Syracuse drum lessons for all skill levels and ages!
Learn drumset, marching percussion, mallets, rhythm notation, and more!
🔔 Patrick R. F. Blakley is SyracuseDrums.com and CNYdrums.com – – – Get the very best drum lessons in
Syracuse, New York by a certified percussion judge for Winterguard International and the New York State Field Band Conference! If you’re looking to fine-tune your craft, or even just want to learn to play a simple groove, Syracuse drum lessons can help! Drum lessons in Syracuse for any ability level or age! Online drum lessons or hybrid drum lessons are also an option for students or even seasoned drummers looking for an evaluation.
Syracuse drum lessons are available for all percussionists and non-percussionists alike. The very best way to learn something is one-on-one with a professional, especially something with as many nuances as drumming. Information is tailored 100% for you and your unique needs. Drumline lessons, pit lessons, drum set lessons, and more are all available by signing up here! SyracuseDrums.com is a fully insured percussion studio!
Complete the below drum lesson sign-up form and view the pricing information for a quick and easy onboarding. Parents, feel free to stay or just drop off students as you please. The studio offers a comfortable couch to watch during the lessons, or there are plenty of shops nearby if you want to come back later. A flexible schedule means you can learn drums at your own speed. Want to just do a single lesson? You got it! Need to prep for a solo fest, concert, or competition? Let’s do a bunch of lessons to get you totally prepared! You’re in charge, just let me know your drum lesson goal and we’ll get you there together! At Syracuse Drums we specialize in one thing: Drums!
Choose SyracuseDrums.com for your Syracuse drum lessons starting at just $15!
Learn drums for fun or get prepared for auditions, solos, concerts, or competitions!
🥁 Practice Space Rental Here! 🥁
Do you need a space to practice drums in Syracuse with a real drumset or real marching drums? You’ve found it! Click here for info.
Why choose Syracuse Drums for your Syracuse drum lessons?
Taking drum lessons in Syracuse comes with many choices. The Syracuse drum lessons percussion studio offers a huge variety of percussion instrumentation from concert drums, marching drums, drum sets, and mallets! A full list of equipment is available here. Marching percussion includes snare drum, tenor drums, bass drum, cymbals, and mallets. Concert percussion includes snare drum, tom toms, bass drum, mallets, and accessories such as bongos, clave, guiro, djembe, suspended cymbal, udu, talking drum, tabla, gong, tambourine, maracas, even spoons! The studio also features two drumsets that are set up for various styles, see below for all the drumset lesson styles offered. If you’re interested in learning things like rhythm notation or composition we can discuss that too. Is anything missing that you need? Syracuse Drums has you covered! Just let me know using this contact link!
Most Recent Reviews or Testimonials:
Submit your own review or testimonial on Google, Facebook, or Directly to Us!
Patrick was a great instructor, great atmosphere to be in. This was my first time drumming, I really enjoyed my time and I couldn’t find a better place to start my drumming adventure, I highly recommend. -Fabio D.
My 8 year-old son has been taking lessons for nearly 3 months now and we cannot rave about it enough! The instructor is passionate and effective. My son can be self-deprecating at times, and Mr. Blakely has a way to ensure that even “mistakes” can be good! Always sends a summary for review at home. My son has been asking to increase frequency because he enjoys his sessions so much. Would highly recommend! -Sandy G.
Above: Studio drumset #1 – Simple layout with smaller connected rack toms
Above: Studio drumset #2 – Standard layout with larger split toms
Get the most of out your drum lessons in Syracuse!
If you’re looking for the best drum lessons in Syracuse you’ve found it! Syracuse Drums has two full-size drum sets in the studio which makes learning a breeze since you’re able to hear examples in real time while learning! Playing together while learning makes it more enjoyable and speeds up the learning process altogether. Students will be able to hear examples of exercises while being told how to approach them. This lesson format increases the rate of learning for the student considerably. Check out the studio setups here. And if you’re just starting out, don’t be intimidated, we’ll focus on your level and make it fun because that’s what drumming is all about! At the end of each lesson, you’ll be emailed a complete summary of your lesson with notes, suggestions, and all the topics we covered!
Below are the major areas of my expertise with 30+ years of experience as a musician teaching drum lessons in Syracuse, as a New York State Field Band Conference music judge, and as a certified percussion judge for Winterguard International. Looking for something else? Click here and let me know! These lessons will be totally customized to you and your schedule!
NEW: Online / Digital Drum Instruction & Video Critiques with Analysis!
Submit your prepared video or audio and get a video response with in-depth feedback and analysis!
