ROB FERRELL DRUM STUDIO

Copyright © 2009 Rob Ferrell All Rights Reserved

TESTIMONIALS

I decided to go back to drumming after a 30 year plus hiatus. I had been self-taught and my technical drumming skills were almost non-existent. I had played briefly in my youth by ear and instinct. WHERE TO BEGIN? After researching extensively, I was referred to Rob Ferrell and I have been given the opportunity to learn not only with an amazing teacher but have found an unbelievably kind and special human being that I can relate to and communicate with on many levels.

I watch Rob in amazement before my lessons as he effortlessly interacts with students of all ages and backgrounds. Rob has this uncanny ability to quickly evaluate his students’ strengths and weaknesses, by reinforcing the fundamental basic requirements needed for consistent improvement. He does this all with such ease and kindness and exhibits such a pleasant demeanor at each and every lesson.

When I found Rob, someone was smiling down on me, because my drum lesson is now the highlight of my week.

I am over 50 years old and not only am I privileged to learn with Rob, I have also found a caring, sensitive and wonderful person with whom I can share life lessons and experiences that not only relate to drums but also to strong family values and interpersonal issues.

It is an understatement for me to say that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Rob Ferrell to anyone of any age or musical background who is passionate about taking up drumming at any level. I look forward to a life-long relationship with drumming and Rob.

-Jeffrey Inspektor (Irvine)

As a full time professional musician and a former private instrumental teacher myself, I'm obviously very critical when it comes to teachers.  After observing Rob work with my 14-year old son for about a year, I have to say I am extremely impressed with his teaching ability. Not only does he have an excellent rapport with kids, he has the rare gift of being able to get across lots of technical information while still keeping the lessons fun and stimulating. Rob makes a great effort to learn the needs and goals of each student and tailors the lessons accordingly, including helping them properly learn songs of their own choosing. Very importantly, Rob teaches kids to play in a way that will help them avoid injury. Rob's lessons are very efficiently structured - he packs an awful lot of content into a half-hour lesson, but in our case never more than my son could absorb and retain. In short, whether you are an absolute beginner or a veteran player looking to improve your technique, I would not hesitate to highly recommend Rob as a teacher!

-Alan Deremo (San Clemente)

My name is Graham Spillman. I started taking lessons with Rob Ferrell in 2000 when he still was based out of Mars Music at the Block of Orange. I was 10 years old. I am now a senior in high school and have been very successful in my musical endeavors. I have spent the last 6 years at a performing arts school that required an audition to be accepted. Rob was the main reason I was able to ace the entrance audtion. I have just received my early acceptance letter to attend Berklee College of Music in the fall and was also awarded a four-year partial tuition scholarship.

All of my accomplishments I can attribute to the teachings of Rob Ferrell. He was my first drum set teacher. He taught me the fundamental techniques, and practice disciplines that were necessary for me to reach the level of musicality that I have. I have had the opportunity to work with many amazing musicians over the past few years but Rob will be the one music educator who will always stand out as the one who had the most impact on me.

I would highly recommend Rob for students of all playing abilities. He is a noted industry professional and is one of the most personable people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. His high level of performance ability is equal to his high level of teaching ability. He made some of the most difficult musical concepts easy and tangible for me to grasp.

Check out Graham's website HERE.

-Graham Spillman (Placentia)

Before my first lesson I was not sure what to expect. I had played snare drum and drum set for a short time in high school 15 years ago and I kinda figured I could breeze through any fundamentals material and get straight to jamming on the drum set! I was pretty amazed that the fundamental stuff we covered was quite a challenge for me, in a good way! I have come to realize that if we did not go over the basics, my progress would be very sluggish. I feel like you took the mystery out of drumming. Normally I would listen to the drummers on my favorite songs and wonder  ”How'd they do that?” Now, I find myself identifying the patterns, styles, and techniques you have educated me on. I really want to thank you for being a patient teacher who understands how to challenge me in my drumming. It has been so many years since I have played and I honestly look forward to my lessons with you more than my weekends - well most of the time.

-Marty Medina (Lake Forest)

Rob has been the dream teacher come true for my daughter. He teaches all the fundamentals and makes it fun. She ALWAYS looks forward to the lessons, learns a lot and finds Rob to be a GREAT person. We are very grateful to have Rob as a teacher. He is very motivating, keeps the lessons fun, is very patient and teaches about drumming in a very systematic way so that the next lessons always build on the previous ones. My daughter has learned a lot, had fun doing it and is further along in her drumming skills than I expected at this point. We would recommend Rob to anyone.

