Drum Lessons in Port Gamble, WA

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion

I have been playing drums since I was twelve years old and have performed in many rock and jazz bands. I studied music in college and graduated with a Master of Music Degree in Percussion Performance from San Francisco State University in 1992. Since then I have continued to perform in local rock, jazz and blues groups as well performing with the Berkeley Symphony, The Santa Rosa Symphony and others. Read More

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Djembe

I love teaching percussion and I am interested in music of many cultures. I specialize in drum set, African drumming, keyboard percussion, and orchestral percussion. I also play steel drums and guitar. I have performed with numerous professional orchestras including the Tacoma, Federal Way, Tucson, Phoenix, and Juneau symphonies and was the principal percussionist and timpanist for the Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra in Arizona. I have a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance with a minor in Ethnomusicology. Read More

Instruments: Drums

Thus, I find it great to set the curriculum aside for part of the lesson, either to allow the student some time to show me what else they've been working on, listening to, watching, thinking about, or perhaps to just jam and have fun. I also expect students to make progress on their own between lessons, though I understand fully from my teaching experience that the amount of progress I can expect is different for each student. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Trumpet Drums Bass Guitar Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I have a very laidback, low-pressure approach - if you didn't practice, it's not the end of the world! I think back to my own days of taking lessons and remember how much more I improved in this type of environment, and how much more I loved the process. The difference between these approaches can be night and day, both in results and morale out of the student (which, again, I know from experience as a teacher, but also from my experience as a student). Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Trumpet Drums Bass Guitar Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Latin Percussion

No matter where the student starts from, I always spend a significant amount of time in the first lesson discussing with them what they want to gain, what they are interested in, and how much time and effort they want to put into this endevor. It is important to me to understand the student so that I can cater to their needs and desires, and hopefully encourage them to continue playing music. Read More

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

With each lesson, my main goal is to provide an atmosphere that is engaging and to cater to each student's needs. At the end of the day, I want to see my students not only grow in musicianship and technical skills, but also in their love and appreciation for music. While I primarily teach through method books and other pre-existing teaching material, I individualize my approach to each student because I understand everyone has a different way of learning. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums

No single approach works with every student when teaching drums. There are simply too many styles and methods to choose from. But when working with beginners, I tend to focus mostly on developing a good internal sense of rhythm and good listening skills. Then if the student wishes, we may specialize in classical, jazz, rock, latin, or whatever style the student is interested in. There are many excelent published methods to choose from and I occasionally assign etudes and excersizes of my own. Read More