The pipe band plays highland style of drumming.  New learners will start with a practice pad. This is a small rubber pad designed to imitate the feel of playing on a real drum, only much quieter. Most drummers continue to use their practice pad for personal practice and for practising with the rest of the drum section. One will usually only use the drums when playing or practicing with the pipers or drummers.

One will begin by learning how to hold drumsticks using the traditional grip, some basic strokes and how to read a drum score. As one grows more comfortable with your sticks one will start to learn some of the more typical combinations (called rudiments) used by drummers in almost every style of music.

When one has mastered the rudiments, one will be ready to being learning the beatings or scores to the tunes the band plays and on one's way to playing with the full band. The band will provide ya drum one is ready to play with the band. There are three types of drums - bass drum, tenor drum and snare drum.