Learn, play, and grow with drum lessons for kids, teens, and adults at Pleasant Mountain Music.
Pleasant Mountain Music is proud to offer drum lessons in Vancouver for all ages and experience levels. Whether you’re new to the sticks, or you’ve been banging the drum for a while, we’ll meet you wherever you are at. Our instructors help you build excellent foundational skills while keeping lessons fun and encouraging.
About Drums
- Ideal for: High energy people and anyone who enjoys tapping their toes, fingers, or feet Sense of rhythm can be developed so don’t let that hold you back.
- Great because: It’s the backbone for bands of any style or genre
- Lesson options: We offer in person lessons on a digital kit at our Granville Street studio. Remote or online lessons are possible depending on your set up at home
- Common styles: All genres of music feature drums of some kind, but the most popular styles in North America that feature the full drum kit are rock, metal, country, and jazz. Electric or programmed drums are often used for pop or rap
- Space/noise needs: A good acoustic drum kit can take up more space than the average instrument (think clarinet or guitar for comparison). The drums will also be much louder. Acoustic drum kits are best for basement suites or garages since they will rattle the windows in the living room, or drive your neighbours crazy in a condo. Fortunately, modern drummers have a selection of high quality digital kits to choose from. These digital kits are easier to manage inside smaller living spaces or with neighbours, since they can be used with headphones and can take up a little less floor space too
Can I Kick It? (Yes You Can)
Drums are one of the oldest instruments. Early humans used sticks and bones, as well as their own bodies, to start making beats. Today drums are found in every style of music. Although some genres are more likely to use programmed drums, knowing the sounds and patterns will always be useful for developing your musicianship.
The history of the modern drum kit goes back to the 1930s when Gene Krupa assembled his favourite drums into the configuration we recognize today. From there, the drum kit exploded. Double kicks, dozens of cymbals, and pitched rototoms, are just some of the ways a drum kit can be expanded.
For younger students, drums can be a great way to let off steam or burn off extra energy, while still developing musicianship. It’s a full body instrument since the drum kit demands coordination between legs, feet, arms and hands. For teens and adults, being a skilled drummer will mean you will always in demand for gigs, bands, and recording projects.
Getting Started & Instrument Costs
You don’t need a massive kit to get started as a drummer. In fact, you can start learning the basics of percussion without having any drums at all. A practice pad and sticks are inexpensive, and you can work on your technical prowess for hours by doing paradiddles with this set up.
A typical starter investment for a decent (and new) electric or acoustic drum kit will be about $1,000 – $2,000 but there are other options out there. Used kits in good shape can always be found tucked away in a basement, through Marketplace, and sometimes even for free just by asking around your friends and family. Local music shops will often have used drum kits for sale. From there you can add additional drums and cymbals as you develop your sound. A high-end professional-grade kit can easily range from $8,000 to $10,000, sometimes more.
We’re always happy to recommend brands, local shops, or rental options so you don’t overspend or buy something that isn’t a great fit for where you’re at in your music journey.
How Lessons Work: Learn / Love / Live to Play
Learn to Play – Solid foundations
In our Learn to Play stream, we focus on building reliable technique and musicianship. Most folks fall into this category at some point. As you learn to play you’ll work on:
- Technique – hand positioning, time signatures, poly-rhythms, limb separation (not as gory as it sounds)
- Reading drum notation – It resembles sheet music, but each note is a different piece of the kit, instead of a different pitch
- Repertoire – from punk rock blast beats to celebratory marching band sounds to cool jazz shuffles, there is an endless supply of beats and patterns to work on which gives incredible variety to the music you learn on the drums
Love to Play – Play for joy
In our Love to Play stream, we design lessons around where and why you actually want to play. That might include:
- Learning specifically your favourite song or style
- Playing along with tracks or jamming with friends
- Playing in a drum circle
- Prepping for your annual ‘we’re getting the band back together’ jam session or show
- Providing you basic theory “as needed” to support your goals
- Offering you low-pressure performance opportunities (only if you want them)
The Love to Play stream is perfect for students who want music as a creative outlet without the pressure of exams, competitions, or public performances.
Live to Play – Preparing for the professional path
For students ready to take things further, our Live to Play stream of study helps you move from “pretty good” to “gig-ready”. Live to Play students will master:
- Advanced technique and repertoire
- Audition and performance preparation
- Studio and session-recording skills (including actual studio experience)
- Songwriting, arranging, or improvisation (if relevant)
- Career guidance on next steps including: auditions, gigging/touring band life, recording, post-secondary studies, teaching the drums, and more.
Hear It in the Wild: Stars & Songs
Artists who put drums in the spotlight
- Gene Krupa & Buddy Rich Famous Drum Battle – These two jazz drummers put the drum kit on the map and in the minds of the world.
- Keith Moon from The Who – A once-in-a-lifetime talent who’s unique approach to the drums stands apart even to this day.
- Karen Carpenter – Considered by some of the best drummers in the world to be the best drummer in the world.
- Sheila E – Sheila E grew up listening to her dad play drums for Santana, then took it one step further playing drums for Prince and Michael Jackson, among many others.
- Chris Adler from Lamb of God – An amazing example of what a metal drummer can lay down with a high quality kit and modern recording techniques.
Songs where drums really shines
- “Message in a Bottle” – The Police – Stewart Copeland takes what could be a very basic drum beat and adds a ton of groove and complexity to it.
- “Tom Sawyer” – Rush – Neil Peart from Rush is your favourite drummer’s favourite drummer. In Tom Sawyer he switches from basic beat to wild fills as the songs grows. The tom fills around the 2:30 mark are legendary.
- “Flyers Direct” – The Fearless Flyers – Nate Smith gives a masterclass on funk minimalism. With just a kick, snare, and hi-hats, he delivers monster grooves.
These are fun reference points you can explore at home, and great inspiration for setting lesson goals and jumping off points for your own unique music journey.
Meet Your Drum Instructors
Arturo Balanza
Instruments: Drums, Percussion
Arturo has been performing and teaching drums and percussion all over the world! As a young child in Chile he learned different techniques, genres and styles like jazz fusion, rock, metal, latin jazz, bossa nova, among others. Now in Canada, Arturo is excited to continue his musical journey and pass on his knowledge to the next generation of musicians.
Sign up now!
Embark on your journey today!
If you’re excited to begin learning, you can book your first lesson using our simple online calendar. Getting started is easier than you think.
If you’d like to talk through your goals or figure out the best fit, we’re happy to help. We love meeting new students and answering any questions.