Durham Drum Lessons

Durham Drum Lessons

New
New

About

Dale Baker is a professional drummer and educator living in Durham, NC. best known for his work with the popular late 90’s early 00’s band, Sixpence None the Richer (his drumming is featured on most of their hit songs, including “Kiss Me” and “There She Goes”).In 2013 he became one of the core touring members of Big Star’s Third Live (documented in the 2017 DVD release of “Thank You Friends” on Concord Bicycle Music), a concert event celebrating the music of Big Star, featuring a rotating roster of guest performers including members of Wilco, The Posies, REM, Beck, Dawes, Tom Petty, The dB's, Yo La Tengo and the Kronos Quartet.

He drums frequently for NC Theatre, Theatre Raleigh and NC Theatre Conservatory, NC State, Peace College and Playmakers Repertory Theatre. Productions have included: Gypsy, Newsies, A Chorus Line, The Little Mermaid, The Little Shop of Horrors, Urinetown, Guys and Dolls, and many others.

You can also find him playing with some of the area’s finest independent, emerging, and established acts. He’s performed at the NC State Fair with Taylor Leonhardt and Jess Ray and toured regionally with BJ Barham and American Aquarium. He has also supported Kate Rhudy, Anne-Claire, Blue Cactus, Brett Harris, Skylar Gudasz, Tim Carless and performed regularly with Chris Stamey, Peter Holsapple and Mitch Easter. He also performs and produces original music with his own band, The Maudlin Fee.

In addition to his work with artists and groups, Dale has played drums and percussion on jingles and soundtracks for corporate clients such as, Southwest Airlines, Scholastic Books, the Carolina Hurricanes, and Pepsi.

Prior to joining Sixpence None the Richer and his work as an independent session musician, Dale spent 6 years at the University of North Texas, studying with Robert Schietroma, Lalo Davila, Frankie Malabe, Ed Soph, Ron Fink, Henry Okstel, Colin Bailey, and many other wonderful teachers and performers (such as Tito Puente and Bobby McFerrin).

Dale was a multi-year scholarship recipient and performed, traveled and recorded with the 1:00 Lab Band, the UNT Jazz Singers, the UNT Zebras, the UNT Steel Drum Ensemble, the award winning UNT Drumline, The UNT African Ensemble, The UNT Gamelan Ensemble, and a whole host of other smaller combos, jam sessions, percussion recitals, and concert and orchestral ensembles.

During his time in college, Dale spent a summer traveling across the US with the Sky Ryders Drum and Bugle Corp and was one of 3 drummers selected from a nation-wide search to perform with the All-American College Band at Walt Disney World during the summer of 1988. The following summer, Dale served as Assitant Director of the All American College Band.

In 1990, Dale graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Music degree (BM), with an emphasis in Instrumental Education.

For more information about Dale, visit https://www.durhamdrumlessons.com/about-dale-baker-drummer

Buy my book!

https://gumroad.com/l/first_steps

Each lesson is tailored to the individual with the goal for each student to become self motivated and driven by their own internal desire for mastery. For beginners, Durham Drum Lessons uses a curriculum which includes learning proper stick technique, counting, reading and rudiments.

Appropriate exercise sheets are used to aid the new and experienced student in learning specific skills, such as roll and accent timing, reading interpretation and "fill" creation.

For intermediate and advanced students, topics such as transcription, drum theory and composition are discussed as a means to encourage the student how to "teach" oneself.

Let me know how I can best serve you and we will work together to create a plan to help you reach your drumming goals!


Highlights

1 employee
20 years in business
Serves Durham , NC

Social media


No reviews (yet)

Ask this instructor for references. There's no obligation to hire and we’re here to help your booking go smoothly.

Frequently asked questions

Each lesson is tailored to the individual with the goal for each student to become self motivated and driven by their own internal desire for mastery. 

For beginners, Durham Drum Lessons uses a curriculum which includes learning proper stick technique, counting, reading and rudiments. 