-George Somogyi (Mission Viejo)

A great teacher is not just someone who knows their stuff, but someone who can share that knowledge. Rob creates an excitement in our son Zack that makes him eager to learn, and to put what he has learned into practice. I would recommend Rob to anyone, whether a serious student, or a casual drummer. Rob’s patience is infinite, and when Zack struggles or gets distracted, like any 13 year old, Rob guides him through and back to where he needs to be.

-Dayn Holstrom (Anaheim Hills)

I’ve been with Rob for about 4 years. He’s chill. He teaches me new beats and songs. He’s tight, and not like a normal teacher. He teaches me, but he also tells me stories about the music business and he asks me what I want to learn too. Its cool because when I go to his lessons it makes me want to learn drums not like something I have to go to. Like when I first went I wanted to learn drums, I only wanted to go to one half our lesson a week, but ended up going for 3 days a week with 2 of the lessons being an hour. And also when I forget my folder he’s not like “Im mad at you or what ever teachers say when u forget homework but is just like, “oh, ok we’ll learn something cool and bring your folder next time.” Rob is so cool that I even kept taking lessons from after he left his normal place that was 15 min. away from my house, to go to Mission Viejo, like 45 min away. Take lessons from Rob, he’s tight.

-Zack Holstrom (Anaheim Hills)

I needed to find a drum teacher because the other teacher we used could no longer give lessons. My son is progressing quickly just after three lessons. Rob Ferrell is a great teacher and very patient. He explains things clearly so that my son can process the new information thoroughly. Even though my son has some music background, his drum technique has shown noticeable improvement and I am glad that Rob pays attention to how the sticks are held and how my son sits when playing. Rudiments are so very important and Rob has been correcting some things that weren't learned properly. I am so glad that we found Rob Ferrell and I would refer him to anyone looking for an awesome drum teacher.

-Felicia Golemo (Mission Viejo)

I registered with Robert Ferrell for drum lessons for my son Anirudh and our experience has been wonderful! He has an easy way with kids and makes learning fun. Anirudh looks forward to them. He is a very practical and patient teacher!

-Sonika Jain (Foothill Ranch)

We decided to give our son 10 drum lessons for Christmas. I wasn't sure where to find a good teacher so I searched on the internet. We found Rob Ferrell and I liked his profile. First impressions are important and Rob was back to me within a few hours. He spent time on the phone to thoroughly review his teaching style and to inquire about my son's level of skill and interest. We've made the drum lessons a permanent part of our routine. Rob is an excellent teacher for young people and has really helped Parker create a solid practice routine. He is flexible and engaging. This has quickly increased Parkers interest, skill and love for drumming. We would highly recommend Rob as a teacher.

-Nancy Larson (Lake Forest)

Click HERE to read what one young student had to say about taking lessons with me. I had instructed his two older brothers as well.

-Steven Andrews (Garden Grove)

Rob is my 10 y/o son, Brandon's, drum teacher.  I am so happy that we found such a perfect fit for him. Brandon had taken lessons previously but did not seem to be progressing and was getting bored. It got to the point where he didn't even want to go which I knew was a bad sign since he drums every chance he gets! Rob has been wonderful. He is patient and kind and a great drummer himself. Brandon has come so far already, I can't wait to see more. Since starting with Rob he has even joined a band with his best friend and his confidence has increased so much. Before writing this I asked Brandon what he would like to add about what kind of drum teacher Rob is and here is what he told me......"Mostly I like him a lot because he doesn't just sit there and play drums with me. He teaches me a lot, like hand techniques and then beats too. He's just a cool guy and I like his lessons a lot."  Can't argue with that!!! Thanks Rob. Click HERE to check out Brandon playing a live gig!

-Kathy Kelley (Mission Viejo)

Rob is a gifted teacher who has a wonderful way of making my son feel he has accomplished a great deal while always challenging him to keep growing and learning. He teaches the essential building blocks of drumming, but also keeps my son fully engaged by teaching him to play his favorite songs. Rob makes learning fun by telling stories that illustrate the concepts he talks about. My son hangs on every word, benefits in many ways from his lessons and says, "I have the best music teacher in the world." I'm very happy that we found Rob, and would recommend him to anyone looking for an excellent drum teacher.

