Private Drum Lessons in Marysville WA

"Colin is a fantastic teacher and an endless source of musical knowledge. I started taking lessons with him on the drum kit over five years ago as a total beginner and he was incredibly patient and made me feel at ease stepping into such an unfamilar world. The tips and exercises I learned in our first few lessons are ones I still use today. His thoughtful progression in where to go next helped me gain a better understanding of music in general, rather than just learning random beats on YouTube. Recently we've started on hand drums and that has opened up a whole new musical world for me.

Whether it's a question about drums, piano, bass, congas, or music theory, Colin is always able to provide an answer that is both straightforward and illuminating, putting it in a larger muscial context.

I could not have asked for a better guide in my musical education and whether novice or professional, Colin is an excellent choice."

"Colin is very knowledgeable and has a positive and supportive approach. I have been taking piano lessons for a just few months now and I've already learned so much! While I'm new to piano, I do have some past music experience and I appreciate that Colin took the time to figure out where I was at and has found pieces for me to work on that I find both interesting and sufficiently challenging."

“Colin and I have played together several times over the last year. I have to tell you, Professional doesn’t quite cover it. First, he is a fabulously talented drummer. His ability to create a groove and keep tempo is second to none. He has incredible attention to detail and wants to know everything about every chart before we play it. He views himself, really, as the Director of the band. And a good drummer who can do that well is worth their weight in gold. He’s certainly qualified. I have told Colin several times that he’s my favorite kind of drummer. He’s a musician first and a drummer second. He knows exactly how to add what needs to be added without taking over. He never showboats and he sticks to the plan. I really enjoy working with Colin and making really great music together. I’ve been playing instruments for 52 years, since I was five years old. And Colin is one of the best musicians I have ever played with. It doesn’t hurt that he’s a fantastically nice guy. If you’re looking for a drummer or teacher with top notch qualifications and skills, I cannot recommend him highly enough.”

While I am not a percussionist, I am a producer and bassist, and I have performed with and recorded with Colin McLaurin many times over many years. Colin brings a wealth of talent and expertise to every performance in a way that one just doesn't find very often. His musicality, thoroughness and personality make him an absolute joy to work with, and he has become my go-to drummer and percussionist for many of the artists I work with. I cannot recommend Colin and Puget Sound and Percussion highly enough!!

I am an adult beginner drummer and have been taking lessons with Colin for almost a year. I would highly recommend him as a drum teacher. Before we even really dug into learning, he really got to know me, my musical background and my musical interests. He has been able to design his lessons to help me meet my drumming goals, but he also has been fantastically flexible. We often veer off in different directions, but he’s always been able to bring me back to work on my main goals. He has an easygoing and friendly manner; I never feel talked down to or chastised for not getting it right away. He is also a serious and talented teacher. He is really good at identifying my weaknesses and assigning exercises that help me overcome them. He seems genuinely invested in my progress. Highly recommend.

I met Colin over 2 years ago through the Open Minded Drumming educational platform, which I founded. We've discussed countless drumming educational matters, which led to starting a closer collaboration with him. Colin has begun helping our team at OMD further develop and organize the educational content. Our main priority is to provide legitimate, coherent, well-organized practice materials for drummers to follow and grow. Colin has become an incredibly knowledgeable person who knows almost all the books out there! His drum teaching approach is well-structured and thoughtful. I'm very happy for Colin to take this journey in establishing his own drum teaching studio to help drummers at all levels grow and become the best player versions of themselves! Rock On!!!

I have been Colin McLaurin’s student for more than 6 years. Colin is a patient and knowledgeable drum instructor. He has an extensive background in live performance. I have gone from not knowing how to play any instrument to playing music with others with Colin’s guidance and practice.

My daughter enjoys her drum class with Colin! She’s 6!!!

Colin is one of the most knowledgeable and passionate drummers I've met. A highly experienced player, and a great hang! If you're looking to start (or further!) your drumming journey, Colin has top quality equipment, a vast array of educational materials to draw from, as well as the industry and pedagogical background to tie it all together. Keep up the great work, Colin!

Detailed and structured (yet flexible) lessons from an attentive and experienced teacher who cares about his students as people and as musicians!