Tag: Chicago drum instructor
The very young student
When I get a very young student interested in music, usually the parent realize quickly that those pupils do not want to practice. Music yes! Fun, yes! Chores? Not so much! So, the student takes a few lessons, to have taste of what it takes. They go back home, the parents tell them to go…
Something missing in music.
Music is slowly disappearing from schools. I am not saying anything new, here, this has been the trend for a very long time. And I know it is even worse for art, sewing, cooking, home economics and civic instruction, but it’s another debate. Right now, of the last barely surviving art recognized in school, we…
Does music and musicians have a future in our world?
It is everywhere. Music in every place, from stores to coffee places to cars, to, of course, our own home. It has been like this for a few decades. What has been new, though, is the fact that music can be free. And programs like Spotify qualifies, in my view, as free music, since it…
New Orleans 3. The noble garbage man.
As I explained, the music of New Orleans came from very humble and poor beginnings. And the music reflects that. Especially the percussion section. Now, of course, I know I could go directly into talking about the drum set. But I prefer to talk about the world. First, let’s go back in time and imagine…
Practicing: keeping the emotions in check.
There is a strange alchemy going on when one practices. Specially if he/she already is a good player trying on a brand new concept. She cannot help but feel absolutely powerless. Which is very frustrating. But, and it needs to be highlighted, a veteran musician knows to keep her feelings out of the learning process.…
Why a real piano or drum teacher is irreplaceable?
The difference between a teacher and YouTube is the human contact. A lot of people these days come in my studio telling me they have tried to learn the drums or the piano without a teacher. The process was very difficult and, right before they give up, they decided to take lesson as a Hail…
How to address the challenges of learning a new Instrument? Music needs Patience.
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…
How long does it take to learn the drums?
What a good question! Thank you for asking. The answer is this: in my class, during the first lesson, the brand new beginner gets to learn her/his first rock beat. We shall also, while we’re at it, try to play together. I might be on the piano or the guitar. I might sing a song…
New Orleans 1
The first evening I was in New Orleans, I got star struck, and furious about it. We landed in the heart of it all: the French Quarter. What a pretty town! I could relate to those high balconies, looking like the front of boats. I could understand why the prostitutes of the old days would…
How long does it take to learn the piano?
This is a very good question. Every beginner I know, whether they are 6 or 66 years old, want to know how long it’ll take before they are able to play what they want to play on the piano. If I give a cookie cutter answer, I’d say that with a little practice and a…