Even if you don’t live in Syracuse, or you just feel more comfortable submitting a prepared audio/video recording online instead, we can still work together to help you progress! You’ve heard of online drum lessons or remote drum lessons before right? Digital instruction is a little different and may be preferable to many potential students and drummers. Unlike in-person lessons, with digital instruction you can just simply submit a prepared audio or video file and get a professional in-depth critique and video response in return! You’ll also get first-impression reactions followed by analysis, a written evaluation, suggestions for future focal points, and more! You can practice and prepare yourself as much as you like before submitting a video or audio file, or simply send a file you’ve already created! Video and audio files can be of you playing drums behind your drumset, marching drum, or concert instrument. Files can even be of your full band jamming at practice or at a show on stage! Have an EP or album out? Submit a track for analysis and get an honest take by a professional music judge! If you want a percussive critique you can submit anything you want!
Here’s how digital drum instruction works:
- Select a video or audio file you’d like to have critiqued and reviewed. Files can be any length and should probably include drumming through most of it (along with any accompanying instrumentation you’d like).
- Fill out the online submission form with details and pricing options. Digital drum instruction starts at only $10! (plus electronic payment fees if applicable.)
- Sit back and relax while your audio/video is reviewed and the assessment is typed up by a professional music judge with the New York Federation of Contest Judges and certified percussion judge with Winterguard International. You will then receive a video file with first-impression reaction commentary followed by a written analysis or evaluation of your audio/video with specific ideas to focus on next and general guides to improve at your current level.
No Drumset? No Problem! Just use your drumsticks on a drum pad, pillow, the floor, or on your legs!
Unlike standard online drum lessons, these online drum instructional submissions will allow you to bypass any nerves and take as much time to prepare your video as you need. This is a great way to practice toward achieving a goal and then getting direct feedback! You can then apply the feedback and practice to submit another video or just simply use the analysis as a launching point to continue down your own path! There are no obligations, you can submit a single video to see where you’re at, or submit videos on a regular schedule of your choosing – completely on your own time! With this style of online drum lessons, you never need to worry about the studio’s schedule, just submit a video whenever it works for you!
CLICK HERE TO REQUEST DIGITAL DRUM INSTRUCTION
Conflict of interest note: Due to judging rules, video submissions and lessons are not available to members of the New York State Field Band Conference during the season.
Above: Digital drum instruction response video screenshot. Get first-impression feedback in real-time followed by a written in-depth analysis and evaluation!
Syracuse drum lessons will also help to prepare for the upcoming marching band, indoor percussion, or parade band seasons too!
If your school’s marching band season is underway or the indoor percussion music just dropped, we can get you up to speed ahead of the pack! Are you auditioning for a new spot this year? Set up some early lessons to help stand out from the crowd and ensure your best chances! Marching snare drum lessons, marching tenor drum lessons, and marching bass drum lessons are our specialties. Bring your warmups, exercises, and sheet music so we can make notes and polish any tricky spots, we can even work on memorization.
Take a look at the marching publications available on this site that can also help prepare you for any marching activity. Quadratics: The tenor drum equation, The Field Percussion User Manual, and The Drumline & Pit Information Packet. You should also check out the free drumline warmups, the free pit warmups, and the free drumset exercises.
Drum lessons in Syracuse for any ability level
Syracuse drum lesson instrumentation at a glance: Drum sets, concert snare drums, marching snare drums, tom toms, marching tenor drums (quads/quints/sextets), concert bass drum, marching bass drum, suspended cymbals, crash cymbals (concert and marching), marimba, bells/glockenspiel, piano, gong, bongos, castanets, maracas, guiro, triangle, clave, djembe, congas, tambourine, break drum, doumbek, talking drum, udu, tabla, rainstick, and even spoons! See the detailed instrumentation list here.Follow Syracuse Drums on Facebook for news, updates, and even special deals!
Syracuse drum lessons and Central New York drum lessons
SyracuseDrums.com percussion studio is located in North Syracuse which is just a short drive from Downtown Syracuse, Liverpool, Baldwinsville, Brewerton, Cicero, Solvay, Geddes, Camillus, Phoenix, and Central Square.
View pricing and sign up here for drum lessons in Syracuse on your schedule:
Learn on real drums in a percussion-only studio with a dedicated professional teacher!
About the instructor
My name is Patrick Blakley and I’ve been performing and teaching percussion for over 30 years. I’m currently a music judge for the New York State Field Band Conference and a certified percussion judge with Winterguard International. My exercise and warmup method book has been utilized by over 100 schools in 30 states across the country as well as 5 colleges, a symphony orchestra, DCI drum corps, and even by groups in the UK.
