Drum Lessons in Knightsen, CA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Organ

For beginner students who are pursing music on the tonal instruments, I typically start with learning the names of the notes on the instrument and the major scale in every key as it relates to the piano. For the bass guitar I start of with basic finger strength techniques and exercises while incorporating the major scale fingering form and Nashville numbering system for all tonal instruments. For voice, I start off by finding the range of the individual and then teaching warmup techniques while building the individuals technique through finding a song and learning how to sing along.  Read More

Instruments: Drums

I have taught a number of students over the years. Some are beginners, while some are more advanced players. I currently teach in a studio carved out of my garage, using a top level electronic drum set to help keep the volume down. I began accepting students as far back as 1984, and have a regular student at the present time. I have worked with him on basic technique, the rudiments, working with and without a metronome. Read More

Instruments: Drums Orchestral Percussion

Over the past 10 years, I have developed a method of teaching that focuses heavily on fundamentals that are essential to any drummer regardless of whether they are beginner or advanced: Hand Technique, Reading, 4-way Drum Set Coordination, Time Keeping and Feel/Pocket, and Stylistic Development. I provide my private collection of PDF's and exercises to my students depending on what is being worked on. While I use books and exercises when teaching, you will never find me teaching out of books exclusively because I believe that books are only supplemental to teaching. Read More

Instruments: Drums

For a long time I did not want to teach. I thought that those who can't do, teach- as the saying goes. As a father of a young boy few things give me more joy than to see my son learn about music, and Drums/Percussion in particular. As a musician I taught many musicians music theory; from diatonic scales/circle of fifths to pitch clusters and counterpoint. My best students were my band mates in In An Airplane who learned octatonic scales, modes, freetime, atonality and poly rhythm during our goings on. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Organ Synthesizer Ukulele Mandolin Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I always say that rhythm is more important than the notes. Play the right rhythm and the notes will come instead of playing every right note while sacrificing rhythm. I encourage students to make their mistakes loud, proud, and in rhythm so everyone has a better idea of what needs to be worked on most. I also emphasize isolating parts to practice and working backwards. Example: play the last two bars of the song until comfortable with it, now play the last 4 bars, last 6, last 8...etc., whole song. Read More

Instruments: Drums

A professional performer since age 15, Larry draws from a deep well of musical influence, including gospel, blues, funk, jazz and soul. These various genres have collectively shared his unique sound, his groove brand, which is in full display in his performances and music recordings. Larry's resume reads like a Whos Who list, having toured and recorded with those musicians listed above, as well as THE WHISPERS, MARTHA REEVES, THE MARVALETTES, CHARLES BROWN, BUFFY SAINT-MARIE, RANDY CRAWFORD and many more. Read More

Instruments: Drums

I teach many odd time signatures, four way independence. I teach out of the most educated drum books that all of the great drummers have studied. I also encourage my students all of the great drummers on recordings and videos. Here are the books that I use: Here are some important books: a) Louis Bellson's Snare drum book; b) Gene Krupa, Cozy Cole Sensational Drum Book; c) Jim Chapin's Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer; d) Ultimate encyclopedia for the drum set; e) George Lawrence Stone's Stick Control Read More