Classes

We teach all students that have an interest in drums and percussion, both adults and kids. Typically private lessons start at age 6 however we have had success with kids as young as 4. Drum Chicago recommends group classes for kids age 3-5. With younger kids it’s all about having a great time and introducing them to new sounds and new concepts.

For kids ages 5-15 we really want to show them everything percussion related. Because of my love for World Music I have a large collection of drums from all over the world including djembes and dunduns from West Africa, doumbeks picked up in Israel and Turkey, Indian tabla, Brazilian drums of all sizes, congas, bongos, timbales, frame drums, shakers, scrapers, whistles and flutes. So while drum set is our ‘main’ instrument, I think it is very important to learn as much as you possibly can about all things drum related. I also take a realistic approach to the future of music and highly encourage students of all ages to learn electronics. We teach students to record and learn sound layering with Garage Band and Pro Tools (for advanced students). Through the use of instruments like Dr. Groove, Roland Octapad an Korg Kaossilators, we introduce electronic drum composition and programming, commonly found in a lot of the hip-hop, dance and pop music heard all over the iTunes charts.

High school, college students and adults play drums and take lessons because they really have a love for it. It is so great to teach people that have decided that music and percussion is something that they want to be an important part of their life. We work with each adult on an individual basis to figure out what it is that they would like to accomplish, whether it is to pick back up an old hobby from the past, to get good enough to join a band or to learn a new style of drumming.