Kid Guitars
Archive for the ‘Kids Drums’ Category
When my son showed some interest in learning to play the drums, I was pleased to accommodate him. It came as no surprise that all he really wanted to do was back the drumheads with reckless abandon. Well, I let him get that out of his system before instilling some discipline. The only reason I became such an accomplished piano player in my own right is because of my parents’ persistence.
I like rock music as much as the next guy, but I wanted my son to get a foundation in jazz – both because the music appeals to me and because it invites creativity. In fact, the jazz trio setup highlights kids drums in a way that rock music rarely does. A typical trio consists of piano, double bass and drums. With my wife filling in on bass, we were able to create a family band. We’ll be performing “Fly Me to the Moon” at a local fundraising event, and I couldn’t be more proud.
Most of my fondest memories from childhood shared a common theme – they involved music in one way or another. In sixth grade, I got my first taste of the rich, rewarding experience that is playing a musical instrument. Our school band teacher held tryouts on Friday of the first week of school – we got to choose the instrument, but she made the final call as to whether we would be allowed to play it in the band.
I wanted to play percussion more than anything, and when she approved my choice I was utterly ecstatic. Playing the snare drum was a real thrill, and I didn’t even mind switching over to the xylophone when a song called for it. But school band was never my true desire – it was merely a way to get better at the kids drums. What I really wanted to do was start a garage band. We never made the big time, but playing in my best friend’s garage with a ragtag assortment of guitarists and bass players was a true thrill.
Many children demonstrate an interest in playing percussion from the moment they hear that drums are taught in band class. Others pick up the knack from an older brother and his guitar band. Still others show a natural rhythmic talent through dancing and impromptu drumming on household items like a tabletop or a tin can. In any case, that rhythmic ability can grow exponentially with the help of kids drums.
Of course, there’s more to playing the drums than just beating the skins with a blunt object. Kids should be taught to pay close attention to the condition of the drum heads so that they can be changed when needed. The life of a drum head depends on the frequency and intensity with which it’s struck. Generally speaking, double-ply drum heads sound bigger and have shorter life spans than single-ply heads, which have a ringing tone.
It’s no secret that successful drummers must have an impeccable sense of rhythm. No matter the musical genre – rock, jazz, bossa nova, etc. – the drummer is responsible for keeping the rest of the band in step. While lead guitarists can easily get off track with their noodling solos and excessive posing, the drummer is always there to reel them back in with a steady beat.
That’s not to say that drummers can’t have some fun of their own. If your child is just learning to play kids drums, make sure he or she takes the opportunity to display some creativity. Drum fills occur in between the structured rhythm parts, and they are almost always improvised on the spot by the drummer. Take your child to a live show and point out the moments when the drummer institutes a fill. In its own way, the drum solo or fill can be just as exciting as a guitar solo.
Noisemaking Machines that Offer Healthy Benefits
Children are tiny balls of energy that sometime seem to be never ending, or could be 
referred to as rambunctious. In response to a child’s endless go-go-go attitude, most parents enroll their kids in a variety of sports. Physical activity is a great strategy for tiring out your kids, just a little bit, so they’re not bouncing off the walls. However, the same amount of energy can be applied to playing a musical instrument and, better yet, it unleashes a flood of creativity to your child’s brain.
Drumsets for kids are the ideal musical instrument for energy release. If you’ve ever been to a concert, I’m sure you’ve seen a live drum performance. Watching an artist wail away on the drums usually causes him to break a sweat; and the perk for you is that his music invigorates your senses. Imagine your child exercising his or her arms and legs – don’t forget about the workout from the foot pedal. If you and your child are ready for a musical adventure, purchase a drumset today!
When your child receives her first drum set, she’ll probably be content to simply beat the heads at random for a while. As a parent, it’s important to provide some guidance for playing early on – before bad habits and lack of motivation begin to form. If your kids is already enrolled in a band class, she should be learning how to interpret drum notation, which is similar to that of other musical instruments.
If not, you may need to do some learning of your own before imparting the knowledge to your young prodigy. is a simplified form of musical notation that doesn’t require the player to read music. Rather, the sheet music applies a code to each part of the childrens drum set as well as each action one could take while playing it. For example, a lower case “o” means to strike a certain drum, while a lower case “x” means to hit a cymbal.
Generally speaking, drum sets can last for years and years with very little maintenance work needed. All that really matters is the condition of the drum head, commonly known as the skin. It’s important that children understand from a young age that the sound of their drums largely depends on the drum head – its tension and whether or not it’s fully intact.
At the first sign of indentions or cracks in the surface of kids drum sets, you should swap out the skins. Sometimes tiny bumps will form in the drum heads, and they will change the pitch of the drums in a way that cannot be predicted. In order to increase the longevity of a drum head, reinforce with your child that the drums are meant to be hit right in the center, not outside along the frame.
When a child gets her first drum set, she’s probably more excited about banging out a few rudimentary rhythms and doing some obligatory rock and roll posturing. Although young drummers should be encouraged to enjoy their new hobby, it’s also important for parents to instill the fundamentals. Before your child gets carried away with her kids drumset, show her how to tune it.
You’ll notice that each drum features a tension screw on the side, which controls the tightness of the drumhead. You can use a drum key to tighten or loosen it as desired. While turning the key, tap the drum with a stick until you notice a change in pitch. Generally speaking, the bass drum should produce the lowest pitch and the snare drum the highest pitch. Over time, the child will develop an ear for an optimal drum sound and tuning will become second nature.
The connection might not be immediately apparent, but novice rappers can learn a lot from accomplished drummers. Even more than most styles of music, rap and hip-hop are dependent on consistent rhythm and inventive beats. By honing his percussive abilities, a young rapper in the making can improve his cadence and vocal timing. Kids drumsets are widely available at discount prices.
Once a drum is attained, begin by experimenting with a few beats in 4/4 time. Also known as common time, this is the number of beats per measure commonly found in a rap song. After you’ve established a solid rhythm, begin singing along as you drum. Don’t be afraid to get creative – you can add snare fills and other little flourishes at various points. Over time, you’ll be ingrained with a better sense of rhythm, which will translate into your rap delivery.
As a parent just looking for an adequate drum set for your kids, you might not be thinking about the importance of keeping the drums tuned. You might not have even been aware that drums COULD be tuned. But have no fear; it’s not a matter of life or death. Still, if you want to instill good maintenance habits at an early age, you should at least familiarize your child with snare-drum tuning.
The sound of a drum is determined by the tension of the skin as it lies across the drum. You can turn the lugs of the drum clockwise to increase tension and counterclockwise to decrease it. Be aware that if you tighten the drum too much, it will be easily broken with a well-placed stick strike. And we all know that kids are all too eager to bash their kids drum set as hard as possible until they learn better.