If you own a drum set, then there’s a good chance you’re thinking about playing on it right now. After all, it’s right there, it produces great sounds, and it’s just begging to be played right now. The problem? The angry neighbors across the hall who can’t stand hearing your “racket” at 8 p.m. – or whatever odd point of the day you decide to play.
So what’s the solution?
The easiest solution, of course, is an invention that is not appreciated in its own time: the pair of headphones. But since you can’t pick up a pair of headphones and plug them into your “live” drum set, we’re going to have to look at alternative means of producing sound for you – and not for your neighbors. Here’s a quick guide for getting that done.
Go Electronic
If any of the introduction felt like it resonated with you, then you need to learn that electronic instruments are where it’s at. You can just as easily practice on a set of electronic drums as you could a live set – you can even arrange the drums to produce very similar sounds. Since you can’t plug your headphones into your “live” drums, however, it’s time to ditch them.
Sure, they might be a great set of drums. Sure, you might miss it. But if you really want to solve your noise problem, you’re going to have to take some sort of drastic action in order to change how things are going.
If you play another instrument, like guitar or piano, there might also be solutions that can help you wail away without ever feeling like a disturber of the piece. Electronic pianos and keyboards are great, easy-to-find, and cheap. Electric guitars are some of the most popular instruments out there, and it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a way to plug in your headphones to hear the sound you’re producing.
In short, going electronic is the best way to go, especially if you’re practicing. If you’re a high school student still living at home, a nice set of electronic drums is a great way to put in those hours of practicing without disturbing anyone else in the house – or even giving them a clue as to your progress. They might be surprised when you finally decide to unplug the headphones and wail away on the speakers.
The Issue: Price
Of course, if everything was so simple, you could easily afford that nice set of electronic drums, right? The problem is that electronic drums can be expensive, and many people still feel that they produce an inferior sound. Well, if you want to change your situation, you probably will have to make some sacrifices, but we wouldn’t end our article without giving you some tips for making it easier on yourself!
Enter sites like eBay.com, Craigslist, and Smarter.com. If you’re a shrewd buyer, you can find a lot of great discounts on items like electronic drums and electronic keyboards. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the first time you enter in a search on eBay, the perfect deal is staring you right in the eye. For that reason, it’s important to consider also that you might want to take some time with your search. Start “watching” (without bidding) on items on eBay, and set some time each couple of days to browse the musical instruments that are available in your area on Craigslist. You’ll find that the more effort you put into it, the better deals you start to recognize.
If you sell your old acoustic instrument and trade for an electronic version, you may actually find yourself coming out ahead.