There was a time when the only way to learn drums was to personally find a good teacher. Today, the answer to any percussion-related question online is seconds away and often in the palm of your hand. Does this modern method of online learning completely replace the need for a traditional drum teacher, or is there no substitute for good old face-to-face learning? Each method has its own list of pros and cons, which we will discuss in this article on online drum lessons versus in-person lessons.
It is worth noting that we teach online classes via Skype or Zoom with a private tutor as “face-to-face”. Online drum lessons could also include free content via social media platforms or YouTube, but also more specialized subscription services such as DrumeoMike’s Lessons or Drum Channel.
1. Cost
With online drum subscription services offering fixed monthly rates for unlimited access to lesson content, online is pretty much guaranteed to be the cheaper option here. Most also offer a free trial period so you can decide if this is the platform for you before paying.
Aside from the thousands of free instructional videos on Youtube, even a paid service like Drumeo costs less per month than a single 60-minute private lesson (based on a one-hour lesson costing between $40-$60 vs. Drumeo’s $29 per month -Dollar). Subscription). A personal drum teacher will of course not be able to compete with these prices, although the costs can be kept somewhat low by block bookings or group lessons.
On the subject of free online tuition, while we understand that the lack of cost will appeal to you, it is often much more difficult to find the right content with the right structure that suits your needs as a gamer if you choose to go this route . We would always recommend looking for a paid option. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.
2. Interaction
A potential downside to online drums lessons is the often one-sided nature of video lessons, lacking face-to-face interaction with a tutor or even other students. Let’s say you decide to learn drums through YouTube videos – other than maybe leaving a comment on the video, there’s really no opportunity for conversation with the person teaching you. However, if you spend a little money on a premium online service, it opens up the potential for more interaction through customized news, videos and feedback about your game. Not only is face-to-face teaching better for building a relationship with your tutor, but it also opens up the opportunity to meet other like-minded people through their student network.
3. Feedback
Regular feedback is an essential part of learning an instrument and without it it’s easy to fall into bad habits. Under the watchful eye of a tutor, you’ll have a hard time breaking bad habits as they’re able to provide real-time feedback on aspects like technique and timing. Online learning can mean a lack of opportunities for that valuable feedback. However, many online services allow students to submit videos of themselves for written or recorded feedback. Mike Johnstons mikeslessons.com (opens in new tab) and Dave Weckl’s online school (opens in new tab) are great examples of this.
4. Convenience
There is no doubt that one of the reasons drummers are drawn to online learning is the opportunity to map their learning on their own schedule. With pre-recorded lesson content, there’s never a wrong time to pick up the sticks and develop your skills (as long as the neighbors don’t mind). This could be beneficial for someone who is not available during normal class times or perhaps does not have the time to fully commit to regular classes. The ability to take a break during a lesson is also a welcome addition, although with a good teacher you should be able to work at your own pace without feeling rushed or pressured.
Many in-person lessons are conducted by music schools or music stores, meaning signing up for lessons has the added benefit of joining a local community of musicians. Many music schools will create opportunities for interdisciplinary students to meet and form bands. This gives us drummers a chance to meet guitarists, bassists, singers and more – in some cases we form our first bands.
Educational institutions also often host live performances, which is an invaluable experience for aspiring musicians. This is a particular benefit when you have a local teacher who doesn’t necessarily come with Zoom/Skype classes and is rarely available through an online platform. However, we are starting to see platforms like Drumeo and Mike’s Lessons hosting in-person drum camps for their online students. We’ll likely see more of this in the future.
6. Progress
It is difficult to say which method will allow a student to make the most progress as it mostly boils down to the time spent studying and practicing each week. However, we can draw comparisons to progress tracking, which is an incredibly important part of teaching. Even vicfirth.com (opens in new tab)which has an awesome (and free) educational section allows tracking the 40 rudiments via bronze, silver, gold, platinum and diamond medals for each rudiment.
Paid online services largely focus on goal setting with ways to track progress. But in our opinion, personal tutors have the edge here, as they can not only help set and achieve personal goals, but also provide detailed feedback on progress.
7. Beginner
For someone picking up a pair drumsticks For the first time, it can be a daunting world of information. As we discussed above, searching the internet for “how to play the drums” or “drums for beginners” might be the first port of call for many. With so many considerations about posture and technique, getting started on an instrument is the most likely time for bad habits to form. With this in mind, we recommend that you either pay for an online subscription for your own platform with a well thought-out, sensibly structured entry-level program or look for a tutor for at least one or two face-to-face hours to understand the basics.
8. Access to famous names
One of the amazing things about learning drums online is having access to famous, big-name drummers. many of them don’t even teach in person. Look no further than the legendary Ringo Starr, who incredibly has one Drumming and Creative Collaboration video course available at masterclass.com (opens in new tab). You can also find Shelia E. Teaching Drumming and Percussion on the same site.
Drumeo is another brand that regularly attracts “celebrity” tutors, offering you a rare opportunity to learn from your heroes. There are many well-known drummers giving face-to-face lessons (especially since the pandemic), although it’s unlikely to find one close by. Skype or Zoom lessons would probably be the best way to enjoy that one-on-one time with your drummer heroes.
9. Quality of Instruction
The quality of the classes can vary enormously, whether they are online or face-to-face. When it comes to digital delivery, production values are incredibly important – where multiple camera angles and high-quality audio have become the most basic requirements – not to mention decent instructional content!
Personal tutors don’t necessarily have the same concerns here, although providing the necessary equipment is important to the quality of teaching. The saying “everything and no idea” comes to mind, because of course you can also convince with a well-groomed, professional appearance, but have little experience or knowledge for it.
10. Registration Information
For some, just being able to play the drums is enough to teach the instrument. The reality is that an entirely separate skillset is required to communicate knowledge effectively and equip students with the tools they need to progress. Sometimes the downside of teaching online is that you don’t necessarily know the person teaching you. This is especially true for free content on sites like YouTube, which is why we would always recommend a paid subscription. Who are they, what is their background and how reliable is the information they give you? The same goes for face-to-face classes, where it’s even more important to verify credentials before signing up.