About
Hey there! I'm Brendan and I've been teaching drums for 10+ years. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and passion for drums with my students.
My lessons focus on the building blocks of music theory and musicianship. While other teachers gloss over these topics and focus on the "fun stuff," I make sure my students have the foundation so they can effortlessly pursue any aspect of music and drumming without significant gaps in knowledge.
I love helping my students to improve in something that they enjoy doing! There's nothing better than seeing the gears turnning, concentrated effort, and then successful execution from one of my students.
Photos and videos
Reviews
Denia
Brad M.
Victoria R.
Bird W.
Bob W.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I think it is super important for all of my students to learn the necessary foundational and theoretical elements of music. Of course, while I have my own teaching philosophy, I always encourage my students to share their interests so I can tailor our lessons to what interests them. I will always focus on helping my students improve in the areas that they are interested in.
My teaching philosophy is based on six pillars:
1. READING: I make sure that all my students are able to read written music. I work out of three award-winning reading exercise books to assign weekly assignments and track reading progress.
2. TIMING: As a drummer, developing a solid inner metronome is very important. I train my students to be able to play comfortably and confidently to a metronome so that can maintain solid internal time in any musical situation.
3. GROOVE: I focus heavily on teaching the more subtle aspects of groove. From swung eighth notes in swing to a choppy hip hop shuffle, I make sure what my students are playing is accurate and feels good.
4. EAR: It’s important as a drummer to develop and maintain a keen ear. I have developed dozens of listening exercises that help my students develop an intuitive ear.
5. MUSICIANSHIP / THEORY: I lead my students through music theory in easily-digestible exercises and explanations.
6. WELL-ROUNDEDNESS: In order to be a well-rounded musician and drummer, I teach my students the beats, grooves, and idiosyncrasies of a range of musical genres on the drums: everything from rock, to funk, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, and more.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I started playing drums when I was 8 years old. I have 10+ years of teaching experience, with students from all age groups and skill levels. I have years of teaching experience with kids and I have lead multiple youth church classes and worship teams.
I have Bachelors in Music Performance and a Minor in Electronic Music Composition from the University of California, Santa Cruz where I studied with the incredible jazz drummer George Marsh.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
$60/hr
$40/hr
I offer discounts for bundled lessons purchased upfront.
How did you get started teaching?
I got started teaching when I was in college to other people my age in the Santa Cruz area. I loved seeing people improve so I kept teaching after I graduated college. I still love seeing my students improve.
What types of students have you worked with?
I work with students of all age groups and skill levels. I am really comfortable and experienced with children and I love working with them!