Tag: Drum teacher

  • Internal motivation

    Our society is geared from the outside in. What I mean by that is that we are all supposed to draw our happiness from exterior stimulus. “Buy this product, you deserve it!” “Drink this to feel better!”, “Eat this and you’ll be happy!”. With those slogan they shovel pictures of happy people. Big smiles! Clear…

  • The fling

    You are interested in learning the drums. You got yourself a pair of sticks. You have ruined a couple of furniture expressing that boiling desire to become a drummer, but there are only so much exercises you can dream up on your own. So, you go online and find some videos on the subject. But,…

  • Displacement

    Take a rock rhythm on the drum set, a simple 4/4 beat. What do you start it with? The bass drum! That’s right. The order is almost always bass/snare-bass/snare. Millions of people have boogied with that simple and efficient combo. Are you looking for a new style, something unusual to do? Then reverse the order.…

  • How to spice it up.

    I always recommend to my students to explore the instrument they’re interested in. By that, in the simplest terms, I mean this: mess around. Every time I give this advice, though, I imagine the player on his drums pouring speed from his wrists while pouring sweat out of his forehead and producing an incredible mess…

  • Recommended activities

    If you’ve been following the news, you know that the music industry is on hold. No concerts. No studio sessions. No albums being produced. No shows on Broadway or anywhere else. And, insofar as we know, the summer has been cancelled. No festivals, no weddings, no form of live entertainment. I could go into how…

  • How many voices on the drums?

    Three! The question is how many voices on the drums? Let’s count them: Bass drum 1, snare drum 2, hi hat 3. Three. In rock’n roll,  that’s it. It’s always three. Wow, that one was easy. Not quite. Let’s suppose you move your right hand (if you are right handed) to the ride cymbal and…

  • How long does it take to learn the piano?

    This question can seem naive but it needs to be taken seriously. On the internet it is the most asked question about the piano. Or about the drums. Or about any instrument. People want to know how long it takes before they can play. The answer is not easy for two simple reasons: 1: what…

  • Adapting

    What is the difference between teaching in person and teaching online? A few. First and foremost, technology has to work. If your connection isn’t good, you waste time, time for which you are paid for, go get a new modem. Second is what you see. A lot of students use laptops or phones. They try…

  • Coronavirus: Surviving

    Here are a few more information that might be helpful. Be safe out there.   ILLINOIS RESOURCES    MUSICIAN-SPECIFIC RESOURCES (State-by-state guide):    Billboard Magazine: https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/9337908/coronavirus-resource-guide-music-professionals-help   Teaching Artists Guild – Resources for Covid-19: https://teachingartistsguild.org/covid-19-resources/   INCOME / HOME / FOOD   Unemployment benefits application & FAQs: https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/Pages/default.aspx   Emergency Rental Assistance: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fss/provdrs/serv/svcs/how_to_find_rentalassistanceinchicago.html   Temporary…

  • Coronavirus: the good

    Gas is affordable. Bills are extended. Kids are at home with their families. Parents are home taking care of their children. Fast food is replaced by home cooked meals. Hectic schedules are replaced by naps. The air seems cleaner. Wild animals are visiting our cities. The world seems quieter. Crime is down. People are conscious…