Drum Lessons in West Paterson, NJ

Instruments: Drums Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

As a professional touring and recording artist, I am happy to share my knowledge of playing in multiple musical settings, and the "business" of playing music. My passion is for live performance, and it is essential to help students feel confident while playing for an audience. Our focus will be on developing proper technique, listening carefully and critically to recordings, and building a foundational music vocabulary via reading and writing. Read More

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 Voice Trumpet Trombone Drums Euphonium French Horn Tuba Music Keyboard

Taking the time to understand my students, their ability to retain information, and execute, as well as their interests, goals and desires musically, is vital to my success as an instructor. While I use many of the collection of standard method books, I find creating unique exercises designed to target weaker areas in a particular persons playing to be more efficient, in cases, accelerating their grasp of fundamentals. Throughout ones progression, repertoire is introduced to reinforce techniques in a musical fashion. Read More

Instruments: Drums

I believe in tailoring my lesson plans to individual students. I like to target a students musical goals and help them achieve them whether it be through method books or passing down techniques. I've been fortunate enough to have been around many incredible educators throughout the years and try to take the methods they've showed me and apply it to my own teaching style. For drum students I teach out of various books including Syncopation, Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer, Stick Control and Buddy Rich's Modern Interpretation of Snare Drum Rudiments. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Orchestral Percussion Djembe

Like stated above, I strive to make my lessons fun and engaging above all else. Of course we need to also learn in the lesson, but I typically gage lesson plans around a student's areas of interest. Some people really enjoy learning from books and exercises, while others are more engaged learning songs and music that they listen to. Whatever your preferences are, we can tailor our lessons around them and find new ways to get you practicing and learning new material. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Bass Guitar Double Bass Oboe English Horn Music

I am a bassist, oboist, English hornist, pianist, improviser, and educator based in Brooklyn, New York. I've been performing professionally for six years throughout the Northeast in a variety of styles and genres. My focus is on improvised music, jazz, and classical music. I perform regularly as a leader and have performed and/or recorded with many artists including Francisco Mela, Tony Malaby, Phil Grenadier, Nat Mugavero, and Greg Kelley. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion

For beginning students, we initially tackle the fundamentals of music and drumming. This includes how to properly hold the sticks, basic reading skills, music terminology, rudiments, and stickings. I also teach one or two drumset beats in the first lesson to show the student that playing drums is for everyone. After the student begins to understand the fundamentals, I structure a tailored lesson plan that addresses their areas of interest. Read More