Welcome and thanks for considering me as your drum instructor! Please read through the following material, as it will answer most, if not every question that typically arises when considering an new drum instructor.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM ME:

To help the student achieve their own musical goals, drawing from 38 years of playing and 18 years of teaching experience. This is accomplished by a brief interview either before, or at our first lesson. Within a few lessons I can figure out each student’s learning pace and structure the lessons accordingly.

MY AIM:
To ensure that the student gets a WELL ROUNDED EDUCATION, based on their own goals. Much of what I teach can apply to most other percussive and even melodic instruments they may play now, or in the future. I'll show them how to get the most out of a lesson or an exercise.

To provide a FUN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. In my 18 years of teaching, I have discovered that the discipline of learning is best received, when it’s the process stays fun. Believe me, the student WILL be challenged, too.  That combination will produce benefits that last a lifetime.

MY TOOLS:

You'll find one of the most well equipped studios available here. Set up with most, if not all the current technologies the student is likely to encounter in their future, whether as a professional, semi-pro or as a hobby musician. This includes both ACOUSTIC (standard drums) and ELECTRONIC drums. All this is augmented with much educational software (sequencing, beat programming and various music creation software, including recording). Also available are instructional and inspiring preformance and educational DVD’s, CD’s and almost every instructional book ever written for the modern drummer. 

SCHEDULE:

If we have not already agreed on a time in previous conversations, here are the options:

CURRENT TEACHING DAYS:              Monday & Tuesday

WEEKLY:                                             for 1/2 hour

EVERY 2nd week                                 for 1    hour

TIME:                                           Earliest start time: 2pm

                                                    Latest   start time: 7pm

My optional 1-hour lessons happen EVERY 2nd WEEK.  I originally designed this plan, so as to help reduce the number of trips per month for some of my out-of-town students, by doubling up on the lesson time. With it as an option, this 1 hr. plan has often been taken advantage of for many other reasons, even by local students, mostly to accomodate today's busy, multi-activity schedules. The interval that works best for you is what I'm happy to offer. My only concern is that a 1hr. student has a good attention span. In general, a 1 hour lesson is not recommended for the very young student.

"EXTRA" LESSONS

My $95 monthly lesson fee is based on 4 half-hour lessons per month, (or a total of 2 hours of teaching), so occasionally we'll have a month that will either have 5 weekly lessons instead of 4, (or a 3rd lessons for those on the "every-other-week" plan), which will result in the cost of that one additional lesson. 

Those who are on the 1 hr. every-other-week schedule are anchored by the date of their very first lesson, since the opposite week will be occupied by another 1 hr. student.

WHAT I EXPECT FROM THE STUDENT:

PROMPT ARRIVAL at scheduled time.

There is no “buffer” time between lessons.

CANCELLATIONS:

A 24 hr. minimum CANCELLATION NOTICE qualifies for a lesson MAKE-UP or Lesson CREDIT. 

Bona-fide emergencies or sudden onset of illness are understandable and also qualify.  Although a “lesson credit” is an option and can be applied toward reducing the next month's tuition, I encourage as few missed lessons as possible. Extended stretches of down-time between lessons tend to have effect the student's consistency and steady progress.

Important..........SAME DAY CANCELLATIONS, or “NO-SHOWS” or "WE FORGOT"  will NOT qualify for a make-up or for a lesson credit
I will provide 24hr. or better notice as well, on the rare occasion I need to cancel or otherwise re-schedule a lesson.

MAKE-UP LESSONS:

While I attempt to provide MUTUALLY COMPATIBLE times for make-ups, my nearly full schedule is not as flexible as it once was. Since I provide make-up lessons ONLY on my existing teaching days, so..............your 24 hr. (or better) notice is greatly appreciated for anticipated cancellations on your part.

I normally provide lessons all year long and unless the teaching days fall directly ON a major Holiday, lessons are normally not interrupted, except for the rare occasions I may be out of town, or ill.

It is not a question of IF, but when you will be one to benefit from prompt notice, when another one of my students calls to cancel, so as to be able to coordinate YOUR make-up with adequate notice for your schedule. 

TUITION DUE-day:

Please bring your monthly tuition on YOUR FIRST LESSON OF EACH NEW MONTH. If you happen to start in the middle of the month, you need only bring as much as to cover that lesson plus the remaining lessons in that month.

If you missed a lesson on your "tuition-due-day" for a reason which does not qualify for a make-up or lesson credit (you forgot, over-napped, or your "ride" did not show up, etc), then I would ask that as a courtesy, you would be so kind as to bring payment for that missed lesson on your very next visit, rather than placing me in the uncomfortable position of having to ask for it. Your understanding that we instructors rely on each of our teaching slots to be filled and productive is greatly appreciated, as they are the source of our income.

WHAT TO BUY (if you don't already have it):

A METRONOME, or DRUM MACHINE, or electronic KEYBOARD. Take your pick.

My preference would be to have something like a Casio, Radio Shack, Yamaha type KEYBOARD, because any model from the last 10 years will have all kinds of learning tools built in, including a metronome and the likes of a drum machine (although not a programmable one).  Additionally on keyboards there are various music styles (of most common genres) plus various song styles and rhythms that are fun and easy to jam along with, especially when the unit is positioned within reach of the drummer. And who knows, with access to a keyboard, the student might incidentally be motivated learn another important musical element......melody!!.