I’ve instructed privately and as a member of several local high school marching bands as a composer, designer, caption head, and director. All of my ensembles have gone on to win state championships while I was on staff! I specialize in teaching marching percussion, including snare drum, tenor drums, and bass drum, as well as drumset and concert percussion. I’ve also published two marching percussion instructional books as well a novel and children’s book about marching band. My lessons are paced according to your goals, and I try to make everything fun! My studio is also fully insured. I look forward to drumming with you! Read my full bio here.
Syracuse Drum Lessons FAQ
Where to take drum lessons? Where to learn drums? Drum lessons near me?
If you live in or around Syracuse, New York, you’re not far from our studio! SyracuseDrums.com offers in-person professional drumset lessons, marching drumline and pit lessons, as well as concert lessons. These lessons are perfect for our area school districts and students!
What percussion instruments do you teach lessons on?
SyracuseDrums.com is a percussion-oriented studio which means we teach lessons on almost any percussion instrument. The most popular instruments to take lessons on with us is drum set, concert snare drum, marching snare drum, tom toms, marching tenor drums (quads/quints/sextets), marching bass drum, marimba, and piano. See the detailed instrumentation list here.
Do you offer drum lessons for kids?
Yes, we do! If your young one is showing an interest in drums we can start lessons with them at an early age. Typically, kids fare better with shorter lessons and we can keep things fun for them to stay engaged. Kids under 8 years old may benefit from a more casual approach and we may discuss spreading their lessons out more where the parents can help keep them on the path. Students age 8+ will tend to retain the framework of information more critically which allows us to have a more structured lesson. If you’re planning for your child to start percussion in school soon, we can provide the necessary foundation to give them a leg-up and keep them one step ahead!
When to start drum lessons? What age to start drum lessons?
You can start drum lessons as soon as your child shows an interest. We can provide a one-time short lesson to help develop that interest, or we can schedule multiple lessons to help them prepare for the school band. Many local schools introduce specific instruments around age 9 or 10, but lessons can begin much earlier than that! We may certainly be biased, but drums are an extremely fun and simple instrument to begin, making lessons prior to school band even more useful and engaging with the little ones. You don’t even need a drum at home, you could simply buy a pair of drumsticks and practice on the carpet, or a pillow. You could also consider buying a drum pad for practicing.
What do drum lessons cost? Are drum lessons expensive? Drum lesson prices?
See our sign-up form for the most up-to-date drum lesson pricing. We continue to research the drum lesson market and strive to offer the most competitive pricing in town. We’re also confident that the SyracuseDrums.com studio is on a level above any other local classes based on our small group of talented instructors and their credentials as music judges and staff members for NYS, WGI, DCA, and DCI circuits!
How many drum lessons do you need?
The answer to this question depends on your ultimate drumming goals. If you’re preparing for an audition, solo, or competition, you may want to take as many lessons as possible before the event. If you’re starting a new hobby or just want to drum casually you’d probably be more inclined to take lessons over a much longer timeframe. With SyracuseDrums.com we offer casual lesson schedules as needed, so you can feel free to take a few lessons here or there, take a long break, or just simply do a one-time lesson. Whenever you feel you need a lesson we’ll be here!
What’s the best lesson duration?
There is no one-size-fits-all lesson duration, which is why we offer several different options. The best lesson duration for you is one where you’re able to feel engaged throughout the full lesson. Feel free to try a few different durations and see which one feels best for you!
Can I do more than one lesson per week?
Yes, if you’d like to take multiple lessons per week we would be happy to help. This is a great solution for students preparing for an audition, solo, or competition. Let us know at the bottom of the sign-up form and we’ll plan the lesson schedule accordingly. Note, some pricing specials are only valid once per week.
Do you offer group lessons?
Use the contact form to send a message with a request for group lessons. We can definitely accommodate small group lessons with our studio.
Are drum lessons worth it?
The short answer is yes. While it is certainly possible to teach yourself drums, and a lot of people start out that way, there are many bad habits that you may miss or lose track of. You can also learn drums by watching online videos which are super popular now. However, unless you’re hyper-aware of your own personal tendencies you can easily grow those bad habits which will be very difficult to correct once they’re established. With an in-person drum lesson in front of a teacher, those tendencies will be illuminated and corrected throughout each lesson, so while you move on to different elements of drumming, your instructor will keep those bad habits in check and prevent them from becoming a problem. This is just one of many important reasons why drum lessons are worth it!
How to start drum lessons?
It’s simple to start taking drum lessons at SyracuseDrums.com, just click here for our sign-up form!
Drum lessons without drums?
