Drumming lessons- anyone's DC done them?

[Erebus]

DS1 (13) announced he'd like to have a go at the drums. He's a bit musical (we're talking grade 2 piano, here!) and I believe we can get lessons at his school.

Did your DC have a go? Did you get a drum set or digital ones?

Your thoughts, please!

[itsallaboutiandme]

My ds started learning drums in Year 5 (he's year 6 now) at school. He seems to have a good natural ability. Although his teachers don't grade as they want the children to have fun and learn, he has been assessed as being Grade 3 equivalent which is amazing seeing as he only gets 20 mins a week lesson during term time. He also started learning the violin in Year 2/3 but would not easily practice so we didn't even get to grade 1. He gave that up in favour of drums. Because I was sceptical about his seriousness for drums I have not ventured out and bought a drum kit. When I first spoke to his drum teachers they said that he can practice 'in the air' or on cushions or really anything. We have an iPad so I downloaded a drum kit app and he has been practising (recently) using that - it was only £1.50. Last year however he was chosen to perform at a concert and I have now been told that he is very good so I have promised him a drum kit for the summer. He is always drumming on anything that he can which I take as him being serious about learning and actually enjoying it. Hope that helps.

[MTSgroupie]

A electric drum kit is the only way to go. A 'real' one takes up to much room plus practice pads only muffle the sound a bit. You need to spend about £300 minimum. Any thing less from Argos, for example, isn't good enough for a serious player.

[creamteas]

DS2 is a drummer. Had lessons and school, but had kit at home as well.

The rules on practice at home were only between 9.00 am and 7.00 pm and no more than 30 mins a day on his kit. We live in a terraced house and this was talked through with our lovely next door neighbour. You do learn to switch it out after a while

He also played with a local marching band and got to play in many different countries in Europe as well as a trip to the US.

[BackforGood]

My ds did for a while. We never got him a kit for home though, as he just demonstrated over and over again that he was unable to follow rules, so we weren't imposing that on the neighbours.
However, despite this lack of practice, and the fact it's many years later, he still goes and plays for a friend at the local Youth Centre when they need a drummer, so I think you can pick up quite a bit without having to practice at home.

[KandyBarr]

My DS has had lessons at school for two years and has an electric kit at home. He does it for fun, but he points out that bands are usually short of drummers, which means he's likely to be able to choose which band he joins

[eatyourveg]

ds3 had lessons from Y5-Y9 we had a set in the conservatory. Rules were that he was allowed to play them after school until 5.30 (when neighbours got back from work) saturday mornings or afternoons (not both - 30 mins max) and none at all on Sundays.

[ThreeBeeOneGee]

DS3 has been learning for about 18 months. He is titchy (125cm) so we have been getting away with a smaller size drum kit.

We've put it in the room which was converted from a garage, so the sound doesn't permeate the rest of the house too much. We asked the neighbours on that side, and they gave us some times of day when it disturbs them the least.

If he continues with it to secondary school, we'll buy a full-size drum kit.

[Jellykat]

DS2 has been drum crazed for 2 years now. He's doing GCSEs music and has lessons at school, although i did get him private lessons for the first 8 months.
We're lucky to have a full sized drumkit, and live rurally so no neighbours.
Being dyspraxic its helped him incredibly with hand/eye coordination, and his timing is spot on now.
Theres a lot of really good drum tuition on you tube, and i'd recommend 'Rhythm' magazine for great articles and offers.

[booksteensandmagazines]

We were told to just buy the snare drum to begin with - you can get second hand ones. We got a pad but that defeated the object for him. he wanted more but we said if he stuck to it to build from there.
He didn't stick with it but he still enjoys playing it and eventually the school was giving away an old kit and we gave it a home. He tried an electric kit at a friends but didn't get the same buzz.

[hardboiled]

A digital kit won't do for the upper grades.
DS grade 5 has the five drums, plus five cymbals plus a cow's bell.
Check out the Pearl traveller. Great sound, less space.
Just set rules re time and duration of practice. It will be fine.

[frankie4]

Has anyone used the Trapps flat drum kit? My ds likes the look of this as we do nor really have room for a drum kit but don't want t get an electric one.

[YetAnotherMum]

The brass band that I play in has got a Trapps flat drum kit. We've been really impressed with it & our young drummer is very happy with it. Handy when you haven't got so much space, and also a lot more portable than a full-sized kit. We've used it for quite a few summer fair type concerts and it has sounded good. Still very loud though!

I think you can sometimes get them for a good price on Ebay.

In answer to the original question, I think learning to read music for drums is a very in-demand skill. One of my colleagues earns loads of cash playing for local bands/orchestras. I think learning to play percussion must be great fun - doing a massive drum role on the timps for instance!

[Arcticwaffle]

8yo dd has been having lessons for a term. The teacher asked if we wanted to rent a real drum kit for £20 a term and stupidly I said yes. So now we have the most enormous drum kit in our living room. It really is very big. And it's very very loud.
This wasn't well thought out. I had no idea you could download apps etc intead. But she loves it, she was bored learning the recorder last year. I'm rather hoping her interest wanes, but meanwhile we plan to put the kit in the cellar.

[Tintingal]

My son is Grade 7 drums (Rockschool) and very happily using a digital kit. We live in a built up area and it's really the only way to go. However, he uses a standard kit for drum lessons and when he plays at school and so far we don't see any problems with using the digital kit. I would advise doing exams as it does ensure they learn to read music, rather than just being able to play alone. This means they have more opportunity for playing a wide variety of music from classical to rock, and if they have any plans to make music a career, a session player should be able to read music. I think the drums are great - they seem cool, but require a lot of precision and dedication. My son also loves the fact that his exam pieces come with backing tracks so he can play along to contemporary songs he knows as "part of a band' even though he's practising on his own.

[SueDunome]

ds has been drumming since about Y4. In Primary, it was just for fun really, although he did do a couple of pieces in school concerts. He's now in Y10 and has just achieved Rock School Grade 6. He has an electronic kit and has never had a problem, although he plays an acoustic set at school and when he does exams.
Choose your kit and then ask your school to order it for you. This way you don't have to pay the VAT. It's called the Pupil Instrument Purchase Scheme or something like that.

[hardboiled]

Tintingal that is very interesting. I thought beyond certain grade they really needed the real thing. How many cymbals does the electronic kit have/can have?