Adam Ray Drum Lessons
About
I love teaching because I love playing. I’m a professional jazz musician living in Bed-Stuy, performing regularly on the scene. Playing drums and making music is one of the best things in life, and I am passionate about leading others of all ages and skill levels to find that joy. While my main interest is in jazz and creative music, I love all kinds of music, and I would love to help you to reach your goals as a musician, whether you’ve been playing for a day or a decade.
The thing I love most about teaching is whenever I inspire a student to want to learn more about something on their own, or when I help them discover something that naturally excites them, such as a cool groove they hadn’t heard before or a new drummer they really like. This goes for adults and children alike. Of course, while those things are the motivation for the student, I also love to teach the basics such as holding the sticks, rudiments, and getting a good sound, which are necessary steps to becoming a better player. I will help you reach your goals by focusing on (or helping you discover) what you like in drumming and providing you the tools to get there.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
First, we’ll take what it is that the student likes about drumming and where they want to be, and then we’ll take the steps necessary to get there. This process is universal. Regardless of age or prior ability, this is my method. At first it could mean learning how to sit at the drums and hold the sticks correctly, or it could mean incorporating more of Tony Williams’s concept and phrasing into your playing. It’s all directly tailored to the student’s desires and ability, at the pace that is naturally right for them.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a full-time professional jazz musician and I work with some of the best young musicians, as well as established veterans, in New York. I perform twice weekly with the Richard Cortez Quintet and I regularly freelance in small groups, big bands, and many other contexts around town. Despite my young age, I have considerable experience as an in-demand musician and I am passionate about using what I have learned so far to help my students. I began my teaching career with teaching multiple adult students who were specifically interested in jazz topics, and from there I began to teach high schoolers and young kids, simply learning that one size does not fit all and that the key to growth is helping the student hone in on what they honestly love about drums (or helping them find it).
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I charge $30 for a half hour or $45 for an hour. With each student I like to help them find which is the more effective amount of time for them in terms of absorption from lesson-to-lesson.
How did you get started teaching?
My very first student was a guy in in his mid-forties. He had heard about me by word-of-mouth and knew that I played jazz and he sought me out to learn how to comp better in a straight-ahead jazz setting. I first worked with him on making his ride cymbal beat better, as that is a prerequisite for stronger comping. Then we discussed whose comping he liked, and he mentioned Lewis Nash and Greg Hutchinson. We then learned excerpts of their comping together- at first he was able to sing it, and eventually was able to play it at a slower tempo, and we built from there. He said his friends who he jammed with were commenting on his improvement within a month. From there I began to teach students of all ages.