Drums with Ed R.

Hi, My name is Ed and listed in the different sections of this page are: a very brief bio, an explanation of my approach, and a description of what I and my studio have to offer. I am extremely enthusiastic and passionate about what I do, and being able to pass that on is a joy. Please read on, and I hope to hear from you soon! I have 16 years teaching experience as well as extensive playing and touring experience in all styles and genres, which gives me the insight to know what is most important for really playing the instrument. I attended Bucks County Community College and West Chester University. I also studied privately with Ken Miller (Philly Pops Orchestra tympanist), John Alberti and Martin Bradfield. I am currently a member of The Chuck Anderson Trio on the Dreambox Media Label. I am also a member of five other bands and freelance and record with many others...everyone from former members of Bon Jovi, to Marvin Hamlisch, and some completely unexpected names like Joe Frazier And The Knockouts. Yes, I know, that's pretty amusing, and Joe couldn't sing...but I wasn't going to tell him! I have an extensive collection of books and videos that I draw from for my students, and to personally improve at my craft. This is not a sideline, or part-time job for me...this is my life, and my career! *** Lesson Details *** In my lessons I strive to make the maximum progress possible, while also having as much fun as possible. This is accomplished by imparting the most valuable, useful, and beneficial information in a fun and relaxed, low pressure environment, always with the students goals and priorities first and foremost. I also like to keep the student challenged at their current ability level. For beginning students I stress basic fundamentals, just as you would in sports. It makes progress come at a much faster clip and avoids making time consuming corrections later. The longer you play with bad habits, the harder they are to break. For more advanced students, I assess their current abilities, determine if any problems need to be addressed, and with their goals in mind, come up with the proper plan of action. Having been self taught till entering college I understand all ends of the spectrum. In my career I have come across three separate groups of musicians: 1) Those who have good ears, but can't read. 2) Those who read well, but can't play without music in front of them. 3) Those with great ears who also read well. Number 3 is obviously the best of all possible worlds and what I strive to achieve with all my students. Being accomplished in both areas enables them to be prepared for anything they will come across, and gives them a distinct advantage over their peers. *** Studio Equipment *** I have a state of the art drum studio, beyond anything else I have ever seen, with everything from a top of the line V-Drum kit (electronic drums) and several acoustic sets that I rotate occasionally to keep interest level high. As opposed to many stores, schools and homes...there are no sax players in the next studio, no guitars blaring, no kids running around, no distractions! We only hear what we want to hear! It's so much easier to maintain focus on the task at hand. One of the pluses of the electronic set is when a student is playing along with music, we can just plug an iPod, Kindle, whatever, into the system, dial in the perfect matching volume between music and drums...and not go deaf. No muss, no fuss, no headphones needed, unless the student wants them...I have plenty. I am in my own building, so unlike many of the shoebox sized studios i have worked in, I have a lot of space (17'x22'), a waiting area for parents, and since it's one open area, if parents come in the building they are sitting in on the lesson. There is ample parking and I am conveniently located near a major intersection, and right next to a major shopping center (Wal-Mart, Staples. Weiss Supermarket, Pep Boys, etc.). In fact many parents go shopping while their children are taking their lessons. Some even walk! I'm that close. I am also a Certified Plus drum dealer, so if students need some equipment, we can usually handle that too. *** Specialties *** I adapt my style to each student and usually hand write everything for quite awhile. There's a lot to cover and it enables me to break from standard procedure when beneficial. I play and teach all styles and genres, so I feel comfortable with pretty much everything. I use numerous books for many different purposes well beyond the scope of what's listed below.