Perry Senn Drums

The Best book for beginning drummers!  A great refresher course for returning drummers that have recently picked up the sticks again. 

You learn some necessary drumming fundamentals...  only 5 don't worry!. And yes, Drum set beats that you will use on 80% of the music you want to play along to. 

I also have a 6 Minute Speed and Power drill that rocket you hand speed in weeks... but you don't have to do it... it's up to you. 

I'll keep it fun and interesting . 

Who is Perry Senn! 

Short Answer:

Blessed as a Dad, musician, educator, author, and drummer for hire as a live and recording performer. 

My first two years of college studied Classical percussion at UW-Green Bay. Later signing up to go on an exchange program and transferring to finish a Jazz Degree at William Paterson Univ.-NJ. (Across the river from NYC)- 

 Gong on to become a top-call drummer in Phoenix, AZ, for about 12 years.

 Moving to LA. Working into a music scene there, playing locally, with a weekly teaching schedule for four years. 

Playing with some of my musical heroes and infamous musicians through these times, such as; 

Chuck Berry-(godfather of Rock n' Roll), Alex Ligertwood-(lead singer fro Santana twelve albums), David Garfield-(Music director and Keyboards w/ George Benson, Natalie Cole) -to name a few. 

As a drummer in touring bands and record label signed artists. Finding myself onstage all across the U.S., Spain, France, Switz., Norway, Sweden, Canada, Mexico. 

Mostly to crowds of a few thousand, but also to mega-crowds with as many as 85,000 -100,000 people in attendance. 

[I've supplied more information about my earlier years- through school and starting as a professional drummer below if you care to or have time to read on]...

Longer History:

As a drummer, I started out very early. Getting drumsticks in my hands maybe two years old I remember the pots and pans - those cupboards were at my height. And our Dad was the Jr. High band director. Some good players came up in that little town -I chased those upper-classmen drummers as hard as I could... "If they could play paradiddles and flams that fast, I could too!" 

The Midwest, where we grew up, had strong school band programs. So I attained by the end of Senior HS year, over 40 -first and second place medals junior to high school drumming competitions. 

And Summer band camps regularly (especially since my Dad's college professor buddies who were teaching there, is where I kept learning... At those camps, making some connections to players that formed a regional area 9-Piece horn band... My first BAND! 

I went to my first two years of college to study Classical percussion at UW-Green Bay. Later signing up to go on an exchange program and transferring to finish a Jazz Degree at William Paterson Univ.-NJ. (Across the river from NYC)- 

This afforded me the opportunity (most all my money going toward trips to the city... To listen to The Masters-(like Al Foster, Akira Tana, Adam Nussbaum, even Jack Dejohnette, Danny Richmond, Art Blakey- and many, many more) playing every night of the week, at New York clubs. 

However, after graduating, -I continued taking lessons for the next year and a half, with the infamous Michael Carvin at The Drummer's Collective in New York City. 

Honestly, at that time, (Maybe seeing these guys so often didn't help) I didn't feel ready yet in my playing to take on New York's heaviest players. 

And, my girlfriend was from the Southwest, plane tickets were expensive. So we decided to move to Phoenix the following year.

After twenty-five years, my father had just left teaching, moving to Phoenix, and buying a moving company as a change of pace. So I worked the better part of the first year, moving furniture for my parent's moving company. (Yes, it was HOT!)

I started playing gigs shortly after moving to Phoenix with a Soul/R&B group (and a lead singer Stan Devereaux, (that I didn't know then, I would later recommend as the frontman for "Chester White & The Soul Pigs" in the coming years. 

During the time of playing with that first Soul Band- I got a call from David Dodt- to take the drum chair with his band at a new and almost immediately wildly successful and crazy club.

Playing nightly at the club, and being hired at the local music store-by Dave Jewell, (who left there, taking a position as head of Yamaha Drums USA for over twenty years now)...afforded quite a good teaching practice besides. 

As a drum instructor- 

I have gotten to teach well over four thousand drum lessons to hundreds of drummers of all ages... 

And although I have and do enjoy teaching many beginning drummers… Hence the beginner's book I put together and use with my students (it also works well as a quick refresher for crucial drumming fundamentals for returning or intermediate drummers who may have hit a technical wall). 

I might mention that when first in Phoenix, (when drummers shopped for all of their gear and hung out as a gathering place to meet up at the drum shop) a few nationally-known drummers traveling through on concerts stops, would give lessons if they had a free day, at the drum shop.

I took advantage of several of those, and actually continued lessons (flying to LA) to study for at least two years with jazz great, Jeff Hamilton.

I later hooked up and again flew to LA to take some lessons with the most popular-cutting-edge, recording jazz drummers - Peter Erskine. 

Dom Moio had just moved to Phoenix (a talented jazz drummer, well-educated in Cuban music, and other Latin styles). Under his teaching, I learned congas. Which has allowed me to play many many recording sessions and gigs as a percussionist as well? Danny Tomlinson - (drummer for Lyle Lovett's band) also a great talent in Phoenix, working with me on my groove-centric drumming.

