Mark L
Instruments: Drums
Styles: Pop, Rock, Folk, Avant-garde
Mark L
Instruments: Drums
Styles:
Pop, Rock, Folk, Avant-garde
Where I Teach:
In Your Home
My Studio
Ages Taught: 5-80
ABOUT
Degrees / Training / Special Info:
B.A. English, Montclair State University, 2013 I am predominantly self-taught, receiving early instruction from my father and school band teachers, but no other regular lessons. I have been playing for 24 years and in bands since I was 13.
Overview:
When I was 8 years old, my father sat me down at his 1967 Gretsch 4-piece drumset and taught me my first rock beat. Virtually all other rock beats and fills that I have amassed in my 24 years of drumming since then have derived somehow from that initial beat, and from the spark it instilled in me. I'm the type of teacher who knows what most students hope to get out of drum lessons: the ability to jam, solo, and improvise quickly. I have performed in rock bands since I was 13 years old and through doing so I build a solid foundation of skills. However, I believe that I would have progressed more solidly, more well-roundedly, if I had also received instruction (aside from my father's) as to the ins and outs of important rock conventions, hand placement, fill technique, and methods for improving accuracy and speed. As a self-taught musician, I progressed largely because I'm an excellent listener and I love to challenge myself. I strive to teach my students how to listen--to music they enjoy, to themselves playing, and to the other people they play with--and to challenge themselves more and more over time. In essence, I teach them how to teach themselves, and to develop their own styles after mastering the central methods of rock and roll drumming.
EXPERIENCE
I first started teaching drums part-time over ten years ago. My students have ranged in age from 12 to 45; my students tend to be at a Novice level, though I have also taught intermediates. I teach in my own home studio or at the student's house. Working on the drum pad as well as the drumset provides the student with multiple forums of expression and learning of multiple skills. Familiarity with the drum pad also allows him or her to practice almost anywhere. I emphasize the importance of building confidence and competence on the drums. Many times, new drummers are hard on themselves or put unnecessary pressure on themselves to be good immediately, which can actually limit their progress. I have always enjoyed helping students circumvent this unnecessary pressure, so that the process of learning how to play drums remains fun and rewarding unto itself and becomes less overly focused on the final product. This enjoyment becomes a central motivation, and helps the student cultivate a drive to improve and build his or her skill set. In this way, learning how to play drums is a character-building exercise that manages to be fun at the same time. I encourage my students to find other musicians at similar skill levels to make music and perform with.
METHODS USED
My favorite moment is when the student hears himself or herself actually playing the beat or fill that I have been instructing. Reaching this point repeatedly keeps my students practicing and engaged in the process of learning drums. My teaching occurs both on the drumset and on the drum pad. Regular use of the drum pad builds rudimentary skills, grip and forearm strength, and patience and listening skills, all of which are necessary to get where we want to go. I also provide instruction regarding the actual hardware involved in drumming, drum placement, tuning, and other technicalities, because I have found that students will sometimes blame themselves for the drums (and the sounds they are producing) sounding bad when in reality the drums are simply not tuned or placed optimally. Also, I will often use a bass guitar accompaniment to help the student hear the beat that he or she should be playing along with. This also builds the student's listening skills, and gives him or her a feeling of actually jamming, which makes the lessons fun and hands-on. I do not teach any music theory.
LESSON STYLE
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. I believe these combined approaches create the conditions by which a strong, confident drummers emerge with both an able grasp on drumming conventions, but also with the willingness to cultivate a personal sense of style.
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