lessons

I’m Not A Drum Teacher

September 21, 2010

This may come as somewhat of a shock. I have little desire (nor intent, for that matter) to teach anyone how to play drums. It’s true. What I really do want (and constantly strive) to teach my students is how they can teach themselves. How they can eventually grab ahold of a drum magazine, or [...]

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Do It: Make Yourself Known

August 18, 2010

Right around the same time every spring, I get approached by at least one or two college percussionists, asking for a few minutes of my time. I’ve come to believe that they must be completing an end-of-the-year assignment given to them in some sort of Music Business class. Meet with, and interview, someone in your [...]

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How Long Until I’m Good?

July 28, 2010

Last week I talked about one of the most common questions I’m asked as a drum instructor, “How long does he/she (or, do I) need to take lessons?” Today, I wanted to tackle another similar question I often get. Like the first, this one also relates to many endeavors in life outside of music lessons. [...]

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Never. Stop. Learning.

July 21, 2010

I’m currently in the Atlanta airport, en route to Puerto Rico. This is the third annual trip I’ve made to the island, to attend La Fiesta de Santiago Apostol in the town of Loiza, and to learn more about the traditional percussion rhythms of Bomba and Plena. Before I get to the point of this [...]

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2 Lessons I SHOULD Have Learned

May 26, 2010

“Well, I guess you learned your lesson then, didn’t you?” I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve heard THAT one in my life. Pondering a few experiences from the last couple of months, I realized that I DO indeed learn something every single time I “fail.” However, I’m not sure if the [...]

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