I was shocked when two new drum students told me they had already been taking lessons from someone else. I was shocked because when I asked them to show me what they new, they basically new very little. One student had even been in lessons for more than one year. Someone had been taking their money but not delivering what the student needed to learn, and that sucks!

I’m proud to say that I do my best to deliver results and try to make sure that the lessons are also fun, why? Because when you’re having fun, you tend to remember more of what you’re learning. I even have one student who has been with me for more than a year and can play a swing beat, a rock beat, (both with drums fills) a cha-cha, a Bossa-Nova, a bollero and read drum music….he is 7 years old.

Learning to play drums is not about becoming a copy of your drum teacher. It is about learning some of the basic drumming principals and when you’ve got them, finding your own groove and creativity using these principals.

I remember i n high school I had a teacher who told us that learning was a case of “Mind over Matter”. He would then say…”I don’t mind and you don’t matter”. Got a good laugh from that one. There is however something important in what he said because being a good drummer does have a lot to do with conditioning your mind to adopt the right approach to drumming when you sit down to practice. Relax!…Relax!…Relax!

What I am about to say in this paragraph has to do with the most important element of learning to play any musical instrument and especially drums. 99% of all the students I have taught struggle most with this number one rule and that rule is… PRACTICE SLOWLY! It never fails when a student is struggling to learn the drum lick and I jump in with “Let’s slow it down and try again”. Suddenly the lights go on and a smile comes over their face (thereby they are having fun) as they begin to play the groove correctly. (thereby they are learning).

Thanks for reading and a reminder of my FREE drum clinic every Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. At Tempo-Trend Music 410 Burnside Road East. Just drop by learn a few things and be on your way with some new ideas. You can also call me at 250-721-2113 or e-mail at bcassson@speakfilm.com