Tips & Considerations For Finding The Best Drum Teacher in NYC
How do I find a good drum teacher?
Finding a good teacher for anything can be a daunting task.. ESPECIALLY if you’re in New York City surrounded by thousands of musicians and teachers! You always want to make sure any teacher who’s working with you or your kids are trustworthy and fully vetted. Blue Balloon School is one of the many music schools in the country that does that work for you. Our primary goal is to make sure the drum teacher in mind not only teaches drums, but also checks specific boxes to fit your family’s needs.
What to look for in a drum teacher:
1. Patience
Learning any instrument can be overwhelming, and finding a drum teacher who can read the room is monumentally helpful. If the student is feeling anxious, the last thing you want is to have your teacher push them even more. While Amadeus was a very entertaining movie, psychological torment is not necessary to become a brilliant musician. Learning to play an instrument can be challenging, but should be driven by your own internal persistence and excitement.
2. Style
As with any musical genre, what excites you? What makes you want to learn? If you want to learn jazz, your first stop for a drum teacher probably shouldn’t be a heavy-hitting rock and roll drum teacher. Lead with what you love, and don’t be afraid to ask the teacher what styles they’re comfortable teaching!
3. Engaging
Whenever we learn a new skill, we can’t wait for the moment we’re able to do what drove us to start the skill in the first place! Learning to play John Bonham’s drum solo in Moby Dick will obviously not be a great starting point.
Every student, even the likes of John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Phil Collins (Genesis), Karen Carpenter (The Carpenters), and Cindy Blackman (Santana, etc.), started out playing quarter notes on a snare drum with one hand. Starting from the ground up can feel very slow, so having a teacher who can make the simplicity fun can absolutely make or break the experience.
4. Experience
Not every good music teacher has to be an active performer, but it sure can make for quite the educational experience. If you have the option of having an active performer as a teacher, you have the advantage of being able to learn about not only the industry, but also from someone who is evolving in their style. Music is fluid, styles change and form with our culture – having someone who is heavily involved in the scene can really help you as a student evolve as well – no matter your age!
But how early should my child start learning drums?
It is valuable to learning how to play an instrument at any age! If a child is younger than 6 or 7, the approach may just look slightly different. Expect the lessons to be more game based, playful and child-led. Some families prefer to start with a full acoustic drum kit, some want an electronic set (hello, headphones!) and others prefer to start with something simple like a drum pad, sticks and a shaker! Whatever you and your child are most comfortable with is the best way to get started.
Shaker toys can help kids learn rhythms in fun, easy ways without the stress of doing the drum-equivalent of rubbing your stomach and patting your head! Colorful toy xylophones can build dexterity while also exposing the student to lessons on pitch and tone. Hand drums are another exciting way for your child to experience the joy of learning rhythms in a simple, approachable way.
No matter what style of music you’d like to learn, always do what feels comfortable while keeping the experience exciting and productive. Whether it’s a teacher of drums or anything else, you want them to share their experience with empathy and understanding!
The most important part is to just get started!
