Whether you want to learn to drum or improve your already existing drumming skills, taking private drum lessons will kickstart or dramatically improve your drumming. For private drum lessons look no further than the Mississauga Fine Arts Academy.
About Our Music School
We are an established music school that offers in-person and online private drum lessons in the heart of Mississauga, Ontario. Whether you are looking for drumming lessons for yourself or drumming lessons for children, we assure you that we can meet all your music education needs right here at our prestigious music academy.
If you are new to drumming and are looking for beginner drum lessons or you want to improve your already existing drumming skills and are looking for intermediate drum lessons, we are the answer to your quest for the best drum lessons provided by professionals in Mississauga. Our curriculum will accommodate your individual needs, skill level, and allow you to succeed on your drum learning journey.
Our students come for in-person music lessons not only from Mississauga but also from Milton, Oakville, Brampton, and Toronto. This is because our drumming teachers are master drummers, accomplished and talented musicians, and also great educators. They aspire to transfer their love for the rhythm and beat to everyone that has an interest in learning to play the drums. Our drum teachers will teach you all the skills you need to learn or improve your drumming.
Our online drumming lessons are available to you in the comfort of your own home if you chose this as the best option for you. We guarantee that you will learn or improve your drumming skills regardless of what type of lesson delivery method you choose.
Students and Parents Testimonials
Interesting Facts About Drums, And Drumming
History and development of drums
The very first drums were made out of fish or reptile skins stretched tight over hollow tree trunks. They were played by striking the drum with the player’s hands.
The next kind of drums were made of skins of domesticated animals or wild mammals stretched over pots or over large holes dug in the ground. These drums were played with sticks. The oldest drum to ever be discovered came from Neolithic China. It was made of clay shell and alligator skin, hence the name Alligator Drum. This drum dates back as early as 5500 BC. It was used in religious rituals and ceremonies.
The first frame drums were used around 5000 years ago by the ancient civilizations in the Middle East, which were later adopted by the Greeks and the Romans. The Chinese military used drums to motivate their troops, for marching pace, to call out military orders and announcements. The first drum with skins on both ends of a tubular shell was used by the Romans.
In Africa, the drums have been the heartbeat of the community for centuries. Drums have been used for the celebration of all aspects of life, communication, and in battle. The so-called “Talking Drums” has been used to transmit messages between tribes, sometimes across great distances. Here is a video depicting talking drums in Africa.
The Europeans brought the tambourine (a small frame drum with pairs of small jingles) from the Middle East, where it’s called a Riq. Along with the tambourine, they also adapted the tabor (small tubular drum) and the naker (kettledrum).
Tambourine
Riq
The tabor was used with a snare made of a thin cord of dried animal gut across the head of the drum. This made a rattling sound when the tabor was played.
The tabor is the ancestor of today's modern snare drum (pictured below).
The nakers (naqqara or naqareh in Arabic) were kettledrums first used in the Middle East. These drums were small and usually in pairs where one naqqara is high pitched and the other is low pitched. Their shell was made of baked clay with a rounded back and the head made of treated skin fastened around the rim of the shell. This did not allow for the pitch of the instrument to be altered. They were played with wooden sticks.
Ancient kettledrum
Kettledrums from the 18th century
In the 15th century, a larger version of these drums was used by horseback armies in the Middle East and Asia. These drums were made of large metal or copper bowls and goatskin pulled tightly across the bowl. The Europeans added screw-tension and a so-called “counter hoop” to allow for tuning these drums.
The timpani continued evolving, especially in the 19th century, when it was attached to a wooden base and rods and bolts were added. The rods attached the counter hoop to a metal ring below the bowl. Later on, tympani was made to change its pitch by rotation of the instrument itself. The foot pedal mechanisms were added to allow for quick tuning changes and the playing of more complex melodies with a different pitch.
Timpani today
The standard set comes with four drums. The timpani is played by a variety of timpani sticks or timpani mallets depending on the desired timbre. The timpani player is called a timpanist.
For a demonstration of tuning, preparation, and warming up before playing timpani see this video:
The bass drum, also called kick drum, is a large drum that has a low pitch. It makes a low boom sound when the mallet hits the drum head. Its predecessor was a large drum used in the Otoman (Turkish) Empire called davul. It was used mainly in their armies to guide the marching of the soldiers. It was also adapted into their folk music.
The long drums were drums made of hollow tree trunks up to 2 meters long and two heads made of animal skins. Two distinct types of sticks were used to play each side of these drums. They were used by indigenous peoples in religious ceremonies.
The gong drums were invented in the 19th century in Europe, after the long drums. They have a narrower shell and a single large drum head. These drums evolved into the orchestral bass drums used today. The bass drums are highly visible in the drum kit. They are widely used in marching bands.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, William Ludwig created the bass drum pedal which allowed the player to use the foot to strike a double-headed bass drum much the same way as with a drum stick using the hand. This led to the wide incorporation of the bass drum in the drum sets of bands in many different types of music genres such as classical, pop, rock, and jazz.
