“I’m the drummer for the Verve Jazz Ensemble (www.verve-jazz.com). As a busy jazz drummer with an active recording career, I’m always looking for great new ideas for chop building, interesting fills and licks, and great new grooves. I dig Stephen’s insightful, wide open and high energy passion for drumming, and his approach to online studies is creative and well done. Thanks for your contribution to the art and hope to connect with you in person one day soon (feel I know you already from all your virtual presentations!).”
Josh Feldstein • The Verve Jazz Ensemble
“I discovered Stephen’s Drum Shed on YouTube about a year into learning the drums and in the last 6 months my drumming has skyrocketed! Stephen’s lessons have helped me with counting and keeping time, hands and feet technique, fill ideas, and generally learning how to not suck at the drums. The motivation to strive to be better than average pushes me through everyday, post-“9-to-5” work fatigue, inspiring focused and productive practice sessions. Thanks for everything, Stephen. You rock!”
Ren Hutt • Arlington, Virginia
“Stephen’s free email lessons keep popping up with cool stuff on a regular basis, which makes them easily palatable and able to be integrated with stuff that I’m doing by myself and my F2F drum tutor. The downloadable boot camps helped heaps when I wanted to focus on something specific too. I could just download it and print out lesson filler for the next few weeks. He’s got a really communal and great attitude towards how people should be exposing themselves to drumming, to music, and how we shouldn’t doubt ourselves when epitomising drumming icons, or when criticising ourselves as players. Kudos on the great E-shed that just seems to keep on doing cool stuff for everyone who I’ve had contact with that is involved. Thanks Stephen.”
Seaton Mepham
“I have been pretty lucky…as a music major in college, drums and percussion were my minor instrument. I have had the opportunity to study with some pretty cool and well known drummers. In the time I have been a member of The Shed (about a year), I can honestly say that I’ve learned more memorable, versatile and useful drum info and techniques than all my former years and teachers combined! Stephen presents the lessons in a way that just makes sense! He is super talented player/teacher, and most importantly, it’s obvious that he really cares about his students! Thanks and keep on rockin!!! *high5*”
Christo Young
“I have been watching lessons on stephensdrumshed.com as well as his lessons on You Tube ever since I saw his first You Tube lesson. His videos are just the right length where they are right to the point, but also make sure you don’t get left in the dust. Overall, his drum lessons are really fun to use, really helpful, and he is clearly a great drummer who has shared lots of helpful lessons on technique, grooves, etc. with me and many other drummers.”
Corey Camara
“If you want to learn the drums, Stephen is the guy you want to know. I’ve learned a ton from him…from basic fills and chops to stuff I didn’t ever think I’d be able to play, like some world rhythms and jazz. I’m no expert by any stretch, but I’m much better than I was a year ago! And the learning will continue. The site is super well organized. You pick the track you want to learn, and BAM! Everything you need from lessons to assessment criteria is right there. You can even submit it to him for feedback. What could be better?”
“A lot of the stuff I have learned from Stephen I now use in my playing. Even rhythms and styles I never thought I would learn, Stephen taught me in a fun and well explained way. I have become a better all around player and I thank Stephen for that.”
Tielman Dewaele • Belgium
“Simply put, in fifteen years of drumming, no DVD, lesson, magazine article or book has helped me more than the Shed. Stephen’s personability, knowledge and variety of lessons transformed my drumming dramatically. His lessons are as essential as my kick pedal.”
Tim Bean
“I am from Brooklyn N.Y. now living in Easton PA. I have been playing the drums since I was 8 years old until my early 30’s. Like most people I got married and started a family and after buying a home I gave up playing music. 20 years later and into my second marriage at the age of 56, I ran into one of my favorite drummers when I was working at the airport. Bobby Rondinelli, who played for Rainbow, Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabbath ect, ect. We started talking about drumming and I remember him saying to me, “John, if you love playing then just play for the enjoyment of it. Your never to old to do what makes you happy.” I told this to my wife Kim and she surprised me with a drum kit that summer. Searching the internet for drum lessons *God knows I was pretty rusty* I came upon dozens and dozens of drumming websites. One of these sites caught my attention very strongly because of the instructor and how he gave lessons. This website was Stephens Drum Shed. I liked how he was straight and to the point. “This is what I’m teaching and this is how you do it”. No nonsense and straight to the point. Since that first video instruction I have watched and listened to Stephen’s lessons, scraping off one layer at a time of rust from my drumming. He showed me how to do things I once knew how to do but had forgotten over the years. He got me back on track and playing things I had long forgotten how to do. I have subscribed to the lessons on You Tube, joined the email lessons, and purchased some of the downloadable lessons. I could go on and on about how much Stephen has helped me get back into playing the drums after 20 plus years. To keep it short I would like to say…Stephen, thank you for what you have done for my drumming ability. I am now playing in a band once again and was at the studio recording our music. It’s true what they say, You’re Never Too Old. From one drummer to another, student to teacher, thank you.”
