I teach drum set for both beginners and more advanced students. I teach at the North Shore Music Institute in Northfield, Illinois, and in my home studio in Chicago.

I use mainly the “old school” texts—the tried and true standards:
Stick Control by George L. Stone, Syncopation by Ted Reed, The Mini Monster Book of Rock Drumming by Joel Rothman, Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer by Jim Chapin, Four Way Coodination by M. Dahlgren and E. Fine.

Although I focus quite a bit on technique and reading, I devote a lot of time and attention to the “intangibles”—the real life skills one needs in order to grow and succeed as an all around musician and drummer. A few-------

• Feel. Groove. Pocket. There are so many ways to “feel” a piece of music. Learning how to slip in and out of different “grooves”, how to manipulate and enhance the “pocket”, is essential to playing successfully with different musicians and in different styles and settings.
• Self image and Attitude. How you see yourself and those around you is so important to understanding what you need to “bring to the table”.
• How to listen to what’s happening around you and find an appropriate way to contribute. This includes learning how to REALLY listen—when studying recorded music or watching a live performance or, of course, while performing.
• Being open to the styles and ideas of others and helping those around you realize their ideas.
• Getting comfortable with the idea that, as a drummer, other musicians expect a certain dependability, confidence and consistency.
• Commitment, Strength, Assertiveness, Confidence, Leadership and Empathy—Playing drums really can make you a better citizen of the world!