Topic: Drum Teaching Discourse

[Andy Ziker]

If possible, I would like to get an open dialogue going here about drum teaching.
 
Let's start with this (answer all or as many of these as you want):

• What is your name (This might be redundant, depending whether you use a moniker or not)?

• Where do you teach?

• About how many students do you teach per week?

• How many years have you been teaching?

• Are you having any struggles in giving lessons? Explain.

• Please share some cool teaching experiences, activities, lessons, exercises, tips, etc.

• What instructional materials do you use? (The correct answer is: only books by Andy Ziker! Just kiddin'!)

[Todd Norris]

Hey Andy, good idea!  I can always use input on teaching! 

Where:  I teach in Gilbert and Chandler AZ.  I teach only a handful of students.  I teach one night a week at my church since I don't have a studio.  I make one house call close to my home one other night per week. 

Background: I've began teaching informally for the bagpipe band I play in about 15 years ago, but began the structure I mentioned above about 9 years ago to work with beginner drum set players.  It took some time to really find myself and hone in on preferred methods etc.  But I managed to get a few kids playing pretty well!  Now I have more set approaches (but always modifiable for any particular kid). 

Issues:  I work primarily with beginners and with kids having so many activities, I find it hard to get them to spend enough quality time practicing.  I try to find ways to inspire the kids, including my own demos, videos, music, magazine articles etc.  Most of my students just don't practice much.  I don't cut anyone loose so long as the parent knows what the situation is and wants to keep paying me.  I explain HOW to practice, and give specific instructions on WHAT to practice, but it's rarely followed.   I've been toying with the idea of offering prizes for practice logs or something, but with such a small client base, that may not be very cost effective for me.

Methodology and Materials:  My method is to simultaneously work hand technique, reading, rudimental, and drum set (I don't do mallets and they know that up front).  That keeps the kids interested, but if the other stuff bogs down, I'll hold back the kit for a while.  For brand new kids I like to do the call and response games - and stump the drum teacher.  Plus I'll just have the kid play along with me while I play some ostinato.  That helps build a sense of time and builds confidence that they can make music!

I try to keep costs as low as possible for beginners so I use a free e-book I downloaded from the internet for drum set, and either my own notes, or Alfred's drum method for the reading and rudimental stuff.  I then move to A Funky Primer.  Despite my best efforts, I can't keep my kids interested in jazz so I don't have a specific book for that.  HOWEVER I love your Drum Aerobics and use that after Funky Primer.  I also use your Daily Drum Warmups once they are ready for it.  The layout and content works great!  I haven't had a chance to use Drumscapes or Preschoolers though.  I've worked a little with a few other books for the more advanced kids before they move on to other teachers (or more often - sports).  By this time I have the kids picking out songs to play to and we will either figure out the parts ourselves, or find transcriptions or tabs to point the way.  I use the Amazing Slow-Downer as needed. 

Well that's a quick overview of what I'm doing.  I'd love to hear input on inspiring more practice! 

Todd

[Jeff Johnson]

• What is your name:  Jeff Johnson

• Where do you teach? I teach at my studio, Johnson Drum Instruction in Richmond, VA.  It is outfitted with two drum sets, a snare drum/practice pad station with mirrored walls for technique analysis, marimba, and latin percussion.  There are pictures on my website www.johnsondrum.com

I also teach at Sam Ash.  Occasionally, I teach workshops in schools and an Introduction to Drumming class through the University of Richmond's School of Continuing Studies.

• About how many students do you teach per week?  Approx. 30

• How many years have you been teaching? 15+

• Are you having any struggles in giving lessons? No

• Please share some cool teaching experiences, activities, lessons, exercises, tips, etc.... :  I utilize handouts that I create on Finale and Word.  I also utilize CDs and DVD's and the internet (youtube and Vic Firth website) as supplemental material.
 
• What instructional materials do you use? (The correct answer is: only books by Andy Ziker! Just kiddin'!): As I mentioned, I use my own handouts and my book, The Level System.  I also use handouts from Gottry Percussion.  For school students, I like using the Garwood Whaley snare books.  I also utilize Rudimental Primer by Mitchell Peters.  I also use Peter's Fundamental Method for Mallets books 1 and 2.  For drum set, I use my own handouts along with books such as Big Band Drumming At First Sight by Steve Fidyk.  I also like Drumset 101 by Black/Houghton.  I will use Transcribe to slow down audio if it is too fast for the students to play with. 

