Drums with Mike M.

This year (2015), I am celebrating my 27th year of playing drums professionally and my 17th year of teaching. I have loved playing the drums and making music from the first time I picked up a stick and connected with a drum. I have never wanted to do anything else with my life and I love sharing my knowledge about the power of making music and all the different ways that investing the time to learn an instrument can pay off in a person's life. After playing in Jazz, Marching and Symphonic Bands in high school and studying privately for 2 1/2 years, I attended Grove School of Music in Los Angeles, CA where I earned my certificate in Percussion Performance. My time there expanded both my abilities and understanding of drumming but also gave me an understanding of the range of stylistic possibilities. With 20+ classes a week to keep up with my development was turbo charged! Favorite courses included Improvisation, Jazz Combo, Sightreading, Modern Drumset Styles, Latin Hand percussion, and Latin Drumset Technique. Music has allowed me to travel to 40 of the 50 states. I have played a part in writing, recording and releasing 12 records and performed professionally over 1,000 times on a wide range of drums/percussion instruments. I have also been fortunate through music to meet many wonderful musicians and people from almost every culture around the world which expanded me socially and gave me an appreciation of both the universal nature of music and just how large and diverse the world is. I look forward to continuing to share all the skills, knowledge and inspiration that I have been fortunate to learn from so many great teachers along the way. I also offer tutoring in Math and English through Take Lessons. *** Lesson Details *** My teaching style is individualized to meet the goals and expectations of the student. I am aware that often times study materials and interests change over time and that everybody learns best in slightly different way. Because of this I focus on remaining flexible and continually making adjustments to the road map, while making sure to still be headed toward a specific destination. I like to push a student when i know they can grow faster or work a little harder and I am also well versed in multiple techniques to encourage and inspire those who have the will to learn, especially younger children who sometimes benefit from a bit of extra patience or sharper attention to why they might be struggling. I am by nature a person who believes in the value of hard work and perseverance and I personally enjoy the satisfaction of mastering a skill that I didn't think I initially could. I do my best to inspire the same dedication in my students, but i also firmly believe that like any of the Creative Arts, making music (and especially playing the drums!) should ultimately be fun and doing it well and expressing yourself is its own reward. I like to constantly read and stay updated on the latest study materials and techniques or teaching methods. As for books, i prefer the proven classics like Syncopation for the Modern Drummer, Patterns, Alfred's Drum Method Book 1, and Stick Control to teach the fundamentals, but I'll also use DVD videos, the latest YouTube sensation, drumming magazines and blogs, or recordings from the greats of the past and today. Whatever it takes to inspire and engage each student on their own path to drumming greatness! *** Studio Equipment *** I am working on having a big enough roster of students to afford a studio space of my own to teach out of, but currently i only offer the service of coming to the student's home or working together out of an otherwise mutually agreeable space (such as a couple local rehearsal studios which are maybe most appropriate for students 18 and above). *** Travel Equipment *** I provide my own copy of the material we are studying as well as a single drum or practice pad, sticks, headphones and metronome. Occasionally i may provide audio or video recordings of something we are studying or something inspirational for a particular student or to promote the possibilities of drumming. The student needs either the particular percussion instrument he or she wishes to learn (congas, timbales etc.) or , if it is a drumset student, i expect them (after a short introductory period) to be willing to commit to buying a drumset or they will not progress very much. A slightly more affordable option would be at least a throne(drum stool), bass drum and pedal, snare drum and stand, hi hiat stand, cymbals and sticks as well as their own copy of the book we are working from and a spiral notebook or equivalent way to track the lessons as well as log their practice time. Lastly i strongly encourage the use of a metronome or equivalent phone or IPad app for timekeeping if applicable. Thank you for taking the time to read my profile! *** Specialties *** I feel absolutely confident I can teach any style a student wishes to pursue on the drumset or any percussion instrument excluding mallet instruments (beyond beginner level).