Seattle Drum School

My 9 year old daughter has been taking ukulele lessons, and we love this place!

I can’t say enough great things about Seattle Drum School and my son’s teacher, Mike Stone. Their environment is low pressure and they are welcoming and helpful. From scheduling to information on equipment, I’ve always had all my questions answered happily.
Mike has been giving my son lessons for 3 years and continues to be fun, supportive, and tremendously helpful. He has a great way of keeping my son engaged and interested in learning new things. They started with drums, but are now often playing the piano as well. We feel really lucky to have found him!

Aaaaaah The Seattle Drum School! We LOVE it! Our kids (teenagers) take drum, voice, and guitar lessons at Seattle Drum School. It is the highlight of their week! How great to have individualized, challenging, positive lessons each week. The kids walk out of their weekly lessons humming, feeling energized and excited about life and music.
Our kid’s school orchestra has a set program, with no student imput, but students at the Drum School really can go any direction. When our son did guitar at ages 8 and 9, the teacher just followed our little guy’s interest and they went from blues to Beatles to fingerpicking to strumming their guts out. All this with emphasis on correct technique, of course!
This is a family-​run business and that makes it even better. Everyone welcomes us, and the positive vibes are contagious.
When we decided we wanted to do lessons, we called the school, told them about our kids, and asked about what teachers would work best with the interests/​personalities of our kids. Well, the phone match-​maker did a great job because our kids really like their teachers and want to work hard and impress them. So important in the teen years to have great adults around for growth and encouragement.
Thank you Seattle Drum School!

Agreed that the Seattle Drum School is THE most welcoming businesses in Seattle! Began as a student with absolutely no rythm, to a giging drummer playing shows all the time. Teachers here are professional with their own unique styles. Their recording studio at the L.A.B. (Little Auditorium in the Back) is very affordable and better yet, quality production from people who care. Pick an instrument, cause they have a teacher for you!

When my son was 3 someone gave him a mini drum kit– and i couldn’t stop playing with it. I decided to take a few lessons at the drum school to see if i was interested enough to get my own kit. John Wicks (now with Fitz and the Tantrums) was my first teacher– and he couldn’t have been more enthusiastic and encouraging. My shy awkwardness at being an adult beginner morphed into a «why not, I’m having fun!» attitude.
John left for LA and drum fame, and suggested Steve Smith as my new teacher. Good suggestion! That was over 10 years ago, and I have been playing at most every club in town, with many bands, and for the first time — this mom is going on tour!
Steve has built an amazing business in the drum school. He is a great teacher– and brings together a wide group of talented teacher musicians. And somehow they are all «people persons»! The atmosphere is always friendly and welcoming– and they are amazing with kids.
A lot of moms have said to me that they wished they could play the drums. I say– you can! just start doing it! But it really helps to have the support of the wonderful music community at the Seattle Drum School.

I went here several years ago to take guitar lessons (yes they have them, despite being a drum school: P). I had fun, learned some new ways of playing things. The instructors I had were chill and easy-​going. sometimes too easy-​going when I couldn’t figure out what songs I wanted to learn, but that’s mostly my problem.
If you go here for guitar, I’d definitely recommend buying a basic chords book to learn the chords, so you don’t have to spend several lessons going over just that (saves money, and lets you get down to the fun stuff).
Yes, they have cats. Yes, it’s inside a cramped old house. The parking lot can be a bit dodgy (it’s also cramped). And I don’t know if that other reviewer is joking. but I thought their «political» signs were funny and a needed laugh in the sometimes overwhelming political season.
The LAB in the back is pretty cool, and I’ve seen some all-​ages shows of local bands.
All in all, try it out for fun to see if you like it. I can’t recall the rates, but I believe they (still) want you to pay fees on a monthly basis.

Seattle Drum School means family… We have had our two kids (boy — guitar; girl — bass) take lessons and do the summer camps at their North Seattle location and they are absolutely fabulous. Their instructors are able to teach from beginner to semi-​pro level and have taken our kids through it all. They can teach all instruments (or at least all that they have been interested in) and types of music from rock, punk, jazz and world. But the school is more than just teaching to music, they teach to the artistry, professionalism and creation of music.
All of the instructors are awesome (they have a who’s who list) and huge shout outs go to Ari Joshua, Ben Rudd, Mike Stone and Byron Vannoy that we have personally worked with (but again, they are all good) and to Nemanja and Sonja (the glue that binds!) .
And there isn’t enough to be said for the heart and soul that Steve and Kristy Smith put into their own teaching and the running of the Seattle Drum School. Your kids become their kids AND nobody takes better care of their kids than Steve and Kristy. Thank you two for all that you do for the community and thanks for the great teaching you provide for our kids… it is appreciated!

Please stop leaving me angry, and hateful voicemail messages on my telephone.

Hello, gentle reader… did you miss me? I missed you. *referring to the fact that it’s been, like, forever since I’ve written a review*
Anyway… where was I? Oh yeah… Seattle Drum School. It ain’t just for drums anymore. *pause* Well… now that I think about it, I don’t know if it’s ever just been drums so don’t quote me. (My understanding is that they also offer bass, DJ, guitar, keyboard, saxophone, trumpet, and voice classes.)
Sidebar: In case you didn’t know, I’m a big fan of the deals offered on… say… Groupon, LivingSocial, etc. With that said, one of them web sites was offering one of them great deals and I took it. *pause* (I do not know why that last sentence was sounding kindah Southernly… sorry about that.) Anyway, where I was going is that it’s totally worth the price. (Especially if you’re not really sure what instrument you wanna take, on accountah you’ll know by the end of the four classes if you’re digging your instrument or not.)
With that said, I recently finished my four classes with my drumming instructor, Jeremy.
— He lives drums.
— He rocks out.
— He teaches well.
I guess that old adage is true, on accountah my ½-​hour classes went way too fast.
Iff’n you’re interested, here’s a cheat sheet… you know, if you decide to sign up for drum lessons and you’re an overachiever:
One and two and three and four and…
… one and two and three and four and…
… one and two and three and four and…
… one and two and three and four and.
(Lather. Rinse. Repeat.)
If you can do this with your right hand, you’re doing good. If you can do this with your right hand and keep pretty good rhythm, you’re doing great. And Jeremy will tell you so. Whilst rocking out. *insert «rock lock» here (
)*

Cats? Nobody told me that this place had cats! Walking into the lobby I can feel my throat close up a little because I’m so allergic to the cute kitties that live here.

The receptionist is professional even though the place has a very home-​like feel.
I have had two drum lessons from two different teachers and they both were excellent. I recommend trying a few different teachers to see if someone is a better fit for your learning-​style.
The 373 bus stops directly in front of the school’s door! Convenient!
The price is going up to 35 dollars for a 30 min. lesson… still a good price for the quality instruction that is available here.

I’ve been taking lessons from Steve Smith (the owner of the school) for over a year and a half now. I can’t believe the results I’m getting from his lessons and a lot of practicing. Anyone who is actually serious about becoming a more talented, technical, relaxed drummer should come here.

It’s nearly a year later, and I’m still taking drum lessons here. Love it!

They may be small but they pack a punch when it comes to laying down the back beat. Drum lessons, supplies, good advise… its all here.