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Am I too old to take up the drums?

 by Autumn Huerter

You may want to take drum lessons, but you are worried that you are too old to start! Don’t worry; you can learn to play the drums at any age. Studies have shown that there are benefits of music lessons at any age. You are never too old to learn a new skill or follow your dreams of becoming a drummer so stop asking yourself if it’s too late, or if you are too old to take up the drums and keep reading to see why now is the best time to take drum classes as an adult.

Drum Classes for Adults – It’s Never Too Late

There is the prevailing myth that you can only become good at drums if you start at an early age. That is simply not true. At Music House, we have seen many people come into our doors in adulthood and learn to play the drums with ease and move on to becoming part of a band! You can become proficient in the drums at any age if you put your mind to it and practice regularly.

drum classes for adults
Photo by Gavin Whitner

Advantages of Learning to Play Drums in Adulthood

Taking drum classes for adults as opposed to as a child can have its benefits. Let go through them, so you understand how great it is to take lessons as an adult!

You Understand the Music

Remember when cultural references in music escaped you as a child? As an adult, you have insight into the purpose of a piece of music, and you understand the emotional place that an artist is coming from when they compose a piece of music. You can analyze the music and connect with it on a deeper level.

This helps you to learn music in a way that you couldn’t as a child. Not only that, but you will understand music theory better than an eight-year-old. When you spend decades listening to music, you start to recognize motifs in music and the progression and composition of a song.

You have the life experience to connect better with the music, and the technical aspect of learning to play the drums will come to you with practice.

You Have the Drive and You Control Your Time

We all know that learning to play an instrument requires practice, patience, and time. As an adult, you have all those things under control. You mother is no longer forcing you to practice for an hour a day. You don’t feel like you are missing out when your friends hang out at the mall. No, you are an adult, and you have the drive, and you control your time. You can practice the drums when you want in your garage, and you are motivated to do so. Your motivation comes for a drive to improve yourself and be part of the music community. You just don’t feel that way as a child, and this is a huge advantage to learning to play as an adult. You will get your 10,000 hours of practice in no time!

Challenges of Drum Classes for Adults

challemges of learning drums as an adult


Life isn’t a bed of roses. There are a couple of drawbacks to taking up drum lessons in adulthood, and we want to make sure that you have a balanced expectation of what drum lessons in adulthood are like. That is not to discourage you from taking lessons, but to inform you of the challenges ahead.

Your Commitments

Being an adult is hard. There are so many responsibilities that we have, and our commitments may get in the way. We have jobs, kids, families, and mortgages to pay. While those are all essential things to make time for, you must be willing to make time for yourself and your development as a person.

Astronomical expectations

As adults, we feel as though we should pick up new concepts quickly. Because of that, we have unreasonably high expectations. Getting good at playing the drums takes time and commitment to avoid being disappointed, you may have to lower your expectations in the beginning. Your Music House drum instructor in Kansas City will guide you through the process and will let you know if you are hitting your millstones!

Benefits of Drum Classes for Adults

benefots of drum lessons in adulthood

A Good Workout

Playing the drums requires the use of your whole body. When you play the drums in adulthood, you will improve your overall coordination. When you improve your coordination, your balance benefits as a result. To many people, it may seem easy sitting down to play the drums, but playing this instrument comes with a tremendous advantage – you build core strength. When you take drum classes for adults, you will notice that you get a workout every time.

An Intellectual Boost

Playing the drums helps with your brain’s neuroplasticity! Yes, that is right; when you take drum classes for adults, your mind will continue to grow because you are learning a new skill. Learning new skills like the drums helps you to retain other information in your daily life, and it will help you keep your mind agile as you age.  The more you learn in your drum lessons, the more advanced concepts you will be able to handle because your brain is getting used to learning new things.

Your Happiness Improves

The best part of playing the drums is the happiness and joy it brings! Playing the drums is not only a stress reliever, but it is a bonding experience if you play in a band. When you take more drum lessons, you can express yourself through this fantastic percussion instrument in ways you didn’t think were possible. Being able to express yourself through music is one of the most euphoric experiences you will ever have.

drum lessons kansas city

At the end of the day, it is never too late to learn to play the drums. Taking drum classes in adulthood will be one of the best journeys you take in life. Whether you are 30, 50, or 70, you can learn to play the drums, and Music House would love to help you learn. Contact us today to book your first of many drum lessons!




Photo Credits:

Image #1 by Facundo Win from Pixabay

Image #2 by Pexels from Pixabay

Image #3 by skeeze from Pixabay

Image #4 by musikschule from Pixabay

Image Cover by 7721622 from Pixabay

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Written by Autumn Huerter
Autumn Huerter
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