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Can you really teach yourself to play the drums, or do you need a professional teacher to guide you? In this post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of self-teaching versus getting lessons, and I’ll share a method that works for both paths. Stick around to discover how you can kickstart your drumming journey with or without a teacher!
Today, we’re diving into one of the most common questions every beginner asks: Can I teach myself to play the drums, or do I need a professional drum teacher? While both options have their benefits, I’ll break down how you can start drumming on your own and how to decide if and when you might need a teacher. Plus, I’ll introduce a step-by-step approach designed to make learning drums accessible for everyone, regardless of which path you choose. Let’s get started!
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The good news is, yes, you can teach yourself to play the drums. Many great drummers were self-taught, but let’s take a moment to define what self-taught actually means. It doesn’t mean you learn in isolation without any outside influence. Even so-called self-taught drummers learn from books, videos, listening to other drummers, and plenty of hands-on experimentation. What it really means is that they didn’t have formal one-on-one lessons with a teacher.
To be honest, in my opinion, there’s really no such thing as being self-taught. We all hear see and discover ideas from the external world, beyond our own ability to play the drums. So, when we see or hear others playing they are really teaching us. Basically, because we consciously hook onto the ideas we hear in the outside world, and then we attempt to replicate them in some way. We are really learning from others and so the label of being self-taught is really a misnomer.
But for the sake of clarity, let’s presume that self-taught means to learn without a teacher to guide us. So in this, we see that being self-taught is really more like being self-guided as opposed to self-taught.
So, if you’re taking the self-teaching route, the most important thing to start with is building a strong foundation of theory and technique. That’s exactly why I developed the Drumming Foundation Series. When I designed this series, I imagined what a complete beginner would need if they were to sit down with a good teacher. This included everything from setting up the drum kit, posture, and foot positioning to holding sticks correctly, hitting the drums, and playing your first beats.
The Drumming Foundation Series guides you through these steps while also teaching you to read music and understand drum charts, skills that are essential for any drummer. If you’re self-teaching, having a structured guide like this is invaluable because it gives you a roadmap to follow.
That said, self-teaching does take discipline. You’ll need to commit to consistent practice and be honest with yourself about areas where you’re struggling. That’s where some supplemental resources come in handy. I’ve also developed a collection of drumming theory books that cover background concepts like music notation and the foundational skills every drummer needs.
For those who want a deeper dive, the Drumming Foundation Series includes core foundational books such as:
- Rock Drumming Foundation Course, (Book 1).
- Jazz Drumming Foundation Course, (Book 2).
- Rock Drumming Development Course, (Book 3).
- Jazz Drumming Development Course, (Book 4).
- Odd Time Drumming Development Course, (Book 5).
- Dynamic Development Course, (Book 7).
- Basic Latin Drumming Foundation Course, (Book 8).
These books provide a step-by-step approach to mastering the essential skills and techniques every drummer needs. They’re designed to help you build confidence and competence, whether you continue self-teaching or decide to take private lessons later.
But of course, now that you have a simple step-by-step process to follow. You can do this alone without any books at all. And without a teacher of any kind. But I recommend you get the books mentioned and others in each of the areas mentioned to help you refine your drumming in those areas over time.
If you’re considering working with a teacher, remember that a good teacher is simply a means to an end. Their role is to guide you, provide feedback, and help you progress faster. But even with a teacher, the responsibility for practicing and improving is still on you. This is something I cover in more detail in Modern Drumming Concepts, which is supplemental to the Drumming Foundation Series.
Whether you’re learning on your own or with a teacher, the most important thing is to stay curious, keep experimenting, and enjoy the process of becoming a drummer.
I have included many subjects in the Drum coach blog so check it out and get a solid foot in the foundational skills and knowledge.
So, can you teach yourself to play the drums? Absolutely! With the right resources and a disciplined approach, self-teaching can be a rewarding and effective way to learn. And if you decide to work with a teacher later, you’ll have a strong foundation to build on.
Drumming doesn’t come naturally to everyone. I myself had tremendous difficulty learning to play the drums when I was 9 years old. The coordination stuff just didn’t come easy. So, I am forever grateful for the help I received from my teacher in the early days.
As I have said elsewhere, the internet wasn’t about when I was beginning so after my first few years with a teacher I didn’t really know what I needed to practice. This stunted me to a large degree. But then I became very proficient at the basics. And over the years none ever complained. It’s all about finding your place or carving one out for yourself. You can opt to do that by yourself or recruit the help of others along the way. And as I mentioned, I don’t really believe in being self-taught. Because you are always learning from someone out there in the real world.
In the next post, we’ll answer another essential question: How Do I Find and Choose a Drum Teacher? If you’re thinking about taking lessons or just want to know what to look for in a good teacher, don’t miss it. Click the next post to get started right away!
