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Mike's Lessons Review

Tuesday, March 19th

2024 Drum Lesson Program Reviews

Mike's Lessons Review 4 Star Rating

Mike's Lessons

4 Star Rating
  • $269.90/Year, $149.95/6 Months, or $29.99/Month
  • 1-week free trial
  • Single teacher
  • Synchronous learning
  • Livestreamed lessons = real-time interaction
  • Progress tracking & homework
  • Cultural Focus

Run by teacher Mike Johnson, Mikes Lessons mixes the modes of video modules, Livestream lessons, and Virtual Shed Sessions. These drum lessons create an online synchronous learning environment where students and their instructor can connect in real time. One of the standout features of Mikes Lessons is the focus on culture. Mikes Lessons provides background on the musical styles you'll learn, focusing on origins and culture in drumming.

Live lessons

One of the standout features of Mikes Lessons is the focus on face time. Instead of being completely asynchronous, like many competitors, Mikes Lessons highlight the importance of being in a space together, live, where you can learn from the instructor, other students, and ask questions as you go. Mike also facilitates Virtual Shed Sessions where he will offer play sessions in a live virtual setting. This allows students to "trade fills, trade 4's," and complete call and response exercises to develop improv skills.

Camp Rock

Outside of the website, Mikes Lessons organizes "drum camps" where Intermediate and Advanced level students can sign up for a 5-day crash course in person. These cost almost $1,400 before travel and lodging, but offer a unique space to get that real-life drumming experience that most online courses leave out.

Best Drum Lessons

Tracking your costs

While still cheaper than many private drum lesson options, Mikes Lessons is a little more expensive than the other drum education options on our list. There are three payment options, annually, bi-annually, and monthly, to help you offset the cost. However, Mikes Lessons offers fewer downloadable options and no play-along tracks as part of the package, making the value for the increased price a question when compared to some of the other lessons. And, if you want to get involved in the extras, you're looking at yearly commitments in the thousands. However, Mikes Lessons does offer a week-long free trial, so if you want to get your feet wet and see if this education program is worth it, you have the option to give it a no-cost try.

Tools for success

On top of Livestream and asynchronous video modules, Mikes Lessons utilizes GrooveScribe, a free transcription tool to help you build your own drumlines, transcribe your practice sessions, and put together songs you'd like to play in the future. It's a unique interactive feature that ties in with the homework methodology of Mikes Lessons. On top of GrooveScribe, Mikes Lessons also helps you by providing downloadable progress tracking sheets and homework to upload for feedback. It makes you feel like you're taking a traditional class with a guided path and clear goals.

Great option - but not ideal for every schedule

For students looking for that teacher-student connection in music lessons, Mikes Lessons is a great option. The 1 week free trial will allow you time to get to know Mike's style and the lesson format before you commit to a monthly or annual payment. However, for many learners who rely on asynchronous content to fit drumming into their busy schedule, they may find that Mikes' live lessons and pricey camps don't fit in with their distance-learning needs.

Where Can You Find the Best Online Drum Lessons?

If you always feel like tapping your toe along to a beat, you've already got the itch for drumming. Music is a big part of all of our lives, and it makes sense if you want to dedicate a little time to learning a new skill for something you love. If you feel the rhythm, you've got to play.

Traditionally music lessons have always been at a private home, music shop, or music school - definitely not the best options for someone with an already busy lifestyle. However, with the boom of online learning you no longer have to worry about drive time, adding in lessons to your weekly requirements, and $100+ a session for a private teacher. With online drum lessons you only need the internet, a passion for drums, and a desire to learn at your own pace.

The Best Drum Lesson Programs Compare Drum Lesson Programs Compare Drum Lesson Program Reviews What are the best Drum Lesson Programs Best Drum Lesson Program Reviews

Drum Lesson Program FAQ

Being able to take online drum lessons allows you to go at your own pace. You can pause and retake lessons as many times as you need to until you feel like you've mastered a skill or technique. You can learn and practice whatever times of the day you want without having to make it to a scheduled in-person lesson. You'll also save hundreds of dollars, so the real question is why not take online drum lessons?
The services offered by online drum lesson platforms may vary slightly, but most of them will provide video lessons from professional instructors, play-along songs, progress tracking, Q&A sessions, and more. They're broken into different levels, so you can start where you're comfortable and progress from there. You'll be getting more on-demand help with online drum lessons than you would if you were just taking in-person lessons.
The reviews from students about their experiences with online drum lessons speak for themselves! People are able to progress from beginner drummers to experts in as little as a few months with consistent practice. You'll be able to get unique tips and tricks from professional drummers and fellow students using the same platform. In addition, you'll have long-term access to all of the material through most platforms, so you can learn as fast as you want. You'll be able to learn from professional drummers who have worked with celebrities like Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, and more.
It's unlikely! Many online drum lesson platforms are continually adding new material on top of already having thousands of videos and other forms of lesson material. Your opportunities for learning are seemingly endless. Online drum lessons are the best way to get enough coaching to last a lifetime!
You'll either have options to pay for a monthly subscription to an online drum platform or to buy lifetime access. This ranges from $8/month to $269/year. You can even find all-inclusive courses with full, lifetime access for as low as $50/month. In the long-run, you'll save hundreds of dollars regardless of what service you choose to use for online drum lessons.
None! The amazing thing about online drum lessons is that you don't have to have ever even picked up a drumstick before! You can learn the very basics from the comfort of your own home and go at your own pace. On the flip side, if you've been taking drum lessons for years and decide to move to an online platform, you'll still have plenty of room for progression.
If you can find an online drum lesson platform that gives a free trial, you'll get a better idea of whether or not you want to stick to the course. If not, you may have the option of cancelling your subscription or getting a refund within 30 or 60 days depending on company policies. Go with a highly-rated online drum lesson platform that provides clips of their lessons or photos of their platform to get a feel for the professionalism and material before signing up.
All you need for online drum lessons is a drum set, drumsticks, and access to a device to view your lessons. All the same things you'd need for in-person drum lessons apply to online drum lessons as well. As long as you have a comfortable environment to practice in, you are ready to go!
Compare the Best Reviews

Continued from above...

While some drum lessons offer older CD and DVD learning models, many new education opportunities have updated their methods to online streaming, online video access, and downloadable materials. The new distance-learning model opens up the opportunity to multiple learning styles. Different programs offer reading-based lessons, play-alongs, and even live master classes. In the digital age, learning has never been easier.

So, how do you choose the best drum lessons for you? There are a lot of factors to consider, so keep in mind what you're looking for above all else. If you're not sure where to start, consider some key areas that might affect your comfort, learning style, and wallet:

  • Cost. Are you receiving the type of instruction you need at a price that fits your budget? Do they offer lessons at the level you're interested in (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)?
  • Product format. Do you have a computer that plays CDs? Do you need a lesson format that focuses on downloadable content? Do you want to be able to access your lesson materials anytime, anywhere?
  • Teaching style. Do you prefer a single teacher with one-on-one teaching time? Do you like to learn from a variety of perspectives? Are celebrity masterclasses a must?
  • Community. Do you prefer occasional live Q&As, or do you want regular communication with your teacher as you move through the lessons?

To help you find the instruction that's right for you, TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked today's most popular online drum lessons. We hope these reviews make it easy to decide on the best drum lessons to jumpstart or continue your passion for drums!

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