Questions about drum lessons
How old do I need to be?
Lessons start at six, when a student can reach a pad and follow a count. Teens and adults are welcome at every level, in their own lessons and classes.
Do I need a drum kit at home?
No. A practice pad and a pair of sticks are enough to begin, and the school's kits are for lessons and classes. Ask your teacher before you buy or rent anything bigger.
What will the neighbors hear?
A pad and sticks sound like soft tapping. A kit is another matter, and our first kit page says what each choice sounds like through a wall and how to plan for it.
What happens at a class to try?
A teacher listens to you play or tap for a few minutes, shows you the pad and the count, and places you in a lesson or a class. Nobody is graded, and a parent can sit in.
How are levels decided?
By what you are working on: rudiments, grooves, fills or playing with others. Your teacher moves you up when the playing is ready, and every student moves at their own pace.
Can a parent watch?
Yes. Parents can sit in on a first class and wait in the lobby, and the lesson room doors have windows or stay open. Families are welcome at the end-of-week play-throughs in summer.
Do students have to play in front of people?
No. Showcases and summer play-throughs are open to everyone, and nobody has to play. Tell your teacher if you would rather watch.
What happens when a lesson is missed?
A lesson canceled with a day's notice is made up in the same month. Group classes and ensemble hours are not made up. The details are on the tuition page.
Can an adult start from nothing?
Yes. Adults have their own lessons in the evening and on Saturday, and an adult summer week. Most adult beginners have wanted a kit for a long time.
How does tuition work?
What sets tuition is the lesson length, whether it is private or shared, and whether you join a class. We go over the figures at a first class, and the tuition page explains billing, notice and make-ups.
Still wondering?
Call, write or come to a class to try.