This was probably my son's favorite Christmas gift this year (11 y/o). It sounds great, is really easy to play, is a great size, and isn't too loud.You really can't make this drum sound bad, unless you maybe threw it down a flight of stairs. Plus, it's not extremely loud. If he played it in his room at 3 am, I doubt anyone would be bothered or woken up.There are a lot of videos online that will teach you how to play specific songs, but it's also great for making up your own songs.I highly recommend it.