Aside from private drum teaching here at Amber Valley Drum School, I have also worked as a peripatetic drum teacher in schools in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire over the years.  Now, music in schools is a bit of a mixed bag....I hear that some schools have closed the facility for GCSE music due to there being very little uptake from students, yet other schools seem to have a thriving music community. Of course, all schools are run by teams who have a different focus, and you often see secondary schools now with names such as "sports academy" or "science and technology academy" so you can ..read more

I spoke recently to a lady looking for hand drum tuition for her son. Whilst he loved the idea of hand drumming, he didn't really know where to start... should he get a djembe, or bongos, or congas?? Which would be most useful? We had a good chat, and I've outlined the main points here, but I must point out that this is only my opinion.... another percussionist may hold entirely different views. There is a huge popularity in playing djembe in drum circles, and for many people this gives them all the rhythmic pleasure that they want... to meet up with others in a park and play tribal rhythms ..read more

Many decades ago, a debate was raging amongst drum set drummers...  Split into two camps, these players were arguing over the merits of the latest fad... plastic drum heads. Many of the more conservative players looked on in horror and swore that they would never stop using real calf drum heads, whilst others were quick to embrace the lastest innovations and loved the fact that plastic drum heads didnt go out of tune so easily and were a little more durable.  Fast forward to more modern times and this debate seems almost unimaginable. Plastic drum heads have now been the norm for y ..read more

Im a little late with my best wishes, but its been a busy couple of weeks. The new lockdown, whilst not coming as a surprise has nevertheless meant Ive had to make a few more restrictions with in-person lessons over in Nottingham and continue to concentrate on delivering online drum lessons via Skype...   This is working for all formats - drum kit, snare drum, and percussion.  The last 8 or 9 months have been a bit of a revelation for us all, but we are all adapting to new ways of doing things, and I like many of my music teaching friends have had to embrace the technology and ..read more

linkDue to the current requirements to adhere to strict social distancing, I stopped teaching in Amber Valley at the end of March, and since then have concentrated on giving drum lessons via Skype. Once things have settled down with the Coronavirus I will be back teaching in Amber Valley as normal.... However....I am now able to offer safe drum lessons in Nottingham! I am using space at the Nottingham Drum and Guitar Centre, which is just down the road from the Ice Arena and Bowling alley. The drum centre has car parking facilities and most importantly at the moment it means we can have drum ..read more

Hello and I hope you're all keeping well and staying positive. ​  Im keeping busy and continuing to adapt to teaching via Skype, which is working far better than i had imagined! Im sending music via email so students can print it off before the lesson, and then we do the lesson via the internet! Isnt technology wonderful!  Anyone who fancies a go at this please drop me a line...its a great way to use this lockdown time creatively and keep your drumming progress on track. It seems like the whole industry is adapting... many of the music examination boards are now allowing entry to gr ..read more

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Hope everyone is ok and managing to stay positive in these challenging times. I appreciate that this is short notice and apologise in advance, but I am cancelling drum lessons as of today (Tuesday 17th March) Most of you will be unaware but i have an immune system illness which requires me to inject myself on a regular basis. Whilst this in no way makes me any more likely to contract the illness (or pass it on), it does mean im at a bad risk if i do contract it. Having spoken with my doctor, the outcome is that its not a good ideal for me to sit in close proximity to others ..read more

We now have a selection of top quality drums and percussion for hire! Ideally suited to those in the East Midlands (Nottingham, Derby, Lincoln, Leicester), our rental stock includes instruments that would benefit Orchestral and Concert percussionists looking to add professional quality instruments to their set up.  Our Sonor KGL30 Glockenspiel, Tama Concert Snare Drum, Zildjian Suspended Cymbal etc are ideal for orchestral use, whilst our Premier Timbales and Pearl Folkloric Bongos will add a touch of latin flavour to your music! We also have a Gretsch USA Maple snare drum...add this to your ..read more

Those of you who know me well will know im a huge fan of the books of American drum teacher and author, Joel Rothman. I use one of his books in my lessons on a daily basis, The Mini-Monster Book of Rock Drumming.... In my opinion, this is the best drum book on the market and covers everything you need to become a competent drummer! I now have a few copies for sale, all signed by Joel and available now for £19.99 each. This book will take you from beginner level to advanced ..read more

Id like to wish you all a very merry Christmas, and a happy and healthy new year!  See you in 2018 ..read more