How long does it take to learn the drums?

Many drum students ask us how long it will take them to be proficient on the drum set when starting out. After a little digging, We usually discover that there are two things that most new drummers want to establish. 

The first is how long it will take them to play the drums to a level where they will be able to have fun, and the second is establishing if they really have the time to dedicate to learning a musical instrument. We all have busy lives, and time is a premium for most people. At Drumstars, we really do understand that.

It is, of course, an interesting question to answer because it is dependent upon your goals. If your goal is to play for fun as part of a hobby or stress relief, and you want to be able to play along to your favorite music or perhaps with some musician friends, then this is something that can be achieved significantly quicker then if your goal was complete mastery, and world domination.

In many first lessons, I have been asked how accurate the so-called 10’000 hour rule is, and how it applies to learn the drums. This study was made famous in part by Malcolm Gladwell in his book, Outliers. The upshot of the study is that it takes roughly 10’000 hours of practice from beginning to mastery of a given field, and Gladwell sights various examples from violin players in Berlin to computer programming. 10’000 is a massively daunting number, and frankly would make me question any new endeavor I would consider to embark upon.

So again, we return to your goals. If you want to master this instrument, and you have the time, inclination and practice hours to dedicate to it (and the 10’000 hours study is not unreasonable in this respect), then Gladwell’s book might be a good preface to your studies. 

If you want to learn a new hobby, have fun, and perhaps use this as a step to continuing your wider drumming education, then I welcome you warmly to Drum Ambition – the Anti-10’000 hour online service that specializes in delivering structured, methodical and entertaining content to hobbyist and beginner drummers, with the overall goal of having fun on the best instrument in the world – in a realistic amount of time!

This is our approach to Drumstars. We get you straight into the drum beats, drum fills (that’s when you play the tom-toms!), and give you some important tips on being musical along the way. We cover the basics of holding the sticks, posture, using the bass drum pedal, and how to set up and position your drums.

When you use Drumstars, you are not alone. There is email support available, and at the other end of that email, you will find us – the same person who is teaching you. I want to give you the experience of a one to one drum lesson, including support, advice, and extra tips as and when you need help, ready to take that next exciting step.