PURPOSE: To perform a low noise printing accordingly, as necessary, by a method wherein a normal printing system and a low noise printing system are provided, and both of them can be changed over by a switch.

CONSTITUTION: In a normal printing system 3, conventionally, all pins of printing wire groups 5, 6 in each row are simultaneously driven for printing. In a low noise printing system 4, either the printing wire group 5 or the printing wire group 6 is alternately driven for printing. Namely, the number of printing pins to be simultaneously driven can be selected by changing over a switch, whereby the aforesaid two systems can be accordingly selectively changed over without the need for changing an existing program without regard to before or during printing, as required by a user.