Rates at the Studio and Via Zoom.

• 30mins £23 - shorter or longer lessons also available upon request

• Rates for in-school lessons are set by the schools concerned.

Advice on buying & having drums in the house!

Believe it or not, when I moved out my Mum MISSED the drumming!!

First of all, have a budget in mind. You generally get what you pay for, but there are some ways of making a chepaer kit sound almost as good as a 'posh' one - good drumheads, good cymbals, good drum tuning etc.

Real drums - i.e. acoustic drums are best for practice, as a vital part of learning to drum is learning to CONTROL the volume - the volume dial on electronic kits leads to overly heavy hitting and lack of dynamic control. For training the hands with sticks, a practice pad is essential. If volume is an issue then there are plenty of dampening products out there - this can be a good compromise. My company UK Percussion Concepts sells CYMBOMUTE a product I designed to mute cymbals.

Saying all that - an electronic kit is better than nothing, especially if there is an option to play an acoustic kit regularly - perhaps at school?

I would advise an 18inch or 20inch bass drum for most pupils, the 'standard' 22inch bass drum is just too big for children. Drums and Cymbals are measured in inch diameter.

If studying for exams you'll need three tom toms - two mounted on the bass drum plus a floor tom.

Cymbals wise you'll need a HiHat, a Crash and a Ride cymbal (some starter kits don't come with a Ride cymbal, so be sure to check)

Don't forget! A stool, a Music stand, A practice pad, A metronome, Ear protection.

Neighbours / Peace and Quiet!

NEGOTIATE!

Setting time limits and "no go" times is a good way of helping people around you to be supportive. If they know that 20mins is your limit and you'll avoid mealtimes, late evenings etc. it can really help. Be considerate, Be upfront and Be consistent.

When I was a teenage drummer I would practice straight after school before most of my neighbours got home from work. I would avoid Sunday lunchtime etc. Having the conversation EARLY ON can keep "Mr Grumpy" on side. ( We had a particular Mr Grumpy on our street, but once rules were established all was fine )

Personally I'd rather listen to a beginner drummer than beginner Violin - but I'd better be careful not to offend my string playing friends!