Drum Lessons in Sumneytown, PA

Instruments: Drums Latin Percussion

My teaching experience began in 1980 while still in high school teaching private lessons. Since then Ive taught at Westminster Choir College, Rutgers University, NJ State and County Teen Arts Programs as well as private and group lessons in my own studio. My casual approach allows students the relaxation and freedom necessary to learn at their own pace. With a strong focus on fundamentals and using those fundamentals as building blocks, my goal is to help students become musical and creative and find their own unique voice on their instrument. Read More

Instruments: Drums

I love to see all my students develop a passion for drumming and music! Therefore, it's important that each student progresses at his or her own pace. I encourage this by setting realistic goals for my students at each lesson and by teaching them the songs they love the most. Acknowledging accomplishments helps fuel a students desire to progress, and makes students eager to learn more. By trying to find out what inspires the student, I can successfully tailor my instruction to their wants and needs. Read More

Instruments: Drums

The final thing that I like to bring forth to students, which is found in many of the books as rhythm studies and retrospective comprehensive pieces, is recital worthy material. In addition to playing the instrument, teaching isn't just discussing note value and how to play a swing waltz. You must also be able to help prep a student for performance and to give them insight on such intangible matters. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Music Keyboard Electric Guitar

For beginner students, I often begin with the foundations of the instrument. For drums, we would be practice the rhythmic subdivisions (quarter, eighth, sixteenth notes) and slowly work them into grooves that they can easily start to pick out of their favorite songs. When the fundamentals have been established, we can learn more advanced grooves, dissect songs together, and learn how to improvise and write our own drum parts. My biggest focus as a teacher is to help the student discover the music that they want to learn and make so that they can develop their own unique voice. Read More

Instruments: Drums Synthesizer Djembe

Im Patrick R.; musician, teacher, and tinker-er. Music has been both my catalyst for cultural communication and my foil for scientific toil. Born and raised in Tulsa, I was first surrounded by the country/rock of orthodox white suburbia. The only music in the haven of All Souls Unitarian was still all organ and choir. Utterly bored by studio piano lessons, I started taking drums at a local music store at the end of 5th grade, right when my world opened up. 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 Bass Guitar Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginning guitar students who are children and just starting on guitar, I typically start with Hal Leonard's Guitar Book 1. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, and as I get to know the student better, I will personalize their lessons, setting goals to learn specific songs or solo pieces that cater to their musical tastes and interests, which keeps them invested in their guitar practice. Read More