Can you or your child really learn to play the drums online?

I had a discussion today with a colleague about drum/music lessons, and he wanted to get my thoughts on the myriad of online videos, courses, and options that are now available. Because I am lazy, I thought I would write my response here, so that if/when someone else asks me the same question, I could simply send them a link :) 

Can your child really learn to play the drums online? Sure to an extent, but without a physical teacher to ensure that your child has the foundational techniques down - and/or a close eye to prevent bad habits from forming, children may struggle in the long run.  Older children, and adults will likely fair much better - but the same caveats apply.

Sites like Drumeo, and Youtube can be a great way to augment lessons you, or your child have with a face to face teacher. It is especially important though for both young learners, and also new students, to have an experienced teacher make sure that all core techniques are done well, and that you, or your child, are not forming bad habits at the beginning. I cannot emphasize enough how difficult it is to undo bad habits later on - especially if you have come to rely on them. In drumming, bad habits can flatline progress, and even cause longer term injury.

Now in Private lessons - John Started in a school like most kids

Where sites like Drumeo excel, is in showcasing a range of drum teachers, genres, and grooves. They are also pretty good at building a community of practice - which is increasingly important for older learners who are keen to self learn/self pace. Drumming, like any instrument, is about lifelong learning, and Drumeo and their peers, really fit this niche well. 

These sites are not designed for children though, and even now I typically do not let my son (age 11)  traverse YouTube solo. I likely wouldn’t subscribe to one of these services either until he was at least in high school (or junior high as it is known in the states). Why? Simply because I am not confident that he could synthesize the information in these online lessons in a meaningful way, or know how to sequence learning by himself. It is important to remember that a private drum teacher knows your child best, and should know exactly what the next step is, for your child to excel. These sites do not know your child, or where they are up to. I don’t just mean that from a drum skill perspective, but also from a cognitive and physical development standpoint too.

That being said, we do often watch Drumeo videos together, especially if/when there is a video (or a series) that helps to deep dive into a technique that will help in one way or another. We also love watching the Drumeo and other Youtube drum cover videos, or videos from some of John’s favourite drummers. Drummers (and most musicians for that matter) love watching other drummers. It is inspirational to see what is possible, and what could be possible in a few years of really hard practice.