Percussion Instruction

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When teaching a student to play drum sets, perhaps some of the following issues should be covered:

Keep It Simple - The fact is that playing drums can be complex, but it essentially is a very simple instrument. Do not inundate students with too much information at one time. Start off teaching by assuming that the student knows absolutely nothing about drums. As lessons progress, the complexity of the jargon and practices can progress as well.

Encourage the right equipment - A teacher should encourage students to take good care of their drums. A double tom case will save a student time because he will have less that he needs to carry around. Likewise, a portable handcart is a nice item to have. This can help a person move the drums from the vehicle to the stage without injuring himself from trying to carry the equipment.

Encourage over learning - A student on a drum must know every piece of that set and every sound that the set makes so that it is simply second nature when he plays it. Every lick should be over learned so that playing the drum is done without even needing to think about it.

Help with cleaning - A good teacher will help his students not only be able to play the drum sets, but will also help a student know how to care for the equipment. Teachers can show students how to clean their sets by using a can of compressed air to get the dust out of the places that are hard to reach with a rag. Such places include areas such as in between the lugs and underneath the foot pedals.

Drums also often have dry duct tape residue on them. If there is residue on either the cymbals or on the drum stands, it can fairly easily be removed with a bottle of "Goo Gone."

Practice without drums - Even though a set is needed for performing, it is not always needed for practicing. A person who is working on learning a beat sometimes might be better off starting without the drums and then start using the set once he has become a little more comfortable with the lick that is to be played.

Encourage "heel up" play - Teaching a student about a technique to use when playing a drum set can make the student improve at a faster pace. It can also keep him from getting used to bad habits. By using the heel up method for playing a bass drum, a teacher can help his student know how to play with more power and more speed.

Play together - Playing a drum set alongside a student can help the student get a better idea of the positioning and posture he needs to have to play well. Playing together can also help a student better learn how to keep a beat on these sets.

A teacher who takes the time to properly explain and show his student how to play on drum sets is likely to increase his customer base thanks to the good reviews he will receive.