Drums with John M.

Independent Private Lessons

In Studio and Online

Drum Flip Drums, Vista CA

In Store Music Instructor for Private Lessons

Private Lessons

I began teaching drums after college in 1993 in Colorado Springs, CO. I relocated from San Diego on a wing and a prayer, and with quality jobs thin at that time I decided I could start my own business doing something I knew and loved, drum instructor. I transformed my basement to a studio and ran classified ads (no internet then) and the phone started ringing and friends told friends and before long a nice cliental emerged and I landed myself in a great band to boot. I was always looking for new and fun teaching ideas/techniques in the private lessons, and during these years I really learned a lot about customizing each lesson for each personality and ability. This kept (and to this day still keeps) things fun, interesting and makes for a great learning environment. After nearly five years of consistent teaching and performing in Colorado I returned to San Diego County and I picked up where I had left of with bands I performed with prior. I continued my teaching but on a lesser scale do to the demands of performance and recording for the next ten years. The experience gained during this period elevated my drum, music, performance, etc. knowledge to a new level and I began my passion again, and continue now, teaching all ages - with a full arsenal of fun! For beginning students my method of teaching combines a balance of learning the fundamentals such as rudiments with notation, stick control, dynamics, meter, etc. while also teaching the student to play by ear, which is imperative for a drummer perhaps more so than any other instrument. Lessons are always designed to be fun, interactive and engaging -never tedious or mundane. For practicality, drum practice pads are used to learn rudiments, but since the whole idea of learning drums to play a drum set/kit I get the student on the set on day one, and every lesson. I discuss what music styles the student is interested in and work on learning rhythms and songs by performing with the actual recordings. Also, with a practice pad set and a drum set in my studio I am able to play side by side, or I can also step into the role of guitarist or keyboardist and the student can perform songs with a live musician - a very valuable teaching technique I have found. Finally, I often employee computer based programs such as Acid Loops, Sound Forge & Garage Band to assist with fully hearing and dissecting drum beats and rhythms as well as to record the student so they can hear themselves as others do and to chart progress.

Bands, Preformances & Recordings

Currently I am the Drummer for the Americana/Alt Country band "Sunday Morning Sidewalk", the critically acclaimed surf rock band "Tower 7" and for the rock and blues band "Joe Wood (of TSOL fame) and the Lonely Ones". Other notable bands I have been a past member of include Crash Carter, Michael Tiernan, Los Beautiful Beasts, The Standards, The Surf Chiefs, The Late Walter Phobicman (w/ Matt Beckley), Life of Wryley, Tom Yermak's Tomfoolery, Head Full of Zombies plus many others. Notable Musicians I have performed with Live on Stage: Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Chad Forman & Ryan Fischer of Switchfoot, Surf legend and musician Brad Gerlach, Cella Blue of The Squirrel Nut Zippers, Paul Johnson of the Surfari's (Wipe Out!), Joe Wood (TSOL), Paula Nelson the daughter of Willie Nelson, Ryan Montana of The Ike Turner Band, Matt Beckley son of Jerry Beckley of the 70's super group America as well as a current LA Producer, Doug Allen of the The Mar Dels, Chris Swan of The Tom Curren Band, International Jazz flautist Bradley Leighton and former Frank Sinatra pianist Ron Igarta among others. Notable Bands that I have been on the same bill/opened for: Jack Johnson, Dick Dale, Jason Mraz, Etta James, Macy Gray, Slightly Stoopid, The Heartbreakers, The English Beat, Dread Zeppelin, Venice, Desmond Decker, Tower of Power, Third World, Karl Denson, Mikey Dread,The Tom Curren Band, The White Buffalo, The Mar Dels, Dovavon Frankenreiter, Peter Sprague, Jack Tempchin, Jeremy Kay, Common Sense, +++ Performance Venues: Hollywood's Fonda Theater, N. Hollywood's Palomino Club, The Belly Up, The La Paloma Theater, Rusty's on the Santa Monica Pier, The Casbah, Humphrey's by the Bay, DiPiazza's, The Hard Rock Café, The Del Mar/San Diego County Fair, Festival Del Mar, San Diego Rock n' Roll Marathon, Canes, Fiesta Del Sol, The Sony Art Walk, Winston's, The Bacchanal, The Underground - Colorado Springs, Hansen's/Machado Surf Classic, Lowe's Coronado, St. Regis Resort in Dana Point, Falkner Winery in Temecula, The Calypso, Amalfi's, Local Roots, La Papagayo, The Del Mar Plaza and numerous other venues, events, corporate shows as well as live performances, Air Play and/or interviews on Television (NBC, FOX, KPBS, KUSI) and Radio (91X, 94.9, KPBS, KGB, KPRI, KKSM and others in and outside the San Diego area). Recordings: Over 50 recording sessions from Burbank/Los Angeles to San Diego. Sunday Morning Sidewalk EP, Crash Carter's release "Red Buttons Blink", Michael Tiernan's "Jumping In" and Life of Wryley EP are all available for your review on all digital streaming sites such as iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, etc.as well as other bands on YouTube and Soundcloud.

Professional Drum and Piano Instructors

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Los Angeles Music Awards

Billboard Magazine

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a membership association of more than 480,000 US composers, songwriters, lyricists and music publishers. The ASCAP is committed to nurturing music makers throughout their careers.

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Native Proficiency