Drums in an Apartment

Playing drums in an apartment building

In this post we'll go through three different ways you can practice drums in an apartment building:

Acoustic drum kit with sound-reducing solutions
E-drum kit
Practice kit

Acoustic kit made quieter: Black Hole mesh heads on the drums and Zildjian L80 low-volume cymbals

E-drum kit at home: rubber and mesh pads, cymbal pads, module and headphones

Practice gear: practice pads on stands, a muffled tom and a drum throne

Quiet practice kit: cajon, pedals, hi-hat stand, cymbals and percussion

1. Acoustic drum kit in an apartment building

In short, an acoustic drum kit is out. It's so loud that no matter how much you soundproof and even build a floating floor in your drum room, it can't work without a few modifications, which we'll talk about next.

If you're mainly going to play in an apartment building, don't buy an acoustic kit. Besides the sound, an acoustic kit takes up a lot of space compared to how much use you'll get out of it in an apartment.

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If you already have an acoustic drum kit that has no other place to go, and you'd like to play it at home, there are a few solutions that make things easier. They don't guarantee that your neighbors will accept your drumming hobby, but they lower the volume of an acoustic kit enough that they're worth a try, especially if you live in a townhouse or a duplex, for example.

How can you play an acoustic kit in an apartment building?

Really, the only sensible solution to this problem is sound-reducing mesh heads plus quieter low-volume cymbals. Keep in mind that these still make sound, so they won't necessarily solve the problem.

Evans dB One drum heads

Evans has its own low-volume series, dB One, and based on the videos it looks like a really good solution!

DrumheadsEvans dB One Rock Pack CompleteView product →Image: www.thomann.de

Zildjian L80 Low volume cymbals

The same dB One series also got cymbals, but based on my research they aren't as good as the Zildjian L80 low-volume cymbals that were already around, so for cymbals my recommendation stays the same.

CymbalsZildjian L80 Low Volume 468 Box SetView product →Image: www.thomann.de

2. E-drum kit in an apartment building

For the player, the people you live with and the neighbors, an e-drum kit is by far the best solution for an apartment building. The drummer hears the drums in headphones, and everyone else only hears the tapping of the drum pads. Keep in mind that this still makes a surprising amount of noise, so playing electronic drums isn't completely silent.

The biggest neighbor-bother with electronic drums is the bass drum, because the pedal thumping against the floor makes a surprising amount of noise. Muffle the bass drum on electronic drums by putting, for example, a towel or something else on the bass drum pad if needed, and definitely put a rug under the drum kit.

With e-drum kits, go for Roland, since they offer the best value for money. More about e-drum kits: Drum Kit for Beginners. Or check out my own picks in my Thomann product recommendations.

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3. Practice kit in an apartment building

A third solution, which maybe takes a bit more motivation to practice, is either a practice kit or putting together your own practice setup. The advantages of this solution include:

A practice kit fits into a really small space
It works in an apartment building because it doesn't make much noise
The kit doesn't need electricity
You can get really creative building your own kit
You can buy new parts little by little, which makes it easier to keep the cost under control
It's easier to focus on practicing technique with a compact and quiet practice kit

The downsides of a practice kit:

It takes some dedication, and it isn't necessarily very interesting for a child, for example
You can't record your playing the same way as with an acoustic drum kit or electronic drums

DW Go Anywhere Practice kit

This DW practice kit is a really good choice. It's been around for a long time and lots of people use it. A small downside is that it's fairly loud for a practice kit.

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Practice kitDW Go Anywhere Practice KitView product →Image: www.thomann.de

Tama True Touch training kit

Tama also has its own kit in this category: the True Touch Training Kit. It's quite a bit more expensive than the DW kit, but it looks really solid, so if your budget allows, it's a really good choice.

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Practice kitTama True Touch Training Kit 5-pcsView product →Image: www.thomann.de

A single pad + snare stand + maybe a bass drum

The cheapest of these options is to buy just a pad on its own, put it on a stand and, if your budget allows, also buy a separate bass drum pad. In this video they've also added a hi-hat stand and a low-volume cymbal, but make your own choices based on your needs and budget.

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Practice padZildjian Reflexx 10" Conditioning PadView product →Image: www.thomann.de

Bass drum padMillenium BDP-S Bass Drum Practice PadView product →Image: www.thomann.de

Pad standDrumeo PadStandView product →Image: www.thomann.de

I hope this post helps you figure out the best way for you to play drums in an apartment building. Read more about pedals, thrones, drumsticks and the other gear you need in this post.