7 Best Quiet Drum Set To Practice Silently At Home!
Not too long ago, I bought my son a new drum set, and he was happy as a lark. My wife and I, while we love our son very much, can’t quite feel the same way, as we knew that our home will soon be filled with loud drumming beats.
That was why we decided to soundproof a room for him to have his drumming sessions. It worked out pretty well, but an aunt who was staying with us was clearly bothered as she slept next door.
After some discussion with my wife and son, we decided to invest in a quiet drum set and move the existing one to the garage instead. (you could do that in a basement apartment if you have one too)
After a couple of days of research, we found several great options for electric drum sets that my son loved and was highly recommended by some friends. To our surprise, we were able to find reasonably priced sets that seems to perform pretty well.
That being said, since my son was just getting started in this hobby, we did not see the need to invest in a high end set yet.
So read on to find out which is the best quiet drum set we chose and check out some alternatives too.
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At a Glance: The Best Quiet Drum Set We Chose
In a hurry? My choice for the Best Electric Drum Set is:
Click through to read the product details and reviews on Amazon!
Best Value for Money
Learn more
Best for Portability
Learn more
List of Top Quiet Drum Sets You Should Consider For Silent Practice
1. Roland TD17-KV-S
The Roland TD17 is a professional looking all-mesh drum set which is really worth its price.
It comes with PDX-8 tom pads, PDX-12 snare pad, two CY-12C crash cymbal pads, a CY-13R ride pad, a stand mounted VH-10 hi-hat pad and KD-10 bass drum pad. Overall, the quality of hardware is amazing. The rack system is also sturdy and it is very easy to set up.
The acoustic hi-hat style pedals and stand can improve your playing technique. It’s raised rim gives you an acoustic feel. It will make the transition from acoustic kit to an electronic one easier. The drum heads will last with you for a long time.
One of its key features is that it has Bluetooth connectivity where you can stream your favorite tunes from your smartphone seamlessly. Loading samples is very easy. The module has a lot of options for different sounds. The built in coaching feature is good for a warmup and tracking of your progress too.
- What I Like
- Very responsive
- It has an option to speed up or slow down tracks
- It enables you to add room ambience as well as effects
- Large double mesh snares that work well without hotspots
- Hi-hat features a good balance between weight and thickness
- What I Don’t Like
- No positional sensing on snares
- You may have to adjust your style as it is a bit different from acoustic drums
2. Yamaha DTX402K
This is one of the most popular entry level drum sets which a few of my son’s friends own.
It is a 5 piece drum set with 3 cymbal pads which includes a snare, a bass drum, 3 toms, ride, hi-hat and crash. 4 post rack stands are also included. All drums and cymbals can be adjusted in height and angle. The DTX drum module provides sound by connecting to each pad via cable.
It has a total of 415 sounds categorised into 10 drum kit sounds, 10 songs and 10 training functions. Its USB to host port enables you to transmit audio and MIDI information to a phone or computer.
The Yamaha also has a Rec’n’ Share app which enables you to record your video with directly synced audio and you can share it on social media directly through the app.
- What I Like
- The pads are made of rubber which give a bounce and are really quiet
- It has a good dynamic range
- The pads stay in place, no matter how hard you hit them
- Genuine playability
- Controller pedals are free-standing type, so you can position them wherever you wish to
- What I Don’t Like
- Cymbals are not very resonant
- It does not have a bass drum tower
- Drum heads are a bit on the small side
3. Alesis Nitro Mesh Drum Set
Alesis produces great drum sets for both beginner and intermediate players. It comprises a Nitro module, 4 tunable drum pads, a small kick pad, 3 cymbal pads, a hi-hat controller pedal and a kick pedal.
The snare drum is dual-zoned which means you will get a different sound from pads and the rim. Tom drums are single zoned. Cymbals have a diameter of 10″ and are of fine quality. The crash cymbal has a choke functionality. Overall, it is built nicely.
The mesh drum heads feature a plastic rim, and the heads themselves are very durable and make the drums quiet and bouncy. It comes with 385 individual sound samples and 60 built-in MIDI play along tracks. A basic coaching functionality is a part of the metronome.
