A:  Click the link to  email me and arrange a free phone consult!   If we decide it's a good fit, we'll schedule you a time!  All lessons must be prepaid via PayPal or Venmo.  I offer single lessons (60min) , as well as blocks of 4 or 8 for a reduced rate.

A:  I try to reasonable and accommodating with my time, but I really need to make sure all my lesson slots are filled.  Knowing that you’re not coming ahead of time frees me up to use that time slot for someone else.    With that in mind, if you need to cancel or reschedule for any reason, it must be 24 hrs. in advance or you will be charged in full for that lesson, sorry no exceptions.  You are allowed one rescheduling/cancelation in each calendar month- any additional cancelations or no-shows that month will also be charged in full (even with 24hrs notice).   There are also no refunds of any type on 4 and 8-lesson packages.  

A:  No!  There’s a lot we can do on a practice pad and we can also create a homemade kit out of items from around your house (pillows, buckets, siblings).

A:  Buying drums can be a daunting task, and I can help you choose what to get.  I can also help you set it up and tune it as part of the lesson. 

A:  Rubber practice pads make very little sound, and there are a number of wonderful innovations like Silent Stroke drumheads and reduced-volume cymbals that you can get to reduce the level even more.

A:  I recommend once per week since that gives you a few days to work on the material before we get together again, but not so long that you forget everything we went over.  However, I’m happy to be flexible come up with a schedule that works for you.

A:  Normally, yes and it’s a lot of fun.  We have a private courtyard with graffiti art, a grill and tons of musicians all around.  But due to social distancing requirements, we’re online-only for now. Hopefully soon!

A:  It’s best to be ready to go 10min early!

A:  The hour we’re scheduled is the hour that we’ll do the lesson.  I’m known to be generous with my time, and sometimes I lose track ‘cause I’m telling a long story or just having too much fun.  But please try to be on time.

A:  All lessons are currently on Zoom.  I will send you an invite link prior to the lesson.  Please make sure you have the latest version downloaded so we can have the best quality audio and video, share screens, and play back tracks.   Also, if you can hard-wire into your router using an Ethernet cable, that will help reduce lag from the Wifi.  You also might want to invest in a webcam and USB microphone so we can see and hear each other even better.  I can help you pick these out!

A:  Don’t’ sweat it!  I’ve got this down and will help you adjust your settings for an optimum experience.

A:  All will work as long as we can see and hear each other.  Using an external USB mic makes it much easier for me to hear you too.  I recommend you do a quick “dry run” to make sure all your tech works before the first lesson.

A:  Yes.  We’ll get you hooked up with all the info after you sign up, but none of it is expensive or hard to find.  I also use hand-written sheets of exercises which I’ll share with you.

A:  If they’re books I’m already familiar with, then possibly.  But usually I like to stick with the program and use specific set of materials.

A:  Music!  Lots of it.  One of the most fun parts of learning drums is playing along with your favorite tunes, or even better, in a live setting with other musicians.    

A:  I will hand-write a lesson sheet during our lesson and email it to you right after.  I pre-emptively apologize in advance for how messy it will be, but maybe I’ll draw a fun pic of a drumset on there.

A:  In my experience, it’s not really about how many minutes, but how productive and focused you are during that time.  I’ll take 30 minutes of concentrated practice over 90 minutes of noodling and messing around any day.  It’s also important to remember that you’ll get out of this what you put into it.  I totally understand that certain weeks you’ll have more time than others, and it’s sometimes tough to carve out the hours.  But if you want to get better, you gotta get in the “shed” (short for “woodshed”, musician slang for heavy practicing).

A:  Yes, but it won’t be as good as if you do.  Even just a taking a few minutes before we meet to do some “mental reps” and look over the material is better than nothing.

A:  Reading is an essential part of becoming a good musician.  We will work on learning some basic music theory, as well as how to create your own shorthand drum charts so you can learn songs quickly.  But we will also work on learning by ear since that's also very important.

A:  I can teach you how to LEARN how to play your favorite song.

A:  Sure!  We’ll work on training your ear as well as your hands and feet.   Everyone processes information differently and I do my best to tailor the lesson to each person’s needs in an enthusiastic and encouraging way.    I want you to feel inspired to practice and get better.  

A:  Jazz, Rock, R&B, Pop, a little of everything.  I believe that versatility is super-important for a drummer.  For example, even if you don’t end up in a full-blown Samba band, I will teach you a basic Samba beat.  The more musical vocabulary you have, the better prepared you’ll be to play in any situation.  Plus, it’s fun to open your mind and ears to new styles you aren’t familiar with even if you’re not sure you’ll like them.  

A:  Sweet!  But that’s not really a question.

A:  Absolutely.  We can also work on 4-way independence exercises, the Charlie Parker Omnibook method, poly-rhythmic subdivisions, improving your feel, groove, dynamics, hand speed and melodic playing.  During the first lesson, I’ll watch you play and we’ll talk about your areas of interest and come up with a game plan.  

A: No, but if you if you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to ask!