He's a good kid, and he really doesn't ask for much. Yet nearly every parent reacts the same way when he asks for a drum set. Typically about 80% more boys ask for a drum set than girls, although girls tend to make excellent drummers. Yet regardless of the circumstances, gender, age, or reason, most parents cringes at least slightly when Junior wants to play the drums. Despite the stigma that most drummers receive when initially learning to play, the drums are a complex instrument and it does take talent to learn how to play the drums, at least if he wants to learn to play them well.



Drum sets aren't cheap, either. A new drum set can run anywhere from a couple of hundred to nearly a thousand dollars, depending on the drum set you choose. Drum lessons, as well, are not cheap. Playing the drums isn't about pounding. Drums are a musical instrument that requires rhythm, a sense of timing, a sense of volume, control, and of course the ability to make music from a single sound. Most drummers start of with just a drum pad, a simple piece of drumming equipment that allows the drummer to develop rhythm without being distracted by the actual drum.

Once the rhythm and timing and proper drum stick handling has been established, the snare drum is added, typically alone. The snare drum is the core of the drum set, and many drummers play only on the snare drum for years before adding additional drums to the set. By the time the full set is complete, the drummer has had ample experience, thus banging on the drum shouldn't sound quite so much like actual banging.

The drums are versatile, allowing the drummer to play nearly any type of drum he chooses. Drums are used in orchestras, symphonies, marching bands, and of course, contemporary music as well. The drums are actually one of the most versatile instruments out there, and it does take significant practice and time to learn to play them well.

If Junior seriously wants to play the drums, he will be satisfied when he receives his drum pad and his drum sticks. If all he really wants to do is bang on the drums all day, he will only be satisfied with the actual drum set, and thus he will not really be interested in playing the drums and taking the time to learn how to really play them.