1w ago

Should I get a drum kit, or a pressure washer?

Fun decision that makes a lot of sense, right? Christmas for my family was a lot of gift card "tell me what you used it for" sort of gifts, which l generally prefer these days.

I have enough to get an electronic drum set I could learn the drums on without annoying the hell out of everyone around me (I could use a headset with them). I do want to learn drums some day, but just for fun. There's no real goal outside if it looking fun to do.

The quality of pressure washer I would want to use would cost about the same as the drum kit and I cannot justify getting booth right now. I have used pressure washers before and I quite enjoy it. Someday I might even consider a cleaning business, so seeing if the magic grows or fades with a quality unit would be helpful.

I lean towards the later just because I don't know that I have the room for a drum kit right now. Thoughts, opinions?

58 comments

Get a pressure washer. Then you could get a cheap electronic drum pad like this.
If you enjoy the drums you can upgrade to a better set later.
- I was actually given one of those pads a year ago, but I have been hesitant to use it. It's so much smaller than an actual set I would be worried it would cause the development of bad habits. If you know drumming, do you know if that is a reasonable concern?
  
  If you want to learn drums well, skip the gimmicks and toys, and get a solid practice pad (Remo, Vic Firth, etc.). You can learn a lot - and can practice fundamentals endlessly with that.
  
  I don't do drums but I'm sure you can develop bad habits with any instrument if you don't get proper lessons.
  You can learn a lot by yourself, but if you start getting serious (like 1+h practice every day) get a teacher to look after your posture, hand position, arm movement yadda yadda
  
  I play drums. This is not a reasonable concern.
  You won't skill up in terms of being able to play a drum kit with this pad thing, but it will get you used to keeping time and learning how to separate your limbs (like how you slowly are able to tap a different pattern with your right foot than you are doing with your right hand).
  if you're worried about it, cross your right hand over your left and keep rhythm on the hi-hats with your right while hitting the accents with your left.
  
  I can't say I know drumming, but from what I can search up it's apparently better than nothing. An electronic drum kit is better than a pad but not as good as a real kit. They all have different feels.
  However, it seems that doing anything (even air drumming) is better than doing nothing.
  If you are serious, then investigate lessons. You might be able to use real drums at your lessons and the pad for in-between. The teacher should be able to help you pick good exercises for using on the pad.
  From what I'm searching up, it seems if you're not doing lessons you'll get bad habits regardless, but it shouldn't prevent you from starting. Anything is better than doing nothing.

Pressure wash a few neighborhood walkways or houses, use income to buy drums.
- Use the drumset on speaker mode at 3am, sell silence to your neighbours for money and use the ransom to buy a pressure washer.
  
  Chaotic good and chaotic bad.

Just keep in mind the electronic drums still make noise, just not as much as the real thing. If it's in a separate room a bit far away from the other people it's fine but don't expect to play it next to your sleeping partner in the same room.
- This. Your downstair neighbors will be able to hear the kick drum pedal through the ceiling. They will he able to hear the compressor of the power washer as well.
  
  Luckily it'd be in a finished basement. Shared walls, but where I'd have the set is as far from the shared wall as out could be.

Pressure washer. In the spring you can make enough money with it to buy a drum kit.

You can rent a pressure washer from home Depot.

I mean, if you NEED a pressure washer, get that. If you don't, get some fucking drums dude. I need a pressure washer and will be buying an electric drum kit instead.
- Exactly. My kid's going to college next year and we'll almost certainly be taking out loans, but I just bought myself another synthesizer. Because.. synths.

Drums are more fun. Music is more fun, and will last you a lifetime.
But absolutely make sure you factor in the cost of lessons.
- YouTube is free
  
  Kinda

The hardest part of learning a new instrument is sticking with it. Learning on a pad is kinda boring, adding a barrier to playing. Learning on a drum kit is more fun but bothers everyone around you, adding a barrier to playing. Small electric drum kits are a good route, and like you said you can use headphones, but can also plug in any speaker and jam with some friends or plug in to an aux in and jam with a song. The pounding on the electric kit is still kinda loud, especially if there's someone who lives below you, but there's ways to insulate and minimize the floor noise.
Also makes sure you get some real sticks, not whatever crap they include with an ekit.
Drums are super fun and I hope you successfully get your foot in the door with whatever gets you consistently playing! Lmk if you have any questions.
Idk much about power washers other than I've rented one from home depot once and it worked fine. I'm sure you could get a used one pretty cheap too.
- I actually do have a question for you, since you sound like you have some familiarity. One of the things I saw you can do with electronic kits or those rhythm guitar hero/rockband style games with em too. Just like guitar hero is not playing a guitar, I imagine those things are not playing the drums, but are they something you'd actively avoid doing while learnin'?
  
