Despite the claims of e-drum manufacturers, electric drumming still generates a significant amount of noise. This can have a major impact on your neighbors and fellow residents, depending on your living situation.

What Causes the Excessive Noise from Drum Pedals?

The primary issue with noise pollution from electric drumming is the impact noise. The bass drum and, to a lesser extent, the hi-hat produce thumping sounds that can travel through the structure of the building where your drum set is located. This is particularly problematic for residents of apartment buildings.
Even using a mesh-head bass drum pad does not solve this problem. The impact from the bass drum pedal is not adequately absorbed, resulting in the noise being transmitted to the floor and the entire building.

While you may be playing with headphones on and enjoying yourself, your neighbors only hear the thumping noise. When playing on an acoustic drum set, they can still recognize that you are playing a musical instrument, as all parts of the kit are audible and it sounds like drums and cymbals. However, with electronic drums, they often only hear loud banging that resembles construction work.

How Can I Address This Issue?

Despite manufacturers and stores claiming that electric drumming does not bother neighbors, there are products available to mitigate this “non-existent problem”:

Roland offers the Roland KT-9, a kick trigger pedal that produces significantly less sound. For the hi-hat, they have the FD9, a pedal that also operates quietly.

Roland previously introduced the KT-10, which provides a very realistic feel but still produces a considerable amount of impact noise.

Triggera, a lesser-known Serbian company, has also addressed this issue with their product called the Krigg. This is a separate trigger that attaches to your own bass drum pedal. The trigger is placed under the footboard, allowing you to remove the beater. This pedal trigger is exceptionally quiet and virtually eliminates impact noise.

Additionally, Roland has released various products under the name Noise Eater to reduce impact noise.

Another option is to place your entire drum set on a surface that absorbs impact noise. This can be easily achieved by using resilient rubber, such as car tires. Obtain four old tires of the same thickness and place a sturdy plank on top that can accommodate your entire electric drum set. This creates a professional floating floor at a minimal cost!

Here is a sound example for reference. You will hear the sound from the drum module at the beginning, followed by the sound produced by the pads themselves: