DRUM LESSONS
“My grandson has been a percussion student at The (Ghost) Note since 6th grade and looks forward to his lessons each week. Lessons have made a huge difference in his skill set, confidence and band grade.”
DRUM SET, SNARE DRUM, & PERCUSSION LESSONS
We have had the privilege of helping countless creatives in the Denton, TX area discover self-expression through music since 2012.
All ages, levels, and grooves welcome!
Enroll in private weekly 30- or 60-minute lessons either at our studios or in your home, billed monthly, and start building real skills from day one.
🏡 Attend lessons in our studios located in Downtown Denton or in the comfort of your home
We offer lessons in our fully equipped studios at 626 Wainwright St. or in your home with our in-home lessons program.
🔥 From Beginner to Pro!
Many of our students have gone from total beginners to professional players over the course of their studies with us. Some started as young as 5 and now drive themselves to lessons.
We work weekly with students of all ages and experience levels, specializing in:
• drum set and snare drum for beginners & serious hobbyists
• snare drum, mallet, and drum set for Junior high & high school percussionists
• drum set and snare drum for Advanced players sharpening their craft for auditions, bands, and beyond
🎯 100% Customized Lessons
Every student is different—and so is every lesson. We tailor instruction to each student’s goals, interests, and musical needs, while covering the essential foundations that make great musicians.
📚 Exclusive Learning Resources
All students get access to an ever-growing library of professionally notated transcriptions of common lessons and songs.
Plus, we create custom play-along tracks where we remove the drum part, so you can practice being the drummer in the band.
🎓 Middle School Band? We’ve got you covered.
We help students start drums early in elementary school — before entering 6th-grade band — get a massive head start by teaching snare drum, mallets, and drum set, so they hit the ground running from day one and stay ahead of their peers.
🏆 Proven Results
We’ve worked weekly with students in grades K–12, helping them earn top rankings in:
• UIL
• Solo & Ensemble
• Region, Area & State Band
• Jazz band & college auditions
👨🏫 Teachers are drum specialists
We staff only the most skilled teachers to work with students of all ages and levels on drums—our teachers teach only their primary instrument. The current drum teaching roster is Colby Schreck & Brandon Morris.
Ready to get started? Enrollment is monthly, with lessons held weekly on a consistent day and time. We’d love to help you or your child grow musically—enroll today and take the next step in your musical journey.
Student progress video: 5 - 15 years old!
DRUM FAQ
-
No. All you need to start is a pair of drumsticks and a practice pad.
-
Ultimately, if volume and space are not an issue, we recommend an acoustic drum set. Playing each part of the acoustic drum set is an art and takes practice, and playing an acoustic version of each is crucial to learning how to create proper sounds.
However, if you need to cut down on volume and space, an electronic kit is perfect. It will help you train your body to move on a multi-surface instrument, but won’t offer the same varied response between each part of the kit like an acoustic drum set does.
-
No! The idea that you can’t learn as you get older is false! In fact, an activity such as drumming, which requires your full focus and engages your nervous system, will increase your ability to learn.
Drumming at any level of ability is fun, healthy, physically & mentally fulfilling, and highly encouraged!
Happy drumming!
-
Our lessons studios are equipped with 2 professional acoustic drum sets. One for the teacher and one for the student. All you need to bring is a pair of drumsticks, hearing protection, and your lesson’s notebook.
-
Our lessons studios are equipped with 2 professional acoustic drum sets. One for the teacher and one for the student. All you need to bring is a pair of drumsticks, hearing protection, and your lesson’s notebook.
-
As you can guess, learning an instrument is a lifelong endeavor; everyone learns at different paces and works towards different goals. The main goal is to enjoy the process of learning and making music, regardless of experience level. We aim to help students fall in love with the process of learning their chosen instrument, fostering a lifelong relationship with music.
With drums, it is relatively easy to get basic grooves going, so playing along to music is possible from day one. The difficulty with drums comes in developing rhythmic and dynamic interdependence across all 4 limbs, creating a balanced drum set sound, all while staying relaxed.
-
Learning to play music has as many meanings as there are people who play it.
We encourage everyone to meet themselves on the musical map where they are at.
Some students are very casual and enjoy playing just a couple of times a week; some are weekend warriors; some play daily for 20-60 minutes; while others obsess over music learning every hour of the day, playing for multiple hours . Every one of these students plays the “correct” amount because they fit music into their lives in ways that serve them.
Some of our students play only a few times a week, while others play multiple hours a day. The main goal is to play as time allows and enjoy the act of making music and pursuing improvement. Many students go through multiple phases of music-making, and we pride ourselves on helping everyone on their musical journey be the best they can be.
-
Yes and no. You could live your whole musical life without reading a single note of music, but your journey would be much more difficult, as you would be unable to navigate music on your own.
Reading music is actually easier than most people expect, and it helps you to learn material on multiple levels. We incorporate both reading and playing by ear in lessons, as we believe they are equally important.
