Professional musician for close to 30 years. Offering a structured lesson that will help you reach your drumming goals!

Michael has been our son’s drum instructor for a year now, and my son has really learned a lot and enjoys his lessons. Michael is patient, fun, very knowledgeable & provides positive feedback.

Michael is very experienced as a drummer and teacher. He has spent decades playing and teaching. He sets the pace that you are comfortable with and is able to answer questions about all kinds of music styles. He gave me great advice on buying my drumkit and gave me several different brands to compare. I am very pleased with my set. He never misses lessons, even if he is not feeling well. He quickly picks up any problems in my technique and corrects them quickly so that I can form good drumming habits. He takes the time to explain new skills thoroughly so that I understand them completely by the end of the lesson. He teaches students of all ages and music preferences, and I feel very fortunate as an adult to have him as my teacher.

My son started drumming with Michael in Oct. 2024. He instilled foundation skills first and then my son grew to the point of playing short improv sessions with his teacher before school ended in May. Super teacher, very polite, and feedback style nurtures motivation. Thanks Mike for all you do!

Mr.Thompson makes drum lessons really fun and exciting to where I want to learn more! He has always gotten me past parts of songs I have trouble with which makes him great!

I have been a student of Micheal Thompson for many years now doing multiple lessons a week and he has been amazing. He has taught me multiple styles, made me a way better drummer, and generally just a way better musician. Whenever he teaches me a song he doesnt just skim over parts like some other teachers I have had and instead goes deeply into the song and talks about the drummers style, influences, and even sticking. Even just talking about drums with him is very helpful and has helped me read drum sheet music better as well as play by ear to a song. The thing I like about him the most though is how he can turn a 45 minute lesson of him teaching a groove or a song and make it seem like you learned a lot in a short amount of time. I would definitely recommend him to other people who want to learn how to play the drums well.

I’ve been playing the drums for around five years and I can confidently say that Micheal Thompson has been one of the best teachers that I’ve ever had. I’ve started with him ever since I was in middle school and he had been patient and kind even through my mistakes and shortcomings. He’s always been engaging even now in my first year of college. He still a great teacher, helping me out with matters beyond just the drums. Whether he teaches in person or online, his lessons have always been informative, and his support outside of lessons is exemplary. I’m proud to say I’ve been a long time student of his and currently my younger brother is also learning from him. if you are serious about wanting to improve and learn how to play the drums well, you should take courses from Micheal. His expertise and knowledge are invaluable. When you’re learning you don’t feel talked that because he thoroughly explains each concept. No one has inspired me more to practice than he has. In comparison to my learning of other instruments, I can honestly say I feel much more passion and desire through Michael’s lessons. while learning from him, he catered to my needs and took in my request when I wanted to learn how to play certain styles of music he would have a lesson plan ready for the next week when I needed to adjust my schedule he was always there and always willing to not only as a drum teacher, but as someone to talk to, and someone who is service minded. It’s difficult to meet someone this passionate and this knowledgeable in music who also is a wonderful teacher I can’t recommend Micheal enough.

Michael has been fantastic, he has been an excellent drum instructor and has been perfect for my lessons. He gives easy comprehensive lessons that moves at a pace that is comfortable for you! My experience with Michael has been phenomenal, I would recommend him to absolutely any and everyone who is looking to get a start in drum lessons.

I have been a student of Micheal Thompson for many years now doing multiple lessons a week and he has been amazing. He has taught me multiple styles, made me a way better drummer, and generally just a way better musician. Whenever he teaches me a song he doesn't just skim over parts like some other teachers I have had and instead goes deeply into the song and talks about the drummers style, influences, and even sticking. Even just talking about drums to him is very helpful and has helped me read drum sheet music better as well as play by ear to a song. The thing I like about him the most though is how he can turn a 45 minute lesson of him teaching a groove or a song and make it seem like you learned a lot in a short amount of time. I would definitely recommend him to other people who want to learn how to play the drums well.

My son Hunter and Waylon have been taking drum lessons from him for 7 months now. He is very patient with them and breaks down the lessons where my kids can understand. I was worried how it was going to go with zoom, but it is like he is there.

