1. Do you teach Children?
2. Do you teach Adults?
3. What will a first lesson be like?
4. What Styles do you teach?
5. Can you teach me to play a specific song?
6. Can you teach me great funky beats?
7. Do you teach the Rudiments?
8. Do I need to read music?
9. What Else will I learn?
10. What is your teaching schedule?
11. What if I need to cancel a lesson?
12. What do I need for the first lesson?
13. Can you teach students together?
14. Do I need to buy a Drum Set?
15. Do I need to buy any books?
16. Is there a lower age limit?
17. Is there an upper age limit?
18. Is there a lower ability limit?
19. Is there an upper ability limit?
20. What if I have more questions?
21. When can I get started?
    
    

Do you teach children?

Yes. For 3 years I worked across 5 high schools teaching students from the age of 11-18. I’ve also worked in an elementary school teaching one-to-one and group lessons to children from the age of 6. I’ve been police-checked and I’m happy to provide references from my past teaching posts. Please take a look at my teaching resume on the ‘About Me’ page for more information.

Do you teach adults?

Of course! I have taught many adults. Although adults are often more specific about their goals, I take the same organised and structured approach to every lesson. If you know the musical direction or style you wish to pursue, I will create a customised route to achieve your goals quickly. But if you’re unsure of what you want to learn one week, I will always have the next lesson I think you need in mind.

What will the first lesson be like?

If you’ve never played before, I will show you a few simple grooves to get you round the drum set. I will not let you get into any bad habits, but for the most part will hold off on detailed technical issues. I may play along with you on the the piano and you may well be accompanying me by the end of the lesson. I'll leave you with some excersizes to practice at home (with or without a drum set) and you're on your way!

If you're not a beginner, we will look at your playing style and I'll probably ask you to play a few different things. We will work out your goals and I’ll create a customised program for you to work though to achieve them. It’s very non-intimidating and I am very keen to help you get better!

What styles do you teach?

We can cover all contemporary musical styles from jazz, rock and roll, funk, reggae, salsa, samba, hip-hop, RnB to heavier styles. We can look at the first jazz grooves ever played on a drum set in the early 1900s and follow the progression of the instrument to where we are now. I will show you how it’s all related and give you a good grounding in the fascinating story of contemporary music history. I will point out important drummers in each style along the way as well as pivotal tunes in each genre.

Of course we can concentrate on the styles you most enjoy, but I believe with a little explanation you will discover new styles you never knew you would like so much. If you never thought of looking at Latin Styles, or incorporating West African rhythmic ideas, well there is a whole musical world out there you can learn to enjoy immensely.

Can you teach me to play a specific song?

Of course! I get asked this all the time and it helps me work out the kind of direction you want to go in. I will even transcribe the song for you. However, I will also show you how to work out songs for yourself. After a few lessons like this you will be able to work out any song you want without me. I’ll also show you a few tricks to remember the structure of a song very very quickly.

Can you teach me Great Funky Beats?

Yes. Apart from concentrating on good technique and musical awareness, I throw in lots of great grooves you can learn pretty quickly that just sound good. I will also show you a few tricks on how to make your grooves sound better. Many grooves you hear on records are very simple, but some drummers make them sound so great – I will show you how!

Do you teach the Rudiments?

Yes! You may, or may not have heard about the drumming rudiments. Despite a lot of debate about whether or not they are important, they are, and I will show them all to you. They will open up your playing, help you to understand all your favourite drummers, improve your technique and can be practiced on a practice pad without waking up your neighbours! They are essential study material. You don’t need to learn all of them before we get onto playing the drum set however, we will be on the kit from the first lesson onwards.

Will I learn to read music?

Yes! A lot of my playing experience has involved reading music. It's a great skill to have, not as complicated as most people think and will always be there if you need it. I teach many of my lessons refering to music notation so you will quickly pick up how it works. I’ve never had a student not end up reading and it’s so helpful for learning new grooves and licks. If you’ve struggled with reading in the past, my opinion is it just wasn’t explained to you in the right way.

You can read my article on reading here.

What else will I learn?

Good posture, it’s so important. Not only will I look at the way you play to suggest if you are straining or hurting yourself, but I see so many drummers who make the instrument more difficult from the way they sit and set up. We’ll also look at tuning (it’s not so difficult!), foot-technique and any other general points to do with better drumming. If you’ve ever had muscle tension when you play, we will work out why and how to get rid of it. If you’re new to the instrument, we’ll make sure that never happens.

Do I need to buy a drum set?

No. There are plenty of drum set equipped practice rooms to rent in NY. The going rate is around $8-$15 an hour depending on how nice it is. You can also look for monthly deals, which can work out very cheap.

Do I need to buy any books?

As part of your lessons, I will provide with a large amount of printed material I have written. This will include things like all the rudiments, standard rock grooves, jazz ‘comping patterns, warm-up exercises and lots of other useful material. I also have a large library of drumming books, some of them are classic texts almost every great drummer has worked from for the last 50 years. If I recommend a book, you will be able to see it first in my studio and I will explain why I think it’s one that will help you the most. Most books are between $10 and $30.

What is your teaching schedule?

I’m very committed to providing regular weekly lessons at the same time every week. Daytime hours are nearly always available, including lunchtimes and after-school. I also teach in the evenings (sometimes very late on request) and right across the weekend. Just drop me an email and I will send you the current teaching hours I have free. If you have a specific request, let me know and I’ll see what I can do.

What if I need to cancel a lesson?

There is more to life than the drums (so I’m told ;), so sometimes you may have to cancel a lesson. If you can provide 48 hours notice (an email is fine) there is no charge. If it’s less than 48 hours I’m afraid there is a cancellation fee of $10 to cover any studio fees. This will be payable at your next lesson.

What do I need for the first lesson?

Nothing! I will provide everything you need for the first lesson. I will then explain the items you may need to purchase such as sticks, metronome, practice pad etc. I will have a few recommendations and you can try out the different sizes of sticks I have.

Can you teach students together?

I have had a lot of experience teaching to groups. I generally don’t advise teaching more than one drum student as the quality of the lesson inevitably drops. However, it can be a great idea if you’re friends with a bass-player, or any other kind of musician, to arrange a lesson playing together. I have a lot of experience with bands and rhythm sections, can give you some suggestions to tighten things up and can even record the session. If you have a band and want some advise, let me know and I will arrange a rehearsal in a large space. There is no extra charge for bringing another musician to a lesson, in fact it’s a great idea!

Is there a lower age limit?

Personally, I recommend a student doesn’t start till at least the age of 9. Before this age, it’s more useful to find a music teacher specialising in music education for very young children. There are sometimes exceptions, I've had some students younger than 9 who were exceptional. If your child has become keen on the drums specifically without any encouragement, is playing on all the pots and pans at home or is always talking about the drums, get in touch and maybe you should bring them in!

Is there an upper age limit?

No way! There is no upper age limit. While young children have the advantage that learning new things is an everyday occurrence that comes more naturally, adults have the better attention span, focus and dedication. Don’t let anything put you off till you’ve given it a go!

Is there a lower ability limit?

No, I’ve taught many complete beginners.

Is there an upper ability limit?

I’ve prepared students for college auditions and for advanced exams. Some students of mine are on and off national tours, but don't have any experience in some musical styles. I've taught expericenced classical musicians about rock for example, and touring indie-rock musicians about jazz.

What if I have more Questions?

Simple, send me an email with any drum related questions whatsoever! I will do my best to answer them whether you’re a student of mine or not!

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When can I get started?

Just send me an email and I will send you my current availability! Hope to hear from you soon!

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