Drums with Cem M.

Thanks for checking out my profile. I look forward to helping you reach your musical goals in drum and percussion! Here's a little info about my musical training: Born in Istanbul, Turkey and raised in Tulsa, OK, my first musical experiences were on my grandmother's old piano. I was later introduced to a drum set when my brother and I received a drum set as a gift. I played in several local bands and in my high school jazz band in Tulsa, playing a range of musical styles from rock, swing, funk, and Latin. I decided in my senior year of high school to take music seriously and moved to NYC to study at the Drummer's Collective. During this period, I also focused on Middle Eastern hand percussion (doumbek, riq, and frame drum) and studied with Mehmet Akatay in Turkey. After receiving my certificate at the Drummer's Collective, I applied and was accepted to the New School Jazz and Contemporary Music Program in NYC, where I received my BA in Music. Since my graduation, I've been working as a freelance musician, playing with my band Manner and other groups, producing music for commercials, and teaching students in the Jersey City, NJ, and New York / Brooklyn, NY area. *** Lesson Details *** Before anything, I believe music and specifically music lessons must be fun. I'm an easy going and patient person and my goal with lessons is to ensure that students are understanding music in a fun and musical way. I teach out of my home and studio in Jersey City. We will come up with a goal and decide what to expect from our lesson plan We can work on formal technique, sight reading, and improvisation, or if you just want to learn the beats to your favorite tunes, we can just ROCK OUT! So keep note of your favorite songs, and we'll break it down and learn the beats. I have extensive training in Middle Eastern hand percussion. So those of you who are interested in playing doumbek, riq, or frame drums, we can work on learning different different rhythms and meters from the Turkish, Greek, Arabic, Bulgarian, and Macedonian styles. Focus on: - learning songs, beats, fills - formal technique - coordination and independence - sight reading - improvisation - rhythmic composition - variety of styles: jazz, rock, funk, R&B, Latin, Middle Eastern, Brazilian Accepting levels from beginner to advanced. *** Studio Equipment *** Both in-home and in-studio are equipped with a full drum kit, guitars, percussion instruments, keyboards, amps, and PA system for playback and play along. Recording availability to record lesson material or even collaborate and record a song together! Free parking right outside of the studio, and parking easily found in front of my home. *** Travel Equipment *** Drum pads, sticks, curriculum material, percussion instruments. *** Specialties *** The main musical styles I perform are rock, jazz, Latin, funk, R&B, and Middle Eastern / Balkan music. I studied jazz performance in college and also focused specifically on Middle Eastern and Brazilian percussion.