Frequently Asked Questions.
I have experience teaching every age group. However, in order to provide the best experience for my students, I focus on the high school age range and above. The consistency in age ranges gives me a better opportunity to improve my teaching method.
I do teach younger students on a case by case basis. Please contact me to find out. I can also provide some good recommendations.
Certainly not! I have students well into their 70’s that find the practice very useful. Drumming is an excellent exercise for the brain and will keep you sharp. Please let me know if you have any concerns regarding age or ability.
Yes I do! I’ve taught plenty of beginners and have developed a good method to get you on your way. If they can do it, so can you.
Yes. Some people may be concerned about the idea of music/drum “notes”, in that it will be too confusing. Learning to read music is actually simple and is something any well rounded musician should be able to do. I give a lot of exercises to my students that require at least a basic understanding of how to read drum music. This makes it easier to work on things when I’m not around. You might even find you enjoy it!
I recommend at least 4 lessons (4-hours) before you fully get an idea of what it’s like to work with me. It is really important that we are a good fit and your expectations about drumming are realistic. You won’t become a rockstar overnight, but with the right attitude, anything is possible.
It’s important to remember that you will need to practice what you learn on your own. Learning is actually a pretty simple equation: drumming skill = time spent practicing. After one month of lessons with me, it will be clear how much time you are willing to commit.
I offer a new student deal: pay for your first lesson and receive a 2nd one free! This is a great way of keeping the stakes low while you evaluate how interested you are.
This is a common problem. I also live in an apartment and have felt your pain. Here are the three options I recommend:
- Find an hourly rental spot nearby. There are many places that will allow you to use their drumset/facilities at an hourly rate. The advantage is that you don’t need to buy any equipment and can play as loudly as you want. Places like this usually cost around $10-20/hr and are a good starting point if you’re new to drumming.
- Rent or buy an electronic drum kit. They may not feel or sound like real drums, but they are a great alternative when volume and space is an issue. Just plug in a pair of headphones and you can drum to your heart’s content.
- Rent or buy a real drum kit and use mutes/silent heads. If you want to feel like you’re playing real drums without the volume, this is a great option. The idea is to mute the drum heads so that they don’t produce loud sounds, but still feel like normal. You can buy drum mutes or use silent stroke drum heads from Remo. You can also check out these low volume cymbals that feel great with very little volume.
Please read the question above for some potential answers to this question.
Practicing drums is difficult without something to play on. Beginners can get away with only using a practice pad, but will soon need something a little more substantial in order to keep progressing.
If you are looking at grabbing a drum kit, I always recommend renting first. If you are dead-set on owning something, start with Craigslist first. A brand new drum set with decent cymbals can be a large financial investment which shouldn’t be made until you know you love it!
Nothing! I provide all the materials that you’ll need to get started. If you want to come prepared, grab yourself a pair of sticks and bring that with you.
Contact me to find out what times I’m available. Students schedules often shift, and openings will need to be filled. If I don’t have any availability, I will put you on a list and contact you the second something opens up.
I have a 48 hour cancelation policy. If you cannot make a lesson, let me know as soon as you can so I can try and fill that spot. If you have to cancel within 48 hours, that lesson and payment will be forfeit. I will respect your time, and I expect the same in return.