Students can absolutely learn drums without owning a drumset or even a single drum at home! In fact, it’s even more beneficial to take in-person lessons in this situation in order to play on real drums in person more often. Practicing at home without drums is easy, all you need is a pair of drumsticks and a pillow. You can also play right on your bed. Keep in mind an actual drumhead has a natural rebound in which the drumstick bounces off. On a pillow, you have to pull the drumstick up for each stroke which builds chops and drumming muscles much faster! Drum pads are also great, or simply drumming on your leg while you watch TV! As long as you are practicing it doesn’t really matter what you’re practicing on!
What drumsticks do you recommend for beginners?
We recommend starting with a size 5A drumstick. In the studio, we use the Innovative Percussion IP-1 drumsticks which are great for both concert and drumset applications. For marching percussion, or just a full list of implements used in the studio, see the equipment page here!
Where is the studio located?
The SyracuseDrums.com percussion studio is located in North Syracuse, NY. Once your lesson date/time is confirmed you’ll receive the exact address with several other pieces of lesson information.
Do I have to pay for parking?
Street parking in front of the studio is completely free!
If you have other general drumming questions, please see our full percussion FAQ here!
For information about SyracuseDrums.com lesson terms and conditions, please click here.
Proctored Practice Sessions (Syracuse Practice Space Rental)
Finding a place to practice drums is hard! Luckily you live near Syracuse, NY and the perfect practice space is available nearby! SyracuseDrums.com offers our climate controlled studio as a practice space rental through a Proctored Practice Session. What does that mean? A proctored practice session is like a drum lesson without the lesson. An instructor will let you into the studio, make sure you have everything you need, answer any questions you have, and then leave you to practice on your own. Through proctored practice sessions there is no formally prepared lesson material, just what you bring to the session to practice on your own. Proctored practice session prices are affordable and are 50% off normal lesson prices! Space may be limited, so reserve your sessions today!
The best part of renting a practice is a focused environment which gives you a distraction-free environment where drummers can concentrate solely on honing their skills. Other benefits of our Syracuse practice space is noise control since renting a dedicated practice space allows you to play without disturbing your neighbors or household members (ideal for those living in apartments or shared spaces). Equipment availability means that you don’t need to buy any expensive drumsets or electronic gear and you definitely don’t have to transport it between locations just to practice! Community engagement is a benefit that most don’t consider, you’re networking with other drummers which is a huge perk for musicians looking to connect! Performance preparation: practice spaces offer a venue for drummers to prepare for performances, rehearsals, or recording sessions in a professional setting. The space also offers inspiration and creativity! Being in a different environment can spark new ideas and creative approaches to drumming, leading to musical growth and exploration.
Finally, one of the biggest benefits is having a regular schedule! Having a dedicated practice space encourages drummers to establish a regular practice routine, leading to more consistent progress and skill development.
In addition to all that, proctored practice sessions offer real-time help and support if needed!
Click here to sign up for the Syracuse practice space rental!
Preview the Proctored Practice Session Venue Space Rental Agreement
Click here to view the studio lessons terms and conditions
➡️ Find the best drumsticks for you to buy using this great checklist!
Musician’s Notepad by SyracuseDrums.com
Here’s a clever notepad for taking notes during music lessons, rhythm classes, theory lectures, or just casual music notes! Each page is split into staff paper as well as lined note paper. The top of each page is staff paper and the bottom of each page is lined note paper. You can easily write musical ideas or phrases, and then describe them in detail without turning a page! Write your music notes and text notes all at once using this handy notepad!
Get your notebook on Amazon!
You know what goes great with learning drum rudiments?
Wearing them!
Check out the drum apparel and drum clothes section for tons of great drum shirts and accessories to wear to your next rehearsal. From things that the whole ensemble will understand, to things that only the drummers will understand, and even things that nobody might understand! Wear it to your next Syracuse drum lesson!
Get your paradiddle drum shirt right now!
- Free Lesson Material:
- General Curriculum
- Counting Rhythms
- Advanced Bass Drum
- Advanced Snare
- Advanced Hihat
Click on the tabs above to view some of the free downloadable drum lesson material! These files and sheet music selections are used to supplement your drum instruction during the lesson in addition to instructor-prepared itineraries/workbooks. These free files are super helpful when practicing at home too! You’ll also receive a hard copy of this content and more at your first studio lesson. This is just a taste of the material you’ll get with SyracuseDrums.com so sign up now for so much more!
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Useful Syracuse Drums Links:
Drum Lesson Sign-up Form
Practice Space Sign-up Form
Studio Availability Calendar
Free Drumset Exercises
Free Drumline Warmups
Lesson Terms & Conditions
Practice Space Rental Agreement
Contact SyracuseDrums.com
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Other drumset pages: Private Lessons, Drumset Warmups, Studio Recording, Studio Setups, Equipments List, and Articles.
