Drum Lessons in Valyermo, 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: Piano Voice Drums Ukulele

My teaching style is goal-oriented and centers on positive reinforcement. This should be fun, not a chore. I love creating weekly/monthly/yearly goals so the student has something tangible to work towards. That might be a showcase for parents, a more formal recital, or an audition for a group! Each student brings a unique perspective to the lesson room, which is what makes it so exciting for me. No two students are the same, which mean I can learn something from the student as well. 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 Orchestral Percussion Latin Percussion

My lessons are all about you. I'm a firm believer in the Carol Dweck's 'Growth Mindset' mentality. There is no such thing as failure or disappointment. Only the opportunity for growth and learning. I promote the steady improvement of fundamentals for all ages and skill levels. Every student progresses at a different rate. I like to set goals on a regular basis to help push you to be the best you can be. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My teaching method is different depending on the abilities of each student. For beginning students, I use the Haskell W. Harr Drum Method Books 1 2, Stick Control by George Lawrence Stone, and The All-American Drummer 150 Rudimental Swing solos by Charley Wilcoxin. Once I feel like a student is strong enough on the snare drum, I will then work with them on developing limb independence on the drum set. All of the snare drum method books that I use with my students will eventually be adapted for drum set. Read More

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

I have had a love a music for as long as I can remember. My mom used to play in her community band when she was pregnant with me. In 2013, I graduated from Chapman University with a Bachelor's degree in music performance, primarily in Trumpet and Bass Guitar. While in High School, I performed in every Ensemble I possibly could, which includes Symphonic Band, Marching Band, Orchestra, and Jazz Band. 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