Drum Lessons in Wagontown, PA

Instruments: Drums Synthesizer Djembe

For all students, I eschew learning specific beats of specific songs, and instead teach them to hear/play/read/write beats from generic forms to specific variations. For this, Ive adapted my system of Seven Shapes for rhythmic permutation. For beginner students, we focus on hearing pulse, counting meter, and simple rudiments for basic stick control. Beginners learn basic rock beats, first one limb/voice at a time, then combing all parts into the complete drum set rhythm.. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginning students, I first incorporate the fundamentals of each instrument while catering to their musical interests, along with encouraging them to take regular performance opportunities. I want students to focus on the technicalities of what they are doing, but relate it to how it relates to performance and musicality. In students analyzing what they are doing to create sounds, I am guiding musicians to be reflective in their practice and performance, which I believe is one the key characteristics of becoming a life-long performer and learner. Read More

Instruments: Drums Recorder Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

My teaching style is fully interactive. As a teacher of both music and computers, I was never a dictatorial teacher. Other teachers, even young ones, that everyone was up and around. Talking to each other. Some listening to music. Whatever style fits the learner. You cannot "cheat" in music performance. Either you can do it or you cannot. Everyone does not learn the same way, so everyone should not be taught the same way. Read More

Instruments: Drums

While being driven and goal oriented, I also understand and respect that each individual learns in their own way and in their own time. Through the years experience has taught me to give the student the appropriate knowledge as well as proper space and comfort to explore and to succeed. I adapt my approach based each individual student. I encourage people to learn in their way without judgment or embarrassment, while providing solid technical information, positive reinforcement and advice. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Bass Guitar Conga Latin Percussion Music Keyboard

I begin with building a strong foundation with the basics; -counting -internalizing the tempo with your feet -isolating limbs -basic grooves We then graduate to novice material; -performing songs with hits and breaks and form -reading lead sheets and counting -internalizing tempo with grooves -3/4 meter -blues/shuffle/swing patterns For intermediate; - we learn 4-way coordination -review reading skills from books such as stick control, syncopation and and 23 drum rudiment etudes -we will learn three camps -we will work on advance songs with hits and develop comping and soloing Advanced; -we will learn the rudiments ritual -we will learn to ready drum sheet music - we will learn jazz Melodies and common improvisation for jazz and Rb shows -we will learn odd time meters, metric modulation and imposition - we learn advanced grooves from different regions 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 Ukulele Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion Music

My main priority in our lessons is that you are getting the information and enjoyment out of it that you want. I will constantly be checking in with you to make sure that you are satisfied with what we are working on. I am excited that you are inviting me along in your music journey, and I am happy to help you no matter what your end goals may be with music. Read More