Is there a career in drumming?

[Drummer99]

DS17 is an amazing drummer - extremely talented. He lives and breathes drumming.
As for the future...he has no idea.
What could he do with this talent?
Or should it just remain a hobby?

I have a friend that is a drummer and they work as a session musician.

They tour the world with a band, drum for their recorded music etc.

My younger son has drum lessons at school. His tutor is completely booked out Mon-Fri 9-6 giving drum lessons. He visits schools (private, grammar and state) during the day and gives lessons after school at home or in a booked hall. His waiting list is huge. I have no idea how much he earns, I am sure not ££££ but the lessons are expensive (and often multiple kids are learning at the same session). He could easily fill his weekends with tutoring but chooses not to, so presumably he's not doing too badly either.. ..

I also have a friend who is a percussionist in an orchestra and when they are not working he tours with some very big name artists. He is very well paid (huge house, kids in private school). Obviously has some family life disruption as a result of the touring though.

Sometimes solo artists who are in tour will travel with a band and need a drummer, or bands who don’t have a drummer for some reason or where one member has several musical roles and can’t do them all live. There may be a call for a drummer in cases where music is being recorded for adverts, soundtracks etc.

Obviously these jobs are few and far between so it depends how amazing your son really is at drumming compared to other drummers, to make it he would likely need to be exceptional, not just very good. Unfortunately for a lot of roles like this it’s not just how good you are but also how good your connections are and knowing someone to put in a good word in with the right people. Is he in a band or making his name known in local music venues and with local people involved in sound engineering or music production etc? I have a friend who plays an instrument and has done so for some relatively well known bands but he started off standing in for last minute illness etc within the local music scene where he was known because he had his own band and would help with the set up of gigs at some venues with soundchecks etc, word of mouth gradually put him in touch with bigger, more well known bands and venues.

This friend had also studied music engineering or sound production or similar at uni/ college (I’m not completely sure on all of the details!) I think so did have some parallel skills. Does your son play any other instruments or do anything else related to music? I think in the music industry the more skills you have at least some knowledge in the better.

If he has a full set and a van, he'll always be wanted in bands.

Is he considering studying Music at university? Or applying to a conservatoire? The latter in particular is probably the best start to a sustainable career - if he wants drumming to be more than a hobby.

For these options he’d need an interest in a broad range of music - and be ready to play in orchestras as well as solo.

This might be a good starting point:

https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/providers?query=Music

could he set up a youtube channel or similar where he gives tips, reviews things, shows how to play certain things, a podcast or something? That would be a good way to build an audience, following and open up opportunities. Would take a while to set up but if he could make quality content it would definitely be worth it. Might lead to more opps for session drumming etc.

Has he had any contact with the National Youth Orchestra? Or any junior conservatoire tuition? (Presumably not or you wouldn’t be asking here?)

https://www.nyo.org.uk/get-involved/the-nyo-orchestra

Every band needs a drummer. Guitarists are everywhere, everybody knows somebody who can sing or whose friend/boyfriend/girlfriend can - but good bassists are harder to find and a competent, reliable drummer who hasn't already got five other bands on the go are like rocking horse shit.

He could have a reliable day job and make a significant second income from music, as long as he has his own van and kit and the ability to just slot into any band's style, get along with everybody and be 100% reliable, whoever it is he's drumming for/with or has to booked to session for - but he has to be utterly dogmatic about protecting his hearing at all times.

My DS is a drummer.

He graduated last year with a music degree.

He is currently teaching two days a week and working on his drumming the rest of the time. He's applying for a masters auditions are in Oct.

He's had significant financial support.

There's a career for any musician, but it's a hard one if you're not in the top flight and mainly revolves around teaching.

I have a friend who is a drummer in the army. I guess not for everyone but he has a great career now that enables him to be a full time musician, tours and events etc.

I remember 19 years ago as a teacher confiscating some drumsticks from a y7 who was drumming in the table.

Hes in a hugely famous metal band now. No 1 in the past on the Download charts.

I see the same from when I'd pick up on the kids who were driving staff crazy with tapping and fidgeting in class and ask them 'Have you ever played the drums? We have lunchtimes where anybody in Year 7/8 can come in and try things out'.

I also ended up teaching a few who didn't have access to lessons how to play bass - there's a bunch of those earning a living from it now.

Find a local band that needs a drummer. Does he have formal qualifications?

I have a cousin who is a percussionist.
Tbf he was clearly incredibly musical from a young age and percussion was only taken up after about 6-8 other instruments, most of which he'd got to grade 8.
He played in the NYO and things like that.
He does make a living, but will never be rich.

Does he read music? If he wants a career as a pro, he will need to read it fluently- unless he's really, really lucky and finds an up and coming band that suddenly hits the big time ( but virtually impossible)

I have a family member who teaches drum lessons, both privately and in schools. He is very busy and very popular, he gets great results and his students love him. He also does a bit of gigging with local bands in pubs and for weddings but that's very much a sideline. Guitar teachers are ten a penny but there are far fewer people teaching drums. He did a degree in music and then a PGCE.

Another guy I know got an instrument (not drums) for Christmas when he was about 12 or 13 and learnt it very quickly. He now tours the world supporting various very successful solo artists. He has a great career.

Both of the above can play at least one other instrument apart from their main one, I think most successful musicians can.

yep my DH was a touring / session drummer for 35 years and now teaches. Crap pension though

My youngest brother is a drummer. He toured the world in cruise ships playing in the bands. He has played in west end shows and he is still contacted occasionally to help out with bands who need a drummer, he was in America doing this recently. He now has a non musical job but plays when he can.

My daughter is a musician and has friends who are percussion teachers in schools and also play in bands in the area. One gets bought in to play with brass bands in competitions and they play in local shows in theatres etc.

There is work out there and if he’s really serious he could make a go of it. I agree with the pp suggesting the NYO or a junior conservatoire.

Thank you SO MUCH for these replies. I'm going to mull them over a bit then reply.
Hugely appreciated!!!

Yes there is a career in it. As people have pointed out most music/bands have drummers and there is teaching too. It is however perhaps not so straightforward in job opportunities as something more mainstream like accounting. If it’s something he’s quite passionate about and he is keen to take things when they come up (like posted above working overseas, etc) then he could have a great time. If he’s only interested in “being a rockstar” that’s a bit more limiting.

Lots of people also play as a hobby. I have a very talented family member who works a mainstream office job and plays in a band has a hobby (with other people also doing the same). They like the stability of the normal job but still get to do a lot of what they enjoy with other like minded people.

Thank you! Interesting. No, DS is not involved in anything except the school band...

Argh sorry I didn't answer your question! He also plays the guitar (acoustic and electric).

Thank you for the link.