Drum Teacher Offering Drum Lessons For The South Of Hampshire!
Drum Teacher Accounts
The following articles are true accounts of some of the experiences I have had as a drum teacher. They will hopefully give you a better understanding of the kind of person and teacher I am as well as what drum lessons with me can be like.
Copying Your Favourite Drummer
One of my drum pupils, called Julie from Southampton, started having lessons with me back in 2005. Julie had never had a drum teacher before and was starting with me totally from scratch; a complete beginner.
Julie wanted to play like Tres Cool from the band Green Day so after spending a little time going over the basics we set about learning her favourite songs note for note. She isn't interested in learning different styles of music so we focus totally on learning her favourite songs.
I still teach Julie and since choosing me to be her drum teacher she has learnt to play along to all of Green Day's songs (that's a lot of songs!) as well songs from My Chemical Romance, Kings Of Leon and Blink 182.
Drum Perfection
Most of my drum pupils live around the Fareham area of Hampshire. There are other drum teachers and tutors available but I was lucky enough to have Simon choose me.
Simon is a super talented drummer and has been playing for over 20 years, he has had drum teachers in the past but in his own words... "They never really taught me what I wanted to learn, it was always about what the drum tutor thought was best". He gave up on the idea of having drum lessons for many years and has only just recently started with me. I wanted to show Simon what drum lessons are supposed to be about and to focus totally on Simon's needs.
Our lessons consist of Simon showing me where he struggles or wishes to improve and then me suggesting ideas, exercises and offering guidance. It is then up to Simon as to what he chooses to take forward and devlop.
I have helped Simon to improve his double stroke rolls as well as the other rudiments. He can now play double bass drum (something he always wanted to learn but didn't know where to start). Simon desperately wanted to be a more rounded player so we spent some time learning how to play in the Jazz, Metal and Latin styles of music.
I have been Simon's drum teacher for about 6 months now and I look forward to helping Simon further in becoming the drummer HE wants to be.
Start Young
The parent of a 7 year old girl called Tyne (she's adorable!) searched online to find a drum teacher in the Portsmouth area of Hampshire. Again, there are quite a few drum tutors to choose from but I was lucky enough to be chosen.
Tyne was also a complete beginner and didn't have her own drum kit, this meant that she had lessons from my home in Titchfield (Warsash, Locks Heath, Park Gate area). The parents wanted to wait a few months until they were sure Tyne was going to stick with drumming before purchasing a drum set.
A child as young as 7 isn't able to concentrate for very long and will get bored easily so I made sure that lessons were simple, and most importantly, lots of fun!
We spent time learning really basic drum beats and fills as well as playing along to songs - something Tyne enjoys greatly. She has been with me for over a year and has since been given a drum kit for Christmas. This means that I can now teach her from her home and the parents don't have to worry about driving their daughter to lessons anymore.
Look out for Tyne in 10 years time, she's going to be BIG!
Walking to the Beat of His Own Drum
I have been a drum teacher for over ten years but back in 2007 I started to teach a drum pupil that totally astounded me! His name is John, he lives in Gosport (Portsmouth) and has been drumming for over 15 years. He needed drum lessons from an experienced drum teacher to help him reach the next level.
After meeting him he showed me what he could do as well as demonstrating his technique. John (and he doesn't mind me saying this) was in a bad state, his playing was solid and musical but his technique was restricting and uniquely awkward. I had never seen anyone drum quite like John before.
John had been playing the drums in his bedroom since the beginning and was totally self taught. It was because of this that his drum kit was set up back to front and awkwardly, he held the sticks in a manner that restricted his speed and accuracy around the drums and he struggled to understand the concept of the drummers "job" within music.
We started, in our first lesson together, to correct some of the technique errors that had accumulated over the years as well as setting up his drums in a comfortable and efficient way.
Over the next few weeks John was playing better and more confidently than he had ever previously done and has since found a band. I'm pleased to say that I still teach John and I look forward to helping him improve still further.
Never Too Late
I started teaching Joe the drums 5 years ago and he has been with me ever since. He lives in Stubbington (relatively near Fareham) and is currently 73 years young.
He decided after retiring that he wanted to learn an instrument, he'd always wanted to learn the drums but never got around to it. He was worried that he might be too old to start and rang me to ask what I thought about it. I told him that you are never too old to start learning the drums and that I would be happy to show him how easy and fun they are to pick up.
He chose me to be his drum teacher back in 2003 and since then has become a very accomplished Jazz/Swing drummer (his favourite style of music). I get great satisfaction in watching Joe improve and helping him to learn the instrument he has always loved.
Every Drummer Is Different
I have been a drum teacher/instructor at the Academy Of Music And Sound in Southampton for a year now. I teach 1st and 2nd year diploma classes of up to 10 pupils at a time, something I deeply enjoy!
It's always fascinating for me to talk to a group of drummers and find out what they think about the subject and where they want to be as players in the future. Something I always knew, but really became enforced since starting this job, is the idea that every drummer is different.
Some drummers want to become session musicians, some want to join a band and some are happy simply playing in their bedrooms. Being a drum teacher means I have to balance what I think a pupil could benefit from learning and what that pupil actually wants to do themselves.
The most satisfying part of being a drum tutor is seeing pupils grow into the musicians they want to be. I’m doing my bit to help them and I take great pride in doing so.