"Am I not too old to start?" I hear that question from adults almost as often as I hear parents ask it about their child. The answer is short: no. Adults regularly start lessons with me. Some have never held a stick, others played years ago and want to pick it up again.
Why does drumming suit adults so well?
Drumming is nicely physical. You are completely busy with your hands, your feet and the music, and for many people that is the best way to clear their head after a busy day. On top of that, you play music you have been listening to for years. That makes practising something to look forward to rather than a chore.
And as an adult you have an advantage: you know why you are doing it. You can practise with focus, and you quickly understand what is happening when something doesn't work yet.
Do you need talent or a sense of rhythm?
No. A sense of rhythm can largely be trained. Many adults think they don't have it, until they notice they have been tapping their foot to the radio for years. In lessons we build it up step by step, with simple patterns you recognise from real songs.
What do you learn in the first months?
In the first three months you lay the foundation:
Holding the sticks properly, so you play relaxed and don't tire quickly.
Your first groove: hi-hat, snare drum and bass drum together. That is the moment you feel you are really drumming.
Playing along with a song you choose yourself.
Simple fills, the transitions between two parts of a song.
How fast it goes differs per person, and that is fine. The lessons adapt to your pace and your taste in music.
How do you practise with a busy schedule?
Short and often works better than long and occasionally. Fifteen minutes four times a week achieves more than two hours once on a Sunday. A practice pad is your best friend here: it sits next to your desk or on the sofa, and you can practise quietly while the rest of the house carries on.
Also just play along with songs you like. That is practising too.
30 or 60-minute lessons?
Both work. Many adults start with 30 minutes a week and switch to 60 later, when they want more time for songs and technique. See the prices page for the details.
No drum kit at home? Play in a rehearsal room
Having your own kit is nice, but you don't need one to start. Work on a practice pad at home and play at full volume in a rehearsal room now and then. In Aalsmeer there are two good places for that:
N201 on the Zwarteweg, in the same building as my lessons on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. N201 has seven fully equipped rehearsal rooms for bands, DJs and musicians.
note.studio on the Aalsmeerderweg, my own studio, where the Wednesday lessons are too. A drum kit is ready there and you rent a room by the hour, every day from 9:00 to 24:00.
Want a drum kit at home later after all? Read Buying a drum kit: new, second-hand or electronic? and Drumming at home without annoying the neighbours.
Did you play before?
Then it often comes back faster than you think. Your hands remember more than your head does. In lessons we first see what is still there, polish up old habits and work towards what you want to play now. Maybe those songs you never quite finished back then.
And after that?
Some adults drum purely for themselves, others want to play with other people after a while. Both are great. A rehearsal room is also a nice place to jam with friends or start a first band.
Curious how it feels? Book a free trial lesson.