Rob Ferrell Drum Studio | Drum Lessons, South Orange County

ROB FERRELL DRUM STUDIO

CURRICULUM / TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Phase 1: The first phase emphasizes proper grip and technique in order to assure that the student plays correctly and reduces the chance of acquiring a repetitive motion injury. Good technique is stressed throughout the entire span of lessons and the foundations are laid forth during the first month or so. The 40 International Drum Rudiments are used to teach proper technique including grip, fulcrum, stick columns, rebound control, wrist strokes, finger strokes, accents utilizing the Moeller technique and relaxation. Proper practice techniques are also covered. Beat studies are implemented in order to expose students to tempo, time and meter. Reading fundamentals are covered as well as basic music theory pertaining to rhythm. It is important to note that no two students are alike and that the amount of time devoted to practicing as well as the student’s individual skill level plays a pivotal role in determining the progress of the student.

Phase 2: The second phase emphasizes the building of a vocabulary utilizing the rudiments and sticking patterns covered previously. The concepts of “One Surface Learning” as well as Coordinated Independence are introduced. Coordinated Independence is one of the most challenging aspects to playing the drums and much time is spent breaking the techniques down. Creativity is encouraged and the students will learn how to multiply the patterns they’ve learned exponentially! The student will also be introduced to different styles of drumming and how they are inter-related.

Phase 3: The third phase includes having the students choose songs they want to learn. They will learn the fundamentals of writing and reading a chart for the song and playing along with it. State of the art software is used to provide professional, easy to read transcriptions as well as playalong practice CDs with slowed down versions of the students' chosen songs (making it easier and more enjoyable to build up to the required tempo.) Advanced styles will be introduced as well as specific techniques pertaining to the genres the student wishes to concentrate on.

Teaching Philosophy: The goal of this curriculum is to accommodate each student’s potential and cater to each student’s individual needs and wants. There are no definitive black and white lines as to where the aforementioned phases start and stop. Rather, each of the phases can overlap and intertwine as the student continues the learning process. The end result is to keep the student interested, challenged, rewarded and most importantly, playing the music they want to play as quickly as possible! The tools learned from this curriculum are designed to stay with the students indefinitely and create a solid foundation with which to achieve their musical goals.