Oradell, NJ Djembe Lessons

ne of which is in Long Island. At this school I teach electronic music production w/ Ableton as a digital audio workstation. I also teach DJ/Turntablism along side DJ 4our 5ive (he has worked with Notorious BIG, Jay z, and is the current tour DJ for Lil Wayne). We have also started working together on performing at the venue near the school.

I hope to inspire others to pursue a musical life. No matter how serious and long, or short and light.

One of my ultimate goals in teaching is to help my students develop the skills and knowledge to not only be able to play well, but to also be able to teach themselves (and hopefully others in the future). Thank you for your time! Have a great day!

ils ***
I put my focus on inspiring students to explore their own creativity with the tools and techniques that I give to them and nurture. I think it is very important to cover the basic skills that the school districts expect from their music students (sight reading, proper technique, note recognition, rudiments, timing, feel, etc.). I also feel it is important for a student to find his or her style and an ability to use the fundamentals to create music that they enjoy. He has written a method book based on the fundamentals of playing a rhythmic instrument with an emphasis on allowing the student to find their niche and lead a group through a piece of music or tastefully support it.

My studios are fully equipped with sound systems, the latest recording gear, acoustic and electric sets, hand drums and dozens of other percussion instruments. I believe that the more resources a person can draw from, be it intellectual or physical, the more fulfilling the learning experience will be.

Each lesson, my students will take at least a page of music that represents the concept that they are focusing on, and a goal set to accomplish by the end of the week so that they can build upon what they already know in an effort to put the big picture together. Ultimately the student will learn when and how to utilize the concepts that they are practicing.

*** Studio Equipment ***
A Yamaha electronic drum set in my Mesa Studio allows me to control volume and dial up any sound imaginable. I have full acoustic drum sets in other studios that I use for recording and private lessons. Often I will integrate guitar, keyboard, or other instruments in to the lessons if needed.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Sticks, Practice Pad, tuning kit, binder and books with teaching supplements.

*** Specialties ***
Music, Drums, Percussion, Theory, Composition, Piano and Guitar.
Drummers should be well versed in all genres of music. Rock, Jazz, Latin, Swing, etc.
Most of my students begin with concert and marching styles on a practice pad, then advance to the drum set.
I teach note recognition and placement, rudiments, linear playing, moeller method, rhythm theory, sub-division of notes and time, and the sight-reading to support these techniques.

ool, I continued through middle school. There I was placed on drum kit and thought I was the coolest. I didn't take it too seriously but serious enough to keep playing drum kit. When choosing high schools I wasn't interested in keeping with drums. I only took marching band because it meant no gym. After my first year I was placed in every band the next three years, having to learn timpani and marimba for concert band. I was also recommended to join a city wide concert band, InterSchool orchestras of New York, and haven't left since. I still coach the band and help tons of high school and middle school students hone their craft. Also that year, through ISO, I was given a chance to attend French woods performing arts camp on scholarship where I began my love of playing in musical pit orchestras. Through this time I studied with a couple of teachers and had plenty of coachings with professional percussionists. Upon graduating I have played well over 100 different musicals, played with over 25 different orchestras, and have taught over 100 students both privately and in coachings. I currently run a Drumline out of a private school, coach ISO band, freelance and have a studio of 8 students. That is a short sample of my journey and I hope it inspires you to study with me.

If you choose me as a teacher, I will shape you as an overall musician, not just a "Drummer". What this means is that you won't just learn beats from me, you will learn all the fundamentals of basic to intermediate music theory, from note reading and rhythm to chord changes and ..... You will start on a practice pad and quickly go to a drum kit. Lessons will be half and half, but more 75/25 drumkit, because everything you learn on a pad can translate to the kit! I would also teach you timpani and xylophone if you like so you can broaden your horizons and even get into the middle/high school or college you want. I have most of my books of pdf that I can give you to print or you can purchase your own copies. You would also need to purchase a practice pad and eventually a drum kit. If you don't want to purchase a drum kit then there is almost no reason to study it since you won't be able to practice between lessons. Practicing, let's talk about that. It is expected that you practice the material we learn in the lesson throughout the week. Now I know everyone is busy, but if you can put aside 25 minutes (a sitcom without commercials!!) a day then you will have a better understanding and better retention of the material. Doing this will let us just review the material a little bit and go on to learn new and exciting things.

The bottom line in choosing me? I am a professional musician in the trenches of the nyc music scene and know what it takes to make it.

o Equipment ***
I have several guitars, a drum kit, djembe, mandolin, clarinet and full-size keyboard.

*** Specialties ***
Guitar: Classical, jazz, American or Irish folk, rock and pop; lead or rhythm.
Drums & Percussion: All genres
Piano: Classical (includes sight reading)

Media Arts, Public Speaking, and Ethnology. Designing percussion for stage and dance lead to studies and teaching of North and West African, Middle Eastern drum, Caribbean/South American and Asian drum and percussion rhythms. First hand experience has been gained by living in Morocco and South Korea for nearly a year each, studying and documenting folk music.

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the intermediate levels the most. I enjoy watching people discover things for the first time, and in my teaching I really do my best to craft my lessons to the needs of the students. My primary aim in teaching is that I would cultivate in my students a love for music and learning. With these two things in place, a student can go on to be and learn anything.

Join me and my studio. We'll have a great time, and we'll get you to your goals while we're enjoying the journey of music together!!