Lessons

Why Take Lessons?

This question is asked more now than it ever was when I was starting out learning drums. Why? There are more educational materials available for drummers than my generation could have ever dreamed of. Add to that the fact that much of this can be had for free via the internet, be it youtube, forums, blogs, etc. Why should I pay money for lessons when all the information is already at my fingertips?

Well, for one, the sheer amount of information available is where a good teacher can help. A student may be inspired by tutorials teaching left-foot clave and playing blast beats faster than hummingbirds, but not have the fundamental skills to approach these concepts, or even the realization that these fundamental skills are needed. There is a price to pay for trying to take shortcuts to great drumming: Unsteady groove, muscle problems, difficulty controlling volume and many times frustration and burnout. Real progress is made by defining and achieving realistic short-term goals, and having assistance deciding what these goals should be is the true value of having an experienced teacher.

For all the wonderful educational material out there, there is one thing none of them can provide: Feedback. We learn best when feedback is provided the moment we make a mistake. Only then can we put on the brakes and discover a process of breaking down the problem and working out a solution.

Info

I teach out of my home studio in Logan Square, Chicago. I normally teach one hour lessons either weekly, bi-weekly, or on a per lesson basis, though weekly is recommended for beginning students. Rates are currently $45/hour, or $40/hour pre-paid for a month of lessons when taken weekly. Contact me through this website to set-up lessons.