I like the way he challenges me (Akhil). I like the challenges. They frustrate me in a way so they actually make me want to play them!

I have learned how to ply the drum set with him for almost seven years and I have learned so much from it.

Michael is a great drum coach/teacher. He has all the great qualities of a leader and is able to impart his wisdom to you as the student. He is responsive to special situations and flexible for scheduling. His lessons are always fun learning something new each time. He is worth every minute you spend with him and will further your drum skills to new levels.

Michael has done a tremendous job with my son, Landon, by teaching him the proper techniques and fundamentals on the drum set. I appreciate Michael's ability to share his drum knowledge, offer practice notes and always offer open communication on the progress of Landon. Michael has been great to work with and is a positive influence for my son.

Michael is an excellent drum coach! He had taken our sins drumming skills to a new level. He helped our son land a permanent drummer gig with a band. Michael rocks!!!

My son has attended drums lessons with MJT for past few months and greatly enjoys his lessons. MJT is very organized and we have no issues getting the most of the virtual sessions. MJT is extremely patient and polite. He lessons has a good balance of fundamentals and keeping my son engaged. We are very happy to find MJT and would definitely recommend.

I am glad I found Mr. Thompson to be my drum instructor. I started to learn the drums later in life but it doesn’t feel that way when learning from him. Whatever level you may be he is intuitive in knowing what you need when you need it. I always have a good time and feel like I am progressing after each lesson. Definitely enjoying the drumming journey. One love.

Michael is very patient and encouraging. He takes the time to explain. Great teacher

great teacher and very exacting! great motivator!

Very professional and responsive. Worked very well with my daughter. Would definitely recommend.

Michael is a very engaged and thoughtful drum instructor. He has been providing drum lessons remotely, and they have been great. Michael has been working with our grandson for about 4 months, and the improvement in his drumming has been dramatic. Michael is an excellent communicator, and he takes time to make sure the lesson schedule is clearly communicated, and then follows up with detailed practice plans after each session. I strongly recommend Michael for drummers of any age or ability that are interested in honing their skills.

My 14 yo grandson started lessons with Michael about 2 months ago. Being able to do it over video is so convenient and he has learned so much. He always feels so confident after the lesson! I would highly recommend Michael!

Michael does a great job with my grandson Kendrick who has just started drum lessons recently. He is patient and affirming.

I have been a student for almost 4 years and have really enjoyed it. Michael's style of teaching and understanding of drumming fundamentals makes him a great teacher for any age. He makes sure you feel supported and have fun on whatever you are working on but that doesn't stop him from letting you know how to improve. Michael also has experience in many styles of music and can teach and focus on whatever you like. I currently am on a progressive rock song, funk song, and am getting into latin style songs.

Michael has been a phenomenal drum teacher and musical influence on our son for the past 6 years. His easy-going style, warm personality, and positive attitude have really helped Jude blossom and continuously strive to improve. I would highly recommend Michael to anyone, at any age or level looking to become a percussion aficionado.

Michael does such a great job! I was not sure about remote lessons for a musical instrument, but Michael makes it work! My son loves playing the drums, he's learning and applying what he learns in his lessons, and he makes progress with every lesson. We are pleased with his progress, and we would definitely recommend Michael as an instructor!

Micheal is a wonderful music teacher. He conveys his love and various types of music easily. My son has been learning the drums for a few years but Michael Micheal is a wonderful music teacher. He conveys his love and various types of music easily. My son has been learning the drums for a few years but Michael T has taken him beyond technique drills and actually into playing songs! We highly recommend him. MJTDrummer has taken him beyond technique drills and actually into playing songs! We highly recommend him.

Michael is an excellent instructor that can energize his students. His personality and love for the drums (music in general) will rub off on his students. My son was a total beginner who had a slow left hand. With in one yr his drumming advanced to levels of profound levels which lead him to joining Camp Chase Drum and Fife Corp. After three years working with Michel his drumming has raised him to now assisting or leading as principle musician. Michael inspires his students to want to practice and it leads them to many adventures. His teaching method's even during the pandemic early days using Zoom as a tool was awesome. I would highly recommend Michael as an instructor to anyone.

