Instrument hire, care and purchasing

Recommended instrument purchases for entry level

To fully benefit from music lessons, children need an instrument to practice on at home. We do not hire out keyboards, pianos, drum kits or guitars, so you will need to buy your own. Instrument prices and quality vary greatly; please use the table below to help you purchase a suitable entry level instrument.

Please note: Students having lessons with us can benefit from purchasing instruments over £100 (minus the cost of VAT) using the Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme.

Instrument Makes Specifications Entry price
Acoustic drum kit Mirage (lower end), Pearl (better quality)
  • Ensure it comes with kick drum pedal, snare stand, sticks and throne (stool)
 £80 to £200
Digital drum kit     £200 to £300
Acoustic guitar  
  • Ensure you buy the size recommended by your teacher
 £50+
Digital piano Yamaha, Roland, Kawai
(Can be bought second hand)
  • 88 notes
  • Weighted keys
 £300+
Keyboard  Casio and Yamaha
  • 61 full-size keys
  • Touch sensitivity (optional)
 £65 to £200
Violin Stentor II, Forenza Prima, Hidersine Inizio
  • Ensure you buy the size recommended by your teacher
 £100
(Cheaper violins than this will not stay in tune)