Reading drum music is not based on scales or chords. The main skills to learn are reading rhythm and drum set orchestration notation.
-
We enroll by the month for 30 or 60-minute weekly lessons on a recurring day/time.
-
Yes. Your teacher will keep both physical and digital lesson notes each week. All of your notes are available online in the student portal and in an attendance email sent after each lesson.
-
Please complete our new student enrollment form, and we will contact you for an enrollment consultation and to schedule your lessons.
We look forward to meeting you and helping you express yourself creatively through music!
-
Most children can start around ages 4-5. At this age they can comfortably hold drumsticks. Students this age sometimes struggle to play both hi-hat and bass drum pedal, but can easily play the bass drum pedal and hands, allowing them to create full drum set beats. Younger students may do better with shorter lessons or a smaller setup.
Starting young allows a person to train their coordination early and grow into a full-sized instrument. With customized lessons, we take a special approach to working with young people that helps them get into the habit of playing music early in life. The earlier a person starts, the better!
GENERAL
-
drum set
concert snare drum
auxiliary percussion
marching percussion
keyboard percussion - aka “mallets”
-
Instruction includes exposure to a comprehensive range of genres:
Classical, jazz, and contemporary art music
Pop, rock, hip-hop, EDM
Country, blues, folk, R&B/soul
Sub-genres and cross-cultural rhythmic traditions
-
Hand Techniques: matched & traditional grip, stroke types, Moeller, hybrid approaches
Foot Techniques: heel-down, heel-toe, slide, swivel, double-pedal concepts
Body Mechanics: breathing, posture, ergonomics, relaxation
-
1. Rhythm & Time
Music begins with rhythm. Students learn to:
Keep a steady beat
Count and subdivide rhythms
Understand time signatures and tempo
Strong rhythm skills are essential for ensemble playing and solo performance.
2. Pitch Accuracy
Technical development includes:
Playing or singing in tune
Understanding high vs. low pitch
Matching pitch by ear
This builds confidence and musical control.
3. Reading Music Notation
Students learn to interpret:
Notes and rests
Rhythmic values
Dynamics and articulations
Musical symbols and markings
Reading allows students to learn new music independently.
4. Technique & Physical Coordination
Each instrument requires physical skills:
Proper posture and alignment
Efficient hand, finger, or breath control
Coordination between limbs or voice and body
Good technique prevents injury and improves sound quality.
5. Tone Production
Students learn how sound is created:
Producing a clear, consistent tone
Controlling volume and quality
Understanding how technique affects sound
Tone is a foundational technical skill on every instrument.
6. Ear Training & Listening Skills
Musicians develop the ability to:
Hear mistakes and correct them
Recognize intervals, chords, and rhythms
Balance their sound with others
Listening is as important as playing.
7. Dynamics & Expression
Technical control allows musicians to shape music:
Playing loud and soft
Accents and articulation
Musical phrasing and expression
This transforms notes into music.
8. Coordination & Independence
Students develop:
Hand-to-hand or voice-to-instrument coordination
Independence between limbs or musical lines
Multitasking skills while performing
This is especially important for piano, drums, and ensemble instruments.
9. Tempo Control & Practice with a Metronome
Musicians learn to:
Maintain consistent tempo
Speed up or slow down intentionally
Practice effectively with a metronome
Tempo control is essential for professional-level playing.
10. Scales, Patterns & Technical Exercises
Technical fluency is built through:
Scales and arpeggios
Pattern recognition
Repetitive technical exercises
These improve accuracy, speed, and muscle memory.
11. Practice Technique
Learning music includes learning how to practice:
Breaking music into sections
Slow, focused repetition
Goal-oriented practice sessions
Good practice habits accelerate progress.
12. Musical Memory
Students develop:
Muscle memory
Visual and aural memory
Confidence performing without relying solely on sheet music
13. Ensemble & Collaboration Skills
Technical musicianship includes:
Playing in time with others
Listening and adjusting
Following a conductor or bandleader
These skills are critical for bands, orchestras, and groups.
14. Style-Specific Techniques
Different genres require different skills:
Classical precision
Jazz swing and harmony
Rock and pop groove
Improvisation and feel
Students learn to adapt technique to style.
Why Technical Skills Matter
Strong technical foundations allow students to:
Learn music faster
Avoid bad habits or injury
Play confidently and musically
Progress from beginner to advanced levels
-
Timekeeping, feel, sound production
Brush techniques in multiple styles
Ensemble interaction and musical decision-making
-
Practice psychology
Focus management
Performance mindset
Growth-oriented learning strategies
-
Rhythmic theory
Polyrhythms
Phrase structure and form
-
Efficient, measurable practice routines
Sensory-based learning: hearing and seeing improvement using audio production equipment.
Alternatives to metronome-based practice. How to use a metronome in unorthodox ways and drumless practice tracks.