Michael is very kind and patient. He makes sure you understand the lesson!

Michael is not just an amazing teacher but he is great person. After watching him teach my 9 year old son I immediately wanted to take lessons. I now have my 12 year old daughter and my self taking weekly classes.
Im extremely satisfied with his service and teaching method. He is super accommodating and flexible when it comes to scheduling and diligent on following up. We as family are excited to keep developing our skills under his guidance.

My 5 year old son likes to play drum. We signed him up for Michael's virtual class after trial, and he has been doing really well in the past several months. Virtual class is challenging for little ones, but Michael has all the patience and teaching tricks to get my son involved in the class. Michael is really dedicated to teaching, and I can tell he enjoys working with kids. To further improve the virtual class drum set sound quality, Michael even invested in a new electronic drum set. I would recommend Michael to anyone who is looking for a drum teacher.

At mid-life I found myself with extra time on my hands as the kids had all flown the coop; but I was stranded in my home due to COVID-19. I had always wanted to learn drums and decided to make drumming my primary hobby in my “second life”, but I didn’t know where to start. Michael Thompson answered my request for information and has been extremely knowledgeable, flexible, and attentive to my needs. I have learned more in the past few months than anticipated, and am even playing one of my favorite (basic) songs adequately!

I live in Nashville and Mike is outside Detroit, and I was initially concerned about how the “virtual instruction experience” would be. It hasn’t been a problem, and I’m fact it’s has streamlined the cadence for each session and added structure to it. We both use webcams and can see each other without issue, and in fact I can see up close examples where I may not have noticed if I were onsite.

Here are some highlights of my experience:

- [ ] Detroit based drummer with decades of experience with multiple genres of music (Jazz, Rock, Latin, Classics, and more!)
- [ ] Personalized training, the Genre and songs that I want to learn with a sprinkling of others for edification. I have learned to appreciate genres I never listened to before, such as Jazz.
- [ ] Music theory instruction, reading percussion sheet music, timing, rudiments, hand/foot techniques and control, fills, and much more
- [ ] Flexible scheduling. I decided on an hour a week, and Mike has been flexible when my schedule required a different night. He’s Uber easy to work with.
- [ ] Mike responds to out-of-cycle messages, sends videos to demo a specific question, he is great at getting questions answered.
- [ ] He consistently (and tactfully) corrects minor mistakes, attention to detail matters and has made me a better drummer.

In closing, I believe that an instructor’s job is not to just give you a ton of examples and homework; we can all get that from books and YouTube. An instructors actual job is to be the subject matter expert and to guide the students through the content that they need to know to build foundational habits and be prepared for the the next stage in training. Mikes homework assignments always lead to mastery skills that need to be in place to best embrace the next level.

My 8 yr old daughter has been taking drum lessons from Michael for couple months now virtually. Shes really enjoying them and learning. Michael is very organized and has a great style of teaching. His camera setup really helps to see exactly what hes teaching and my daughter is able to follow him easily. He provides notes after each lesson and what to practice for homework as well, which really helps keep my daughter engaged while shes not in class. I wasn't sure if virtual lessons will work initially but Michael has really made it worthwhile and my daughter now loves these classes. I would highly recommend Michael for anyone thats thinking of lessons especially during the pandemic!!

Michael is always smiling, energetic！Thank you for having so much patience with my son! You have truly inspired him to be a musician!I will always be thankful for your hard work.

I wanted to get back into drums after taking about 20 years off.....Mike was able to help me tune up my fundamentals and get me back on track to having fun with the drums again. He is easy to work with and his price is reasonable. He is very flexible with my schedule as I only do online lessons. Mike is qualified and easy to talk to. He understands what direction I want to go and has helped me improve my skills. A++++

Lessons are the perfect mix of structured exercises and learning fun songs to play. My son has ADHD and he is able to keep his attention and focus for the entire lesson

I’ve been working with Michael and we’re currently on 4. Doing one lesson a week I am rapidly progressing! Being self taught and not understanding fundamentals have been a nightmare. Michael consistently teaches ways to simplify every aspect and has gotten me up and running playing really fun grooves. Would highly recommend Michael to any and all skill levels.

