Drum Lessons in Ferndale, MI

Instruments: Drums

I have three main books I use; these are my drum 'bibles'. Progressive Steps to Syncopation by Ted Reed, Stick Control for the Snare Drummer by George Lawrence, and Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer by Jim Chapin. I like to teach fundamentals first, providing a strong basis with which to expand your repetoire. Then I like to emphasize song work. The best part of drumming in my opinion is playing with other instruments, and in addition to playing with recorded music, I encourage my students to find other musicians to practice and even perform with. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Drums Bass Guitar Recorder Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Hello future students! I much enjoy sharing my experience as a creative musician to my students whether they are 5 or 55, beginner or advanced. I am a patient teacher and do my best to encourage each student to find themselves as unique learners (musicians) unto themselves. I graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2002 with a BA focus on Music Composition. While recently living in NYC, I formed a 12-member saxophone orchestra, composed and recorded two symphonies, performed and recorded with the late Glenn Branca's 100 Guitar Ensemble, and provided live Sound Design for renowned poetess Anne Carson. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Viola Drums Electric Violin Fiddle Conga Latin Percussion Music Keyboard Djembe Acoustic Guitar

There is nothing more rewarding then to see a student achieve and accomplish a goal. I believe and always positively affirming and acknowledging there accomplishments. Positive reinforcement and encouragement always assist the student to strive and succeed. I always give my student the choice to decide between multiple pieces, but I always choose pieces with a new technique or concept, so the student is consistently learning. My job is to discovery the students desires then to formulate a lesson plan that will not only stimulate, educate and challenge but also make the learning experience enjoyable. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet Drums

One of things I that I find discouraging is when teachers stick with one method. Every student is different! As a result, my method of teaching very much depends on the student. If I have a student who is struggling with fundamentals, then we will focus on fundamentals. If I have a student who is struggling with articulations, then we will focus on articulations in lessons. My lessons are very much tailored to the wants and needs of the students. Read More

Instruments: Drums

When starting with a beginner student, I typically start by asking general questions about their interests and the music genres they enjoy. Then, we move on to the basics of maintaining proper form, understanding rhythm, and practicing simple exercises to ensure they start off with the right foundation. After that, we focus on learning the first few basic beats and ensuring they have a good understanding of how they are played. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums

To me it is very important to balance the technical and creative aspects of development. No matter what age/skill level I split time during lessons into activities that develop technique and language, and compositional, creative activities that help each student explore their instrument and what they have to say with it. This balance can be altered depending on the interests of the student or parent. I also encourage students to bring in songs that they want to learn/play along with to keep the lessons relevant to their musical interests. Read More

Instruments: Piano Drums Synthesizer Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

I try to cater my lessons to the interest of my students. If a pupil’s passion for music can be harnessed, then developing musical skills can be a simple process. I have a wide variety of material I teach from, including Ted Reed’s syncopation, George Lawrence Stone’s Stick Control for the Snare Drummer and basic piano literature. I also use music selected by the student to create custom lessons. Read More