-Maria Regan (Mission Viejo)

Drum lessons with Rob have been a wonderful experience for my 8 year old son.  He has learned so much in just a few months.  He has mastered some important basics and rudimentary beats and rhythms which he is now able to implement in songs and combine at home to make practicing fun as well as work!  Rob is able to communicate well with my son and lessons are challenging but never overwhelming.  No matter what our practice week has been like (which can be sporadic at times with a fully-scheduled third grader!) Rob is always able to get the best out of my son at lessons and we always go home inspired to do better.

-Karine Dunning (Aliso Viejo)

I want to thank you very much for all Andrew (and I) have gotten from your drum lessons. Originally, my wife and I were a little concerned about starting Andrew in drum lessons before he was even eight years old. Now we can’t believe how much progress he has made in such a short time. Not only is he learning songs, he can actually jam with me when I play my guitar. Andrew and I both look forward to his lesson each week. I really appreciate the way your lessons always balance fundamentals, learning songs and having fun. Lastly, I want to thank you for all the help you provided when we finally decided to make the investment in a drum set. You cleared up so many of my questions with regard to all the different brands, models, cymbals, new versus used etc. Andrew now has a great sounding set of drums that didn’t break the bank.

-Craig Noel (Lake Forest)

Rob is not just a great teacher of the drums – Rob loves the drums, and that is what makes Rob a great teacher, in my opinion. His passion for the drums is clear and he is always excited to impart his knowledge to those eager to learn. I am originally a ‘self-taught’ drummer and picked up my first kit over 20 years ago. While I have always enjoyed casually playing the drums, my experience with Rob has given me a newfound love for the instrument, and a desire to take it to the next level. I came to Rob as a 36 year old guy with a desk job….no knowledge or proficiency in rudiments, time signature, technique, ambidexterity, or other things that could greatly improve my skill-set. Rob has patiently and passionately taught me these things and they are opening up my playing abilities. The musical pieces that used to be confusing to me are now becoming manageable, and most importantly ‘understandable’. I would highly recommend Rob no matter what stage you are at in your playing abilities. My regret is that I didn’t find him sooner.

 -Stephen Niednagel (Laguna Beach)

I had wanted to learn to play the drums for a long time.  I found Rob's information and decided to contact him regarding lessons.  I love his easygoing approach and the fact that he wanted to be sure I was comfortable with him as a teacher before signing up and spending money for sessions.  I have only been taking lessons now for about 3 months, but I have learned so much from Rob. He gave me great advice and insight on the right equipment to purchase when I told him I was looking . I really like how he teaches the rudiments and keeps each lesson interesting, so I am excited to show up the next week to see what new things I will learn.  I am already learning to play my first song.  Rob is very good at 'teaching' different drumming techniques, and certainly knows his trade.  I would recommend Rob to anyone who is looking to learn to play drums or even to become a better all around drummer.  Thanks Rob, you rock!!! 

-Mike Fitzsimons (Newport Beach)

We think that you are a perfect teacher for Daniel and also the best music teacher that we have seen in a long time.  We've seen many teachers personally and for the kids, but you are the best for a few reasons. 

First, you make the perfect blend of making it fun, but also being serious and teaching just a few concepts every week.  We like the way you teach: review last week; learn new concepts, then jam (like it's a dessert). 

Second, We have seen Daniel really blossom under your teaching.  We can see him incorporating what he is learning from you into his every day jamming.  To me that is the sign of a good teacher-student relationship.  When he is playing for you, he can't wipe the smile off of his face.

Third, Daniel is a special child.  He has had a lot of problems with staying focused, but you seem to have captured his attention.  We think it is because you really break the concepts down into very small bite-sized bits.  You find different ways to teach the same bit: whether it is by demonstration, reading the music, using the drum machine, or listening to CDs.  It's good to come at a concept from many different angles.  It is helping for Daniel to stay focused and more importantly, not get frustrated.  Your personality is well suited to teach him because you are very patient, never getting upset, and yet very persistent, not giving up but pushing him to get it.  This is very rare.

Fourth, We can tell just by how you play and how you talk, that you are not just a talented teacher, but a passionate drummer as well.  Before we talked to you, we never knew there was so much to learn about the drums.  Whether it be the foot-slide for quick double bass beat, putting a bass under the crash, or using the wrist elbow action for economy of motion.  It's fascinating to hear about all the things that you've picked up over the years of watching instructional videos watching other drummers and just practicing.  It's like having a walking encyclopedia of the drums.

Fifth, we can tell that you put thought into the lessons before and after.  You have short-term and long-term plans.  Short term plans: teach rudiments step by step.  Long term plans: build solid foundations in three areas: reading music, muscle memory, and ear.  We like how you write all your lessons down so that we can practice with him during the week and we can also quickly remember during the following lesson what is going on.  It definitely saves time to be organized.

