Learn to Play the Drums at School and Home

Free Online Percussion Video Lessons

Welcome to Swansea Virtual School’s Drum Club, your go-to spot for free, fun video lessons on how to play percussion! We’ve got you covered with easy-to-follow video lessons that you can watch whenever you like.

Drums on the Pier
Boy Playing the Drums

Percussion often drives the energy and pulse of a song.

What is percussion?

Percussion refers to a family of musical instruments that produce sound by being struck, shaken, or scraped. Unlike instruments such as the guitar or piano, which produce sound through strings or keys, percussion instruments create noise through vibration when hit or rubbed.

There are two main types of percussion instruments: unpitched and pitched.

Unpitched percussion, like drums and cymbals, make sounds without a definite musical note, while pitched percussion, like xylophones or chimes, produce specific notes.

Percussion is one of the oldest and most universal forms of music-making, and it plays an essential role in rhythm and groove.

Getting Started with Percussion

The First Principles of Percussion (Rudiments)

How to Hold Drum Sticks

The Parts of a Drum Kit

How to Change a Drum Head

Beginner Drum Lessons

How to Play a Shuffle on the Drums

How to Play a Basic Rock Beat

Lesson 1 - Basic Rock Music on the Drums

Lesson 2 - Basic Rock Music on the Drums

Learn for Percussion Grading

Grade 1 - Percussion Technical Exercises

Grade 3 - Accented Paradiddles

Grade 3 - Technical Accented Triplets

Grade 4 - Using a Paradiddle to Create a Groove

© 2020–2025 Swansea Council (Education Department)