If you really want to play great drums, you’ll need to get regular time behind an acoustic kit. That’s why all drum students at WaterBear learn in small groups of no more than 5, in a dedicated drum room on professional-standard acoustic kits. You’ll also need regular access to great tutors, and at WaterBear, we have some of the best tutors and mentors operating in the UK today – just take a look at their CVs.

Our exclusive equipment partnerships means that WaterBear drummers will use top-of-the-range kits by British Drum Company and cymbals by Paiste, all mounted on sturdy Gibraltar hardware. We also provide military-grade practice pads by Bill Sanders, for that all-important pad work, essential for keeping your hands in trim.

Although WaterBear provides all necessary equipment for you to use in classes and live performances, we also recommend all drummers coming to study here should have regular access to their own gear. This is because it’s highly likely you’ll be doing your own gigs soon after you start with us, if you aren’t already. Other essentials every drummer must have include a metronome, practice pad and ear protection, as we all know how loud drums can be – which is one of the reasons we love them.

Music industry guest visits take place throughout the year, showcasing some of the best artists and innovators in today’s music. Our guest programme varies each year and some of our recent guests are shown below.