Nao's Drum Tuition

01/09/2026

🥁🥁 LET’S GET YOU PLAYING THE DRUMS! 🥁🥁

Fun, friendly drum lessons for all ages and abilities in West Devon, available in Tavistock, Hatherleigh and the surrounding areas.

Hi, I’m Nao, a qualified, passionate and experienced musician and percussionist. I’m fun, friendly and approachable, with a good sense of humour, and I aim to make every lesson enjoyable, relaxed and encouraging.

No matter your age, experience or goals, lessons are tailored to you.

Lessons are one-to-one and charged at £30 per hour.
Be assured I am:
✓ Enhanced DBS checked
✓ Child protection certified
✓ Fully insured
✓ Musicians’ Union member

I also offer drum kit maintenance and other musical services, so please get in touch if you have other requirements.

🌐 Find out more: naosdrumtuition.mymusicstaff.com

📩 Fancy a chat? FB message or [email protected]

🥁 Nao’s Drum Tuition
Let’s explore music together.

17/08/2026

🥁 Why I teach my students to read music

I teach all of my students to read drum notation.

Not because I want to make them suffer through notation. 😂

Learning to play the drums isn't just about learning beats, fills and songs. I want my students to have the freedom to pick up a piece of music and understand what they're being asked to play.

Being able to read opens up so many opportunities as a player – from learning new pieces and sight-reading, to playing in ensembles and exploring different areas of percussion.

For me personally, joining a brass band was a pretty transformative experience as a player. My own teacher encouraged me to give it a go, and it opened up a whole new side of percussion for me, including tuned percussion.

And then there's the fun part...

When you're playing in a band, you don't always get beautifully written, perfectly logical drum parts. Sometimes you get notation that makes you stare at the page for a moment and think...

"Right... what exactly were they trying to say here?" 😂

I literally had this on a gig yesterday!

So you learn to read what's on the page, interpret it, make musical decisions based on what you're hearing around you, and then you have to get on with it – sometimes while sight-reading it in front of an audience! 😬🥁

That's why I don't see reading music as something that's just useful.... it's a skill that can open up a whole world of opportunities (and interesting challenges!) as a musician.

12/08/2026

09/08/2026

🥁 NEW FROM NAO'S DRUM TUITION! 🥁

Music Theory That Sticks
Intro to Drum Notation & Grade 1 Theory

A 30-page beginner-friendly theory workbook specifically for drummers, designed to make drum theory easier to understand and remember.

Inside you'll find:
🥁 Drum notation & the percussion clef
🎵 Rhythm & note values
🤫 Rests
⏱️ 2/4, 3/4 & 4/4 time signatures
🔊 Dynamics
🎯 Activities & challenges
💡 Tips and explanations to help the theory actually stick!

Perfect for beginners, self-taught drummers and students working towards Grade 1.

📖 PDF: £9.99
📬 Printed copy: £12.99 + postage

Current Nao's Drum Tuition students will receive a printed copy FREE. ❤️

📧 To get your copy, visit https://naosdrumtuition.mymusicstaff.com/drum-tuition/theory-that-sticks

07/08/2026

Well… not everything goes to plan! 🥁😅

I started changing the drum heads on Jay yesterday expecting a straight forward reskin… however when I got to the snare drum, discovered it needed a little more TLC than I realised. 👀

So a slight delay while I wait for a new resonant head and snare wires to arrive today but once they’re here, I’ll get them fitted, tune everything up again and then it’ll be time for the before vs after sound comparison.
Stay tuned ..! 🥁😂

07/08/2026

🥁 Batter Head vs Resonant Head

With me mentioning batter and resonant heads recently, I thought I'd explain the difference between them.

Although they might look similar, they each have a different job to do.

🥁 Batter Head

The batter head is the top head – the one you hit with your sticks. It's called the batter head because it's the surface you strike when you play.

🥁 Resonant Head

The resonant head is fitted to the bottom of the drum. Although you don't play it directly, it vibrates when the batter head is struck, helping to shape the drum's tone, resonance and sustain.

The resonant head is usually thinner than the batter head. As it isn't designed to be hit with sticks, the thinner material allows it to vibrate more easily, helping to shape the drum's sound.

On a snare drum, the resonant head has an extra job. It's the head that the snare wires rest against, allowing them to vibrate and produce that distinctive snare sound.

Both heads work together to create the drum's overall sound. The batter head provides the initial attack, while the resonant head influences the drum's tone, response and sustain. 🥁

06/08/2026

🥁 Before the changes...

Before I change the drum heads on Jay, I wanted to record how the kit sounds in its current setup.

This video features each drum with its current drum heads, giving you a chance to hear how the kit sounds before the changes.

I'll be recording the kit again tomorrow once the new heads are fitted. It probably won't be exactly the same recording, but it'll be close enough to hear how much difference the new heads make! 🤩

06/08/2026

🥁 A little behind the scenes at Nao's Drum Tuition...

Today is maintenance day for 'Jay', my Pearl Export Series who's getting a bit of TLC.

I bought Jay around seven weeks ago, and whilst the kit has been great, I knew it had the potential to sound even better.

Yesterday I removed the old vinyl stickers from the resonant tom heads that the previous owner had put on, and today I'm waiting for some new batter heads to arrive.

For the drummers amongst you, Jay is currently fitted with Aquarian Performance II with Power Dots on the toms and an Aquarian Hi-Energy on the snare. It'll be interesting to hear how the new setup changes the sound and feel of the kit.

Looking after my equipment is all part of the job. A well-maintained drum kit is far more enjoyable to play, whether I'm behind it or one of my students is.

Now... where's that delivery driver? 👀🥁
I'll update next time 😎

30/07/2026

🥁 Did you know I offer more than just drum tuition?

While teaching is a huge part of what I do, I also provide drum kit servicing and maintenance.

A drum kit is an investment, and just like any instrument, it benefits from a bit of care and attention. Over time, heads wear, drums lose their tone, and kits that are used regularly (or have been sitting unused for a while!) can really benefit from a professional refresh.

I offer:
🥁 Drum kit servicing
🥁 Full drum kit overhauls
🥁 Professional tuning
🥁 Snare drum tuning and adjustments
🥁 Cymbal cleaning

I take time and care with every kit I work on, not rushing the job, but making sure your drums are clean, well maintained and sounding their best.

Whether you're a drummer, a school, a brass band or a community music group, I'd love to help you get the most from your kit.

Find out more here: https://naosdrumtuition.mymusicstaff.com/drum-kit-maintenance

14/07/2026

🥁 What happens in a first drum lesson?

The answer depends on whether you've played before.

🥁 If you're a complete beginner...

We'll start with the basics, get you comfortable behind the drum kit and, before you know it, you'll be playing your first drum beat. If you pick it up quickly, we might even add a simple fill too. My aim is for you to leave your very first lesson thinking, *"I can do this!"*

🥁 If you've had lessons before...

My approach is slightly different.

Before making changes, I like to watch you play. I'm looking at things like your posture, stick grip, timing, coordination, technique and how you naturally approach the drum kit. Understanding where you are now helps me build lessons that develop your strengths and address any habits that might be holding you back.

Every drummer arrives with a different background and different goals. That's why I believe it's important to understand the individual before deciding on the journey ahead.

If you've wondered what happens in a first drum lesson, hopefully that gives you a little insight! :) 🥁