Drum machine:  These, too are very useful, because they are fully programmable (for specific exercises) and they usually have hundreds of styles already programmed in. Unlike a keyboard, it is usually limited only to drum sounds and drum-set rhythms although, depending on model, some drum machines also have bass guitar parts to go along with the drum patterns.

Metronome: I recommend the electronic types that have a headphone jack, so that the sound of drums won't overpower the sound of the "click" (or tick-tock of wind-up types), when practicing with it.

For auditioning the sound on any of the above tools, headphones, an amp, computer speakers or your home stereo can be used.  Drum machines and keyboards, if that's what you end up using, should be found on Craigslist for $50 to $100. Electronic metronomes cost anywhere from $20 to $75, depending on on-board features.

Feel free to check with me about the model you're looking at and the price BEFORE committing to it.

DRUM STICKS  Get a pair that are a comfortable size for the student. ( I keep several new pairs on hand, so chances are that I have the right size for the student)

A MUSIC STAND This does not have to be a heavy duty type, unless you prefer that. It just needs to be a plan "B" that keeps the student from having to set their sheet music directly on the drum they’re practicing on and beating it back to pulp. Positioned where professionals are used to seeing it--usually off to the left of the Hi Hat stand-- will greatly aid in reading their material.

3-RING BINDER. As an ADDED and FREE BENEFIT to the student, I provide a variety of teaching materials from a great number of resources, so you will not have to purchase any books. A 1” binder works just fine to get started.

A JUMP DRIVE 1gb or larger
Once the student is up to speed on some of the basics, I utilize the jump drive to load it with some “music-minus-drums” tracks for practice & play-along, or to have the student bring me music that they're interestd in learning. I have a huge audio library of practice segments from various educational packages I've invested in.

Students are welcome to bring their ipod or other mp3 device, but the Jump Drive is my preferred method of exchanging material.   I use software that can slow down mp3's to any tempo, and therefore put a song into a newer student's ability level for playing along. For more advanced students I use these programs for analyzing fast songs, so as to break them down into bite sized practice segments.  All in all, I can accomplish these tasks from a jump drive, but not with most mp3 players, due to potential compatibility issues with my laptop.

Lastly, and most importantly.........and depending on the student's goal:

A DRUM SET, a SNARE DRUM "KIT" or PRACTICE PAD at the very least.

A little diversion here, but in my experience, most students I've had want to learn to play the full drum SET and not just a snare drum. The exception would be if they're trying out for only the snare part in orchestra, or something like that, without further aspiration for drum set.

So while I understand about the cost difference and tightened budgets in this economically unstable time, keep in mind that drum set prices have fallen fairly dramatically and I've seen some nice, complete drum sets for under $300, again  on Craigslist. Perhaps you have an uncle who has had one sitting in his attic or in the garage for years. It has been my experience that most students can handle the coordination required for playing a full drum set fairly quickly. So when they get to START on a full kit instead of just a snare or practice pad, their enthusiasm usually stretches beyond the period where they might otherwise throw in the towel after only 3 or 6  months of practice-pad-ing, and therefore wasting your monthly lesson payments, due to boredom from the lack-luster sound of a snare only, or a practice pad.

Everyone is different and you know your situation the best and so of course it IS up to your best judgment. Bottom line is that if you can absorb the cost of having a basic set sitting there for a time period, then if you keep it in good shape, you'll likely never lose a nickel on that investment. And with it, the student is more motivated to break through any barriers they may encounter, as for long-term commitment on the instrument.

Again, check with me before pulling any purchasing trigger, as I may have refurbished equipment on hand. I have it coming/going all the time as a teacher.

If you already have drum equipment, then I prefer personally inspecting it, and if necessary, to set it up ergonomically correct and to tune it for maximum practice-benefit and for it to produce inspiring sound, not flinches of eye, every time it is struck. You can bring it here for me to do that, or for a small fee I can make a house-call and perhaps even do one of our lessons at the same time. So while I'm there we can focus the lesson on something that to my dismay, a high percentage of even professional players do little of, and that is....... drum equipment maintenance & tuning.

WHAT TO BRING...........to EVERY LESSON:

The BINDER, the DRUMSTICKS, the JUMP DRIVE and if you're working with a drum machine, BRING THAT, so I can help you work with it's on-board patterns and to  help you to Program your own beats, etc.

(No need to bring your keyboard to the lesson, if that's what you have, except perhaps one time, so I can see it and help you get the best benefit from it).

PRACTICE only MAKES PERMANENT:

..........but  PERFECT practice makes perfect............so I expect that you practice the material, as covered in your last lesson for:

25 FOCUSED MINUTES ..........at LEAST 5x EACH WEEK.

In your 1st 10 minutes, skim as many pages as possible of PREVIOUSLY COVERED MATERIAL and randomly pick something for review, so you don't forget what you've learned before.

AFTER the first (focused) 25 minutes you can “noodle” around all you want. However, I highly recommend putting on some headphones and immersing yourself in a VARIETY OF MUSICAL STYLES, and playing/jamming along with it to the best of your ability. If all you do is focus on staying in time with the music by keeping it simple and maintaining a strong pulse of any kind with the music, then ALL the other "fancy" stuff will come together very soon........ ESPECIALLY if you're committed to those first 25 minutes of focused practice.

Most importantly.....have fun, relax, don't forget to breathe normally (really!!), smile a lot and don't be afraid to make really weird faces while playing.

I agree to guidelines above, and will (or have) discussed any concerns with Al

Student_________________________________ date _________________

Instructor_______________________________  date _________________