Welcome to
Hi! My name is James Sykes and I offer drum lessons to students of all ages and abilities using online services like Zoom, Skype or Facetime.
I am a professional drum teacher who is primarily based in Nottingham but I have recently started to offer online lessons to all students no matter where you are in the world. Thanks to the power of technology all you would need to get started is a device with a camera on it and an active internet connection. Offering online lessons has been a great way to connect and help musicians all over the world, not just in my local area.
In my experience online lessons are a great way to learn an instrument and I have found that I am able to offer as high quality lessons as I would be even if we were doing face to face lessons. They provide a great way for students to learn music or a new instrument without ever having to leave the comfort of your own home. I think being in a comfortable and relaxed environment while your learning is a crucial part of retaining the most information and making the most progress.
Get in touch to find out more.
Please let me know if you have any questions about booking your first online drum lesson.
I have being playing and teaching the drums for many years. I am very passionate about my instrument and I still love it today just as much as when I first started. My lessons are suitable for students of all ages (6+) so don't be afraid to book your first lesson whether you've never played the drums before or even if you have been playing for years.
I am fluent and capable of teaching in a wide range of styles and genres, having a wealth of experience playing and teaching them over the years. Whatever direction you want to take the lessons in is fine by me and together we will work through material that is tailored and suited to your style and musical needs.
Lessons are pay-as-you-go, weekly, fortnightly or as suits you.
Both beginner and advanced students are welcome to take drum lessons with me, so it doesn't matter whether you're looking to start from the very beginning or if you're just looking to improve on your existing skills, anybody is welcome.
I have been fortunate enough over the years to have had an extremely fun and varied amount of working experience in drum teaching. I have worked within secondary schools and colleges which allowed me to provide group lessons to large classes. This gave me the opportunity to work with people of all ages and backgrounds on a one-to-one and collective basis.
I feel that my years of live experience performing in genres such as jazz, funk, soul, hip-hop and rock groups to name just a few, has greatly contributed to my abilities and my attitude towards teaching. I take pride in being a versatile teacher and feel confident that I can tailor lessons to meet the needs of all individual students.
I am a fully qualified drummer and have graduated from the University of Northampton with a BA Hons in popular music. I have also achieved a Grade 8 certification on my instrument. Alongside teaching I have toured as a musician around various venues in the UK. I have 4 years experience of supporting students with additional learning needs and I believe the lessons I provide can truly cater for all students from any walk of life.
I am a very relaxed and friendly teacher. I have been a student myself so I understand what it's like to be the one learning new information and how daunting it can be sometimes. I believe I am very approachable and you can always ask as many questions as you need to make sure you feel comfortable and to ensure that we are moving at a pace that you are happy with. I take great pride in creating the best learning environment I can for all students.
As I am a professional and full time teacher, I can offer very flexible teaching hours that suit you and your schedule. This makes booking and arranging lessons a breeze as there is no pressure to book regular slots, just whenever suits you. I find that most students tend to take a one hour lesson with me per week to ensure the most consistent and steady development and progress is made. Younger students tend to take only 30 minute lessons to help keep their attention span.
All of the lessons I provide are tailored and suited to each student I work with. I understand that we all want and love different things about music, so I will always be adapting the material I teach and my teaching style to suit you. Some people only want to learn the practical skills needed to be a better drummer but I also offer musical theory lessons too to help you become a better general and all round musician who is prepared for real world settings such as gigs and recordings etc.
Here is some information to help you get prepared to take your online guitar lessons.
Speed Test, is a very useful tool as having a stable internet connection is one of the most important parts to these lessons. Here you will be able to see what your speeds are and we will only need a speed of 3mbps to have a stable enough connection for the lessons.
As well as a stable internet connection you will need to have access to some kind of electronic device that has a camera on it. This could be things like a laptop, tablet or a smartphone. Many things have cameras on them nowadays so once we have access to one of these you are ready to go.
Once you have a device ready to go, there are many services we can use to connect for the actual lessons. The most common and reliable service tends to be Zoom. If this doesn't work things like Skype or Facetime for Apple device users are also an option.
My job as an online drum teacher is to provide you with all the knowledge and skills that you will need to be able to play your favorite songs by your favorite artists all from the comfort of your own home. I am very passionate about what I do and together we can get you to become the drummer you've always wanted to be.
[email protected]Lessons are £14 for half an hours or £25 for an hours tuition.
Lessons are provided online using services such as Zoom, FaceTime or Skype. There are others we can try but these tend to work fine for the majority of people.
I teach students of all ages 6+.
No you can attend lessons as and when you like. I would recommend one hour a week for the most consistent progress.
Any lessons cancelled within 48 hours can still be charged for. I am happy to reschedule cancelled lessons where possible.
Please don't hesitate to get in touch for more information on booking your first Zoom drum lesson today.
Drum Teacher
James Sykes