Drum-Kit Lessons

Every lesson I teach is tailored around the individual student’s musical taste, needs and ability. This way the student is motivated and focused throughout the lesson. My experience enables me to break drum teaching into 4 key areas:

 

  • Sight Reading / Aural Perception – From basic notation and values to advanced chart reading, transcription, studying genres of music, drum grooves, click tracks, pieces and performance and Grades 1-8 also taught, if required.

 

  • Technical Development – To achieve a perfect technique, study of Moeller system, Drop and snap technique, sticking, posture, breathing and all aspects of drumming technique.

 

  • Drum Grooves & Fills – Study of specific grooves relating to individual genres, these include; Rock, Pop, Funk, Metal, Country, Afro-Cuban, Drum & Bass plus many more. Also study the relative drum fills used within these genres to help to form an understanding of how to write the perfect drum part.

 

  • Session Drummers & Live Performance – Studying a vast selection of drummers and genres. Learning key performance techniques and songs to be performed live and along to tracks.

 

  • Additional Subjects:
  • Drum Tuning – How to make you sound great behind a kit, as you can learn all the greatest techniques, but if your drum kit doesn’t sound good this will have less impact. Also cover drum-kit care how to look after your gear and the internal workings of your drums.
  • Music Industry – Learn the basics of how the industry works and how to get the best out of your career as a musician and own musical project.

 

My lessons are taught from my own written syllabus with aspects of other workbooks and exercises, techniques to achieve the ultimate drumming experience and information. I am also currently writing my own drum workbook.

I have my own drum studio based in Brighton where I teach from, provide mobile drum lessons where I travel to the student and teach on their own kit and also offer interactive drum lesson through Skype.

CRB checked.
Musicians Union Member.
Skype Username: thommillsdrums

Rates – £30 per hour / £15 per half hour.

 

Bibliography;

  • Progressive Steps To Syncopation For The Modern Drummer – Ted Reed
  • Stick Control For The Snare Drummer – George Lawrence Stone
  • Master Studies – Joe Morello
  • Advanced Techniques For The Modern Drummer, Vol 1 – Jim Chapin
  • Conversations In Clave – Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez.
  • The Drumset Musician – Rod Morgenstein & Rick Mattingly
  • Advanced Funk Studies – Rick Latham
  • Play Rock Drums – Joel Rothman
  • Jungle/Drum ‘n’ Bass For The Acoustic Drum Set – Johnny Rabb
  • Afro-Cuban Grooves For Bass And Drums, Funkifying The Clave – Lincoln Goines & Robby Ameen
  • Trinity Guildhall, Drum Kit 4, Pieces & Studies, Grades 7 & 8.