WEBmikey: R-L-R-R-L-R-L-L

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R-L-R-R-L-R-L-L
6.01.2007 6:37 AM \| Link	I've just started teaching drum lessons to my friend Eliza, and so far it's been a cool experience! Eliza is a vice-principal, so she decided she wanted to learn to play drums as a summer project during her time off from work. I've never taught before, so I was a little nervous starting out - not only because it was my first time, but since Eliza has spent her whole career as an educator, I felt funny trying to teach a teacher! Our second lesson was last night, and it's going really well. I dug up my old drum books that I used back when I was taking lessons (sometime around 1981, based on penciled notes in the books!), and I'm basing the lessons on what I remember being taught at the beginning. My drum teacher was named Richard Thompson, and I met him because he also taught the son of my school choir teacher. He was a great teacher, and taught me some important concepts that I still think about every time I play a gig. He also introduced me to jazz, and learning about that music and its drumming style has really influenced the way I play. Of course, I wasn't the best as practicing on my own, and he gave me lots of speeches about it, but I was able to get by on some kind of innate rhythm I have. I took lessons with him about two years, and then he moved to New York to teach at a prestigious school, if I remember correctly. Anyway, it's been great using the old books again and beginning to teach Eliza, since I have to practice a little to be sure I can play the exercises as well! I'm amazed that one of the books is still in print, A Funky Primer for the Rock Drummer, which is jam-packed with cool beats that I refer to (in my mind) constantly. Another nice benefit of teaching is that Chris is cooking me some fantastic meals as payment, which is an awesome break from the microwave for me! Labels: music, pals


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