‘In the beginning was noise. And noise begat rhythm. And rhythm begat everything else.’
– Mickey Hart
‘I think that any young drummer starting out today should get himself a great teacher and learn all there is to know about the instrument that he wants to play.’
– Buddy Rich
We offer lessons for beginner, intermediate and advanced students in:
- Drum Kit (all styles, from beginner to diploma level, see Drum Tuition FAQs)
- Bodhrán
- World Percussion (Djembe, Congas, Bongos, etc.)
Drum tuition can also include preparation for graded music exams, as well as Junior Cert. Music and Leaving Cert. Music practicals, and it counts as the ‘personal skill’ challenge area for Gaisce – The President’s Award.
Tuition options include:
- Weekly private (one-to-one) lessons, 30, 45 or 60 minutes in length.
- Group lessons, designed for students at the same level of proficiency who enrol together, and available as 30- 45- or 60-minute ‘partner’ lessons, as well as 60-minute lessons for 3 or 4 students.
- Single 1- or 2-hour bodhrán or drum kit Intensive Lessons for both individuals and small groups.
- Two group courses for beginners, Introducing Bodhrán and Introducing World Drumming (see following tab).
Go to Tuition Options for more information on private, partner and small group lessons, and Enrolment & Fees for tuition fees and enrolment forms.
Designed for absolute beginners, Introducing Bodhrán offers an in-depth introduction to this popular instrument.
Participants in Introducing World Drumming learn the techniques and rhythms associated with various world percussion instruments, including djembes, congas, bongos, dumbeks and assorted frame drums.
Both courses are followed by courses for intermediate groups (subject to minimum enrolment).
Drum kit students may be interested in joining one of our Jazz Ensembles.
Bodhrán students may be interested in our Trad Slow Sessions, open to both New School and external students/players, taking place one Friday evening each month.
Brian Fleming • Sounds African outreach workshop
Éamonn Galldubh • bodhrán
Tommy Gray • drum kit
Solomon Ijigade •Drumming Around the World and Sounds African outreach workshops
Ian McTigue • Drumming Around the World and Sounds Irish outreach workshop
Jim Magill • drum kit
Hugh O’Byrne • drum kit
Marek Przekwas • African perussion, Afro-Cuban percussion, Introducing World Drumming course
John Sweeney • bodhrán, Introducing Bodhrán course
Taking place in May each year, the New School’s annual Martin A. Walton Memorial Scholarship Competition awards full-year tuition scholarships in three categories:
- Young Student of the Year (students aged 18 and under)
- Mature Student of the Year (students aged 19 and over)
- Most Promising Beginner (students who came to the school as beginners on their instruments)
See Scholarships for more information.
Links to downloadable drum kit syllabi (pdf format) with different exam boards:
- London College of Music
- Rockschool
- Trinity College London
The New School’s Friday Casual Concerts are a great opportunity for students of all instruments (and all musical styles) to play in public, in a relaxed and supportive setting, before friends, family and other students. These brief concerts, which take place once a month on Friday evenings at 7 pm in the school, allow individual students and ensembles to perform in public, show off their skills and learn how to cope with nerves. They are also highly recommended for students preparing for grade exams.
Drumming Around the World and Sounds African are exciting one-hour workshops combining dynamic live demonstrations with fun and fascinating activities designed to help young people develop their musical awareness through the exploration of rhythms and percussion instruments from Latin America or Africa.
The New School’s drum kits are available for practice rental by currently-enrolled drum kit students (subject to availability). See Practice Facilities for more information.
Currently-enrolled drum kit and percussion students are entitled to several valuable benefits, including:
- Discounts & Instrument Payment Plans from Waltons Music
- Discounts on Waltons World Masters Series Events
- Discounts on Ensembles, Sessions and Music Theory Courses
- Discounts on Practice Facilities
- Discounts on City-Centre Parking
- After-Hours Purchasing from Waltons Music Shop
See Student Benefits for more information.
What is covered in drum kit lessons?
Drumming is a complex skill, and drum lessons typically cover a range of elements, including:
- Grooves
- Techniques
- Rudiments
- Independence and co-ordination
- Musicianship
- Time keeping
- Drum notation
What genres/styles of music are taught?
Our drum kit faculty, all professional drummers, teach a wide range of music genres/styles, including rock, jazz, metal, R&B, funk, blues, country, etc.
Can you prepare me/my child for grade or practical examinations?
Drum lessons can certainly include preparation for grade examinations with three exam boards. Our teachers can also prepare students for Junior Cert. Music and Leaving Cert. Music practical exams.
What will I need to practice with?
For drum kit lessons, students should ideally have a good starter drum kit – which consists of a snare drum, a bass drum, two or three toms, a hi-hat and cymbals – to practice at home. However, students can get started at home on practice pads before purchasing a drum kit.
Are drum kits expensive?
Starter drum kits needn’t be expensive. Waltons music shops offer good quality acoustic and electronic drum kits suitable for beginner/intermediate students at very reasonable prices, and currently-enrolled drum students at the New School can also purchase them using payment plans. See Drums & Percussion Instrument Discounts & Payment Plans for more information.
Playing a drum kit in the house will be very noisy, won't it?
It doesn’t have to be. An acoustic drum kit can be fitted with sound reducing practice pads and dampers that considerably reduce the level of sound produced. Alternatively, there are some very good electronic drum kits available (see Drums & Percussion Instrument Discounts & Payment Plans) that can be played through headphones, making them almost silent to others.
Do you offer group drum lessons?
Because of the noise level involved, the size of the instrument and the complexity of technique, the New School offers only private (one-to-one) or ‘partner’ (two-person) drum kit lessons. We do, however, offer two group courses for beginners in other percussion instruments: Introducing Bodhrán and Introducing World Drumming.
How do I choose the right drumsticks?
A great drumstick is the perfect combination of balance, response, feel and sound properties. Each of these critical factors is a function of a stick’s design – and knowing a little about drumstick design will help you to make the right choice. First find a stick that’s comfortable in your hands – not too big or too small. Then determine the volume and technical requirements of the type of music you’re playing. Then keep the following factors in mind:
Material. Drumsticks are generally made from hickory maple, oak or carbon fibre. Each has a slightly different feel. The feel has to do with how the stick transmits or absorbs vibration and how much it flexes.
- Hickory is a common, well rounded wood for drumsticks.
- Maple is a lighter, more flexible wood.
- Oak is densest but transmits vibrations more; it tends to be more durable.
- Carbon fibre sticks are extremely durable and last significantly longer than traditional wood sticks.
Tips. The tips of drumsticks change the sound.
- Nylon tips make cymbals sound terrific and give drums a ‘pow’ sound.
- Wooden tips (the most common), give drums a deeper, more traditional sound suitable for jazz and older rock styles. These don’t make the cymbals ring as much.
Thickness. The thickness also changes the sound. Higher numbers represent thinner sticks, but thickness is not completely consistent between brands.
- 7As are thinner and lighter and are ideal for beginning players with small hands. They are also often used by beginning jazz students.
- 5As are slightly thicker than 7As. They’re good for rock, but are versatile enough to be used for just about any style of music.
- 5Bs are thicker, more intense drumsticks, and are generally used for rock.
- 2Bs are especially thick and are often used for metal.
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