No matter what you do in life, having a good teacher is paramount to your success and enjoyment. Drumming is no different. Since the dawn of the internet, it’s now easier than ever to find a drum teacher. There are a ton of great drum teachers in your city or town. Plus, if you search for online lessons you can find a drum teacher from anywhere in the world!
Full disclaimer: I offer online lessons myself in addition to creating lesson content for simpledrummer.com. My intentions however are to provide you with the info you’re looking for first and foremost.
Follow these simple steps in your search to find a drum teacher who is suitable for you.
5 Things That Make A Drummer A Good Teacher
Drumming Skill & Knowledge
This might seem obvious at first. To find a drum teacher, they have to be a good drummer. Practice and learning experience is what most people think about. How many years have they been playing the drums? Do they play more than one style? Can they read musical notation for the drums and teach you basic rhythm theory?
Just remember that a drummer doesn’t have to be the fastest or most technical to be an excellent teacher. There are a lot more qualities you want to look for when trying to find a drum teacher who can give you a comprehensive foundation. It isn’t just about their skill on the instrument.
Musical Experience
Now there is the question of musical experience. That’s the stuff that happens outside of the practice room. Does this drum teacher have experience playing music with others? Do they perform professionally? Are they in a band? Do they have studio recording experience? Do they have experience in the pit band of a theatre show?
You can sometimes find that a teacher has very little real world music experience but has a ton of solo-practice experience on the drums. This doesn’t necessarily make them a bad teacher. It just depends on what you are looking for. If your intention is to learn the drums for the purpose of playing music with others, then you might want to consider someone who can guide you appropriately.
You might find someone that has all of these items checked, but they still aren’t the right teacher for you. Many great drummers that have outstanding technical skills, knowledge and an incredible performing career are actually terrible teachers. There’s more to look for that experience alone.
Reputation
What do others say about this drum teacher? Do you know anyone who took lessons with them before? Do they have any reviews or testimonials on their site? Are they smiling and having a good time in their photos? Word of mouth, recommendations, and testimonials all go a long way in helping you find a drum teacher.
If you’re a parent trying to find a drum teacher for your child, read testimonials or ask other parents about their child’s drum lesson experience. Do they seem like they’re enjoying themselves?
In case you didn’t know, I offer 1-on-1 online lessons right here at simpledrummer.com. Watch this video for a short introduction to my online lessons and check out some of my student reviews below.
Reviews From My Students
Engaging, well organized instruction
My 13 year old son has been taking lessons with Kevin for about a year and loves the combination of having an instructor who is well prepared for lessons, with a particular goal in mind for each lesson, and who is willing to work with him to play the music he likes best. My son really wanted to learn a song by a particular band, so Kevin found one that was at the right level and taught the skills my son next needed to learn for the next lesson.
Kevin sends a video of the lesson afterwards so his students can relook at what they are learning in case they forgot or are finding something challenging. My son hadn’t used that perk much until Kevin started teaching him songs from his preferred band. My son did end up rewatching parts of the video after that so that he could get through difficult sections.
You can’t get much better than an instructor who is BOTH engaging and well-organized/goal oriented. I highly recommend SimpleDrummer.
Best way to learn!
I’m a beginner (never played any music instruments in the past) and Kevin has been phenomenal for my virtual learning process. I’ve taken lessons with couple of other instructors (for about 8 months prior to starting with Kevin) and there are a plenty of times I felt like I’m not seeing the path forward, or come out of the class confused and more frustrated. With Kevin that’s not the case; he has a good structure in place and helps to build on top of each lesson (like building blocks). He also records and sends you videos of the lessons if you take his 60 min class, which helps me with the review process when I practice offline and I can go back to the video to watch and relearn.
Kevin is multiple time zones away from me and yet I have the flexibility to schedule time that works for me and learn when I want to learn. There is NO pressure to meet every week or take x number of lessons or you loose your money etc., When you are ready to take a lesson, you simply schedule with him 48 hours ahead and pay online on his website. Then you Join the online class at the scheduled time. It’s that easy!
I highly recommend Kevin for your drum lessons regardless of your skill level.
