Drum Lessons by Andrew Griffin -- Oakland, CA

The East Bay Drummers' studio is currently accepting students. There are openings during both weekday day and evening. A free introductory lesson is offered.

LOCATION:

Soundwave Studios, 1255 21st street, Oakland, Room #219, Oakland CA.(One block south of West Grand Ave. at the corner of UnionStreet.) See directions below.

TEACHING APPROACH:

We will create together a curriculum especially designed for your development. You will be able to keep track of your progress and organize your practicing to maximize your development. Parents are encouraged to get involved with their children's drum studies and to check on their progress by speaking with me and by reviewing the lesson plans that I give the students. The best young students are the one's with the most involved parents!

We work hard in the lessons, but lessons are also exciting and fun. Students are encouraged to bring in songs that they would like to learn, and I do my best to teach the essentials of the songs while making it relevant to their current lessons curriculum. I try to keep my students playing drums for the whole lesson. We have two drum sets in the room and I am very often playing along with my students, instructing and encouraging them.

I teach all of my students the three R's. Reading, Rhythm and Rudiments. Reading is learning the basic notes and rests and being able to follow basic reading assignments. It truly is essential to your development as a drummer and I really do stress it! If you cannot read basic rhythms I have no way to pass along the information that you are seeking. Rhythms are the drum set grooves that the student is interested in: jazz, rock, funk, samba, bossa nova, reggae, New Orleans, hip hop, blues...whatever you are interested in, I will try my best to teach you. Rudiments are the basic fundamentals of drumming. These are the nuts and bolts out of which you create drumming. paradiddles, rolls, ruffs, flams etc... essential to your development.

TOPICS:

Snare Drum Technique

Reading (from beginners on up)

Rock/Funk styles (including fills and solos)

Blues styles(shuffles and 6/8 & 12/8 grooves)

Latin Styles (bossa nova, samba and Afro Cuban Songo/Mambo)

Jazz Styles (including jazz independence--based on Alan Dawson's teachings, basic brushes technique, 3/4 jazz waltz )

Soloing (open solos, soloing over a vamp, soloing over the form of a tune, trading 4's & 8's)

Advanced 4-way coordination (using Gary Chester's the New Breed Volume 1)

Rudiments (including Alan Dawson's rudimental ritual)

Big Band Chart Reading

Transcriptions (do your own or use some of the hundreds I've done)

Time keeping (different techniques for using the drum machine)

Playing along with Loops and Samples

Studio Drumming (playing for the tune, click tack and keeping in the pocket)

FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT:

The East Bay Drummers studio is equipped with two drum sets, tv vcr, stereo, sampler, drum machine, iMac (band in a box software), practice pads and audio/video recording equipment. Students are encouraged to record the lesson either using the in-house audio recording equipment or the 8mm video camera. Additionally we have a small library of drum videos, cd's & tapes and drum instruction books.

FEES:

Weekly lessons

1/2 hour lesson is $35 or $140 per month

1 hour lesson is $50 or $200 per month
There is also a discount rate for students who wish to study with me in the less desirable time-slots (i.e. weekday- morning and daytime slots). inquire about prices and availability. There is also the possibility of scholarship for those with outstanding skill, motivation and need.

Payment is asked for in advance of the entire month. This payment is due the last week of the month. Example, June's payment is due the last week of May. You will receive a receipt upon payment of your month's lessons. Some students will wish to rent drums or drum kits from me and these payments are also due the last week of each month. Lastly, if a student decides to discontinue taking lessons in the middle of a month, after the month's lessons have been scheduled and paid for, there will be no refunds. There are no exceptions to this policy.

MAKEUP LESSON POLICY:

Students must notify me of a lesson cancelation a minimum of 48 hours prior to lesson time. If at least 48 hours' notice is given, then a makeup lesson will be scheduled at the earliest possible date. If less than 48 hours' notice is given, the student will be charged for the lesson and no makeup lesson will be given. There are no exceptions to this policy.Punctuality: if you're late, I can only give you the amount of time we have scheduled in advance. I cannot go over the length of the lesson time as often my students are back to back.

PRACTICE:

There is no prerequisite to studying drums with me. All level of students are welcome; however, I do want all my students (regardless of age or ability) to be self-motivated, organized and focused in their studies. Many students and parents want to know how much practice time that will require. My answer to that is that there is no set time for all of my students. Everyone learns at a different rate. Practice until you have mastery of the material at hand. After a while, you will get to know yourself and how much time to you need to set aside for practice. With that in mind, remember it's no crime to periodically not have your lesson prepared. Come to the scheduled lesson regardless--you'll still learn something (hopefully quite a bit).

DIRECTIONS:

From SanFrancisco: Take the Bay Bridge to Oakland... Take the first offramp 880 South towards San Jose... Take the first exit West Grand Ave...from West Grand go right on Union st., then go one block to 21st street. Soundwave is at 1255 21st. on the corner of union and 21st st., there are auto parts signs all over the building.

From Berkeley and North from 880: When 880 splits to S.F. to the right and 580 Oakland to the left, you stay in the center lane and take 880 South towards San Jose...Take the West Grand Ave. exit...Go left at the light on West Grand...from West Grand go right on Union st., then go one block to 21st street. Soundwave is at 1255 21st. on the corner of union and 21st st., there are auto parts signs all over the building.

From San Leandro and South from 880: When 880 splits off to 980 at Downtown Oakland, you stay to the left on 880 towards San Francisco...Take the 7th St. / West Grand Ave. exit...Go straight through stoplight and go approx 1 mi. along frontage road...Make a right at the next light onto West Grand...from West Grand go right on Union st., then go one block to 21st street. Soundwave is at 1255 21st. on the corner of union and 21st st., there are auto parts signs all over the building.

From Walnut Creek and 24: Take 24 to 980 towards Downtown Oakland...Take the West Grand Ave. exit...Go straight through first stoplight ...Make a right on West Grand Ave... from West Grand go left on Union st., then go one block to 21st street. Soundwave is at 1255 21st. on the corner of union and 21st st., there are auto parts signs all over the building.

From Oakland on 580: Take 580 to 980 towards Downtown Oakland...Take the West Grand Ave. exit...Go straight through first stoplight ...make a right on West Grand Ave... from West Grand go left on Union st., then go one block to 21st street. Soundwave is at 1255 21st. on the corner of union and 21st st., there are auto parts signs all over the building.

From Oakland on city streets: Get onto Grand Ave. or West Grand Ave. from any one of the major cross streets (Broadway, San Pablo Ave., Telegraph Ave., and go west towards the Bay...from West Grand go left on Union st., then go one block to 21st street. Soundwave is at 1255 21st. on the corner of union and 21st st., there are auto parts signs all over the building.

I am always available to answer any questions over the phone. Feel free to call between 9 am and 10 pm. 510.769.6811