Santa Clarita, CA Drum Lessons

ialties ***
I specialize in jazz improvisation on piano and guitar.
I also teach recreational guitar and piano for adults, including classical and blues styles.
I coach bass players and drummers in playing stylistically correct grooves for jazz, rock and latin music.

- practical sight reading
- drum tuning tricks to make you sound better than other drummers!
- playing with a band
- GROOVE! (how to get that infamous "pocket" everyone always talks about!)
- creating drum parts to music
- creative expression
- inspiration (applying inspiration you get from other musicians into your playing)
- FUN!

Extensive experience teaching students of ALL ages and levels!

The aim of the lessons is to prepare beginning drummers to function in a band setting, as a team player, and to develop comfortable technique and creativity in order to express him/herself as a drummer freely. No matter what your ambitions are! Just wanna be able to jam with friends? Or become the next drumming sensation? We'll do it!
For intermediate to advanced drummers, Dennis offers additional interesting exercises and and inspiring concepts. No matter what your playing level is, there is always something to learn!

BEST RATES IN THE AREA! Many references available upon request (current and former students)!
FREE pair of Promark sticks for every new student!
Several package deals and special pricing promos available.

Other student benefits include big discounts on drum gear, free drum gear and accessories and free concert/drum clinic tickets.

CONVENIENT LOCATION!! PA Rehearsal Studios in Reseda (www.parehearsalstudios.com). Beautiful brand new facility with on-site parking, chill-out patio, lounge, beverages, espresso, etc.

way of playing, but also from their style of teaching. I have a curriculum which includes material learned from all my years as Berklee, as well as material I acquired in my own experience performing and recording with many acts and in many different genres, ranging from Rock and Metal, to Latin and Jazz, and even Musical Theater.

*** Lesson Details ***
I custom make my lessons to fit each of my student's needs and goals. If you want to study Metal drumming, I won't aim my lessons to teach the same material I teach to a student who wants to learn Latin music, or Jazz. Music is never ending, and different music affects each person differently. Also, every person has a different voice in their instrument. That's why what works for what some people doesn't do it for others. I focus on what is important to YOU, and what better suits your interests.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I could provide the students with sticks and the materials to work on. I would expect the students to provide the necessary books when needed. A drumset is not required for beginners, although it will be for more advanced students.

*** Specialties ***
My teaching method focuses on the interest of the student. I try to have my classes follow each student's own interest and goals, and guide them on the best possible ways to help them achieve those. I try to present short term goals for my students, to ensure that they can experience a feeling on success that will keep them motivated. I specialize in Rock and Pop music, as well as Latin music (Brazilian and Afro-Caribbean in particular).

n performed on a variety of percussive instruments, in solo or featured pieces. He worked over two years as a percussionist with the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony, with a focus on timpani. Ryan also focused on the Indian Tabla drums, a discipline he also taught through the Ethnomusicology department at the University after his graduation.

Ryan has studied with percussionist Mike Faux, and Greg Goodall, Hollywood Bowl Principal Timpanist, as well as world-class percussionist and composer William Kraft. For three years, Ryan studied under John Magnussen, currently teaching percussion at CSUN, and Jon Nathan, director of Ethnomusicology Jazz UCSB, and Principal Timpanist for the Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera.

Ryan was hired (by Patrick Lindley, Principal Musician, UCSB Dance) for over a year to ultimately perform full time as one of only two music accompanists for the UCSB Dance dept. modern dance classes. As accompanist, he worked with modern studio and master classes for visiting dance companies and artists performing in-concert at UCSB including Paul Taylor, Larry Keigwin, Santa Barbara Summer Dance, White Oak and Pilobilus. In addition to his role as music accompanist, Ryan guest-lectured rhythm and percussion classes for the dance department on a number of occasions. After moving to San Francisco in the fall of 2002, Ryan expanded his involvement in the role of accompanist to include ODC, SFDC, Joe Goode, Stanford dance and Laney college in Oakland.

Other professional and teaching experience includes work with LA movie and mainstream film music composer Aaron Martin, Ride Productions, and Hands On. In the instructional realm, Ryan has worked with all ages and abilities, ranging from children aged four to adults at the college level and beyond, in both individualized and classroom or group environments. Additionally, Ryan has taught drumkit to a number of local students in the Santa Barbara as well as Los Angeles and San Francisco areas.

In the progressive Santa Barbara, LA and San Francisco scenes, Ryan has played percussion for bands that recorded a full-length and demo-length albums respectively, performing throughout the state of California with his band, The Prototype. His current band project, Excessive Acts, performs regularly in the Los Angeles area. They are currently in the post-production phase of their first EP-length album.

*** Lesson Details ***
Hello and welcome! The following paragraphs will provide you with an ample amount of information on my background, experience, and ability. I do, however, consider all of this information to be supplemental; the most important thing about any teacher of music is the ability to relate warmly with a student, to create an open and nurturing atmosphere in which the student is never made to feel uncomfortable or wrong. Everything is a process, and while there are always guidelines to be followed, music is ever in motion. Music is not absolute and rigid, but has a give and take. I always try to appeal to that same sense of flow in my own music exploration, as well as in my teachings to others.

Attributes and Services

Ryan is a professional drummer/percussionist with over 15 years experience performing and teaching to students of all ages in a wide variety of
styles ranging from orchestral and chamber percussion to jazz, funk,
rock, metal, as well as many ethnic musics such as those fund in Africa
and South America, the middle east and India.

Instrumental techniques offered include drumset as well as hand percussion including conga, bongo, darbukka, tabla, and assorted percussion--double pedal or brush technique also offered. Odd meters are something of a specialty for those interested. In addition to technique, Ryan also incorporates the
essential music theory, sight reading, ear training, associated with
the professional musician. As Ryan has perfect pitch, he is especially
suited to the latter, as well as specific tuning techniques for all
tunable percussion--particularly of use in timpani performance, as well
as drumming and singing instruction.

Ryan also provides mallet/keyboard instruction on a midi malletkat
which is quite portable and can operate between two studios, both located within a short distance of each other.

*** Specialties ***
music, drums, percussion
tabla, doumbek, latin percussion, djembe, etc., mallet/keyboard percussion (i.e. marimba, vibes),
piano

rock, pop, jazz, classical, funk, fusion, ethnic music (India and Middle East),

ts to culminate our academic year with a massive outdoor concert in CalArts' Wild Beast Concert Hall!

Please visit davysumner.com to check out more of my original work and collaborations with other artists!

that the student is not only well rounded in their desired instrument but in the general ideas in the art of music. I will design a lesson plan based on your goals as a student or parent of a student. Please feel free to message me with your questions and I will be happy to answer any and all of them.

ary styles, and at Modern Music School, where most of my students are kids. I'm also a published author with 6 educational drum books available in Amazon that are perfect for a beginner drummer who is first learning how to play, or for intermediate players who are looking to strengthen their foundations as drummers.

I'm a huge fan of teaching and take the opportunity to help you improve at something you love very seriously. I look forward to helping you accomplish all of your drumming goals!