Joby Burgess is a Bass drum player that is breaking any barriers for the bass drum by incorporating bass drum in classical music and also using bass drum in many other genres. His innovative and creative playing skills of the bass drums is very impressive. This is a video of Joby Burgess playing bass drums in the “ Bass Drum Concerto Premiere By Princeton Symphony Orchestra”, composed by the talented composer Gabriel Prokofiev:
Other Types Of Drums
There are many different drums around the world. Some are played by hand and some with mallets. They come in different shapes and are made of a variety of materials with distinctive patterns and playing techniques. These are a few of them:
Congas are tall, single-headed Cuban drums that usually come in groups of two or three. There are types of congas: Quinto (smallest, highest-pitched), Tres dos/tres golpes (middle/medium), and Tumba/Salidor (largest). They are used in Afro-Cuban jazz, conga, rumba, and other Latino styles of music.
Bongos are also Afro-Cuban drums. They are small drums with open bottoms that come in pairs. The smaller drum is called “Macho” and the larger one is “Hembra.”
Tabla is an Indian drum. They come in pairs and are different in size and shape.
Bodhran is an Irish/Celtic frame drum that is played by hands or with tippers (beaters).
Goblet drums (Tarabuka, Darbuka) are a family of membranophone single-head drums that get their name from their shape.
Components of a drum set
A drum set used in pop, jazz or rock music often consists of a bass drum struck with a foot pedal operated mallet, a snare drum, a few tubular drums of different sizes (toms), and a set of cymbals.
The first commercial electronic drum set was produced in 1976 by Pollard Industries, called Pollard Syndrum. It was followed by the Simmons company’s SDS-5 electronic drum. Rolland and Yamaha followed suit with their own versions. The sound the electronic drums produce can not perfectly reproduce the sound of the original acoustic drums. This is one of the reasons many drummers still prefer and use acoustic drum sets.
Classical composers who included percussion instruments
Famous Drummers
FAQ
Beginners do not necessarily need a full drum kit immediately. Students often start with a practice pad to learn basic rhythms and stick handling. As they progress, the instructor can advise on purchasing an electronic drum kit (for quiet practice) or an acoustic set based on the student's housing situation and goals.
The academy's instructors are master drummers capable of teaching all major styles including Rock, Jazz, Metal, Pop, and Blues. Whether a student wants to learn the complex improvisation of Jazz or the high-energy beats of Rock, the lessons are tailored to their musical preference.
Yes. The school provides private drum lessons for students of all ages, from children to adults. The curriculum is customized so that adult beginners can learn at their own pace, while advanced drummers can focus on refining technique or preparing for performances.
Yes. The academy offers online drum lessons for students who prefer to learn from the comfort of their own home. These lessons are just as effective as in-person classes, with teachers providing real-time feedback on timing, grip, and rhythm via video.
Beyond musical skill, the academy highlights that drumming is an excellent physical workout that can burn more calories than cycling in a 30-minute session. It also significantly improves limb independence, coordination, stress relief, and mental focus.
Private drum lessons are currently priced at $39.50 per 30-minute session. Lessons are scheduled weekly, available seven days a week, and require a one-time registration fee of $25.
The academy acknowledges the benefits of both. While acoustic drums offer an authentic sound preferred by many, electronic drums are also discussed as a practical option for volume control. Students can learn the techniques required for both types of kits.
No prior musical experience is required. The teachers will instruct students on how to read drum notation and understand rhythm theory as part of the lessons, ensuring they build a strong musical foundation while learning to play.
Our Academy of music provides many other different types of private lessons.
To accommodate your busy schedules and lesson preferences we provide private in class music lessons in Mississauga, Ontario (Peel Region) and also online music lessons, including:
Brass instrument lessons including Trumpet lessons
Music Theory lessons and History lessons
Begin Your Journey
We provide one on one private music classes, including RCM theory classes, voice lessons, and harmony lessons, in person at our convenient Mississauga location and online voice and harmony lessons.
Our drum lessons are in person and online.
Visit us and see for yourself why we provide the best drum lessons in Mississauga.
Our current rate is $39.50 per 30-minute private drum lesson.
Lessons are scheduled once a week and available seven days a week. There is a one-time registration fee of $25.00.
No prior musical experience is required to start lessons.
Don't delay your discovery of the bright and exciting drumming world! Sign up today.
The Academy's passion is not only to see children and adult students fall in love with music and play musical instruments but to also spill over their joy and love onto others. Make this world a better place through music, come, and learn to play the guitar at the Mississauga Fine Arts Academy.
