Hey there!
I hope you’re doing great and thanks so much for visiting the site. My name is James and I’m a drum teacher – and this is my drumming blog.
All the content you see on this website comes from my professional experience as a working drummer.
Since starting out playing on cushions with my first pair of drumsticks, drumming has become my greatest passion.
I’ve been fortunate enough to study under some of the world’s best drum teachers and sit in with world-class professionals doing what they do best.
Their credits feature hundreds of platinum-selling artists, including Stevie Wonder, James Brown and Mick Jagger.
I’ve been so lucky to learn with such capable and inspiring mentors and I’ve been teaching students myself now for well over a decade.
I know it can feel intimidating to get started playing the drums – I prioritise making my lessons fun and empathetic – and there’s always time for a laugh or two.
Just so you know a bit about my experience, here’s a little timeline of my journey to becoming a professional drummer…
My drumming journey
Aged 10: I took up the drums. My first drum kit was the three-piece sofa cushion set-up. Was lucky enough to stumble upon a great local teacher (back when I didn’t know how to search for one).
Aged 11: I got my first drum kit, a Yamaha electronic drum kit. Lucky it was so quiet for my parents, or it might have driven them mad!
Aged 14: Passed my Grade 8 Drum Kit exam with distinction. Very nerve-racking…
Aged 16: Studied at the Academy of Contemporary Music and graduated my diploma with distinction.
After graduating, I started my professional work in London’s theatre scene. The booths were so small, that every selfie ended up looking like this:
Many years on, I feel absolutely privileged to continue to play and teach drums for a living.
My biggest project right now is the Beatsure drum blog, which recently hit over a quarter of a million views.
Most importantly, I hope that more than a little of that joy and excitement of what it means to play the drums rubs off on you too.