Learn to play the drums from home with this $170 virtual drum set

Drums are a fun, versatile instrument that are easy to pick up and satisfying to play, but also prohibitively loud and bulky. They take up more space than a desk or a dresser, and even if floor space isn’t an issue, you still need to worry about waking up your neighbors or deafening your roommates. But that’s just the music business — you can’t become a drummer without sacrifice, right?

With the PocketDrum, that’s no longer the case. At $170, this nifty kit comes with two drumsticks and foot sensors that will help you learn the basics of this instrument while creating minimal noise.

Here’s how it works: simply connect the drumsticks to your phone, tablet or TV via Bluetooth and then practice drumming on any surface you want. The app will create appropriate sounds that mimic a real set. Want to take things to the next level? PocketDrum has built-in games to help you master specific skills, and you can even use the foot sensor to learn kick drum techniques. The immersive modes promise that you can “learn drumming within hours.”

Of course, PocketDrum isn’t a replacement for actual drums, and no one should think it is. You’ll never be able to learn all the nuances of a proper kit without hands-on practice. But you can absolutely learn the muscle memory associated with techniques like paradiddles, bounce rolls and ghost notes. In fact, this is a great way to get into drumming as a beginner: you can learn a lot of basics without investing in the real deal — and once you do buy a physical drum set, you’ll be able to jump straight into the fun.