We thank God for putting the perfect teacher in Daniel's life.  I am very picky about music teachers for the kids.  I tend to be very vocal about what teachers could do better because I want the teachers to know how my kids think.  I haven't said anything about your lessons because I feel that the lessons are going so right on the money!

-Sean and Marissa Chow (Tustin)

I have been taking lessons with Rob for almost a year now.  Up until the point of meeting Rob, I pretty much was self-taught.  I played drums on and off for about 2-3 years.  I felt I was stuck in a rut and not progressing in my drumming.  I had taken a few lesson with different drum teachers in the past, but I felt they weren't at the caliber of teaching I was searching for.

I found Rob by searching for local drum lessons/teachers in or around the San Clemente area.  We shot a few emails back and forth and set up our first lesson.  

I am very impressed with Rob's teaching skills. He is full of all kinds of drum knowledge.  You can tell he has a deep passion for drumming and teaching it as well.  He understands that all students are different in the way they learn or understand drums.  He easily picked up on the things I could do well and the things I lacked in on the drums.  On my first lesson he said "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for the a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a life time." Since then I feel that statement is so true.  Before Rob, I was unable to read or understand drum sheet music.  Now I can read, understand, and play all types of genres of music.

I feel that having Rob as my drum teacher has been a great experience for me.  He is very knowledgeable in drumming and is passing it along to me with ease. I always look forward to my next lesson.  I totally recommend taking at least one lesson with him no matter what your age or skill level.  Plus, I feel that not only did I find a great teacher but a good friend.

-Ryan Gumienny (San Clemente)

I am extremely grateful that we found you when we did. My daughter looks forward to going to practice every Thursday with excitement and enthusiasm. She has learned so much from your lessons that she's very well on her way to fulfilling her dream of becoming a talented drummer or as I like to say, the next Sheila E.

I would definitely recommend you to anyone that was in need of a professional, and talented drum instructor. We've tried the rest, and there is no comparison. You're the best and as a result, it shows in your student(s). 

-Teresa Dominguez (Mission Viejo)

He is such a good teacher that he keeps me wanting to play. He gives me confidence all the time. He tells me I have the skills but if I don't practice then I’m wasting any talent that I may have. He is teaching me to read the notes better. I'm already learning my second song and I was so glad he was there sitting next to me when I played my first song live.

-Dylan Todd (Foothill Ranch)

Talk about hitting the jackpot from finding an awesome drum teacher in Craigslist. When we went to the first lesson, I being a dad and a guitar player, found Rob to be so easy going, easy to talk too and a guy I would like to get to know. But I wanted to see how he ran his lessons. What I liked about Rob is that not only does he know how to play he knows how its played. The techniques, what the different styles are called. He knows how to talk drums and translate that knowledge to kids. I like how he has the kids warm up first, and then he works on different rudiments and actually teaches how the drums should be played. From holding the sticks and then to reading music. Then he lets the kids pick a song they want to learn and ends the lesson with that. So they are learning the proper warm ups, techniques, how to read music and then the fun part learning a song they want to play. We've been with Rob for less then a year and my son has already played his first song live with his dads band it was awesome. Click HERE to see the performance!

I've now seen Rob at lessons, I’ve seen him play live with his band and he has even subbed in for my drummer. He is the same great guy in each setting. What you see at practice is what you get: a great guy who knows how to treat kids and teach them so they understand how to play a difficult instrument. If you’re looking for a drum teacher and your reading this then look no further. Call Rob and get going. We need to keep the Robs around teaching the new up and coming drummers!!! Thanks, Paul.

-Paul Todd (Foothill Ranch)

My name is Rich, and my 9 year old daughter Alana has been a student of Rob's since Feb, 2008.  Alana had been playing classical piano for about 4 years, when she expressed an interest in playing drums.  Believing this just a short-lived childhood whim, I put together a Christmas package for her.  I bought Alana a pair of drumsticks, a practice pad, and after a few interviews with various drum instructors, four 4 lessons with Rob.  My wife drove her to the first 3 lessons, and I delivered her to her fourth, and last lesson.  That was the first time I got to hear her actually play on a set, and meet to Rob in person. . . . .