The drummers that were doing all the recording that Phoenix had at the time, were dear friends... and I had played every gig I wanted to. It was time to move to LA. 

It was there that I discovered a new way of practicing focused on performance. (ultimately that what MOST of us are looking for)- to serve the song or group that you're playing for. 

Besides that, I was out regularly- watching LA's best when I didn't have a gig. And early on- I was watching a lot of drummers! 

Often stopping by the practice room for an hour before going to bed; to work up some fill or phrase that I'd just heard and seen.

Being able to learn literally, from the top recording and touring drummers on the planet, was inspirational and transformative to my playing. 

Nowadays, I LIKE how I sound on recordings and play without hesitation on gigs, giving a foundation to the band that they always seem to enjoy playing with. 

I find that, because of my extensive time on the drums in front of audiences and under microphones, I can really give tremendous value to drummers that have some experience but want to reach the next level, of money, or musicianship in the gigs that they're playing.

Through it all, I've kept legal pads of notes- starting off, as a reminder for a cool groove or sticking, that usually came up accidentally. 

And some just to myself about the teaching concepts I was figuring out. I would take the challenge to find a way to explain a concept or technique so that the student would understand and be able to play it. 

Probably because I took a long way around with much time and effort... The learning from being around, watching, seeing, and playing with these great players in LA didn't hurt!

I developed or assimilated tools, extremely time-effective practice routines, for myself, and an approach to accelerate and advance almost any drummer's playing... 

My MISSION is to deliver to up and coming, and still inquisitive drummers: 

 How to rise to your Next Level... Whether you've been playing three days, nine days, nine months, or nine years. 

By offering drummers, a crazy amount of these tools, and lessons, including techniques and strategies, concerning professional practices, and today's mental tactics, that will allow you to get to your Next Level and beyond. 

(Which that, I wish I'd have been fortunate to have been told or astute enough to have learned of these Secrets much sooner in my career).

Moving to Denver in the last few years, being Dad, and getting to help raise my little daughter, has been as gratifying as the Big stages. 

As time permits with being a Dad.

I am graced to continue playing and teaching. I still get to, play cool venues and record with top musicians, in interesting and great sounding studios. 

Ever-increasing my online musical activity. 

Helping drummers remember to become better musicians. 

Yes, thanks for this question;

My charge is $45.00 per lesson... right now we are doing hour lessons. 

Or

$45 per 1/2 hour 

Well, to look back a bit, I obviously LOVE Drums, Drumming, and talking about drums and drumming, and teaching was a way to do more of what I love to do. But a quick story about that... 

- After graduating from college, and a year of study with the infamous Michael Carvin (at the Drummer's Collective in NYC). 

I moved to Phoenix and got the drum chair with a great R&B/Soul band, from there I got called and hired by one of the highest-paid bands that also happened to be starting a high-profile, house-band position. 

So, it was about that time, I was hired by Dave Jewell -who was then head of a sizeable drum department at Milano's Music in Scottsdale, AZ. that I frequented. (Dave later got hired to be Head of Yamaha Drums USA which he has been doing for several years now).  

-----------

It turns out, I was a natural fit to be a good drum teacher. I have fun and relate well to students of pretty much any age...along with a lot of great information and material to pass along and potentially cut down the time to get good. 

And what I discovered from A). teaching over four thousand drum lessons,  B). Taking lessons myself with  Name drummers in LA and New York City, (C). and study/lessons to the degree. 

*I have worked in tons of drum books. And I distill down the most essential exercises for the students. 

My goal is to get students confident, and able to play with songs by themselves and steer them away fro busy-work... 

Instead, give exercises that are TOOLS to find their own individual voice on the drums.  

   Most of the students I have taught fall between 7th graders to college grads... And because I have taught a lot of beginners and intermediate level students, 

I currently am OFFERING FOR FREE "Drum Control vol.1" (updated 4/28/2020) for beginners (and also great for intermediate skills-check) before diving into more advanced stuff!

However, my time working in large music markets makes me specifically equipped to be of maximum help to those drummers that have been playing a while.

 To take anyone from where they are now to the next level and possibly beyond. 

(I Have had students that range from 5 years old to 71 yrs). 

In working with a different lesson studio in Colorado, we had a big recital Saturday where most every kid in the studio performed with their bands. 

Personally, I think that a drum teacher who HAS played or does play for and in bands would be favorable if I were a student right now ... And if you have ever considered recording someday with your group; 

Checking to see if your drum teacher has recorded with bands or even their own projects, would be a bonus. 

I really don't know for anyone else... but I like to know if my teacher is the kind of drummer that other musicians like playing with... and have they either studied enough and/or played at least some to help discern what drummers are  playing or beats that are being used on the song... 

My MISSION is to deliver to up and coming, and still inquisitive drummers: 

 How to rise to your Next Level... Whether you've been playing three days, nine days, nine months, or nine years. 

By offering drummers, a crazy amount of these tools, and lessons, including techniques and strategies, concerning professional practices, and today's mental tactics, that will allow you to get to your Next Level and beyond. 

(Which that, I wish I'd have been fortunate to have been told or astute enough to have learned of these Secrets much sooner in my career).