Drum Lessons

Drum Tuition with Rick Lacey

With over 45 years of live performance experience, I consider teaching not just a profession, but a privilege. Sharing the skills and knowledge I’ve gained throughout my career is both rewarding and inspiring, and I take pride in helping each student achieve their musical goals.

Teaching Locations:

• Monday & Tuesday: Rawtenstall
• Wednesday: Whitworth (Studio Studio)
• Thursday: Ramsbottom (The Royal British Legion)
• Online: Flexible sessions available via all major meeting platforms

If you want to know what my students think of me take a look HERE

I am a fully qualified tutor, trained to Level 4 PTTLS, and hold an up-to-date DBS check.

My teaching philosophy is simple: learning is most effective when it’s enjoyable. Every student receives encouragement, constructive feedback, and lessons tailored to their individual style and pace. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate player, junior, or adult learner, I create a supportive environment where progress feels natural and rewarding.

From the very first lesson, students play behind a drum kit, developing skills through simple beats, fills, and rudiments. I offer guidance in reading music, as well as the freedom to play along with your favourite songs. All sessions are one-to-one, ensuring focused, personalised tuition.

Learning an instrument brings enormous benefits, particularly for young people. If you’d like to explore some of the research on this, please take a look here.

From the very first lesson, every student works directly on a drum kit in a dedicated one-to-one session.

Beginners start with simple beats, fills, and basic rudiments, building solid foundations from the outset. Lessons can include learning to read music, developing technique, or simply playing along with your favourite songs — always tailored to your goals and interests.

I have a dedicated teaching studio in my home in Rawtenstall, equipped with a modified acoustic drum kit fitted with mesh heads for optimal response and playability. The kit features a high-end Jobeky snare with both head and rim triggers, allowing precise rim shots and cross-sticking.

Sessions are either 30 minutes or one hour long

I teach on Wednesday at Studio Studio Whitworth using an acoustic kit. Sessions are all One To One and either half or one hour long.

Thursday sessions are held in the function room upstairs at the Ramsbottom Royal British Legion. I have a Premier kit, Sabian and Zildjian cymbals. It is gig standard so students have the real feel of an acoustic kit.

Booking sessions is easy! Please use my contact page here and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

My Rawtenstall Teaching Studio

The kit I use at Whitworth, Rochdale is a PDP kit with Ufip cymbals. It is one of my gigging kits. It sounds amazing and students are learning on a real life working kit.

The kit in Ramsbottom is a lovely Premier APK. I have a real fondness for Premier Drums as I had a few in my early years. The Cymbals are Zildjian and Sabian. This kit is exactly like the one I had and gigged, in fact some of the cymbals I used to use when gigging.

I’m always adding stuff to my YouTube channel, not just drum tuition but other bits and ideas.  You’ll find it Here

The Ramsbottom teaching room

If you’d like to book some sessions in Rawtenstall or Rochdale please use my contact page here

Frequently asked questions

I haven’t ever touched a Drum Kit in my life! Can you help me?

Happily! I can normally have someone play a beat in their first 30-minute session!

How long do the lessons last?

Lessons are either 30 minutes or 1 hour long.

Do I need to have a Drum Kit?

No, not at all! You may find that practising in between lessons helps though

How many lessons do I need to book?

As few or as many as you’d like. It is all down to you. We can go through things like that at your first session.

Can you come to me?

I can but it will cost a little extra for my time and fuel.  

I’m left-handed, is that a problem?

No, not at all. We can try playing right and left-handed so that we can see which is best for you.

Will I have to learn to read music?

You don’t have to no. Some people do find it helps them so we will look at what is best for you.

What standard of player do you teach?

I specialise in helping new students and developing those who would consider themselves intermediate players.

Will I have to do exams and grades?

It is entirely up to you. If you’d like to look at grades, then we can look at the Trinity grades or The Rock School Syllabus because they are both proven well-structured systems. 

For any more information please call me for a chat – 07751780483. I’m quite friendly