Guitar Lessons in Irvine, CA

Instruments: Guitar Drums

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
I always wanted to be a professional musician, since the first time I held a pair of drumsticks. But I just left everything aside to focus just on playing, when I was chosen to be Paul DiAnno's drummer.

Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
Not really. My parents aren't musicians but they ended up having two sons that are both musicians.

If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
I also play guitar, however I am not a shredder lol. My brother started learning guitar while I was learning drums, so I picked up was he was doing and tried out myself. Turns out I can play fine.

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
I play many different genres, such as Heavy Metal, Rock, Classic Rock, Prog Rock, Prog Metal, Blues, Pop, Funk, R&B. My original band Rage In My Eyes, whose first album is coming out, blends heavy metal with prog metal and milonga, which is a music genre from Southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. My other original band Scelerata, that is now defunct, blended heavy metal with symphonic elements.

Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
Many of my students became professional musicians, highly requested, and playing all around. One of them was awarded as Best Drummer at his school's music festival.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
I am also an architect. I graduated in 2004, worked with Landscape Design for five years, but my passion for music and drumming was always first. I haven't worked with architecture or landscape since 2009.

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I have two music degrees: Bachelor in Music Education and Certificate in Drum Performance. I chose these two because I work as a performer and a teacher. So I wanted to improve myself and become a better professional in both fields.

Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
I use many books, such as Stick Control, 150 All-American drum solos, Drumming DNA, Double Bass Drum Freedom, Future Sounds, Syncopation and many others.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I always knew that I wanted to play drums, never had that drama on picking an instrument. My first inspirations were my cousin and Matt Sorum performing with Guns n' Roses.

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
There are many. * My recording session in Germany, with German top metal producer Charlie Bauerfeind and the album that resulted of it, called The Sniper by Scelerata. I am very proud of it. * My recording session in Los Angeles with top metal producer Adair Daufembach and the album that resulted of it and will be released in the next couple of months. * My five-page interview in Modern Drummer magazine in 2013. * My 50+ shows as Paul DiAnno's (former Iron Maiden). * My performances with Bianca Ryan, America's Got Talent winner. * My endorsement with Paiste Cymbals, brand that I always loved and played. * My bachelor in Music Education with average grade of 9.84 over 10. * My two MI scholarships. * My certificate degree in Drum Performance at MI with straight A's.

When will I start to see results?
It depends on each student, their interest and enthusiasm on the lessons and how much they practice. But by my experience, I can say that the first results start to appear around the 12th lesson.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
Yes, of course! But before getting inspired by a teacher, my very first inspiration was one of my cousins, since he had a drum kit at his home and I watched him play regularly. I always knew I needed a drum teacher, but in the 90's it wasn't that easy to find a drum teacher. After two years learning on my own, on a homemade drum kit, I finally found my ideal teacher, that focused on what I wanted to learn.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
I think it is important, above all, to make sure the child is enthusiastic and passionate about music. If the child shows that he or she will be doing it by their own choice, and not forced to do something they might not be really interested in. If you can see that in your child, he or she is ready. You can never be too young or too old to start learning an instrument. Of course that the teaching methods would be specific for a young child. The teacher shall give the child space to develop their curiosity and explore the different sounds while slowly the motor skills improve.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
* Try to practice a little bit every day, even if you have only 10 minutes. If your practice is focused, it will pay off. If you have more time to practice, even better, but remember to keep it focused. * Try to record yourself in audio and video, then analyze what can be improved. * The metronome is one of the drummer's best friends, especially while practicing. It is a great tool to measure your improvement. While performing songs, I recommend you try with and also without the metronome. * Have fun!

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