Michael and I conduct our lessons via Skype. It has worked great and I'm extremely happy with how the lessons have progressed. It's been 50 years since my last drum lesson, and I really enjoy the flexibility of taking the lesson through Skype. I feel like we are in the same room. He is very knowledgeable, gives great feedback, and is just nice. I would highly recommend lessons with Michael!

Mike is teaching drums to my son for more than a year now. My son enjoys his classes and never wants to miss one.
I would highly recommend Mike for his professional behavior, dedication and patience while working with kids

What a great teacher! He is patient and very easy to work with. Scheduling is also a breeze. He has been playing drums for many years now and he is clearly passionate about it. Not only does he teach, but he plays in bands and live shows, so he has brings a lot of practical experience to his lessons.

If you are a new or advanced drummer, you should really check him out! I have been taking lesson off/on for the past 4 years and would definitely recommend him to anyone.

Michael is a friendly and highly qualified drum teacher! As an elementary educator, I appreciate Michael's ability to be flexible with lesson format; answering a variety of questions asked; introducing relevant and fun songs and activities; etc. I can see Michael being an excellent teacher to kids and adults alike.

Michael is excellent!. He is very responsive. My son has learned so much in such a short amount of time. Michael provides practice notes after very lesson, also provides feedback and is very proffesional and a wondeful person. we are so happy we found him!

Knowledgeable and great with kids

Michael has been my drum teacher for a while now, and has always been very responsive and receiving of what my skill level is and what I want to accomplish, even helping me out with my tenors for marching band with not a lot of experience in that field. Definitely a great teacher, would recommend especially to any beginners who are just getting into drums.

Michael always keeps lessons fresh and engaging. Huge fan of his focus on fundamentals too. Great instructor from beginner to advanced!

Mr.Michael is a very kind, passionate, understanding and great teacher. He is a very good choice if you are looking for a drums teacher.

I really enjoy doing the lessons. Mr. Thompson is always in a good mood, and he makes the lessons fun by making jokes every once in a while and telling stories about his previous drum experiences. Also I think it's great that he does the fundamental teachings like "Stick Control," "Syncopation," and "Fundamental Drum Patterns." These are great preparation skills for when we move on to songs. Overall my drum experience with MTJDRUMMER has been awesome.

Along with me playing what I’m given I can suggest songs that I want to play and if it’s a song that has to do with what we’re playing then we would learn it

“Mr. Michael is very calm, patient and a very fun teacher to learn from. I am enjoying his lessons a lot!” - Timothy, student

“Timothy has been learning how to play the drums with Michael since January, and he is doing amazingly great! His interest for drums grows every time he has a lesson. We believe that Michael’s passion for drums and music motivates our son. We are very pleased to watch Timothy’s progress.” - Bert & Soraya, Timothy’s parents

Michael has been the best drum teacher that my son has ever had (and he's had several). Michael is organized and thorough, ensuring my son has a foundation in the fundamentals, while still giving him fun songs to practice each week. It's the right balance of drills and the joy of playing. Michael is super-responsive and open to feedback and adjustments to make the experience great for your kid. Highly recommend!

Mike is not only a fantastic person, he is an excellent instructor. I have taken many lessons on multiple instruments over the years and Mike is by far the best instructor I have worked with. He's highly skilled in his craft and it shows in the progress we have made in the last 6+ months. I would not be where I am today in my drumming journey without Mike's expert guidance and support.

Mike is a very good Teacher.
I have a 7 years old son that loves him. He is very polite and professional working with the kids.
I totally recommend him to everyone.

Michael is a patient and encouraging teacher. His lessons are energetic and we always get a lot done. You can tell, too, that he is knowledgeable and passionate about the material. He can apply both technical skill and professional experience to his lessons, while also adapting to the student and allowing them to advance at their own pace. He motivates with praise but will tell you when something needs work/practice. I leave every lesson excited to continue learning and improving. I recommend lessons with Michael!

Michael is hands down the best drum teacher my son has had, His patience and commitment to his student's is remarkable. He is so engaged and enthusiastic. I am so thrilled we found him! Both my son and I highly recommend him.

He is punctual, flexible, patient, and my son says he keeps the lessons fun.