Online Drum Lessons – StephensDrumShed.com

Please read all of the information on this page BEFORE submitting your application for a spot at one of the 2025 or 2026 SDS Drum Camps. Once you have read all of the info provided on this page, please fill out the form at the bottom of the page and click the “SUBMIT” button. Grant will follow up with you shortly with your next steps.

If you have specific questions, please feel free to email Grant at help@stephensdrumshed.com or call the studio directly at 1-888-336-3111. We can’t wait to meet you in person!

We regularly have cancellations. Every year, multiple people on wait lists are able to attend the camps. So please, put yourself on the wait list even if the camp of your choice is full. Unfortunately, we are only able to offer 6 drum camps in 2025. This means there are only 72 spots (12 per camp) available. Once a camp is full, it will be listed as “Sold Out – Wait List Only”.

The wait list for each camp date is based upon which applications came in first. We DO have cancellations. If a cancellation happens, we will contact the first person on the wait list and continue down that list until the spot is filled.

Unfortunately, no. The process is this…submit your application, wait until you hear from us (could be up to a week), and if you have solidified a spot in a drum retreat we will send you all of the info you need in the follow up email. If all spots are taken for the retreat of your choice, you will have the opportunity to be moved to another retreat date OR be put on the wait list for the retreat of your choice.

*We reserve the right to refuse any application for any of our drum retreats or in person events*

Not at all. Right handed, left handed, open handed, traditional grip, matched grip, or any other combination of those…you’re welcome here! We work with each other to change the kits as needed for practice sessions. We have 5 acoustic drum sets and 3 e-kits set up in the building and you get your own practice pad kit for all of the group sessions (along with kick pedal and throne). Reversing the acoustic drum sets only takes a couple of minutes. We just ask that you help set them for the next person once you are finished playing on them. But this goes for right handed or left handed players.

All attendees must be over the age of 16. If you are under the age of 18, you must travel with a parent or legal guardian. If you are unable to travel with a parent or guardian, please contact Grant at help@stephensdrumshed.com to discuss options.

If you are under the age of 16 and interested in attending a future retreat, please email help@stephensdrumshed.com and let us know. We are working on developing a retreat for that age group based upon the interest we have.

Some of you may be questioning which drum camp you need to sign up for. This can sometimes be a difficult assessment…you can be intermediate in one area while still being a beginner in another. Don’t worry though…use the information below to help you assess yourself. As well, feel free to contact us and we are happy to help you assess your playing and recommend a camp experience to you.

Here’s the bottom line…I keep these camps intimate and limit the number of people for this very reason. Even if you sign up for a level and realize it is not the correct level for you, we can augment the material to challenge you no matter where you are in your development. However, it is easier to make an exercise HARDER than it is to make an exercise EASIER past a certain point.

NOTE: even if you have played for 2+ years, you may still be on a beginner level. That’s totally fine. This is not a race. To get the most out of the camp experience, you need to be brutally honest with where you feel you are in your development.

If you have any questions about what camp level you should attend, simply email or call the studio. We are happy to guide you through picking the right camp experience for you and your needs.

Welcome to Historic Columbia, TN

(or Muletown as the locals like to call it)

If you're looking for quiet afternoons, historic buildings, small mom and pop shops, and unique experiences...well, Columbia is for you. Nestled in the heart of middle Tennessee, Columbia will win your heart over with small town charm. Any given day you could find yourself grabbing a coffee with friends at Muletown Coffee & Roasters, snagging hand made leather goods at Bradley Mountain, picking your favorite homemade pie from Pie Sensations, browsing the vinyl collection at Variety Records, losing yourself in a book at Duck River Books, Gorging yourself on homemade Italian food at Mama Mila's, treating yourself to some ice cream at Hattie B's Creamery, or just sitting and people watching in town square. Columbia is the kind of small town that invites you to slow down, take a deep breath, and smile a little. Get your waiving hand in shape as well, we do a lot of that around here!

Most of the week will be spent at the SDS Studio (located one block from the historic Columbia Arts District) but you will have breaks and down time to be able to explore the historic downtown square, hike to beautiful spots like Stillhouse Hollow Falls, or catch a ride in to downtown Nashville for music and fun. As well, each day we will eat lunch at a different, unique local joint.

Nope! Each person will be assigned a practice drum kit for the week, bass drum pedal (speed flyer), and drum throne (Roc-n-Soc). In addition to the 12 practice drum sets we will have set up for daily sessions, we have no less than 8 drum kits set up at the studio at one time (three of these being ekits). There is also a variety of snare drums, Zildjian cymbals, and percussion instruments to choose from as well as Vic Firth isolation headphones to use at each drum set.