- What I Like
- Dual-zoned snare drums
- Genuine drum module
- You can customise rebound and sensitivity
- Mesh pads are very responsive and tunable
- What I Don’t Like
- Sounds are not so good
- You cannot load custom sounds
- The beater and the pad often misalign while playing
4. Alesis Command Mesh Drum Set
Alesis Command mesh is a standard 5 piece drum set with tom pads, a snare pad, a bass drum and 3 cymbals – ride, crash and hi-hat. Both the tom pads and the snare are dual zoned and both the ride and crash cymbal are chokable. A sturdy tube rack system and a bass drum pedal is also included.
You will have the facility of USB MIDI connection, headphones and auxiliary input jacks. There is also an additional USB port on the side surface of the module. You can even import your own sounds and trigger them with any drum pad.
Hardware is well built but can be improved. It is somewhere in between an entry-level and a mid-range drum set. It provides you a wide range of sounds to choose from ( all of which are not very good, by the way ). The mesh pads are pretty cool. They have tuning lugs around the rim of each drum which enables you to tighten or loosen them, as per your need.
To sum up, I can call it an in-budget kit with some really nice features.
- What I Like
- Dual zoned feature of snare and tom pads
- Being able to customize the rebound
- Chokeabilty function of cymbals (which allows you to mute them)
- Well priced for its high quality
- What I Don’t Like
- Mounting hardware for bass pedal is not good
- Cymbals don’t sound very good, a tad off
- Hi-hat seems to be very springy
5. DW Drum Workshop CPPADTS5
Practice drum sets are a great way to test out your hobby before investing fully in a more complete or advanced set.
This practice drum set from Drum Workshop is ideal for beginners, as it does not take up much space, lightweight, and plays similar to an acoustic drum.
It is constructed simply without lots of moving parts and screws or bolts to meddle with, making the setup a breeze.
Once you have it in place, you can start practicing immediately without spending much time getting used to it, since the drum pads are positioned just like a regular drum set.
Lastly, the pads are well sized, making your practice sessions comfortable and enjoyable.
- What I Like
- Solid build quality for the price
- Pads have good amount of rebound
- Arms are easily adjustable to your liking
- Well priced for its high quality
- What I Don’t Like
- Need to ensure parts are tightened carefully before using
- No hihat pedals
- Lack of instructions
6. Pyle Pro Electronic Drum Kit
An excellent product from Pyle Pro, which is quite well known for their electronic drum sets.
It produces a highly authentic sound similar to an acoustic drum set, and I love the fact that it was designed with the beginner in mind.
There are 7 drum heads that will give you a wide range of beats to learn and test out, and the sound is just like the real thing. Unbelievable that it can achieve that at this price point.
The value is not only in the drum set itself, but also the accessories that come with it. What you will be getting with the set are electronic tom-toms, ride cymbals and snare drum, plus hi-hat and crash cymbals too!
Using this set from Pyle Pro, you get access to 55 preset drum kits and over 300 cymbal and drum sounds. On top of that, you can record and mix your masterpieces right from the same console.
You can then connect to your laptop via USB or to your phone through an AUX jack, ensuring a totally noise free practice session.
Lastly, thanks to its table top design, you can bring this around easily, making this one of the best quiet drum sets for the money.
- What I Like
- Excellent and authentic sounds
- Ability to record and mix your own tracks
- Lots of presets available to help beginners along
- Can choose to operate using batteries if on the move
- Includes advanced controls which is great value for the price
- What I Don’t Like
- Drum kick can be a bit too loud
- Rubber heads are louder than mesh heads
- Pedals are slightly hard to use
7. Alessis Compact Kit 4
Don’t let its looks deceive you, as this compact drum kit is a gem in the rough.
It is perfectly suited for those just entering the drumming world or those who wants a simple set for practice as a hobby.
With this set, you can easily bring it around with you to join your friends for jamming sessions, while still able to maintain a low volume output at home, thus keeping the peace nicely.
The setup is super simple, almost plug and play, and most beginners will have no trouble getting started right away.
You can choose to power it with AC power or batteries, and it has a headphone output so you can practice quietly.
