What I've Learned After 5 Years of Teaching Virtual Drum Lessons

When parents and adult students ask me if virtual drum lessons are as good as in person lessons, I tell them the truth. It depends on the student. But after teaching virtually for five years and working with students from London to Los Angeles, I've changed my mind about what's possible over Zoom or FaceTime. It works. Really well, actually.

Here's what I've learned.

Virtual lessons aren't perfect, let's be honest

Teaching virtually does have real challenges. Not being in the same room as a student can make it difficult to show certain techniques. Also, for a young student, it can be hard to get them to focus. A laggy internet connection or a weak microphone can break the flow of a lesson.

But once you find the right setup, virtual lessons with the right student can be just as productive as in person lessons. Sometimes more so. All you really need is a stable internet connection, a decent camera angle, and a student who's ready to learn.

How I ended up teaching virtually (a year before COVID)

I started teaching virtual lessons five years ago, a year before the covid pandemic actually. One of my in person students moved from New York to California and wanted to keep taking lessons. So I started teaching him virtually, and it worked. Because of him, I was ready when covid hit and most of my students suddenly needed to go virtual too. Without that early experience, I would not have been able to teach a lot of them during the lockdown.

Now I teach students all over the world from my New York studio. I might have an in person student in NY at one hour and a student in London virtually the next. Pretty cool. That was impossible for me to do before virtual lessons existed.

Students who can't come to me in person can still learn from me

This is the biggest thing for me. Students who would not be able to take lessons because of distance, illness, or scheduling, are now able to. I've taught students in California, London, India, North Carolina, and a bunch of other places I've never set foot in. That reach is something I never had as a strictly in person teacher.

I'm a better teacher because of it

Teaching globally has opened my own ears. My students bring me music I would have never come across on my own. Songs from their cultures, songs from their school bands, songs in genres outside of what I'd be playing on a gig. To help a student learn a song, I usually have to learn it myself first. Sometimes I'll write out a drum chart for them so it's easier to follow.

That process makes me a better musician. Without my students, my listening would mostly be limited to what I'm working up for my next gig. Instead I've become a fan of artists I would never have heard otherwise.

It also forces me to adjust my curriculum constantly. A grade school student in London is playing in a different musical environment than one in India or one here in Westchester. Every student needs the same foundation: proper technique, rudiments, and reading. That stuff applies to any good drummer. But after that, I love seeing students branch into the styles they actually want to play.

Better scheduling for everyone

Most of my in person students take lessons on weekends, after work, or after school, because that's when they're free. That used to leave the middle of my weekday wide open.

Virtual lessons changed that. London is five or six hours ahead of New York. So a 10 AM lesson in my studio is a 3 PM lesson over there, which is a perfectly normal afternoon time for a student in London. Same goes for students in other time zones. I can fit more students in without anyone having to compromise their day.

No travel, no weather cancellations

If you've ever had a child's lesson cancelled because of snow or ice, you'll appreciate this one. Virtual lessons happen in any weather. The only time I've ever had to cancel one for weather is when there was a power outage. Otherwise, snow days don't exist.

Students play better when they're relaxed

This one I noticed almost by accident. Students taking virtual lessons are usually more relaxed than students who travel to me. They're in their own home, on their own kit, on the instrument they practice on every day. They aren't driving in traffic, then sitting down at an unfamiliar kit with no time to warm up.

A relaxed student learns faster. A comfortable student is willing to try the hard thing.

You get to pick the right teacher, not just the closest one

In person, students are stuck picking teachers within driving distance of their home. That's a small pool. Virtually, students can pick a teacher from anywhere in the world. Someone who specializes in the genre they want to play, someone with the experience and the personality they get along with.

That's a big benefit for the student. It also makes teachers be better. There's no captive local audience anymore.

Is a virtual drum lesson right for you?

If you have a stable internet connection, your own drum kit (acoustic or electronic, either works fine), and the focus to sit for 30 to 60 minutes, virtual lessons can work great for you. If you're a parent and you're wondering whether your younger child can stay focused on a screen for a full lesson, I get it. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it's no. We can do a free trial lesson together and figure out if the format fits.

If you're curious, your first lesson is on me. Book a free virtual drum lesson and let's see how it goes.