Drum Lessons in Montrose, CA

Instruments: Drums Conga Latin Percussion Djembe

For all my students, I like to get down to where the joy comes from. I channel that throughout the lessons to keep a motivative approach on channeling what made them choose drums in the first place. I start every students experience with the question why drums?. And once I have their answer, I can begin to construct a plan for each student and their desires for the instrument. Anybody can show you rudiments, drum patterns notation..i'm here to show you how to be the best musician you can be using tips and tricks i've obtained over my years of experience. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My teaching style is generally laid back. I believe that a student will only work as hard as they want to, and I have little control over that. I focus more on finding out what will make the student want to work hard, rather than forcing them to study something that does not interest them. It's all about getting the student to have a positive musical experience. That being said, I do my best to hold my students accountable, but try to do so in an encouraging way vs. a nagging and controlling way. Read More

Instruments: Drums

I approach teaching as a purely collaborative endeavor. In initially meeting a student, I ask many questions in order to gage what has inspired the student to study drums, and what particular genres of music and/or artists have brought them to the point of lesson inquiry. I use this information to construct a plan that seeks to meet both short-term and long-term goals. My teaching style is very high-spirited, laid back, yet, demanding - with a touch of fun humor. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Orchestral Percussion Conga

During college, a woman and her son saw a Jazz combo show I played drum set in and after the set, She asked me if I would teach her son. I agreed. I taught her son for a year. Sadly, they moved away but the word spread and the next year I had two more students. It contuied that way as I progressed in college my teaching improved. When I moved to California in 1997, I had seven students to teach on the weekends. Read More

Instruments: Drums

For beginning students as well as more confirmed ones, I always teach exercices in a musical context. It's important to know how to play but it's even more important to know when to use the right skills at the right time. I teach independance, rythms, grooves, polyvalence, time and more in order to make you a better musician who can adapt to the different situations you may find yourself in. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums French Horn Oboe

I began teaching at the Xavier University Junior School of Music (Louisiana) at the age of 18. My teaching experience now spans 30 years. While most of my teaching, over the years, has been primarily private, I also have several years of classroom teaching experience. I enjoy teaching music because I believe that it is one of the most endearing methods of sharing information. One of my motto's is that I am an educator first, music is simply the vehicle by which I choose to educate. Read More