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11 year old w/ talent, but no lessons


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I took a OLD set of drums off a buddy and brought them home to my 11 year old son about a year and a half ago. Bottom line is he is pretty damn good and is already figuring Neil out- favorite band is Primus.

I have a friend who was a Blue Man, and is a pro drummer, but he is too far away to teach him, so we are looking for a teacher. A REAL teacher, no some teenage druggie wannabe who THINKS he is a drummer.

Could you drummer offer some advice in terms of what questions to ask potential teachers?

What should a new drummer LEARN first, second, etc.???????

I have gone to Bill Brufords website and he offers online classes, but I have no clue if that is too advanced for a young kid.

Also what is a average price?

THANKs!!!!!

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Go to a respectable music store and music teachers at a local school or junior college and ask them. They should know someone in your area. If you hear a name from a few sources you are barking up the right tree. Reasonable lessons can be anywhere from $25-$50 per lesson (depending on the area and teacher).

 

Things you will want to know are:

Basic rudiments and sticking

Music notation and theory

Stylistic versatility (rock, jazz, symphonic/marching)

 

Teachers all have different techniques. Try and find someone flexible. When I was in my early twenties I took some guitar lessons from a teacher in a local store. I was already a somewhat accomplished rhythm player and wanted to learn to play solos. The teacher had his routine and didn't vary from it so after 6 months I had to stop the lessons because he wasn't teaching ME he was teaching HIS method. A good teacher can adapt to a student, and vice versa. I had a really good drum teacher when I was 10-12 who took a lot of time with me and taught me lots of things like tuning and new electronic drums that were coming out at the time ('78). I also used to go with him to set up for his gigs so I got to see what it was like to be a working drummer. I had a natural ability and he allowed me to let it flourish in a way that worked for me. He was exceptional. I know he had some less talented students and he kept to more of a routine with them. I used to hang out while he taught other guys and play his other kits while he was teaching. Afterwards we would listen to records and discuss the drummer's techniques. I spent a good amount of time with this guy. I was lucky. When I moved after 3 years of lessons from him I never had another private teacher. When I got involved with school jazz and marching bands I was well equipped and won several awards for indivdual performance and drumline. I learned so much from my teacher and it paid off. He really pushed me early, but nurtured me. He once even took me and my family to a Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson concert. He was a great guy.

 

If your son has talent a good teacher will recognize that and help steer him in the right direction. A teacher can make all the difference.

 

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Awesome advice, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I know all about teachers- I AM one! That is why I know that some are great and others are NOT.

They can have are tremendous impact positively or, sadly, negatively.

Other suggestions please???!

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Good post by cygnus - goodpost.gif

Those fundimentals he mentioned are bang on. find that teacher

 

I played for almost 21 years and only took 5 formal lessons from a drum teacher in a music store which taught me some theory and corrected some early mistakes drummers pick up like holding the sticks incorrectly or slowing the foot pedal action down. - What was key for me and totally inspiring is to find another more experienced drummer willing to share his technique secrets and hands on show you what to do.

 

You will have to get a set of headphones and let him be able to crank up Rush albums PW,AFTK,HEM,SIG & MP Monday - Friday in their entirety and show him Anatomy of a drum solo video and in the car exit stage left YYZ Solo for about 2 years over and over and by the time he is 14 he will be the best in your local area......$$$$$$$$ trink39.gif

 

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Let the child decide for himself if he wants to play by ear, or go to school to learn how to read music. If he prefers to play by ear, consider that to be a blessing.

There are thousands of "teachers" who would love to reserve a spot in your wallet for the next 5 years forcing "reading" on your kid. Fact is, it only takes a few weeks to see if reading music comes naturally to a kid.

My advice:

FIND A TEACHER WHO WILL TEACH BY EITHER READING MUSIC, OR PLAYING BY EAR!

Many drum "teachers" are nothing but rip-offs!

 

I learned at age 9 by sitting on a set of drums, putting on a pair of headphones, putting on the local rock station, and trying to play every song as they were played- no matter what song came on. I'd do this for hours a day!

Then, as I advanced, I could turn the radio dial all the way to the left, and stop on every station, and try to play 3 songs from every single radio station.

 

Point being- find the way the kid makes the most progress. Don't let a teacher dictate how the kid is "supposed" to learn.

DEAN

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The most important advice besides learning stick control is to not stick with one or two drummers as idols! Study lots of different drummers. That way, he'll sound original one day and be able to play anything, which is CERY IMPORTANT!

Not to dog on Primus or Rush, Tim Alexander is one of my fav's and he grew up in the same town I was born in (Riverview, MI) but you've gotta listen to many different drummers of different styles no matter what you like. Trust me!!!

I don't think anyone will disagree. I played too much like Neil for years and it hindered my ability to play anything but hard rock. I couldn't play a beatles song for the life of me. It sounds silly, but it's true.

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Oh I garee 100%, but I'm not gonna push him at all.

I'm a football coach and played through college, but I don't push him w/ that either.

He has thousands of cd's to discover when the time is right and until then if he wants to just play those two, better than the "drummer" in a pop band!

Thanks!

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so is there no other info that I should need- did the other posts give me enough?

or are you all too busy hitting things w/ sticks than helping an 11 year old out?

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I don't really know what to say that hasn't already been said, but I will try...

 

as a 16 year old who has been taking drum lessons for 2 years, I've been pretty lucky. my teacher recognizes my different aspirations in drumming (I think his quote was "I teach you differently then I teach most kids, who come in and want to play AC/DC")...he recognizes that I want to do different and creative things. He loves listening to my band and giving me pointers on things to polish at this point, but he took me from two years ago not being able to play the drums at all, to playing Rush with ease...It's all about who you get. Make sure it's someone who can differ his teaching for each student (this has already been said)...other than that, I reccomend a strict diet of Rudiments and Jazz playing...

 

Like I said, I really tried not to say what was already said.

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Great post Cygnus. Sounds like we had similar backgrounds with the whole school band, drum corps thing.

 

Since I came up through the school band, I can't imagine doing it any other way. You learn to read and appreciate the finer and more detailed aspects of music (this happens gradually over time) and you're free to sit in your garage and figure out stuff by ear until the cows come home.

Being able to read music also helps the learning by ear process immeasurably. When a drummer that can read hears something, they also can visualize it to a degree. Not to say that there aren't plenty of legendary drummers who aren't good readers and never participated in school band, but I guarantee you it's a huge advantage.

 

I say get your kid into school band. He'll encounter plenty of very knowledgeable music professionals along the way and if he's naturally talented and takes it seriously, things will take care of themselves.

 

Being a football coach, I'm sure you can appreciate the words "full scholarship" as well smile.gif

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