“There are lots of things I like about Stephen’s lessons, but the thing I love the most is his enthusiasm. Every singles lesson is great fun and easy to understand. So, besides learning loads of cool stuff, I always feel inspired to practice more. What more could you ask for?”
Steve White • Whitney, England
“Stephen’s lessons have helped me to be my best on big stages around the world. When I first saw one of his video lessons, I thought ‘wow this guy is good and a higher level tutor I could learn from.’ I was taken in by his enthusiasm and fun way of teaching with added humor. I practice with his lessons online while on tour and it keeps me focused.”
Sean Suleman • Bristol, United Kingdom
“My profession is a commercial helicopter pilot. My hobby is being a new drummer. I found that playing the drums is just as difficult as flying a helicopter. Each part of your body is doing something independent of the other. After interviewing several drum teachers I found one I really liked. I found Stephen’s Drum Shed (SDS) on the internet. SDS has a systematic color coded approach that breaks the content down by skill level allowing me to choose a specific student track. As a new drummer I found it very comforting to have access on my phone, laptop or PC, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to The Vault that contains over 350 video lessons. In addition, SDS is a user friendly site that offers me live lessons 5 times a week that later get added to The Vault. I can communicate and have interaction with Stephen via email, live chat, student forums and a student YouTube channel that allows me to upload videos of me drumming so Stephen can give me tips. He will definitely teach you what you need to know from beginner to advanced. I highly recommend his lessons. Stephen is an amazing teacher!”
“Stephen’s lessons are really helpful as I gain lots of drum technique from them. Thank you for sharing with us. I really appreciate it.”
Kiki Harrison • Australia
“I’ve been watching the SDS lessons for months now, and I’m absolutely blown away with what I’ve learned from them. The 16th note triplet accent exercise is something I’ve been working on for the last couple weeks and it’s been helping so much. Thank you for coming up with such a cool exercises.”
“Stephen’s drum lessons are a 3 ‘S’ course => Short + Skilled + Superb. Stephen’s guidance + my practice hours = People call me the best drummer in our university right now! Thanks man and God bless you!”
“I am a jazz drummer and the percussionist of wind ensemble. Sometimes I ignore the things I should be practicing. I watch Stephen’s lessons to help me remember a lot that I have forgotten to practice.”
“I enjoy watching drummers play and when someone explains what they are playing and shows you how to do it, well that is the best you could ask for. That’s what Stephen does.”
“Stephen gave me that motivation I needed with really helpful and fun lessons. Now I’ve got great exercises and all that it takes to push my drumming to the top!”
“In the ’80’s there was no YouTube. If then was now…I COULDA BEN A CONTENDA!!!! At least now I can afford all the gear I want! Thanks for all you do to make it fun, and even after a very long hiatus I still FREAKIN’ LOVE THE DRUMS!”
“Stephen’s dedication and abilities as an educator parallel the best in the business. His commitment to the progress of his students is truly inspiring. Taking these lessons is the best decision I’ve made for my drumming!”
“Thanks for the motivation Stephen!”
“Since discovering Stephen Taylor’s generous offerings, I have a much greater understanding of fills and feel much more comfortable playing them. My foot skills are noticeably improving and I’ve learned how to make the most of my practice time.”
“Stephen’s Bass Drum Boot Camp helped me with power and endurance when I joined a rock group with members that are 10 to 15 years younger than me. I’m able to keep up. His books are very helpful that way, too.”
“Stephen’s lessons have really helped to improve my drumming versatility. I have particularly enjoyed the short emailed lessons which get straight to the point and are easy to put into practice straight away. Keep up the good work.”
“As a busy professional, unfortunately outside the music industry, it is often difficult to keep up with my practicing and especially to keep it fresh, interesting and focused. Getting a weekly prompt delivered right to my inbox and backed up by lots of great content available online really makes a difference for me. And it’s a difference I can hear in my progress since I started using Stephen’s materials. Thanks a lot and keep up the great work!”
“Stephen’s lessons at StephensDrumShed.com have reignited my desire to play the drums after 45 years. The lessons are easy to follow, fun, and I have noticed significant improvement after each one. They make practice fun while teaching solid fundamentals.”
“Stephens Drum Shed has improved my playing in these past two years more than any other in my 16 years of playing. So glad I found The Shed and everything that comes with it! Everything the guy puts out is informative.”
