How long do you stay with a drum teacher?

Thecowslayer

Senior Member
Hey everyone,
I was wondering what everyones opinions are on how long you should stay with your drum teacher? I've had the same teacher for what I think is about 2 years now, so pretty much, ever since I started playing drums, and I'm starting to think about changing teachers. Not that she is a bad teacher, it just seems like a good idea to learn from more than one person.
 
It's usually a good idea to change teachers when he starts repeating himself.

I take it you mean the teacher's run out of ideas as opposed to reinforcement, which is an essential part of any training.

Just saying ... in case a young drummer reads this and starts questioning his or her teacher for engaging in normal instructive repetition :)
 
You should both make an honest assessment when it's time to move on.

For me, I actually held on to all my teachers until they recommended I move on to a better one who they'd always recommend.

My shortest run was probably my very first teacher who taught me snare drum/reading basics but he wasn't a drummer himself. He was a general music educator who happened to give affordable lessons a few blocks from my childhood house. In all probably 1.5 years.

I had two other teachers who's span ran about 3 years each.

My longest run with a private teacher was about 5 years. He was/is a well known (behind the scenes anyways) drummer who was extremely good at the education part of it as well.

Between those, I had one-off lessons at the Drummer's Collective in NYC and attended some additional "master classes" with some more well known drummers.
 
I take it you mean the teacher's run out of ideas as opposed to reinforcement, which is an essential part of any training.

Just saying ... in case a young drummer reads this and starts questioning his or her teacher for engaging in normal instructive repetition :)

Yeah, I should've clarified that. :)
 
After 4 years with my first tutor I started to question the direction he was taking me. Obviously it takes 2 to tango but I went from looking forward, in a slightly masochistic way, to my lessons to slightly dreading them. That is the test. The tutor was a real pro and would still today be a suitable tutor, but we weren't gelling and that in the end was that.

You can always go back to the same tutor later. You can also have a year off. It's good to mix it up a bit.

Davo
 
After 4 years with my first tutor I started to question the direction he was taking me. Obviously it takes 2 to tango but I went from looking forward, in a slightly masochistic way, to my lessons to slightly dreading them. That is the test. The tutor was a real pro and would still today be a suitable tutor, but we weren't gelling and that in the end was that.

You can always go back to the same tutor later. You can also have a year off. It's good to mix it up a bit.

Davo
Thanks, I like your idea of having a year off.
 
If you pick the right teacher you can stay with that person indefinately. A pro teacher will want you to study with multiple people. I have my 16 year old with 2 pro teachers. We alternate lessons. Two lessons a month one with each teacher.
 
Every teacher has something different to teach. You can switch teachers when you feel that you have learned everything they have to offer and go to someone that knows something else better or has played longer.
 
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