As the student progresses, we will use Stick Control, Master Studies,Syncopation,  Advanced Concepts by Kim Plainfield among others.

I also hold yearly recitals as an opportunity for the students to perform.

Jeff

[Bart Elliott]

Sorry I don't have anything to contribute as I'm no longer carrying any type of teaching load. I do teach by it is strictly on a on-call/random basis for me ... intentionally. For the last two years, my complete focus has been on the Drummer Cafe and my other music projects.

[DoubleC]

• What is your name?  Christian Canalita

• Where do you teach?  A local music store & out of my home.

• About how many students do you teach per week?  It goes up and down but I maintain about 30 students a week.  In a better economy, I was averaging about 50 students a week.

• How many years have you been teaching?  15+ years

• Are you having any struggles in giving lessons? Kind of......I've taken on teaching a student with autism.  I've only had 2 lessons so far with him but it's really made me look at how I teach. 

Please feel free to check my studio https://ccdrumstudio.musicteachershelper.com/ for last year's recital pics.  I do one every year.  I even have students perform with their bands. 

• What instructional materials do you use? For most beginning students, I use "Style Studies for the Creative Drummer" by John Xepoleas, "Alfred's Drum Method Book 1" by Dave Black and "Alfred's Beginning Snare Drum Duets" by Dave Black. 

For my intermediate to advance students, I use "Linear Drumming" by Mike Johnston, "Future Sounds" by David Garibaldi, "Syncopation" by Ted Reed, "Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming" by Bobby Rondinelli, the John Riley books for jazz and Tommy Igoe's Books and play-alongs as well.  I also use this http://minusdrums.com/joomla/index.php for play-alongs (no drum tracks).

And I'm waiting for my Manhasset Drummer Stands to arrive from Interstate so I can use them in the music store and at my home. 

Here's a pic of my home studio:
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i274/DoubleCdrums/Drum%20Cafe%20Pics/IMG_0421.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i274/DoubleCdrums/Drum%20Cafe%20Pics/IMG_0422.jpg
And pics of the really small music store lesson room.  Because of it's size, the 4-piece set is facing the opposite direction (i.e.:  we are back to back).
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i274/DoubleCdrums/Drum%20Cafe%20Pics/IMG_0425.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i274/DoubleCdrums/Drum%20Cafe%20Pics/IMG_0424.jpg

[Steven Schultze]

My Name is Steve Schultze.

I teach at Music N More in Morrseville NC

I have been teaching around two years now. I have around 14 students right now. From 5 to 48 years old. My five and six year old drummers, one girl and one boy are already learning drums beats on the set, thanks to starting them out on snare then adding bass.  I took private lessons when I was six years old. That helped me to learn how to read music and play on a drum set.

I use "Alfred's Drum Method Book 1" by Dave Black. This is a great starter book for everyone. I do not start out anyone playing on the drum set until they learn how to play everything on the snare drum. I go thru the book several times. First time thru most students can't do snare and bass drum together. So I go thru book with just snare drum. Then I go back and have them do snare drum and bass drum and now it is easier because they know the snare part. Third time I go thru I pick out some solo's and have them play it up to the tempo that is noted at top of solo. During the second time thru I have them start on simple drum beats, I started using a drum set book "Realistic Rock for Kids " By Carmine Appice. It is a great book for beginning drum beats, it starts out easier then most books, that start out easy and get hard real quick for beginner's. I have student evaluation sheets that I made myself. I have my name and phone number on it. Then I have a couple lines of rules that they have to go by. Then I give them a sat and unsat on bringing books, sticks, practice,  and bring the form back. I also grade them during lessons with a sat or unsat on paying attention, listening skills, and overall lesson. Next I have a little empty space where I right in their assignment for the following week. At the bottom I have the days of the week where the kids have to initial and the parents have to initial for their practice time. This keeps parents involved with the student and what they are doing, so they are not wasting my time or the parents time and money. I have this form in a word document if any body want a copy of it. I also have their name, the date of the lesson and time of lesson and what level they are. This help me to keep up with where my students are with skill levels.
I am having a little trouble as to where to go after I finish this first book. I feel that I should do more with the snare drum before I just totally move them over to a drum set. Any help here would be appreciated.

