What age can I start taking lessons? - In my experience kids, generally speaking, don't take too well to formal lessons until they're at least 7 but they can definitely get started learning at home by themselves, there's a kid's show about drums on YouTube that might be a good place to start.
Am I too old to learn to play the drums? - A lot of adults think they're too old to learn to play an instrument but that's not true, anyone can learn to play the drums. The hardest thing for adults to overcome is being too critical of themselves in the early stages and actually finding the time to practice. Even if it's only for a few minutes at a time, if you can get some regular practice in you'll be playing along to your favourite songs in no time.
Do I need to bring anything with me? You don't need to bring anything with you to lessons. While I do provide some, feel free to bring your own sticks or hearing protection with you. If we're working through any sheet music, whether it's something I've given you away, a graded piece or something you're working on by yourself, then if you bring your own copy of it we can write any notes that we need to on it.
Should I get an electric or an acoustic kit? - This isn't true in every case but in my opinion acoustic kits tend to feel better to play on, usually sound better (especially in the beginner to intermediate range) are easier to upgrade, and look cooler.
Electric kits are quieter, take up less space and it's easy to connect them to a computer to either change the sound of them or to record with them.
If you're limited for space or live in a flat then it might be better for you to go for an electric kit although generally speaking I try to recommend acoustic kits. Until you get into spending a few thousand pounds then the acoustic ones are normally arguably better
What else do I need to play the drums? - I recommend buying from Drummers Only for all your drums and drum accessory needs and I'm not just saying that because I have an affiliate code and will get a small commission if you buy anything through the below links. As well as their online store they have a physical shop in Glasgow. If you are buying online then use my code CHRISMCLOONE at the checkout for free delivery.
You'll need a pair of drumsticks. The most common size of stick is a 5A (Vic Firth 5A) If you wanted something a bit thinner then you could go for a 7A (Vic Firth 7A) or if you wanted something thicker then go for a 2B (Vic Firth 2B) These are the 3 main sizes although you get a lot of different variations of these sizes. You can also get VicFirth kid sticks in Blue or Pink which are shorter and make it easier for young kids to play.
A practice pad is a great investment for any drummer. It's no replacement for a drum kit but they're great for warming up, working on your rudiments, and improving your technique. They're portable so you can take them with you wherever you go and they're quiet enough that your neighbours aren't going to hate you if you want to practice late at night or early in the morning. I like the Evans real feel pads which come in 12 inch or 6 inch sizes. If you want a more budget friendly option then go for a Stagg one which come in 8 inch or 12 inch
Some form of hearing protection is essential if you have an acoustic drum kit. You can get a pair of ear plugs or ear defenders, you can also get a smaller pair for kids
A drum key is another essential piece of equipment to own. These are mainly used to tune your drums but some pieces of hardware, especially memory locks need a drum key to be adjusted. You get lots of different keys, some have bottle openers built in, some can be attached to your keyring (a very handy feature) and some are part of a multitool but this basic one will do the job.
If you want to play along with music then you'll need something to let you do that. If you have an electric kit then all you need is an aux cable that lets you connect your phone to the module of your kit(you'll also need a mini jack to USB/Lightning adapter unless your phone has a headphone jack). This will then have the audio from your phone play out of the speakers or headphones that your drums are hooked up to.
If you have acoustic drums then there's a few options. You can get a speaker that your phone can connect to but it needs to be loud enough that you can hear it over your drums. You could also get a pair of isolation headphones, the benefit of these over normal headphones is that, because they double as ear defenders, they block out the noise of the drums and you don't need to have the music up dead loud to hear over your drums which can cause hearing damage. A cheap and cheerful option is to put a pair of earphones on underneath a pair of ear defenders
What kit should I buy? - My advice would be to buy from a company known for making drums which might sound a bit silly but a lot of online music retailers make their own entry level drum kits. These are fine and, if you don't want to spend too much money, you'll get a drum kit that does the job but if you can spend a bit more you will probably get something of a better build and sound quality that will take longer to outgrow.
I recommend buying from Drummers Only for all your drums and drum accessory needs and I'm not just saying that because I have an affiliate code and will get a small commission if you buy anything through one of the below links.
If you want an electric drum kit then the main thing to look for in my opinion is if it actually has a bass drum pad with a 'real' pedal rather than just a footswitch that some cheaper kit's come with. I like the Yamaha DTX series of kits, and a great beginner kit in the series is the DTX452K. The main downside to this kit is that it's all rubber pads. There are other kits in this series that have mesh heads or a type of silicone head that you only get on Yamaha drums. These will feel better to play on than the rubber pads and will be a bit quieter but they are more expensive.
If you want an acoustic kit then there's maybe a bit more to think about. Most drum kits are sold as shell packs which means you only get the drums themselves and you need to buy your cymbals and stands separately (some kits don't even come with a snare drum). You then need to decide what size drums you would like, the big thing being the size of the bass drum. The main sizes these come in are 22" and 20" although there are other sizes available. The 22" was the most common for years and if you like heavy rock or metal music then you might want to go for one of these but I prefer a 20". In my opinion there's not a massive difference in sound and the smaller size makes it easier to position your drums if you're on the short side like me, when you need to replace the heads on them they'll be cheaper, and they're easier to transport
There are kits marketed towards beginners which include the drums, cymbals, stands and sometimes even a throne. One of the absolute best entry/intermediate level kits is the Pearl Export which will last well into your drumming journey. Another good choice is the Yamaha Rydeen. You also get the Mapex Venus which you can save a bit of money on and buy one that comes with hi hats and one crash/ride cymbal or you can spend a bit more and get a separate crash and ride cymbal .If you're buying for a young kid then you might want to get something a bit smaller and the Ludwig Pocket Kit which is made specifically for kids aged 4-10
Do you do gift vouchers? - Yeah, gift vouchers are available I can either make you up a digital voucher which I'll send you by email or I have some printed out if you would rather have something physical.
I feel like every time I come to a lesson you're wearing a different berghaus fleece, how many do you own? - 4 Berghaus ones and 2 non Berghaus ones, so far...
I really like that hat with a goose on it you sometimes wear in lessons. Where did you get it? - H&M