Oh, and the entire porch railing is a practice pad. Just imagine your 14 year old self designing a drum space…the building is pretty much that. 

Please bring a set of drum sticks. In addition to sticks, if you would like to bring smaller items to make you more comfortable such as drum thrones, bass drum pedals, etc., you are more than welcome to.

To put it more simply, bring your sticks and we’ll provide the rest!

The week will officially end on Friday night. If you are coming to a Level 1 or Level 2 camp, the end time will be after our recording session (complete with a professional Nashville engineer to run things). The session will run late into the evening so I would plan on a Saturday leave time at the earliest. If you have to leave Friday night or you have an early Saturday morning flight, please let us know. We will work to accommodate you on the Friday night recording session so that you are able to make your flight or get out of the studio early enough to get some rest before your day of travel. If you are coming to a Level 3 camp, your camp will end by 6pm on Friday evening.

Transportation to and from the airport for arrival and departure is the responsibility of the camper. Please allow for those costs in your trip planning. If you stay at the approved hotel (Hampton Inn in Spring Hill, TN), we will provide a morning shuttle to the studio and an evening shuttle back to your hotel. You may choose to stay anywhere you like as long as you arrange for your own transportation to and from the studio.

Yes, if you want to drive or bring your own car, that's totally fine.

We have worked out a discounted room rate at the Hampton Inn in Spring Hill, TN. The rates will vary depending on the time of the year. The hotel is centrally located in a local shopping center so that you can easily walk to food in the evenings (Longhorn Steakhouse, Panera, Cracker Barrel, Buffalo Wild Wings, Olive Garden, Pizza joints, Burger joints, fast food options and a ton more). In addition, there is sidewalk access to shopping (Kohl’s, Ulta, Super Target, etc.) as well as a movie theatre directly beside the hotel. To see all that is available around the hotel, just search “The Crossings in Spring Hill, TN”.

You are also welcome to stay at local Air B & B's or other hotels.

NOTE: You MUST purchase your hotel room online to get the SDS hotel discount. Grant will be happy to send you that link. You may stay at any local hotel, bed & breakfast, or Air BnB but you will need to arrange for your own transportation to and from the studio each day. We are happy to answer any questions and give you recommendations if you prefer to stay at one of these.

This year's Fantasy Camp will feature none other than Stanton Moore

The 2026 Drum Camp season brings with it a totally new experience, brought to you by the drum nerds here at SDS! For many years it has been a goal of mine to pair our unique camp experiences with high caliber guest artists. It is an opportunity to learn from some of your favorite drummers in an intimate environment that caters to helping you become a better drummer. Not only will there be TONS of teaching, there will be tons of hang time with other attendees and the artists themselves. It's a rare opportunity to get to learn from, hang with, and interact with some of your favorite drummers. I promise you, you will NOT find another experience like this one any time soon!

This year we have booked one Fantasy Drum Camp with New Orleans Grammy winning drumming legend, Stanton Moore. Stanton will be bringing his unique style of playing, teaching, and energy. This is a rare opportunity to spend 3 full days getting to know and learn from one of the best drummers and educators on the scene today. Whether you are a fan of his playing, a professional drummer looking to grow their skills, or a hobbyist just wanting to have a unique experience, we would LOVE to have you snag one of these spots.

Stanton Moore is a GRAMMY award-winning artist, teacher and performer. Born and raised in New Orleans, Stanton Moore is a dedicated drummer, performer and educator especially connected to the city, its culture and collaborative spirit. In the early ‘90s, Moore helped found the New Orleans-based essential funk band Galactic who continue to amass a worldwide audience via recording and touring globally.

Moore launched his solo career in 1998. He has 9 records under his own name with the most current being "With You In Mind: The Songs of Allen Toussaint".

Throughout his 25 year career, Moore has played and or recorded with a diverse group of artists including Maceo Parker, Joss Stone, Irma Thomas, Leo Nocentelli and George Porter (of the Meters),Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine), Corrosion of Conformity, Donald Harrison Jr., Nicholas Payton, Trombone Shorty, Skerik, Charlie Hunter, Robert Walter, Will Bernard, Ivan Neville, Anders Osborne and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. He has also appeared numerous times on the Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O'brien and Seth Meyers late night TV night shows.

With a bachelor’s degree in music and business from Loyola University, Moore stays involved in education by constantly presenting clinics and teaching master classes and private lessons all over the world. He has released two book and three video projects. His book Groove Alchemy was picked by Modern Drummer as one of the top 25 instructional drum books of all time.

To sign up for this unique opportunity, simply fill out the form at the bottom of this page and select the Stanton Moore Experience.