Does your child want to learn drums? Have they ever made a drum kit from nothing but pots and pans using pencils as drum sticks? Are you willing to provide the support and commitment needed as a parent to nurture your child’s interest in the instrument? No idea? Read on for this parents guide to drums.
Why drums?
I mean, why not flute? …or recorder? …or any instrument that isn’t huge, noisy and expensive? Well the answer is pretty simple – no other instrument quite has the same draw as drums. Go and see a live band and you’re instantly inspired by the rhythm and animation of the drummer. It’s one of the oldest instruments on the planet, second only to the human voice – we’ve had an innate need to hit things rhythmically since the dawn of time.
Is my child clever enough to play drums?
Despite all the drummer jokes out there drummers are far from stupid and the reason we put up with the abuse is since we realise explaining our natural superiority is a futile endeavour. Revenge is sweet when we play a simple rhythm and then say “There you go, now you try it.” Professor Frederic Ullen, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, concluded that there was a link between intelligence, good timing and the part of the brain used for problem-solving.
“Matt is a fantastic drum teacher. He has brought our son’s passion for drumming to life, and helped him develop technical skills in a very short period of time. We are very thankful for the way he encourages our son to continue progressing and for all he has taught him so far! Matt is extremely accomodating and a great communicator. We always know exactly what’s happening for our son in his lessons and what he is working towards.”
OK, I’m sold - so what are the bad points?
The last thing I want to do is put you off but setting expectations at this stage will avoid nasty surprises later down the line. Most of the below ‘myths’ can be overcome with a bit of thought.
- Drums are loud: This is true and you must make sure your child protects their hearing. There are however easy ways of reducing the volume including rubber pads, low volume cymbals and E-kits.
- Drums are expensive: Drums can certainly be expensive but speak to your local drum shop and they’ll set you up with a bargain priced beginner level kit, or check out Gumtree and Facebook marketplace for second hand deals.
- Drums are big: Drums are pretty big – make sure you have a suitable space around 2.5m x 2.5m in size.
- Playing drums takes a LOT of practice: This is very true, but treating practice like a punishment is the perfect way to discourage it.
Is my child too young to play drums?
This is a tricky one. I remember wanting to play drums for as long as I can remember. However I didn’t start playing properly until I was 8 – that was a good age to start. Reaching the pedals on a full size kit can be tricky for younger students. If your child is under 6 years old and you think they’re particularly gifted I’d suggest taking them to a teacher who specialises in teaching much younger kids. Even a class that nurtures musical development and not necessarily drums can be beneficial; then getting into proper drum lessons when they are a little bit older.
Playing drums is fun!
Above everything else playing drums should be fun. As a parent the best thing you can do is to encourage your child and give them the best means within your budget to learn. Encourage practicing but don’t force it - remind them that putting in the hard work will see them become the player they want to be!