FAQ

★ Drumsticks (approx. £5)
★ The Rockschool Drums Method Book (approx. £15).

Sizes 7a or 5a are fine.

Our lessons are taught during the school day so your child will miss about 20 minutes of a lesson. Don’t worry though – our lesson timetables are rotated every half term so children don’t miss the same lesson each week.

Lessons missed during school time due to short term illness, school events/trips or last-minute absences or cancellations will not be refunded or rearranged. This includes non-emergency school closures with less than 48 hour’s notice given to us.
However, if a tutor misses a lesson, it will be fully credited back to you the next half term.
Lesson payment is due before your child’s first lesson back after each half term. The ongoing support and respect from our wonderful clients enables Drum with Alex to keep going. We understand that life can get hectic – but please remember to show our small business some love and pay on time!

The Rockschool Method book is awesome for complete beginners. It costs around £15 and is available online.

Not to begin with. Our founder didn’t have a kit for his first 2 years of learning, until his parents gave in! We recommend buying a kit after about 3 months of lessons.

Yes! Pots and pans, pillows and cushions are your best friend for this.

Honestly, yes. While you can still practise drums without a kit, nothing beats learning with your very own instrument. You might want to wait until you know drummings for you, but once you do – a kit’s a great investment. A new beginner acoustic drum kit costs around £199. Buying brand new or second hand are both fine.

Electronic kits are awesome. Their small and compact structure lets you practise in smaller spaces. Those reduced noise levels lets you tap those pads to your heart’s content and stay on your neighbour’s good sides! The built in metronome and kit sounds features help you hone your skill, explore different sounds and get the most out of this wonderful instrument.

Roland, Yamaha or Alesis are brilliant for electronic kits. For an acoustic kit, you can’t go wrong with Pearl, Natal, Mapex, Tama, or Yamaha. Our favourite online shop is Gear4Music – they stock a wide range of equipment that considers drummers of all abilities. And the prices are even better!

If you’re looking for a drum shop specialist, Graham Russell Drums in Hampshire is the best place to go. It happens to be the UK’s biggest drum store. And drummer’s heaven. Seriously – it’s that good. Whether you’re a seasoned drummer or just starting out, their lovely staff are itching to share their guidance and advice.

Before buying a second-hand kit, always make sure to check out its overall condition. Before you part with your cash, ask yourself: is there anything missing? Does it come with all the foot pedals? Does it include a stool? If you can, ask for advice from someone you know who has drum knowledge. Gumtree, eBay and Facebook Marketplace are great places to pick up decent second-hand kits.

The million-dollar question! Even if it’s for a few minutes, practising everyday makes a world of difference. Practising isn’t just using the drum kit. It’s listening to songs, reading a piece of music, listening to a podcast, tapping on a table. You get the gist. Whatever floats your goat – it all counts!
We set a 100-day practice challenge for our budding students. Our calendar chart tracks your important 25/50/75/100 day milestones with rewards like stickers, badges and certificates. Our DWA family understands tracking your progress and celebrating those small but powerful wins when learning an instrument makes you love it more. But don’t worry – this challenge is designed to be fun. So there’s absolutely no pressure to tick everything off. We also understand that this practice depends on your level of involvement. And we do suggest taking regular breaks, which is just as important.