How to Become a Drum Teacher

Professional musicians can make reliable income teaching private or group lessons. Drummers will find the market saturated with interest for drum lessons. But as with all musical teaching, a drummer who wants to become a teacher needs a certain degree of planning and entrepreneurial skill.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Studio space
• Curriculum
• Practice pads or drum set
• Business cards

1. Secure studio space. Set up a home studio, rent commercial office space or work as an independent contractor in an established music studio. For a home or rented studio space, you'll need general business liability insurance and to soundproof your studio. To find an established studio, ask at local music stores about contact lists and community message boards for musicians.

2. Create a curriculum of week-by-week lesson plans, student practice requirements, instructional materials.

3. Decide what equipment you plan to recommend to your students and where they can buy or lease it locally. Be prepared with practice pads and a studio drum set to accommodate beginners who may not yet own their own drum set.

4. Set prices and a payment schedule. Typical fees for half-hour lessons range from $10 to $20, but make yours competitive with the musical lesson rates in your region. Ask other instrumental teachers what they charge. Generally, for collecting payments, ask for payment up front and establish a policy about missed lessons, such as no-refunds or make-options dates.

5. Find students. Established studios will typically bring in students and require a small percentage of your lesson fee. For working independently, post classified ads and flyers on community boards at music stores and music venues. Offer free master classes or group lessons at public schools and local colleges to get your name out there. Hand out business cards before or after performing local concerts or with bands.