  They are similar but not quite the same. I haven’t played in a while but those games don’t have as robust hi hat capabilities as well as some of the other ways you can play a drum, such as using brushes or using the bell of the ride.
  Also depends on the type of e kit you buy. Some of those things are for more expensive models

Test if learning the drums is going to suck or be something that you'll enjoy by trying to learn to play a basic beat.
Sitting position.
Assume your dominant arm is your right.
Three actions:
Left Hand pats the left knee: snare drum
Right Hand pats the right knee: hi-hat
Right Foot taps the ground: bass drum
Count the beats: Out loud count, at regular intervals, "one and two and three and four and": four beats counted as eight eight notes that comprised a measure.
Combine the actions with the count:
One: hi-hat and bass
And: hi-hat
Two: hi-hat and snare
And: hi-hat
Three: hi-hat and bass
And: hi-hat
Four: hi-hat and snare
And: hi-hat
Some people can learn this in less than a minute. When I started playing drums it took me roughly ten minutes. If this takes you ten minutes then you're probably not going to enjoy what comes after.
If you're faster then that then you should still not begin with a drum set. Instead, buy a snare practice pad and sticks, learn to read music with them, then learn to roll and paradiddle. That'll keep you busy for a long time. This is how people learn to play with buckets and trash for a set. The expensive drum set comes after learning stick control and technique on the practice pad snare.
- What a great reply. Nice work!
  
  It really was!
- I think I was in the less than a minute crowd, definitely no more then 2, and the exercise was fun. I appreciate the exercise suggestion!
  
  I suggest you buy a pressure washer, a good practice pad snare, and a set of 5A drumsticks.
  Learn to read music, rim strike, roll and paradiddle, stick control and technique. Drum sets come and go. But, you can enjoy stick control and technique with a pair of sticks and a brick.

Combine the 2 and get a

Edit: wrong
- But you can dissolve your victims in the first one.
  
  I was scratching my head, wondering why anyone would buy a 50 gallon drum not full of lube. Then you come and give us a brilliant reason. I'll take two.

I'd say try renting a power washer to see if that is for you before sinking money into it as a business.

What's your living situation? You mentioned not necessarily having the room for a drumkit. Similarly, do you really have a need for a pressure washer? Do you live on a large property in an area in which the climate necessitates regular pressure washing? Do you have the knowledge and tools to commit to regular maintenance of either the drumkit or the pressure washer? I don't mean like fully disassemble style maintenance, but whatever is suggested in the owner's manual.
- The closest thing to a need I have for a pressure washer is to determine whether I would like going into pressure washing for a job - which would probably necessitate learning landscaping too at some point, as I am unsure how common pressure washing services are sought after as a standalone thing. I have done a little research in that direction, but not much, since I would need some sustained use to determine whether I would want to really commit to something like that. My thought there was to volunteer services using it for neighborhood/community cleanup, which could build a portfolio if I wanted one, and make the places around me nicer, perhaps. As for knowledge and tools for maintenance, probably not, but I would be able to learn/get what I need in either realm.
  
  well with a pressure washer you can always do some reverse graffiti if you are artistically inclined
  
  Pressure washing is very sustainable as a standalone, and you can make money, even with to afford a drum kit. But if you hate it, you're not going to stick with it, day in and day out. Then you have an expensive tool you'll use occasionally. If you won't stick with drums either, may as well use it on something else that brings you some account of pleasure and gratitude.

Buy a drum pad and a set of sticks and practice rudiments for a year. Only then decide whether you want a full kit. Ask the guy at the music shop to help you select a pair of sticks. You can default to 5A or 5B as a reasonable option. Vater sticks and pads are inexpensive and quality.
- It's the boring truth--without getting the rudiments and stick control and proper technique, the drum set is not gonna make you a good drummer. It's fun as hell to have one to play, no doubt--but if the goal is to be a good drummer you really gotta focus on the basics first.

Don't buy a pressure washer, rent one. You won't need it very often, and if you do consider a business it'll let you try one or two more out first before committing to a purchase. Also learning a musical instrument is really fulfilling for a lot of people.

Drum kit.
Pressure washers seem great 'n' all until you use them. Then you end up soaked, splattered and covered in all kinds of shit. I used mine once to clean a driveway and no longer wish to repeat the experience. I didn't even bother trying to wash the clothes I was wearing as it would have buggered up my washing machine. I just dumped them in the trash.
With a drum kit you don't even have to leave the house.
- Jesus you're the asshole. Dont throw out clothes
  Just pre soak and wash them in a bucket. It doesn't take much time.

You can pressure your wash drums, but drumming on a pressure washer is less reliable.

As a fellow drummer myself, I would def get an E kit. I got myself a Roland kit a couple years ago and it's been amazing. It has really allowed me to improve and hone my skills. Also, just because you have enough for a drum kit, I wouldn't get the cheapest one out there. You want it to last you a good while.

A second hand drum kit will be more reliable than a second hand power washer, so you could get a washer with gift cards and then look for a good deal on a drum kit.
That being said, playing drums makes you more fun and interesting. Having a power washer makes you more likely to be asked to clean things.

You could set up a small business with the pressure washer.
- Ah, but with a drum kit you could join a band, tour the world and pick up lots of hot chicks.
  With a pressure washer you might be able to clean a patio or two, earn some loose change and be constantly covered in mud.
  
  Reminds me of an old joke.
  A beautiful princess is galivanting across the sward one fine morning. She comes upon a muddy pond. A frog jumps out of the slimy water and bows at her feet.
  "Oh princess, I am under the curse of an evil witch. If you give me but a single kiss I shall return to my true form. Kiss me and I'll become the world's best drummer."
  The princess gathers her skirts, bends over, picks up the frog, and shoves him into her purse.
  "Aren't you going to kiss me and break the witch's spell?"
  "Hell, no! I can make a lot more money with a talking frog than I can with the world's best drummer."

What makes you feel more alive inside? That's the one you'll be more likely to stick to.

If you get the washer, don’t slack on safety. That shit’ll mess you up in a millisecond.

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