Drum Lessons West

Instruments: Drums, Mallet Percussion

Though I have a general flow of lessons for beginner students, diversions from that path are always the most interesting and I like to strike a balance between learning the fundamentals and exploring creative outlets. I like to pepper in lots of listening exercises and a bit of music history to give context to what we're doing. This is especially important for new drummers as the music we're making isn't always instantly recognizable. Read More

Instruments: Piano, Drums, Orchestral Percussion, Latin Percussion, Music

I teach the Faber and Faber method on piano, incorporated with a by ear curriculum that I've developed which also teaching music theory, I also keep a number of books i.e. Beatles Fake Book, Introduction to Bach, Well-Tempered Klavier, Hanon, Berklee Method in Rock and Jazz. I also encourage the student to play what they desire to play, be it a pop song or a classical masterpiece. In drum set I work on technique, playing with flow, rhythm training, and coordination, often supplementing the lesson with recordings and learning from the sound of recorded drummers. Read More

Instruments: Drums, Orchestral Percussion

My teaching experience dates back to my time in college as I spent many hours working with high-school marching bands and giving individual lessons on drum set and battery percussion. Once I moved to Los Angeles, the focus of my teaching switched to private lessons in students homes and rented studio spaces. After graduating from the Los Angeles College of Music, I was asked back as a substitute to teach their sight reading classes, to assist in styles classes such as Rock and Jazz, and as an assistant running the console in their "Recording for Musicians" class. Read More

Instruments: Guitar, Drums, Bass Guitar, Ukulele

I have been playing music in many kinds of bands and ensembles since the early 1980's. In the late 80's and early 90's I was the drummer for the Seattle grunge band, "Violet Grey." After moving to Portland to go to college I played in the Concordia University String Ensemble and a number of rock bands, including, "Apostolic Tackle-Box," "Andy's Dandies," and "the Quick." I played in the folk duo, "Agile Grapefruit," and I have led praise bands at a number of local churches. Read More

Instruments: Guitar, Drums, Bass Guitar

My students generally comment that I am patient. I try to go at the right speed for the student, pushing them where it works but slowing down when needed. I'm very methodical and try to break things down to focus on the details so each piece of information is easily digestible and easy to grasp. Read More