As an experienced drum set teacher in Miami, FL, many parents ask me whether they should purchase a standard acoustic drum set or the increasingly popular electronic drum set for their young drum student. Either is fine, but there are definitely pros and cons with both.

An electronic set may seem more practical on the surface. They are more compact so they take up less space. You can purchase one for pretty cheap. And the parents’ favorite reason for getting an electronic set: they are MUCH quieter! If the electronic set is plugged into an amplifier, the sound can be as loud or soft as you want. If the student plugs in a pair of headphones, the drums won’t even be heard at all in the rest of the house.
As wonderful as all of these conveniences may seem, there is really nothing like learning to play on a real acoustic drum set if you can stand the volume. An electric drum set may contain many preset sounds but an acoustic drum set contains an infinite amount of sounds, textures, timbres, and dynamics that simply cannot be matched by its electric competitor.
Bottom Line (in my opinion): A student can absolutely learn how to play drums on an electric drum set, but if you can stand the noise and can spare the space, an acoustic drum set can do wonders for the young drum student in terms of creativity and dynamic mastery.