Although it is quite cheap and lightweight, the sound it produces is admirable. The drum pads are sensitive enough to pick up differences in the strength you use and comes with a ton of built in settings to adjust to your heart’s content.
Use the coach function to have someone guide you along as your practice using the LCD screen as reference.
- What I Like
- Very high quality build
- Beginner friendly
- Great for those who values portability and mobility
- Super compact: everything in one tabletop set
- What I Don’t Like
- Drum heads are a tad small
- Might outgrow this set quickly if you are an avid drummer
Electronic vs Acoustic Drum Sets
Both the acoustic and electronic drum sets have their own pros and cons. Which one should you choose, depends upon your needs and your surroundings.
If you have a quiet neighborhood or family members who will be annoyed by the drum sounds while you practice, then an electronic drum kit is the definite choice.
Unlike acoustic drums made up of metal and wood, electronic drum sets have mesh drum-heads and rubber or plastic pads. You can plug in a pair of headphones or an amplifier, allowing you to practice with the minimum sound possible.
If you live on the first floor, however, make sure that the drum kit is put on a thick rug so that you don’t disturb the people downstairs.
One thing that I need to clarify here is that electronic drums are not completely soundproof. People around you can still be annoyed by the hitting of sticks on pads and cymbals.
Another feature in which electronic drums have an edge over acoustic drums is that they can be recorded very easily. You record exactly the same sound that you hear in your headphones. This is something you will be struggling with while using acoustic drums, until you are very skilled.
Acoustic drums take up more space as compared to electronic drums. You can easily set up an electronic drum kit even if you live in a small apartment. They are also much more portable than the acoustic drums.
Something that electronic drums have yet to achieve is the stage presence of acoustic drums. While performing live on a stage, no advanced electronic drum set can match the level of ‘real drums’. This is the reason why some of the top musical bands still prefer acoustic drum sets for their performance.
There’s a different feel you get when you beat a traditional drum with a wooden stick. Sometimes, you can even feel your whole body vibrating along with the drums when you play your heart out.
Electronic drum sets give you access to a very wide range of sounds just with a click, whereas, in acoustic drums, you’ll need to bring out some creativity in yourself to get some different tunes.
Acoustic drums, no doubt, cannot be replaced completely. But sometimes, they are an impractical choice to make when you have noise or storage concerns. Electronic drums, in these times, prove to be great substitutes.
So, if you want a quiet practice session you should definitely go for electronic drums.
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How to practice drumming quietly?
So now that we know which drum set generates less noise, let me share with you a few different methods which you further make your drumming session quieter.
Use practice pads
Practice pads reduce the noise level significantly. Besides that, they are light in weight so you can easily move them around and being inexpensive, they are also light on your pockets. They will improve your stick control.
Chances are that you will perform a lot better on your drum set after spending a productive time on practice pads. Although, you will feel a lot different playing them than playing on your regular drum kit.
Drum mute pads
My son claims this is the best method that works for him.
Drum mute pads are to be placed on top of your drums. Since they are made of rubber, the sound of your drums won’t reach to the next room. And they are also very smooth to practice on so your performance won’t be much affected by them.
You can also remove them when there is no restriction of the sound limit. One drawback with these pads is that there is very little rebound while playing on them. So you have to solely rely on your muscles and technique. But looking at the brighter side, it will help your muscles build strength over time.
Drum mutes are also available for cymbals.
Replace or Change your drumsticks
Replace your drumsticks with rods or brushes.
No doubt rods reduce the drum volume but they sound a little different than drumsticks. Other than that, there’s really not much of a difference.
They are good with rebounding and give a fine tone.
Brushes are even quieter than rods. However, they reduce the rebound and you will need to utilise a different technique for brushes than sticks.
Hey, accomplished drummers will know a trick or two about this, so why not you too?
If you don’t want to replace your sticks then you should buy a new pair of drumsticks which is thinner than your present one. With thinner sticks, the force you apply on drums reduces and thus, sound reduces.
Control your movements
As much as your equipment, your movements are also responsible for the sound produced. As a good drummer, you should have control over how hard your stick is hitting the drum or cymbal.
