in front of my kit, it helps alot. Best advice be considerate and flexible with when you practice. Electronic kits are good, and shouldn't be a problem to learn on, but you will have to make some adjustments when you do play an acoustic set. I'm guessing It will cost you more to get a decent electronic set up than a good used basic acoustic set, but I haven't priced them lately.

[Silver.sonneillon]

Silencing pads don't work that well. Get an electric drum kit.

[allynn marsyz]

both are great, but i would start with an acoustic, simply to get a feel for tuning, which is very important.

[zildian999]

Ok I guess everybody's already said this, but I'll sum it up. =]

Electric kits are great for quiet practicing, because you can leave them turned off and still practice. They're a little more expensive than a high quality acoustic set, but you can practice forever and make barely any noise. The bad thing about acoustic sets is that you have to have a great amp to use them in a live show.

Acoustic kits are very good for live shows, but they're also very loud. I bought mesh heads to use with my kit when I feel like practicing, and they're very quiet. They have their disadvantages also. After every practice session, I have to put my regular heads back on and tune them. You also don't get the true feel of the set. With real heads, the tension and type of head have an effect on the rebound you wouldn't get from mesh heads.

So after reviewing them, I'd suggest going with an acoustic drumset, just because you can get a feel of an actual drumset, and learn how to tune. Because that's very important =]

I hope this has helped you in making your decision on which kit to buy.

[mogul buster]

I'm burdend with having to play during certain hours so I don't piss off my neighbors. I usually don't play after 9 pm out of respect........but I wish I could. An electric set would give you the ability to turn down the volume and play at 2 am if you want. You could get Neil Pearts combo set that wraps around him........electric on one side, accoustic on the other. =)