“Thanks to Stephen’s lessons I started to practice harder everyday and actually am preparing my first presentation.”
“Since joining Stephens drum shed I have been given a phenomenal insight into how to play many genres of music which I would of otherwise not been exposed to learning. With the time difference the ‘lesson vault’ has been one of the best features as I have been able to watch the lessons right the way through from the start with the Music which Stephen also sends out as a PDF. The You tube channel is also a spectacular idea as it allows me to be critiqued, and know what I have to do improved without to much hassle. It also allows other piers to see how everyone else is getting on and support them. This adds to the fantastic community Stephen has created.”
“Stephen’s lessons have improved my overall drumming skills and creativity. His ability to turn simple patterns into great sounding grooves is what makes me come back for more lessons every week.”
“I have studied with Stephen since the inception of the Drum Shed. His instruction is top notch. He is always responsive to the needs of his students. With the use of printed sheet music, live streaming or recorded lessons and student video submission, the instruction is totally comprehensive. Stephen is in a constant pursuit of excellence not only in his instruction, but also in his use of technology to deliver the instruction. Lessons of this quality and with the frequency offered would easily cost me over $400 a week in the Dallas area. There is also a vibrant on-line community of his students who are constantly trading ideas and concepts through the use of social media. Stephen’s teaching far exceeds any live one-on-one instruction that I have had over the course of the last two decades. Stephen’s Drum Shed is the gold standard for on-line learning.”
“I have learned some cool fills and patterns, I even learned how to get rid of my nervousness at my gigs. Your videos are amazing Stephen!”
“I joined Stephens drum shed just under two weeks ago as a complete beginnner. After only a few live lessons i was playing Linear grooves, Rock and Funk…what I thought would take me months to learn, was taught to me by an incredible teacher who broke everything down into small sections so i could really understand what was going on! If you could bottle what Stephen has and sell it, you would be a millionaire. First class tuition from a top class teacher…and an animal of a drummer!”
“Stephen’s drum lessons have cleared up many questions about how I play the drums physically, how I move, and which muscles I need. By paying more attention to the physical background of drumming I made huge progress in dexterity, speed and control. I like that Stephen covers these kinds of peripheral aspects of drumming in addition to actual lessons, because personal health is as important in drumming as it is in everything else we do. Stephen, thanks for being an awesome drum teacher and especially for producing content that’s not as basic and predictable as some of the other, especially the bigger, sites out there.”
“I am coming back to serious practicing after years of casual on again/off again drumming. My instincts and musicality have remained fairly strong, but my technique and discipline have obviously weakened over the years. But, thanks to Stephen’s free lessons, his downloadable units, and the live online lessons for members on his website, I’ve rediscovered the joys and the surprises of drumming. My hands are coming back and I can say to people –without that slightly guilty feeling – that yes, I am and always will be, a drummer.”
“Never in my life have I come across a drum site so easy to relate to with no gimmicks. I have learned things a drummer really SHOULD know to be successful within the industry. And I can now finally play the Purdie Shuffle!”
“I like Stephen’s lessons because of the way he breaks a beat or fill down into manageable chunks. He takes the student through step by step, adding small pieces of the puzzle only after he has simplified it enough to progress to the next piece. Keep up the good work Stephen!”
“I am coming back to serious practicing after years of casual on again/off again drumming. My instincts and musicality have remained fairly strong, but my technique and discipline have obviously weakened over the years. But, thanks to Stephen’s free lessons, his downloadable units, and the live online lessons for members on his website, I’ve rediscovered the joys and the surprises of drumming. My hands are coming back and I can say “I started drumming 3 years ago and found Stephen’s free lessons on You Tube. Then I bought “The Beginner’s Guide to Drums”, “The Ghost Note Workshop”, and “The Bass Drum Boot Camp”, along with other lessons. They are so helpful. The demonstrations have good camera angles showing exactly what to do with technique and posture. I appreciate all the organization and planning you’ve put into these excellent lessons.”
to people –without that slightly guilty feeling – that yes, I am and always will be, a drummer.”
“I struggled to find the time to continue my private lessons so was on the look out for an alternative. Stephens Drum Shed has been a great way to structure my practice and also learn at a time that suits me, even if that’s 1am! I really appreciate the testing criteria, which gives me targets to work on for each lesson.”
“Stephen himself is the most approachable guy in the world…the means of delivery is excellent, the quality of the tuition is second to none, and Stephen is a great guy. I’ve recommended the shed to a lot of mates who play (at various stages of ability), and to you I would make the same recommendation…Sign up, you will be very glad you did!”