Adjust the movement of your hands accordingly and practice till you master the skill of low sound.
Isolating drum booth
It is kind of a chamber which will enclose your drum set and the sound produced by it.
I wouldn’t recommend it as it requires a lot of space and not all of us have so much empty space in our rooms. But if you have that privilege, you should give a try.
It looks pretty cool to boot.
Maybe I should turn this into my next DIY project. Food for thought.
Soundproofing
Getting a professional to soundproof the room can be an option but it is likely an expensive one.
If you prefer to be more hands on, you can soundproof a room for drums with a pretty low budget. There are often household items lying around that you can use as materials.
One quick tip I can give you is to cover the door and windows with heavy blankets. You can even recycle packing/moving blankets for this purpose. It won’t make the sound completely vanish but it can make an impact.
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What to look for when choosing a quiet drum set?
A basic drum set consists of drums, cymbals, sticks, stands, pedals and throne. Besides getting a standard set, you should consider these other factors too.
Let’s have a closer look at two important key features which people tend to overlook.
Factor 1: Hardware
To keep the drums and cymbals in place, you need some tools like a snare stand, hi-hat stand, one or more cymbal stands and a bass drum pedal.
To be clear, hardware is all of the metal stuff. It makes sure that none of the components move from its place. While buying a drum set, you have to look if the hardware is solid or not. Make sure that the legs of the stand you buy are made up of 2 pieces. One ply legs won’t last for much time. It should be made up of aluminium or steel.
You can also opt for a hardware pack ( a bundled collection of stands, pedals and throne). It costs less than separately bought hardware components.
Factor 2: Drumsticks
Different types of sticks are used for different styles of music. For music which needs less volume such as acoustic or folk, lighter sticks are used. Whereas, for music like R&B, which require a higher volume, heavier sticks are preferred.
The tip of sticks is made up of either wood or nylon. Nylon ends give a sharp, focused sound while wooden ends give a softer sound.
Also, make sure that the drum sticks you buy are made up of good quality wood (maple or oak). Or if you go for synthetic ones, aluminium drum sticks can be a good option.
Try out different sticks and find what suits you better. Having a good pair of sticks which you are comfortable with can improve your overall performance.
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Impressions and Alternatives
Choosing a good drum set is a different experience for each one of us.
It depends on many factors like your experience level, the space you have to spare, your surroundings, your preferences, etc.
Based on reviews from friends and their teachers, I can recommend some more products which are very specific in what they provide.
Best drum set at a cheap price: If you have a low budget and want a good drum set then go for Yamaha DD75. It is compact and lightweight. Like other electronic drums, it also has headphone and auxiliary jacks. For additional portability, there is a battery optimization feature. It comes with stereo speakers having a good sound quality and gives you a wide variety of genres and kits. It has 8 touch sensitive drum pads with a very responsive interface. It is worth your money.
Best drum set for gigging: If you need a drum set for your gigs, buy Roland TD-50KV and I can assure that you won’t regret it. This drum set offers you the latest technology advancements with superior playability. It has the best tom pads that Roland has to offer. Hi-hat is one of it’s best parts. It is very comfortable to play. The sensors have been improved to be better than the previous versions. Multiple zone triggering is a feature of all the drums and cymbals. It looks and operates very much like an acoustic drum set. It is just perfect for a gig. Try it and you will rock!
Best drum set for kids: Alesis Nitro Mesh Drum Set is particularly designed for beginners and intermediate players. It is very affordable, so even if your kid abandons it later, you won’t regret the money. It has tunable mesh heads and a dual zoned snare. It gives you a total of 365 sounds (one for each day for a year XD), 40 drum kits and 60 play along tracks. You should definitely give this one a try.
So what is it going to be for you?
For my son and my family, I find the Roland TD 17 the best option based on the functionality and price point.
It offers us all that we can ask for in a drum set.
Its responsiveness and module features are really impressive and adds a ton of value to my son’s learning experience. Plus, it is really very quiet ( thanks to the mesh heads ) and is so beautiful.
My son can really drum his heart out with this one!
What about you then? Which set will you choose?
Or do you know of other drum sets that can fit the bill?
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