Drums with Phil W.

I’ve been a drummer almost my entire life and I began teaching drum lessons in 1998. Musically I have fairly eclectic taste both as a listener and a player – My roots are in jazz and funk, but I’ve spent many years playing with singer-songwriters, reggae bands, rock bands… I also play percussion in a few different duo situations playing mostly top 40 covers. I find that my jazz background tends to creep into pretty much everything that I play and as a result my approach to drumming tends to favor subtlety and dynamics. In addition to playing the drums I’ve also been composing music for over twenty years. I play several other instruments and have written and produced music that has appeared on major network TV shows. I believe that having this understanding of music and songwriting that goes deeper than just the drums allows me to explain the more conceptual aspects of drumming within a broader context. Understanding the drums comes from understanding music as a whole. ***Specialties*** Some of my strengths as a teacher & drummer include: Stick control & Hand technique Music Reading Funk, Jazz, Rock, Reggae, World music Rudiments Playing with dynamics Odd time signatures Improvisation, phrasing, and comping Identifying and transcribing drum parts in songs ***In-Studio Lessons*** I have a 300 square foot sound-treated studio in my home with a vast library of resources. In additional to a drumset and various hand drums, there are tons of other musical instruments and sound/recording equipment to make learning fun and efficient. ***In-Home Lessons*** Ideally students would have a drumset (acoustic or electronic), and a space with minimal distractions. If you’re eager to get started and don’t yet have any drums, a pillow and a pair of sticks can go a long way (seriously! Just ask Buddy Rich!) ***Policies*** I have a limited number of evening spots available due to my gig schedule. Daytime slots are a little more flexible. I try to schedule lessons back-to-back so it’s important to be punctual, prepared and ready to learn/rock. Sometimes cancellations need to happen – try to give me as much notice as possible and I will do the same. No-shows are no-good. “Not having had time to practice” is my least favorite reason for cancelling a lesson and you will be chided accordingly.