Drum Lessons in Russell Gardens, NY

Instruments: Drums

I draw attention to the importance of listening and help the student identify what to listen for. There is nothing more frustrating than practicing a particular fill 1000 times, only to later realize you've been practicing it incorrectly. This is very common among drummers young and old, but is easily dealt with by simply cultivating a sense of listening and apt imitation. However, I do not endorse perfectionism as a means of effective learning either, and I also will remind the student of the fact that sometimes when you're jamming,even if what what you're playing is not perfect, it's "good enough for rock and roll." This is part of the attitude of rock and roll that I feel is conducive to better, faster learning: a willingness to make mistakes, acknowledge them, learn from them, and move on. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Recorder Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Latin Percussion Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe Acoustic Guitar

Practice regularly: Consistent practice is key to improving as a drummer. I might encourage students to set aside a certain amount of time each day or week for practice, and to break down their practice sessions into smaller, more manageable chunks. 3. Use a variety of exercises: To keep things interesting and help students learn more effectively, I might incorporate a variety of exercises into my lessons. This might include rudiments, beats from different styles of music, and sight-reading exercises. 4. Read More

Instruments: Drums

Will is a graduate of the LA College of Music (formerly LA Music Academy) in Pasadena, CA where he studied with industry giants such as Ralph Humphrey (Frank Zappa, Dancing With the Stars, Family Guy) and Joe Porcaro (LA Studio legend). His professional career began at 14 and has been teaching privately since 2012 in the Los Angeles area prior to recently relocating to Maplewood, NJ. Outside of drums music, Will is an avid fan of film/television, pop culture, comic books, he enjoys cooking as well as spending time at home with his wife Sara and dog Rosie. Read More

Instruments: Drums

In my experience teaching for the past twelve years I have realized a few things including the fact that my methods work. I teach my students to read drum music well enough that most of the younger ones end up playing in the school band. We also play along with real music which I believe is a totally important part of my lesson schedule and it's fun for the student. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Latin Percussion

I have had a lot of teachers in my life and I learned a lot from every one of them not only about playing, but also about delivering information. Since the early days I was developing as a teacher as I was developing as a drummer. Already when I was studying at the Amsterdam Conservatory other fellow students asked me for advices on how to play and practice more efficiently. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Organ Synthesizer Recorder Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

For all my students, including vocalists, I always try to keep things enjoyable with mixed repertoire assignments. Even at beginner levels, I've seen some of my students cover the songs thattheywant to learn. I didn't learn to sing and play the piano by being forced to play songs I didn't enjoy as a listener. The key is finding music that is both challengingto create andfun as heck to perform. Specifically as a vocal teacher and overall vocal performance enthusiast, I rely on contemporary ear training as the key method to my teaching style. Read More

Instruments: Drums Orchestral Percussion Latin Percussion

There's nothing worse than buying a drum set to start learning to play, only to have your teacher tell you, "You won't be ready for that for a year."  I like to get eveyone playing something fun and interesting as soon as possible.  Some examples of books I like to use with beginning students are the "Breeze Easy Drum Method," "Alfred's Drum Method," and Ted Reed's "Syncopation."  Songs we may often start lessons with would be "We Will Rock You" by Queen, "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin, "Back in Black" by AC/DC, etc. Read More