“I haven’t been able to take private one on one lesson’s for over a year now. It’s been great to have access to videos of a great drummer explaining different fills, grooves, techniques, and applications of rudiments around the kit. Not only do I find all that helpful, but Stephen’s advice is also quite encouraging for me. Thank you so much for what you do Stephen!”
“I didn’t start playing drums until the age of 35, and I began by scouring the internet to find the best teachers out there. StephensDrumShed.com offers everything I’ve needed to progress as a drummer as quickly and easily as possible. Stephen is extremely knowledgeable, his lessons are easy to follow, the quality of his videos is superb, and the range of lessons (fills, songs, practicing tips, etc.) is unmatched. Thanks for everything you do Stephen – it’s been a huge help!”
“Stephen’s lessons have filled me with confidence. I have learned fills, timing, patterns, and new styles. The lessons give me the ambition I need to play better in my band.”
“Just a few weeks ago I stumbled onto the SDS web site. I am 68 years young and a beginner. I’m finding the lessons easy to understand and most helpful. I also see that Stephen has a sincere strive to help and teach other’s to learn the drums.”
“I have 4 of Stephen’s downloadable lesson packs. I really like having something specific to work on and these are just that. I have been working on the weak hand boot camp series. This has improved my left hand greatly. The lessons are great!”
“My Rock (my wife Bev) and Stephen, to whom I’m eternally grateful, has helped me get back on my drum throne after being sacked from the group I’d been playing in for 17 years. Stephen rejuvenated a 61 year old love for music and love for studying to play the freaking drums! I began gigging at the age of 11 and recently, thanks to Stephen, I’ve enjoyed learning old/new techniques that I’ve been doing wrong for many moons (the loon) as well as renewing my reading drum notation fluently. So all of the Drum Shed family of students, please hang on every word that Stephen says. It’s not just the lessons either. It’s the advice whenever you need it. Thank you Stephen. Last words…relax and enjoy!!!”
“From the first time I saw Stephen give a lesson online I was immediately impressed by his personable yet “get to the point” teaching style. Since then I’ve watched Stephen’s lessons via his YouTube channel, his email lessons, as well as lessons in the members area on StephensDrumShed.com. Everything I’ve learned from his lessons — from finger control, to linear grooves/fills, to how to chart a song (and a whole lot more by the way) — I’ve been able to apply to real life drumming & gigging. Bottom line, he knows his stuff and he knows how to teach it! Stephen, your lessons are awesome man.”
“Signing up for the Live Lessons has added another level to my drumming capabilities. Stephen takes us through many different styles of music, and is extremely knowledgeable about the history, players, and fills that accompany each method. Having played mostly classic rock and 90′s myself, it is actually exciting to learn about, and play other rhythms from around the world (he rocks also). The lessons start out slowly, so that beginners feel comfortable playing along, and then Stephen adds more and more layers until an advanced level is reached. Stephen breaks everything into manageable pieces so as you are following along, you don’t realize that pretty soon you are playing well beyond what you thought was possible.”
“I’ve been bouncing around for a while, searching for the right drum teacher for lessons. When all hope was lost, I found Stephen’s lessons on YouTube. And wow, what a difference in my playing ever since I signed up for lessons at StephensDrumShed.com.”
“I must say that out of all the online tutorials that I have found on the internet, Stephen’s lessons have definitely helped me refine my playing in many ways. He is very approachable, funny, a fantastic drummer, and he takes the time to explain very clearly his ideas and concepts for the drum kit. The love for drumming that he exudes in his lessons is absolutely delightful. It is refreshing to see someone else have such a passion for drumming and wanting to share it. A million thanks for your website and insightfulness.”
I am currently a member of Stephen’s web site and have been for a few months now. I can tell you that the lessons I have been able to participate in, whether live or in The Vault, have proven to be extremely helpful to me. You see I am a 33 year (NOW RETIRED) Army Veteran. I have always been fascinated with and loved the drums. I have been an avid air drummer my whole life. Turns out that when I sat behind my first kit and turned the air drums into reality, I feel I actually had a knack for it. Bought my first drum set in November 2012. So even though I loved playing along to songs, I soon realized after stumbling on some lessons from Stephen that I had no real clue what I was doing. Sure I could play a simple beat, but did I actually know what I was playing? NO I DID NOT. Stephen and the lessons on SDS are a HUGE help, especially the way that he personally teaches and explains the lessons. I can honestly say that I have learned so much, from the basics on up. I still have such a long way to go, but thanks to Stephen, I actually truly know (most of the time) what it is I am actually playing and counting. THANKS BROTHER!!!