FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
1-hour lessons are $60/hr. for individual lessons, or $280 for a pack of 5 PLUS a free book (save $35!) 1/2 hour lessons are $40 each, or $190 for a pack of 5 (save $10). INTRODUCTORY SPECIALS (May 2025) ~ **$100 OFF a 20-lesson package! (1-hour lessons only) **Referrals (if they sign up for at least 1 month) are rewarded with $50 off your next tuition!
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
The first lesson usually includes identifying goals and doing some training. Often we start with a brief analysis of the student's positioning / grip / movements (I have studied efficient physical technique extensively). Any advice I have on technique usually becomes project #1... then we address the student's other skills such as rudiments, reading notation, rhythmic understanding / timing, groove coordination / vocabulary, fill agility / vocabulary, and song-playing experience. Based on these categories, it becomes easy to determine projects #2, #3, etc... and which level of the 'Play Drums Now' curriculum would be most appropriate to start with to cover those goals. I assign 'projects' to work on (a.k.a. 'homework', but that sounds boring) between lessons, and expect the student to show up at the next lesson with some progress made!
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I studied jazz and Brazilian percussion throughout early schooling and college, participating in all available jazz / percussion groups. I also joined a freelance rock/jam band and played local venues in southeast MN on weekends. At that time, I began offering private drum lessons - communication has always come easy to me and I've always naturally wanted to help others improve when I could help. In 2003, I moved to Colorado and joined forces with the Colorado Music Institute, when it was still a small organization (since then, the school grew to employ 23+ instructors and gained the rank of 'largest private lesson facility in the country'). During my 10 years of experience there, it became clear that there was no typical curriculum used, so I began creating one - based on the burning question of 'what is the ideal path of improvement for drummers?' Before long, I had written 3 books - two on coordination development, and one for a central curriculum for beginner / intermediate drummers, called 'How To Play Drums'. In 2014 I joined forces with Klash Drums, where I taught out of my main book to 6 days of students per week. I gradually evolved my teaching content to be a larger curriculum, consisting of 9 books across 3 skill levels, the 'Play Drums Now' series of books. I also authored a couple other books along the way. Overall I've taught hundreds of students and have refined my approaches to various areas of drumset / hand-drum training.