Excellent and engaging teacher!
Our son first took a class with Kevin during the pandemic. He’d had a few virtual drum lessons before but found it hard to engage (he was 7 at the time). His first lesson with Kevin was such a different experience!
Our son was engaged from the start and (the most important part), he stayed engaged through the lesson! Kevin has a natural and easy way of making the class fun, interesting and has really encouraged our son with his love of music in general. He’s also inspired our son to practice more and he just seems to enjoy playing the drums more in general now.
Like many, we’ve done several virtual classes of so many different types over the past couple of years and Kevin is definitely a favorite!
Good lesson experience
Very good professional drummer. Connects with students very well!
Great lessons that give me direction.
I really enjoy drum lessons with Kevin. I am a beginner and have been practicing random stuff before I found Kevin and we have been doing zoom lessons since. He provides well-structured sessions in each lesson in multiple areas so that you would develop as a well-rounded drummer over time.
I find two of the most helpful things that he does well is clear communication about what the goal should be and very importantly what feedback mechanism that you need to have during self-practice. So I get a lot out of Kevin’s lessons and I highly recommend his lessons.
Teaching Approach
Matching your goals with your potential instructor’s teaching style is important as well. Ask questions and try to find a drum teacher that has a lesson plan and conveys knowledge in a way that is easy to understand. Has their system worked for other students?
A drum instructor that has a more traditional background and wants you to practice rudiments on a pad for the first six months, won’t be the right fit for you if you want to play songs right away. You should ask them these questions and find out ahead of time.
By the way, if you are the type of DIY learner that prefers a good textbook to follow, or if you are interested to know more about my own lesson plans, you may want to check out my books and PDFs in the shop. They are a streamlined collection of some of my best drum lessons, available in digital or print.
Personality
For some people, this is actually the most important factor to find a drum teacher that is suitable. You now know that a skilled drummer doesn’t necessarily make a skilled teacher. And a drum instructor might have a good reputation, but that doesn’t mean they’re the best choice for your particular learning style.
Are they warm and inviting? Are they motivating, supportive and encouraging? Are they patient and a good listener? These things really matter, especially if you feel vulnerable when learning something new.
In the end, you will likely be spending hours together with them, so you’d probably want to like them at least a little.
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Where To Find A Drum Teacher
In-Person Drum Lessons
If you want an in-person lesson, the best place to start would be your nearest musical instrument shop. Most stores that sell musical instruments will also offer lesson from their own in-shop teachers. Do a google search to find a drum teacher of theirs and read about their experience. You could also give the shop a call and ask them the above questions. They might be close to home and have a good drum instructor to get you started.
Those you live in smaller towns may find this to be a little more difficult without driving hours away. In that instance you could search the local newspaper or online classified ads to find a drum teacher near you. You could also search the community board at your local library or community centre. You might stumble upon someone in your town who is offering lessons.
Either way, with in-person lessons you are limited to whomever is around you. If you are willing to try online lessons however, then your options are far greater.
Online Drum Lessons
Since covid especially, many private teachers now have lesson sites, courses and subscriptions like Simpledrummer®. The choices are virtually endless. Social media is a great way to find a drum teacher. Link to the websites of your favourite drummers to find out who’s teaching drum lessons online. Many pro drummers offer lessons on YouTube, Instagram, as well as individual paid lessons via Skype or Zoom.
One of the greatest benefits to online lessons is that you get to learn at your own drum set. And the teacher can watch you play (or in my case, play along with you) while you are in your most comfortable space at home.
Our Drum Hero plan includes full access to all content on the site
PLUS
one 30 minute 1-on-1 lesson with me every month!
Conclusion
With so many great drum instructors out there, now is the best time to take drum lessons. Just remember that to find a drum teacher that works best for you might take time. You may need to try out several teachers and approaches to see who or what works best for you. Be patient, keep searching, and you will find a drum teacher that is the right fit for you!
I’m biased of course, but hundreds of students would agree that Simpledrummer’s online lessons are the best resource for learning drummers. Book a lesson or check out our membership plans and I hope to be seeing you really soon!
