Be Excellent To Each Other

OK, my soon to be 5 year old likes drums, and for some reason or other it appears that we might be buying him a kit for his birthday.

Does anyone have any advice as to where to buy and what to get?

We've seen this, and to my ignorant eyes it looks ok to me, but is there anything better value? Please bear in mind that it's for a 5 year old, should I get a juniour set? (which I think is £99 for the juniour version of the set I linked to)

Any information, help and advice is much appreciated.

Thanks, and please, think of my ears...

Malc

My advice is to get the cheapest you can, so that you have more money for when they get good enough to know which kit suits them.

Hello.

All cheap drum kits are equally rubbish, so get the cheapest. It's mainly the skins that do it. The shells make no real, practical difference unless you start getting into fancy woods and metals. All cheap kits are the same though; They make a loud noise when you hit them -- that's all you're after, so get the cheapest. If for some reason that by the age of 7 they're demanding actual decent sounds, then you can just get new, no plastic-bag-style skins for £50. Hurrah.

Is this any good, Malc?

£35, for ages 4 and over

He'll end up learning to drum left handed if you give him that! Still, £40? Bargain. Though I have no idea what it is or if it even stands up.

I says in the laminated book of dreams that it can be set up left or right handed. Also, it's a full £5.50 short of £40

If noise is a problem, get the cheapest set of shells you can and fit mesh heads. They're fine for learning on, and I imagine the kit won't be used for gigs anytime soon...

This seems pretty good, and I recommend the site as particularly fast at delivering.

£145 outlay seems like quite a lot for a five year old that might get bored of it soon. I'd say that even if you just got a cheap one until Christmas, perhaps, at least you'd have a better idea then of if he actually enjoyed it and might get continued use out of a more expensive set.

My niece played my kit more than I did when she was 5

Yes, but I guess all kids are different.

My brother had a drum kit when he was young, but he got bored of it in a few weeks, just like he did his miniature workbench and tool set, then his guitar, then his tennis, then his model aeroplanes...

Your brother sounds like a spoilt brat.

Solution: If Malc gives his kid ONLY a drum kit (and the necessary clothes, food and water) then he'll learn to appreciate it. Then, when he's 15 and has proper big muscles from all the drumming, send 'im down pit.

No, my brother was a sweet and lovely lad but he had ADHD and quite severe learning difficulties.

But I think most kids at the age of five are going to he their interests change quite rapidly, whether they have learning disabilities or not, which is why I do think it is often worthwhile encouraging their ideas and wishes to start a new hobby but not outlaying a lot of money to begin with, until you know if it is a continuing fascination or not.

Sounds like perfect drummer material really.

That made me laugh far more than it should have done. You evil man.

How about just them Wii controller ones for the PC drum thing. Someone posted them on the ROCK BAND thread. Buy a couple of them or use the ones you have (if you have them and a PC with bluetooth). Simple rytham makers. Not quite as much fun to unwrap but can slam a par of head phones on him.

No, he's a really successful pub manager now (actually won pub manager of the year a few years ago, the youngest person to ever do so) so I am immensely proud of him, especially given that he can barely read or write. And yes, that was a bit evil, but perhaps a bit personal, too.

Sorry, I wasn't really expecting anyone to joke about my brother's disabilities, I forget what people can be like, sometimes.

Anyway, Malc, let us know how your little'un is getting on with his drums when he receives them!

Down Malc's way they'll all be working down the tin mines by the time he is 15. Chinnytrufax!

Good for him

Sorry Mimi but I was taking a quick pop at drummers, not your brother, I thought that was quite clear.

Nope.

If you were taking the piss out of drummers and said he sounded just like one... Well. Anyway, forget it. My brother is a great guy and he's overcome a lot and worked harder than anyone I've ever known to get where he is. He has had to work above and beyond to get where most people might have got without trying too hard, but then he managed to get higher and higher until he was actually the best. What's more he could kick your arse, if he wanted to. Which he wouldn't, cos he's lufferly, but he could. If he wanted...

and why is it laminated?

TO CATCH THE TEARS OF JOY.

'So many beautiful things, I cannot possess them all'.

What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians?

A Drumm...ARGHGGGHH NOT THE FACE!!!

*bites tongue very firmly *

How is a drum solo like a sneeze?
You can tell it's coming, but you can't do anything about it.

What has three legs and an asshole?
A drum stool.

Why do drummers have lots of kids?
They're not too good at the Rhythm Method.

etc etc etc

Nah, I'm sorry Duds, maybe I am a bit protective of my brother. He couldn't much defend himself against bullies when he was younger so I grew up a bit defensive of him I suppose. it's the same with my little brothers now, they have the exact same difficulties (as did both of my male cousins), so I am protective over them, too.

All I'll say is get some practice pads, unless you want your neighbours to hate you. I lived with a drummer at uni—in fact, his room was directly below mine—and yet his drumming (with pads, natch) was less annoying and invasive than that of our next-door neighbour's kid. GNH! (Nice kids, but, for fuck's sake, close the fucking window when you're blaring out 'punk' for 17-year-olds!)

Yes, then you can play them too, Malc (which, as we all know, is the real reason that you want to buy them for your son...)

How many drummers does it take to change a light bulb?

None, they have a machine for that now/ One, as long as a roadie sets up the ladder, loosens the bulb and tidies up afterwards/ Ten, one to change the bulb and nine to stand around with arms folded arguing about whether Buddy Rich would have screwed it in tighter.

What's the difference between a drummer and a machine?

You only have to punch the instructions into a machine once.

How can you tell there's a drummer at the door?

He doesn't know when to come in.

Etc., etc., etc..



Practice pads are fine, if the drummer is good, but constant out-of-time clicking would send me into a murderous rage very quickly. Mesh heads, man.

How can you tell that the drum riser is level?
The drummer is drooling out of both sides of his mouth.

Why do bands have a bass player?
To translate for the drummer.

And for fairness.

How can you tell that there's a lead singer at the door?
He can't find the right key.

How many bass players does it take to change a lightbulb?
None, the keyboard player can do it with his left hand.

How many lead guitarists does it take to change a lightbulb?
One, he just holds the bulb, and the world revolves around him.

I have no idea about drums, but Tesco Direct have this Starcaster set half price at the mo. Dunno if that helps any or owt.

Buy Rock band + drums! Fun for ALL the family (read: Malc).

Although that would be more expensive then buying him am actual drum kit.