I had spent a few months before considering drum lessons plodding away on my own but to be honest I could hardly even hold a stick with my left hand so I decided to look for drum teachers in the Yorkshire area.

Halifax Drum Schools web page was friendly and informative and easy to find so I decided to give them a call.

Martin’s wife Kate booked me in for my first lesson at the school three years ago and although I had to commit to a three-hour round trip from Scarborough it was clear from my first hour with Martin that if I wanted to achieve my goals of learning to drum and get into a band then this was the man.

Martin’s passion and enthusiasm for drums is clearly evident and his structured lessons have taught me everything I needed to develop as a drummer in a shorter time frame that even I as a “very slow learner” expected.

His open handed approach ,amazing sense of groove, frightening power and solid time comes through in every lesson that I have attended with him. Rock, Pop, Funk, Blues, Latin and Jazz concepts have all been covered enabling me to not just play, but shape and style the type of drummer I dream of being.

Martin has a treasure trove of secrets that he is willing to share with you as long as you show a desire and willingness to seriously practise his routines which are all hybrids of all his favourite drummers over the years Cobham ,Weckyl, Colaiuta, Donati and Lang to name but a few.

I have also been lucky enough to see Martin perform with his new band project One Minute Silence and believe me this guy has everything in his live arsenal that a successful modern drummer needs to have.

Excellent teacher and all round top guy with loads of fun stories to share with you.

Cheers for it all Mart…

Shaun Thomas, Scarborough

Martin Davies has been an inspiration to me over the last 10 years. His enthusiastic, friendly and supportive manner prepared me well for good passes in grades and successful auditions. His encouragement has given me the confidence to take up a career as a drummer.

George Day, (London Session Pro) – George recently played on live TV at the cricket world cup to an estimated 2 billion viewers. George has also worked alongside Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams’ writing partner), and Karl Wallinger of ‘World Party’, whilst continuing to work as a session player in and around London.

We recommend Martin Davies without reservation as a first class tutor who has high standards and excellent communication skills.

Ron & Jenny Hill – (parents to Alex, a student)

I had always wanted to play drums, but never got round to it. The drumming experience day was exactly what I wanted. By the end of the day I had learned to play a song! I found the teaching to be enthusiastic, well organized and fun. I am so pleased I went ahead and actually did it.

Joelle Bacon (experience day student)

After 43 years I finally realized an ambition and started to play the drums, taught by Martin. From the first lesson I never looked backed, Martin has showed me different playing styles, lessons are always enjoyable and challenging. Plus he has many an amusing tale from the music business. He definitely dispelled the myth of being too old to start to play!

Ian Murphy (student)

I’ve studied drums with Martin for 5 years now, and am playing regular gigs with my band ‘The Stations’ with who I have done 2 UK tours. I have gained a lot more confidence and stage presence, having learned a wide variety of styles. I think Martin is an extremely good teacher who has helped me a lot with my drumming and developing my own unique style.

Sean Jessen (student) – check out Sean’s playing at www.stationsmusic.co.uk

During the last 12 months with Martins’s guidance and commitment on my part I am playing grooves I would never have thought possible years ago. ..-Martin is patient but also very firm. He is at the cutting edge of where drumming is at today and his huge versatility being able to play all styles from rock, jazz, swing, funk, fusion and world ensures that he is always in great demand for session work and tours. In the past 12 months he’s moulded me from a classic grip cross handed player into an evolving matched grip open-handed player, plus-double kick techniques! My advice-never underestimate the importance of a good teacher, and in Martin you will find non better. Practice whenever you can, you’ll be wasting your time if you don’t and anyway with Martin you won’t get away with it! Finally, get yourself into a band; it’s a hell of a lot more fun than golf!

Andrew Morley is 55, and started to play drums at 14, he had some formal training, then gigged heavily in his 20’s, and then left the drums for guitar. He had the chance to take up drums again a year back with a new band and jumped at the chance- so he enrolled with The Halifax Drum School.

I’m 15 and have been having drum lessons with Martin for two and a half years. Over this time I have learned many different styles and techniques in drumming some of which I had never even heard of. Martin has not only taught me styles, techniques and rudiments, he also incorporates an element of fun; he has taught me countless songs and solos. He has helped me with my band drumming and has made me familiar with some amazing drummers, successfully helping me along the way to being completely obsessed with Thomas Lang. Over the two years I have been having lessons with Martin, I have gone from an absolute beginner to a nearly grade 5 drummer, and I’ve loved every minute of it. Thanks Martin.

Alex Carey