PART 3
I love this subject. I think every music teacher, whether offering piano and drum lessons in Chicago or elsewhere, should love this question. It points us, all of us, beginners and experts, in the right direction. We have to understand the magnitude and diversity of this question to be able to pass on our music knowledge to our pupils.
I am a particular teacher. I am the least gifted drummer I have ever known. I had to work like a donkey to comprehend anything, whether it be the concept of accent, the independence of a bass drum line, or the speed of a fast rockabilly song. Nothing came easy, nothing was instinctive or a reflex. I had to work and work to make everything look like I never worked. But precisely!
Climbing that mountain, carving each step into the flesh of the rock with my nails (you think I am too dramatic, you try walking in my shoes) has been tough, yes! For sure, but also very exciting. I had to use my brain in ways I didn’t think were possible, and I had to mold my body to limits I didn’t think I could reach. It was frustrating and awesome. Because each time I reached a new landmark, I knew what battles and strife I had to go through.
But enough about me.
Or just a little more.
I became a teacher because I had to explain to myself all aspects of drumming in a million different ways. When one of my students taking piano and drum lessons in Chicago stumbles upon a difficult concept, I can relate to their problems. I’ve been there.
Ok, now enough about me!
One of the main challenges of learning a new instrument is patience. Having patience with oneself is where I see people give up. They go down the road of “oughta and shouldn’t,” meaning that before they start practicing an exercise, they have an internal conversation telling them they “oughta” be able to master this concept, and it “shouldn’t” be that hard. It doesn’t leave them room to grow, fail, understand, or conquer. In their mind, the knowledge of drums (or piano) should be granted to them, like a gift.
More often than not, they let me know where the problem is. They say, “I’m not gifted,” which concludes all negotiations between them and the study of the drums or piano. Since someone from above has depleted them of the ability to “get it” right away, they have no reason to fight!
Only they forget the most important part: fun!
It was fun for me to repeat an exercise until I could play it fast or automatically. It was fun to try a brand-new “lick” with a band and enjoy the newfound power. It was fun to bang the drums, to listen to them, to open a new method, to share tips with a drummer, to go to a jam session, to discover, little by little, the world my instrument had given me a passport to.
And that’s the answer! Dear drummers and pianists of all ages and all levels, playing is a joy. Whatever the challenges, whatever the difficulties, don’t forget that it’s supposed to be fun!