Drum Lessons in Ogontz Campus, PA

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Djembe

Every drum student is different so I customize each lesson to fit the particular students needs and goals. I always start out with fundamentals and rudiments on the snare drum, Focusing on stick position posture and proper technique. Once these basics are established we move onto a basic drum set method book covering notation, basic drumbeats and drum fills. From there we branch out into various styles of drumming, very often we move to jazz drumming from there as that is usually the first time students are offered to play drum set in their school music program. Read More

Instruments: Drums

I used a combination of my own methods and standardized books for drum set education. I break up the lessons in two or three sections depending on skill level. The fundamentals are key aspects to progress as a drummer. Using a combination of technique lessons and also practical musical application are key lessons to go over with any student. I like to make the lessons fun and the most important part is to play with music. Read More

Instruments: Drums Latin Percussion

I can still remember the joy I felt when I first started playing drums and my passion is helping people experience that joy. In my musical career, spanning 38 years, I have performed with varied groups including: drumset with The Road Runners Blues Band, Catfish and Paul Plumeri Blues Band; West African, Middle Eastern and Afro-Cuban percussion with Groove Merchant Drum Dance Ensemble; bodhran and bones with traditional Celtic bands Kintail, Cwn Annwn and Browne Jenkyn; and snare drum with The First Highland Watch of Pennsylvania and Rev War Re-enactors First NJ Volunteers. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Nothing is more rewarding than sharing my passion for music with my students! Therefore, it's important that each student progresses at his or her own pace Each student is an individual with a unique personality background, and therefore it is essential to meet the students where they are at. I encourage this by setting realistic goals for my students at each lesson. Acknowledging accomplishments helps fuel a students desire to progress, and makes students eager to learn more. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion Music Keyboard Djembe Acoustic Guitar

I've discovered over the years that every student is different and require a custom approach tailored to what method works best for them. Some students do very well working through publications of lesson books, while others seem to do better with a less structured approach driven more by listening and muscle memory. In both methods, I find it important to lead by example, not only to be able to show them correctly, but also to inspire them. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Drums

My teaching style relies heavily upon training the ear to dissect what it is hearing. Developing the ear is crucial to being a self-reliant musician. In drums, the visualization how a rhythm works in time is essential to being able to perform that rhythm. Dissection and mapping are the key to furthering one's abilities on the drum kit. In guitar or in piano, being able to isolate frequencies with your ear will lead you to a more accurate understanding for chord structures and progressions than simply looking up tabs, which are often deeply flawed. Read More

Instruments: Drums Synthesizer Djembe

Moving from the public elementary school in the suburbs to urban magnet middle- and high-schools downtown, drums went from a retail hobby to a practice of cultural exchange and personal empowerment. My teenage explorations of punk and metal became immersed in and jams of the jazz roots and hip-hop futures of Tulsas historically progressive-black Greenwood district. Taking courses at Booker T. Washington in Jazz band, Concert Band, and MIDI-based Electronic Music, I learned to translate rhythmic ideas written chats, live jams, and/or mechanical drum machines, turning these barriers into bridges. Read More