I was blown away!  The progress she made was incredible.  Watching the interaction and concentration between Rob and Alana was surprising and amazing.  His teaching methods were fun, informative, and interactive.  Theory, timing and music reading suddenly became fun, and you could see the enthusiasm in her face. He was not some amateur drum tutor, but a genuinely devoted professional teacher of music.  After we left, I had to apologize to Alana for not taking her seriously, and about a week later, I bought her her own set of electronic drums (so she could rock out, and I could keep my hearing).   This has given Alana a new passion, and a skill that she is incredibly proud of.   Everyone knows: "girl drummers are cool!!" , and it looks great on her acting resume too.   Alana practices about 10 minutes, 3x a week.  Click HERE to check out Alana playing along with her brother!

Rob has proven to be flexible and fair, and above all, easy to talk to.  He answers my emails within hours, and is always open to parental input.  Now my daughter, son and I jam in the living room and I get to share with them, the music I grew up playing.   Feel free to contact me personally, if you have any questions . . .

-Rich Fan (Mission Viejo)

richfan@smartlifestore.com

www.smartlifestore.com

I have been taking lessons with Rob for 6 months now, and I could not be happier with my lessons and progress. Drumming is something I always wanted to learn, but wasn't able to try out as a kid. Finally, at 19 years old, I decided to take lessons and get a feel for the drums. After my first few lessons with Rob, I was giddy to get a set of my own and rock out to all of my favorite songs. The lessons are fun, organized, and designed to build on material from previous lessons. Within a few short months with just one lesson a week, I could successfully play through my first song (and it didn't sound too shabby!). In these 6 months, Rob has shown me the essentials of sticking technique, rudiments, and notation, eagerly helped me with anything I found challenging, and shared stories of his long and impressive career in drumming. I can now play along with my favorite songs and am always excited for my next lesson! He is also extremely flexible with scheduling, a very important perk for anyone with a busy schedule like myself. He is endlessly patient, personable, talented, and kind. I did not expect to progess as quickly as I have, considering my lack of percussion experience, but Rob has made it incredibly easy to be successful. Thanks a million, man!

-Danielle Barrington (Mission Viejo)

Our son Alexander, has been taking drum lessons with Rob since May 2008 and we are so thrilled to have found him! Rob has such a passion for drumming and in addition to this a real passion and interest in teaching students to play. He has such a nice manner and is always positive and encouraging. Thanks to Rob, this is the first time Alex has found an activity that he cannot wait to go to each week! I really like that Rob has a very structured approach to teaching, making sure that his students learn the rudiments and fundamentals in progression, but he also encourages the students to find songs they like and helps them learn to play them. Alex, in just a few months has formed a band with his twin brother and two friends (the Rob influence somehow trickled down to the whole band via Alex!) and they were confident enough to play one song at our neighbors' "Rocktoberfest" this fall!

I think I knew that Rob was going to be a great teacher before we even met him, when he told us that the first visit was a time for Alex and he to meet each other and see if they were a match...which they most definitely were! I can tell that Rob genuinely loves working with students and wants them to do well.

If you are looking for a drum teacher, then I highly recommend Rob; he is THE BEST!

-Lesley McDonald (Foothill Ranch)

After years of drumming on my steering wheel I decided it was time to try the real thing. Unfortunately, I had two big problems:

#1 - I had no idea where to begin
#2 - I live in a second floor apartment

Within the first five minutes of meeting Rob, I knew everything would be okay. He tailored my lessons to things I could do on a practice pad and gave me a variety of fun exercises. Before long I was learning to play one of my favorite songs and slaying all of my friends at Rock Band.

Rob has an impressive range of musical knowledge and a genuine passion for playing. If you were to stand outside his garage for a few hours you'd see students from a wide range of ages and hear drum riffs from classic rock to funk to screamo. Rob also makes it easy to learn your favorite songs using easy-to-read charts and song slow-down software.

I've been playing drums for almost a year now and plan to buy my own kit soon. I can't believe how far I've come and how fun it's been to learn something new.

-Megan Denny (Rancho Santa Margarita)

My son Jacob, has been taking lessons with Rob since the beginning of fall, 2008.  Rob has been such a great teacher for my son.  He is very in tuned to Jacob's needs.  At first my son needed help because he was in band at school and the class was beyond Jacob's knowledge.  We found Rob from a list of recommendations from the School District.  Rob helped my son in ways that were easy for him to understand.  If Jacob wasn't getting it, Rob would have an idea, then another idea, until Jacob got it.  If the music piece was too hard, Rob slowed it down or broke it up.  He helped Jacob concentrate on the parts that Jacob was not understanding, and knew the right time to pick up the pace again.  Jacob is no longer in band at school, because of the crazy schedule of our life.  However, Jacob did not want to stop with the lessons because he enjoys having fun with Rob, and wanted to continue to learn to play the drums.  I enjoy Rob because he is kind, patient, a true professional and is understanding of our individual needs.  We wouldn't want to take lessons anywhere else!

