9 Questions to know before taking Drum Lessons at Los Angeles Music Teachers

9 Questions to know before taking Drum Lessons at Los Angeles Music Teachers

Do I have to own a drum set to take drum lessons?
No. Many students start learning on a rubber practice pad and a pair of sticks. We recommend starting children at the age of five or six on keyboard/piano for a year or two and adults can start at any age. Then they have a huge head-start when they transition to Drum at the age of seven and it usually goes very smoothly for them.
Do I have to bring sticks to my first lesson?
No. Your teacher will have a pair you can borrow for the first lesson. Your teacher will suggest a pair of sticks that are the correct size for you based on music style, experience, etc. Then you can pick up a pair at a music store and bring them to future lessons.
Should I learn on an acoustic or electric drum kit?
If you are a beginner it doesn't really matter. There are some advantages to each. The cost is similar between electric and acoustic drums. You can wear headphones with electric drums and you can put rubber pads (silencers) on acoustic drums to bring the volume down. Please speak with your drum teacher about which drum set is right for you, your lifestyle and budget. You can always call our school office and someone will be happy to help you as with the brands and models as well.
What age is best to start learning to play drums?
Adults can start anytime! Students as young as five can learn to play but it is usually best if they wait until the age of seven to take drum lessons. Many people call us and say "my child plays pots and pans all the time and he is four years old. We want to get him into drum lessons." There is a big difference in having fun pounding away on pots, pans or even your desk if you are an adult and having your teacher give you certain patterns and songs to work on over and over until they are correct. Children under six and under generally don't have the attention span to take drum lessons. Instead, start them on keyboard until the age of seven and then switch them to drums if you really want to give them the best chance at success. Of course there are exceptions so please call us if you think your child is ready for drum lessons!
Do I have to bring my drum set to each lesson?
No. We have drum kits at our school for you to use at your lessons. However, you should bring your sticks (after the first lesson) and any books or other materials your teacher has you working on from week to week.
Do you teach snare drum and other percussion instruments?
Yes. Please call us for details as there are many different percussion instruments out there and various teachers at our many schools teach specific percussion instruments.
Do I have to know how to read music to play drums?
No. Your teacher will introduce you to drum music as you learn to play. Drum music notation is different than music notation for other instruments and is much easier to learn!
Are their performance opportunities for drummers at Los Angeles Music Teachers?
No. We are currently in an expansion in the school so we are just taking on private lessons, so we do not have any school concerts/performances, but any parent that would like to hear the students progress and want their child to have a performance to practice and prepare for, we can definitely set that up for you for we would like our students to grow and have something to work towards. We can set the drummers to perform a solo.
What kind of drums do you recommend for a beginner?
I would recommend contacting your teacher, there are many brands and models for basic and electric drum sets. Our teacher will give you the best advice on instruments you can purchase that will be excellent for you to start with.
Check out the Los Angeles Music Teachers page to learn more about drum lessons!
Contact us  or call us at 818-902-1233 or 
​email: rick@losangelesmusicteachers.com