Appropriate exercise sheets are used to aid the new and experienced student in learning specific skills, such as roll and accent timing, reading interpretation and "fill" creation. 

For intermediate and advanced students, topics such as transcription, drum theory and composition are discussed as a means to encourage the student how to "teach" oneself.   

Let me know how I can best serve you and we will work together to create a plan to help you reach your drumming goals!

Dale Baker is a professional drummer and educator living in Durham, NC. best known for his work with the popular late 90’s early 00’s band, Sixpence None the Richer (his drumming is featured on most of their hit songs, including “Kiss Me” and “There She Goes”).

In 2013 he became one of the core touring members of Big Star’s Third Live (documented in the 2017 DVD release of “Thank You Friends” on Concord Bicycle Music), a concert event celebrating the music of Big Star, featuring a rotating roster of guest performers including members of Wilco, The Posies, REM, Beck, Dawes, Tom Petty, The dB's, Yo La Tengo and the Kronos Quartet.

Dale received his BM (with an emphasis in Instrumental Education) from the University of North Texas, where he performed in numerous World Music ensembles and jazz bands including the famed "One O'Clock Lab Band."  He spent two summers working for Walt Disney World, first as one of 3 drummers hired in a nation-wide search for their All American College Band and later as Assistant Director of that same band.  Dale has been teaching drum lessons in Durham for over 15 years, and has also served as an adjunct percussion instructor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and clinician/ consultant for several churches in the RDU area. 

Pricing is $35 per half-hour lesson or $70 per hour lesson. Additionally, I offer a discounted "Semester Special" which allows you to pre-purchase a group of 12 lessons  for the price of 10.  I also offer a beginner drum set book, that is available to purchase here:  https://gumroad.com/l/first_steps

I've taught students of all ages - as young as 2 and as old as 70 +.  I've worked with students with learning challenges ranging from autism, to ADD/ ADHD, to extreme shyness and self-confidence issues.  I've worked with beginner, interemediate, and advanced students.  I'm confortable working with students of all types, those who are looking for just one lesson, others looking for help with college auditions, and still others looking to learn a new skill and willing to commit to regular practice.  

2016 was a busy year for me. I'm super proud (and grateful!) of the albums/ projects and collaborations I've been a part of.  Below you'll find a brief summary of the highlights and then a month by month view of how the year played out (as best as I can remember it!):

I co-produced, played and sang on the new project by Claybrook, "Mind the Silverware" and played on projects by Katelyn Read, Brett Harris, Big Star, Dave Perkins, Chris Taylor, Steve Meshnick, Wade Baynham, Ross Adams and Tyler Atkinson.  I performed live on Sirius XM w/ Brett Harris, and saw one of the songs I played on his record in rotation on "The Loft."  I served as part of a songwriters panel at The Songwriter School of Los Angeles, and found time to learn how to surf, meet Rob Bell, and visit southern Germany w/my family (I highly recommend Bus Bavariaif you're going to check out Neuschwanstein Castle, btw).  

I also performed for several local churches (Chapel Hill Bible Church, Gathering Church, Emmaus Way, Church of the Apostles, Apex Baptist, among others) as well as other churches in South Carolina and California, performed for both the Fall and Spring Live On Stage Showcases presented by NC Theater Conservatory, played with the NC Masters's Chorale and took part in filming a DVD w/ Jeff Tweedy, Pat Sansone, Mike Mills, Robin Hitchcock, Chris Stamey, Mitch Easter, Blake Mills, The Posies, original drummer Jody Stephens and a whole host of other folks to document the music of Big Star and their iconic "Third/ Sisters Lovers" record.

In addition, to all of the above (and below) I maintained my private drum lesson practice (Durham Drum Lessons) in Durham, teaching between 30 - 35  beginning to advanced students (ages 6 to 60+) each week (over 1000 lessons this year!), and began a collaborative teaching effort w/Dimensions Family School.  


Services offered

Drum
Music Theory