Online Drum Lessons in Perth: Setup Tips for Teachers & Students - Guildford Drum School

Online drum lessons are a fantastic way to connect with a drum teacher when you can’t find the right fit locally, or if you want extra lessons on top of what you’re already doing. One of my most memorable moments as a student was having a lesson with the legendary Dave Weckl. He’s based in Los Angeles — a very long way from my hometown of Perth.

We actually got the time zones mixed up, so I rolled out of bed barefoot, half-awake, and suddenly found myself face-to-face online with one of the greatest drummers of all time. That was a quick lesson learnt the hard way! Unsurprisingly, it was an incredibly informative experience, and I still think about what he told me five years later.

This is the first major advantage of online drum lessons: you can learn from anyone, anywhere in the world. I still take the opportunity to study with my favourite drummers from time to time, and I also encourage my students to explore lessons beyond their immediate area.

Of course, setting up drums for online lessons is a little trickier than other instruments. The main challenge is volume: the microphone gain that works for your drums usually won’t be ideal for your speaking voice. If you’re using an electronic kit, it can be easy to connect the drum module to the call, but then I might not hear your voice at all. These are small but common technical hurdles. My hope with this post is to help you overcome them and set yourself up for a smooth, productive online drum lesson.

How I Set Up My Online Drum Lessons

Video Conference Software

I use Zoom for drum lessons. Out of all the platforms I’ve tried, it gives the clearest audio for music. The main thing is to go into the Audio Settings and:

• Turn Original Sound ON (this makes Zoom stop “correcting” your sound).

• Turn Noise Suppression OFF (otherwise Zoom thinks your drums are “background noise” and cuts them out).

Video

For video, I use a DJI Osmo Action Camera. It’s wide-angle, so you can see both me and the whole drum kit in one shot. When plugged into the computer it works just like a normal webcam, but it looks much sharper than a built-in laptop camera. I don’t use its microphone, just the picture.

Audio

The most important part of my setup is the audio interface — I use a professional one called the Apollo 8xp. Basically, this lets me plug my microphones into the computer. From there, I run the sound through an audio program (Ableton Live) and then send it into Zoom using a small bit of software called BlackHole. (Think of BlackHole like a “virtual cable” that lets me send my drum sound into Zoom.)

One challenge with online drum lessons is balancing my drum sound with my speaking voice. To fix that, I use a push-to-talk pedal: my voice mic only switches on when I step on the pedal, so the sound is always clear whether I’m playing or talking. This is one of the most crucial parts of my setup.

How to Set Up Your End

There are lots of ways to set up for an online lesson. My advice is to start with what you already have before investing in new equipment.

Phone / Tablet / Laptop Method

Most students will just have one device for their call — a phone, iPad, or laptop. This is totally fine, but there are a few things to keep in mind:

• You’ll still use Zoom for your call.

• Position your device so I can see you and your whole drum kit in the frame.

• Don’t set it too far away, otherwise I won’t hear your voice clearly.

• You’ll probably need to mute your drums a bit — pads, quiet cymbals, or Remo Silentstroke heads all help.

• Headphones are essential so you can hear my audio properly.

• If you have an electronic kit: try to also run a small speaker from your drum module. That way, your device’s built-in microphone can pick up both your voice and the drums. Otherwise, I’ll only hear your playing but not what you’re saying.

Two-Channel Interface Method

If you want to step things up, you can get a simple two-channel audio interface. This lets you plug in two microphones — usually one for your voice and one for the kit. You’ll just need to play around with mic positioning so the balance between your voice and the drums feels natural.

Yamaha EAD10

The EAD10 is another great option. It takes up minimal space, doesn’t need a separate audio interface, and comes with a handy “talk button” that makes your voice nice and clear when you speak.

Finally...

The most important thing is not having the “perfect” gear, but simply making sure your teacher can clearly see you and hear both your drums and your voice, even if the drums don't sound like amazing studio quality. Even a basic setup can work great if it’s positioned well. From there, you’ll get all the benefits of live, interactive feedback without leaving your own practice space.

One more note - be prepared for your lesson! There is less ability to play together in an online situation. You should have a list of questions so that you get what you need out of your teacher.

If you’re looking for an online drum teacher, or specifically a drum teacher in Perth, I’d encourage you to give this all a try. Whether you’re just starting out, or you’re an advanced player looking to refine your skills, I teach both in-person and online drum lessons. My goal as a drum teacher in Perth is to make lessons as accessible, practical, and fun as possible — wherever you’re based.