-Jeannie King (Mission Viejo)

I’m a 30-year-old working finance professional with a non-stop work schedule. I am also an avid lover of most music. I’ve taken vocal lessons from elementary school all the way to high school. I debated between taking guitar lessons and drum lessons because I wanted to pick up music again but didn’t know which direction to run. After trying Rock Band, I knew I really wanted to learn drums but: 1) I knew NOTHING about playing them, buying them, or anything 2) I was afraid I was too old 3) I thought I was too busy 4) I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to find an instructor that could communicate well with me.

Then I found Rob through the Internet. Rob has a great introductory consultation that I’d recommend to anyone who is considering picking up the drums. Rob has a great way to channel my passion and shape my energetic overly active hands into something decent sounding! I’m extremely busy and Rob has a very fair cancelation policy, which I appreciate very much. Rob is a patient instructor who has a great way of explaining things and breaking down concepts when needed and acknowledging when a skill is learned without wasting time. Rob works with me to ensure my learning. Rob is extremely efficient and quite frankly, I’d recommend him to anyone who is even remotely curious about learning the drums. Rob, thank you so much for giving me this gift.

-Avi Pai (Irvine)

I see there are a lot of testimonials here for Rob from parents of young drum students and from young students themselves.  Well here’s one from an old/adult student.  I came to the drums in my late 40’s and it took several years to find Rob, but what a find he is!   He is unwaveringly patient and kind, two important attributes for a drum instructor to have.  He is also technically proficient, who is a working drummer in addition to being a teacher, which are additional important attributes.  Most importantly, he is an excellent teacher.  We’ve all known masterful technicians, but only a handful of them are any good at teaching others what they know.  Rob’s got it all.  Whether you are a parent, a young drum student, or an old one, rest assured Rob is your guy.  No matter where you are on your drumming journey, Rob will take you as he finds you and grow you from there.  

-Ed Dzwonkowski (Huntington Beach)

www.followyourplan.com

My son Jesse started drumming lessons about a year ago and we choose Rob as his teacher on recommendation of a neighbor. I instantly loved the way Rob teaches. The combination of the very necessary basics combined with songs he can choose himself to play along with is just perfect. Combine that with the patience and care he takes for his students I would recommend Rob to anyone out there!

-Kitty Seerden (Lake Forest)

Rob Ferrell has been such a great influence on my son Tommy. Tommy has grown as a drummer by leaps and bounds with the guidance and mentoring of Rob. We were taking drum lessons for two year prior to finding Rob. Within the first six months Tommy had learned more from Rob than the two years of lessons with another teacher. Rob instructs his students not only with a deep knowledge of percussion but, a passion that you do not see in just any drum teacher. Tommy is so excited to go to his lessons with Rob each week. He knows that he can bring his own music in and Rob will help him learn the rhythms of the songs. Rob thank you for your patience and grace and we look forward to another awesome year.

-Aimee McWilliams (Mission Viejo)

Rob has been my instructor and mentor now for nearly a year.  I am so happy that my dad found Rob, he is an awesome instructor.   Rob is patient and very supportive not to mention a  great drummer himself. In the last year I have learned a tremendous amount about music and percussion and  I can't wait to continue each week.   Since beginning with Rob he has taught me songs such as “Tom Sawyer” played by Neil Peart and “Fool in the Rain” by John Bonham, tunes that are not for the faint of heart because they are intricate and precise, but because Rob has this great ability to communicate and break the notes down I was able to learn these and several other songs that has totally impressed my family and friends.  No one can believe that I have only been playing drums for 11 months!.  Rob is the type of instructor that does not talk at you, but actively engages with his students and works with you side by side, at whatever pace is required until you are comfortable with the topic being studied.  I have played several live shows with my band and completed a solo play along and I know that without Rob’s guidance and mentorship I would not have been able to do so, thanks Rob you rock!

-Zachary Lehrich (Ladera Ranch)

Hey Rob,

Just wanted to let you know that even after just a few lessons with you, I know you’re the right instructor for me and I’m sure for the masses! I’ve never been more comfortable and satisfied after each lesson than I had been with previous teachers. Your sincerity and passion is so evident and refreshing to see. I look forward to going down this path of learning and discovery with you.

Thank you again!

-Bryan Ohira (Mission Viejo)