[Andy Ziker]

Hey Andy, good idea!  I can always use input on teaching! 

Where:  I teach in Gilbert and Chandler AZ.  I teach only a handful of students.  I teach one night a week at my church since I don't have a studio.  I make one house call close to my home one other night per week. 

Background: I've began teaching informally for the bagpipe band I play in about 15 years ago, but began the structure I mentioned above about 9 years ago to work with beginner drum set players.  It took some time to really find myself and hone in on preferred methods etc.  But I managed to get a few kids playing pretty well!  Now I have more set approaches (but always modifiable for any particular kid). 

Issues:  I work primarily with beginners and with kids having so many activities, I find it hard to get them to spend enough quality time practicing.  I try to find ways to inspire the kids, including my own demos, videos, music, magazine articles etc.  Most of my students just don't practice much.  I don't cut anyone loose so long as the parent knows what the situation is and wants to keep paying me.  I explain HOW to practice, and give specific instructions on WHAT to practice, but it's rarely followed.   I've been toying with the idea of offering prizes for practice logs or something, but with such a small client base, that may not be very cost effective for me.

Methodology and Materials:  My method is to simultaneously work hand technique, reading, rudimental, and drum set (I don't do mallets and they know that up front).  That keeps the kids interested, but if the other stuff bogs down, I'll hold back the kit for a while.  For brand new kids I like to do the call and response games - and stump the drum teacher.  Plus I'll just have the kid play along with me while I play some ostinato.  That helps build a sense of time and builds confidence that they can make music!

I try to keep costs as low as possible for beginners so I use a free e-book I downloaded from the internet for drum set, and either my own notes, or Alfred's drum method for the reading and rudimental stuff.  I then move to A Funky Primer.  Despite my best efforts, I can't keep my kids interested in jazz so I don't have a specific book for that.  HOWEVER I love your Drum Aerobics and use that after Funky Primer.  I also use your Daily Drum Warmups once they are ready for it.  The layout and content works great!  I haven't had a chance to use Drumscapes or Preschoolers though.  I've worked a little with a few other books for the more advanced kids before they move on to other teachers (or more often - sports).  By this time I have the kids picking out songs to play to and we will either figure out the parts ourselves, or find transcriptions or tabs to point the way.  I use the Amazing Slow-Downer as needed. 

Well that's a quick overview of what I'm doing.  I'd love to hear input on inspiring more practice! 

Todd

Thanks, Todd. Hopefully over time drum teachers here at the Cafe will be able to help new instructors and teachers who want a little professional development.

I find that organization and a structured approach is one of the keys to building self-motivated practice (thought it obviously doesn't always work). When I give an assignment to students, whether it's out of one of my books (or others' books) or a print-out (such as a drumscore or something that they're working on in school band), I hand the student a pencil and have them write the date down. If their penmanship is poor, I'll write is down myself. When the student has mastered that assignment to an acceptable level, I put (or have them put) a reward sticker in that location and put a slash through the date.

People of all ages like reward stickers, and they are a quick and easy may to keep track of progress.

During this process, I continually push the student to review old material.

In addition, I feel that it can be important to allow the students to choose their own assignments. For instance, I've found that when a student picks out a tune to work on, they may spend more practice time on digesting it.

I've also learned the value of asking general, open-ended questions such as: What do you want to learn today?

[Todd Norris]

Great feedback Andy!  I often put dates on pages, but more as a reference to what to do for the next week.  I try to be very specific about what I want them to work on.  I use the website music teachers helper to track progress and payments and it sends an email to the parents with my weekly notes. 

I also try to have them pick out pieces of lessons that they really like so we can focus on them.  When it comes to working on songs, I always let them pick it out.  there's nothing worse than being forced to work on a song you don't like (speaking from experience from my youth).  But at the same time, I've been doing an iPod tour with one of my students to get him playing along to a wide variety of stuff on the fly. 

I think I'm going to invest in some stickers....