Winnetka, CA Percussion Lessons

und you and your goals......not mine!

*** Lesson Details ***
Ultimately, my goal is to make sure you enjoy yourself and want to keep coming back. In that process I will make sure you get results.

I am laid back and very patient. Two qualities I feel are necessary to be successful in this field.

I design my curriculum for each individual. This is because everyone has their own goals, there own level of ability, and their own needs as far as how to get there.

Locations:
1) Rehearsal Studio is my rehearsal studio. I have a full drumset, PA, guitars, and amps available at this location.
2) Apartment is my apartment in Hawthorne. Students are welcome to come here but we have limited options for instrumentation here. Practice Pads, hand drums, and acoustic guitars are the only options at this location.

*** Studio Equipment ***
5 piece Yamaha Drumset with Zildjian Cymbals. PA system. Amps, Guitars, and Keyboards.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I have acoustic guitars, a practice pad, and a djembe. I expect my students to have their own drumsticks and, ideally, their own guitar and practice pad or drumset.

*** Specialties ***
I specialize in rock/contemporary & marching band style percussion/drums. I also specialize in folk style guitar and bass.

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.

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),

Neumann.

I attended the AVPA from 2006 to 2009 and have a degree in Psychology.

*** Lesson Details ***
In the lesson setting I want the student to become as comfortable with the drums as possible. I like to maintain a relaxed environment, allowing the student to move at his or her own pace. This in mind, I believe the fundamentals are the most important to learn.

Students will first learn the basic hand techniques needed for accomplished drum playing, before moving on to more complex ideas behind groove, and feel. Reading music and keeping effective time will be emphasized in early lessons.

I also like to teach students that drums are a musical instrument that is typically played with other musicians. A student will learn how to play and interact well with other musicians in a variety of musical settings.

I use a combination of books for teaching including:
Syncopation by Ted Reed
The All-American Drummer by Charley Wilcoxon
The Drummer's Bible by Mick Berry and Jason Gianni
Stick Control by George Lawrence Stone
I will also use various drum charts and exercises as well as the use of videos and recordings.

After 3 to 6 months a student will be able to read drum notation and rhythms at a competent level and will be able to play basic drum beats on the drum kit as well as have a basic understanding of how to play with other musicians in various styles of music.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Equipment includes two drumsets, drum pads, sticks, and instructional material.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Can bring drums if necessary, would prefer to bring a drum pad.
Expect the student to have drums.

*** Specialties ***
Rock, Jazz, Funk, Blues

occurs, I switch gears and move on to something else. In my opinion, if a student is getting very frustrated it is generally best to relax and try a different exercise or beat. If we can't enjoy ourselves then what is the point?!

*** Equipment ***
I expect a student to have at least a pair of sticks and a pad. Eventually they will need a metronome for practicing and if they are serious a drum-set at some point. If you'd like to learn hand percussion I recommend having a hand drum of some kind.

*** Specialties ***
The styles I teach are Rock, Jazz, Latin, R&B/Hip-Hop, Funk/Soul, Reggae, Folk/Indie, Metal/Hardcore and World Rhythms. I teach from the heart and develop a natural feel for my students. I also use multiple books mixed into my teaching.

a look back, put yourself in that time, and really study how things were to help understand why things are the way they are now.

Crocheting and knitting are a couple of good habits/hobbies I picked up about 8 years ago. I sell scarves online and I'm always working on some sort of project. I will have you knitting and pearling with the best of them!

Music, history, crochet, and knitting....I'm your girl!

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!

a direction that will feedback into more learning and a drive to explore more styles of music.