Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about DrumShed — what it does, how it differs from other practice apps, and how to use it.
What is DrumShed?
DrumShed lets you make the beat, then learn to play it. Build any beat, fill, or sticking exercise in seconds with the builders — or draft one with the AI co-pilot — then drill it into your hands with structured drills, practice paths, and hands-free sessions. Underneath it all sits a complete timing harness that's free — ten drills, not just a click — plus a library of everything you create and a community of drummers sharing patterns. Every drummer needs a home base — this is it.
Is DrumShed free?
Practicing is free — all of it. Every one of the ten timing drills is free: internal clock, click displacement, tempo builder, accent placement, polyrhythm, time signature builder, dynamic control, feel transitions, pocket, and the basic metronome. So are hands-free sessions, your drill history, your stats and streaks, the full metronome with its pocket and shuffle click controls, and browsing Explore. No ads, no card, not a timed trial. One paid tier, All Access, covers making your own: the beat, fill, and exercise builders, publishing and cloning on Explore, Practice Paths on a schedule, and the AI co-pilot.
How much does DrumShed cost?
Nothing, if all you want to do is practice — the ten timing drills, sessions, history and stats are free. All Access, which adds the beat, fill, and exercise builders, publishing, Practice Paths and the AI co-pilot, is $5.99/month or $47.99/year. There is also a one-time Founding Member option at $179.99 — lifetime access plus 1,000 starter AI credits. All Access starts with a 14-day free trial, no card required.
Will the price go up?
Yes — $5.99/month and $47.99/year are launch pricing. Subscribers who join now keep their rate for as long as their subscription stays active, even after prices increase for new members.
What devices will DrumShed run on?
DrumShed is available now — free on the App Store for iPhone and iPad (iOS 17 or later, iPhone XS and newer) and on Google Play for Android.
Do I need a drum kit to use DrumShed?
No. DrumShed works with a practice pad or no kit at all. Many of its drills (sticking, rudiments, dynamics, tempo building) are designed for pad practice, and audio playback lets you hear what you are working on without playing it yourself.
How is DrumShed different from a regular metronome app?
A metronome only ticks. DrumShed builds structured drills around the click — feel transitions, tempo builder, internal clock, accent placement, click displacement, polyrhythm, dynamic control, pocket, and time-signature builder — so each session has a clear focus and an end point instead of just clicking endlessly. All of that is free, not just the click. And even the metronome itself does more than tick: you can drag or rush the backbeat and shuffle the subdivisions so the click plays a pocket, not just a grid.
How is DrumShed different from Drumeo or Melodics?
Drumeo is a video-course platform — you watch world-class teachers. Melodics is MIDI-based lesson software built around an e-kit. DrumShed is a practice tool, not a course. It assumes you already know how to play and gives you the structure (drills, sessions, builders, community) to actually practice consistently — on any kit, including acoustic. The two are complementary rather than direct alternatives.
What are the ten metronome drills?
Basic Metronome, Feel Transitions, Tempo Builder, Internal Clock, Accent Placement, Time Signature Builder, Click Displacement, Polyrhythm, Dynamic Control, and Pocket. Each drill targets a specific aspect of timing or feel and runs through structured reps with the click — Pocket has you sit against a click that drags or rushes the backbeat. All ten are free.
What is the AI co-pilot?
The AI co-pilot (currently in beta) drafts drum beats, fills, and full practice sessions on demand using the same logic as the manual builders. You can ask it for a half-time shuffle in 6/8 at 92 BPM, or a linear fill drilled every fourth bar, and it drops a playable draft directly into the editor — you audition it, tweak it, and keep what works. Because it is in beta, results can miss sometimes; every result is fully editable. AI use is metered by monthly credits included with All Access; top-ups are available if you run out.
Can I share my own beats and fills?
Yes — building your own patterns and publishing them is what All Access covers. Each shared pattern gets a stable URL that opens directly inside the app, and other drummers can star, clone, or fork your work as a starting point for their own — with a "forked from" credit pointing back to you.
Can I practice without touching my phone?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Hands-free sessions stack drills end-to-end and use voice cues to announce transitions. Put the phone on a stand or use an iPad on your rig and you never need to tap during a session — useful when you have sticks in both hands.
What genres does DrumShed cover?
The built-in beat and fill libraries cover rock, funk, jazz, Latin, metal, hip-hop, soul/R&B, gospel, worship, and double bass. The Explore community adds more every day as drummers publish their own patterns.
Can left-handed drummers use DrumShed?
Yes. Set your stance to left-handed (or open-handed) and every pattern’s sticking, notation, and playback flips to match how you sit at the kit. Patterns are stored hand-neutral under the hood, so grooves shared by right-handed drummers work for you and vice versa.