Lessons
What you can learn here
Lessons are 30, 45 or 60 minutes, private or shared. Your teacher suggests a length once you've started.
Drum kit
The kit is a good first instrument from about eight years old, once a student can sit still for a short lesson. You don't need your own kit to start: a practice pad and a pair of sticks do the job for the first months.
From age 8
Lessons with Aiman
Hand percussion
Congas, bongos and shakers, taught by the pattern: the clave first, then the drum part that sits on top of it. It suits students who like to play in a circle, and adults who want something to do with their hands. Hermes teaches in English and Spanish.
From age 8
Lessons with Hermes and a Saturday circle
Mallets and steel pan
Marimba, vibraphone and steel pan are the melodies of the percussion section. They are a good fit for students who also read music, and the front ensemble of the line plays them.
From age 10
Lessons with Grover
In the room
A lesson, in three steps
Every lesson follows the same shape, on every instrument.
- 01
Step 1: Warm up on the pad
A few minutes of strokes and rudiments at a slow tempo, so the hands are even before anything new.
- 02
Step 2: New material
A groove, a rudiment, a rhythm to read or a part from your school band, taught slowly and then at speed.
- 03
Step 3: A plan for the week
Your teacher writes down what to practice and how long, so you know what to do at home.
Your first kit
Ask before you buy a kit
A kit takes up a room and makes noise, and most students don't need one for the first months. Start on a practice pad, and talk to your teacher about the kit that fits your space and your hours. We can tell you what to look for in a used one, and the school has a drum room you can use between lessons.
A pad and sticks come first
Ask about rental or a used kit
Electronic kits are quiet for apartments
Try a lesson on the instrument you like
A trial lesson is a short visit with a teacher. You play, you talk, and we match you with a teacher and a time.