Frequently Asked Questions
Everything You Need to Know
Do I need a drum kit to start lessons?
What do I type of instrument do I play on in the lessons?
Do you have specific teaching qualifications?
No, you don't. 80% of the learning is cognitive understanding and pattern recognition. This can be done anywhere! At some point you will want to hire or purchase a drum kit though as it can be a lot more fun.
Drum kit lessons are taught on a PDP Concept Maple walnut finish 6-piece drum kit and a selection of some of the finest cymbals available. We also have a high-end Yamaha DTX electronic drum kit that utilises sampled technology for cutting edge sounds. Both drum kits are easily recorded, which enables us to analyse your performance in greater detail.
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Lessons on latin percussion and hand percussion are on high-end Meinl acoustic instruments.
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Can I request a song to be transcribed?
Yes, James Lewis Fox has a Post Graduate Diploma of Education from University of Melbourne in addition to his four years of formal tertiary study at the Victorian College of the Arts and 20 years of teaching experience.
How much do you charge for your teaching services?
James Lewis Fox charges $100.00 per hour for most of his teaching services. This is a competitive rate based on the excellence of the teaching and with the many resources available to each student.. Payment is due at the commencement of each lesson. See Fees for more details
Can I learn online?
Yes, definitely. We usually use Zoom for online lessons, but can use other platforms as well. Lessons can start from $50.00 for 30mins and increase from there.
Where do you hold your lessons?
Melbourne Drumming lessons are held in a home studio in Surrey Hills. See home page for map location.
Do you teach keyboard or mallet percussion?
Yes absolutely! We do this all the time. Ideally we like to teach you how to do it yourself, as you will learn the song faster that way, but we frequently take requests. It usually only takes a few hours to complete, but we want it to be note perfect for you, so it is best to allow a few days for completion.
Yes, James Lewis Fox has a small vibraphone at home so he can teach 2 and 4 mallet percussion. He also has access to keyboards, midi controllers and xylophones if needed as well.
Do you run Rock School or Trinity exams?
Melbourne Drumming can superbly prepare you for your external exams such as Rock School, Trinity College and ANZCA. We prepare students all the time, with great success. Most students receive an average of 95% and develop a thorough understanding of the syllabus, appropriate techniques and exam requirements. We can also internally assess you and provide a Melbourne Drumming Certificate and report, which many people seem to prefer.