Drum Lessons in Santa Fe Springs, CA

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums

My methods depends on the skill level and interest of the student. Fundamentals are key, but I always try to incorporate them with music that the student is interested in learning. I believe that music should never be boring, and practicing should never be a chore! I also believe that musicians of all skill levels can and should improvise, as it is a fundamental form of creative expression that is often overlooked by classically trained musicians. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Drums Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I am an experienced music teacher that has taught kids and adults of all ages. I have a passion for working with different cultures, and have a solid background in teaching guitar, drums, and music theory. I am also a professional musician and singer-songwriter with a Bachelor's Degree from University of California, Berkeley. Furthermore, I studied music extensively in college including courses in sight-singing, guitar, piano, music theory, and a year and a half singing with the UC Berkeley choir. Read More

Instruments: Drums

I began teaching younger kids in my high school that were also starting to play in bands. I learned very quickly just how much experience I already had gathered to provide insight to people who were just a few years behind me in skill level. Over the course of my college and post college years I've had the opportunity to teach rosters of students ages 5-50. There is nothing more fulfilling then having a chance to connect on an educational and creative level, with an individual, and watching them progress to a point where they can feel a sense of fulfillment in the work that they put in. Read More

Instruments: Drums

For beginner students I usually begin with listening exercises. We will listen to music and talk about what the drummer is doing, and how we can de-construct that. From there we talk about how that looks written down on paper and explore the basics of drum notation. Within this we will also talk about proper technique. For adults, or students with more experience, i will try to find out where their skills are and what they are interested in learning from me. Read More

Instruments: Drums

For all of my students I start by allowing them to sit and feel the kit. Building a strong trusting relationship is important. I then proceed to dive into teaching simple 4/4 grooves to loosen the student up which processes into teaching basic rhythm studies and eventually the concepts of feel, groove, dynamics and of course timing. As session continue I evaluate students knowledge with song learning lessons and with critiques that's being with the positives and lead into where work can be done to improve. Read More

Instruments: Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion

Ultimately my goal is for my students to develop a love and lifestyle that is grounded in music. With that in mind, each student determines their own progress by how much time and effort they put into what they learn. I set goals that encourage students to reach their full potential if they put forth the effort. Students should be acknowledged when they accomplish something, and they should also be told when they need to improve. Read More

Instruments: Drums Orchestral Percussion

I primarily use original material when I teach, but occasionally Ill work from standard method books such as Stick Control, Master Studies, and Syncopation, or assign pages from more recent books like John Rileys The Art of Bop Drumming. Ill also pull out books specifically for sight reading such as Anthony Cirones Portraits in Rhythm. For beginning and intermediate students I focus on fundamental technique, basic sight reading skills, and drum set playing (independence/coordination of the limbs, relaxation and balance, time and groove, fills and solos, introduction of musical styles, etc.) For advanced students I get into more conceptual and creative aspects of playing the drums, but I also introduce the Spivack/Wilson technique which I learned during my studies with Murray Spivack and Richard Wilson in the 1980s [check out the 4-part series featured in Modern Drummer magazine in 2011-2012]. Read More