Yes, you can learn the drums on your own up to a certain level if you have the patience, discipline and willingness to practice. However, if you wish to learn the drums properly you will need a fully qualified drums teacher to help you. This approach will ensure that the foundations are set correctly and technical aspects, whether that be stylistic feel, sticking patterns, co-ordination or dynamics, are taught correctly.

Yes, you can learn the drums online through YouTube on channels such as Drumeo. There are also various websites such as OnlineDrummer where you can download resources for a fee. However, we strongly recommend a weekly drum lesson with a teacher who has years of experience under their belt, as well as all the required academic qualifications, PVG registration and live playing experience. One thing to remember when choosing a drum teacher, you only get what you pay for.
However, it is better to have your own teacher to guide you through the lessons whether that be online or 1-2-1, that way, your learning experience will be structured, set at your own pace and personally arranged to suit your needs. Also, you’ll also have the opportunity to ask your teacher lots of questions. Most learners find this approach to be a much more enjoyable and rewarding experience. Our highly qualified drumming tutors teach in person at the music school, but also over online tuition, for those who can't make it along to the school or our international clients who live abroad. We can assign a drums specialist to you depending on what time zone you are based in, we can be incredibly flexible to arrange lessons at times that work best for you.

There is no age policy when starting to learn the drums but the recommended age for children beginning to learn, is seven years old. By this age, a child should be able to reach the drum pedals and have a basic knowledge of left and right, the ability to count up to four and be able to hold good concentration levels required for four-way coordination. Get in touch to discuss your requirements.

This is all about preference and what use you intend to get out of a drum set. If you are a beginner, then an electronic set is definitely the way to go. However, if you are a performer looking to record and play live shows, then an acoustic drums set would suit your needs better. Having an electronic set can be good if you are worried about space or cautious about noise, as they are quieter and can be used with headphones, making them ideal if you live in a flat. Some electronic sets have various presets which will enable you to perform using different sounds and this makes them great for children.
An acoustic set is great when performing different genres of music. Acoustic drums are more responsive to your touch and feel, and you will be hitting drum skins rather than rubber or mesh which is traditionally used on electronic sets. Although acoustic sets are louder, you can get rubber pads to dampen the sound. Lastly, being able to add cymbals or extra drums as well as pick your own colour preference and design of an acoustic set is a great factor and makes it more personal than an electronic drumming kit would be.

The length of time that it takes for someone to learn the basics varies from person to person and is based on determination and willingness to practice. Realistically, if you have your own drums teacher and dedicate yourself to doing regular practice, you could master some of the basics of drumming within a few months. Every single person learns at a different speed, your drums teacher can advise you personally on this.

You can buy a drum set from most music retailers online or on the high street. If you are looking to buy a drum set make sure you do some research and price comparisons first as the prices of drum kits can vary from site to site. Good places to start looking online would be retailers such as DrummersOnly, Andertons or GAK. Your drum tutor can recommend the best places in Edinburgh, Lothians, Fife and The Borders to obtain a good drum set.

The cheapest drum sets for beginners start at around £170 up to about £300. A good intermediate level drum kit usually retails for about £400 to £900, and drum sets at a professional level can be bought for £1000 upwards. It is always worth checking out second-hand drum sets online, you can see drum kits for sale on websites like Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace. Our drumming teachers are always willing to offer advice on buying drums.

Yes, it is possible to learn the drums, up to a certain point, without a drum set. It is possible to improvise with household items, such as pots and pans or using a desktop drum pad. However, having your own kit is advised and would help make the learning experience considerably more fun. Our expert drum teachers can advise you what drum kit to buy and where to get the best deal. We can also source second hand drum kits and electronic drum kits.