Lessons
Peggy teaches students of all levels, both children and adults, with the focus on drumset and snare drum. Students are expected to take their lessons seriously and work to the best of their abilities.
Study material consists of technique books, hand-written exercises, solo materials, 'play-along' recordings, and special techniques (such as brush playing) - the exact mix is determined by student ability. A structured lesson framework consisting of 3 or 4 study materials allows accomplishment of goals more quickly and easily, as many of the exercises and techniques "cross-pollinate" one other. For any particular lesson, however, immediate concerns such as a jazz band chart, competition solo, etc., may be the entire focus of the lesson.
Lessons are conducted in 3 formats: In-Person / Remote / Hybrid. Remote lessons are LIVE, INTERACTIVE, & SYNCHRONOUS - they are not pre-recorded educational content. Zoom is the communication platform. Each of the 3 formats is described below.
For all lessons, any format:
- Lessons are recorded on video (mp4 format).
- Students get a private online folder (via a shared link) for lesson video recordings and other materials as needed. Remote students have their PDF lesson notes placed here.
- Students have access to a shared StudentCommon folder that contains additional educational resources.
If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Peggy at
lessons@pegdrums.com or fill out the contact sheet on the bottom of the
Contact Info page.
Peggy has previously been selected
as the "Featured Teacher" for
SEN (Sabian Education Network),
an educational forum for
drummers & drum teachers!
Scheduling
Current available lesson days (any format):
- Tuesday: Afternoons & evenings
- Wednesday: Afternoons & evenings
- Saturday: Mornings
Lessons are scheduled as described below:
- Weekly: ½-hr or 1-hr lesson in a specific time slot once per week
- Best for beginners and school-age students
- Bi-weekly: 1-hour lesson in a specific time slot every other week
- Best for high school or advanced students who want regular lessons but have temporary school/family conflicts
- Monthly: 1-hour lesson approx. once a month
- Only for advanced students who have to work around family or job commitments
- Single Lessons ("1-off"): A single lesson consists of a 1 or 2 -hour session designed to work on a specific problem area (technique, brushes, chart reading, etc.). This type of lesson is scheduled at a mutually convenient time; the student can use materials they already have or start fresh in a book recommended by Peggy.
- Ideal for college students or adult drummers
- Home Visit: Peggy will do a drumset setup at the student's house, and it may also include a lesson. Setting up a drumset can be overwhelming for a beginner and their parents, so this service alleviates that and makes sure things are done correctly. This is also useful for more advanced students who need their drums 'tweeked' a bit before a competition, or who want to learn how to quickly set-up and tear-down their kit. There is a 2-hour minimum charge and an additional travel fee; this type of lesson is scheduled at a mutually convenient time.
Cost
- Feb thru June (Spring Session) & Sep thru Dec (Fall Session) are a flat-rate of $100 per month, no matter if there's 3, 4, or 5 lessons in a month. The total number of lessons in each session adds up to what you're paying, but it's distributed more evenly.
- Jan, July, Aug (Flex-month sessions) are $25 per lesson and scheduled individually.
- 1-Off or Monthly lessons are 1-hour minimum, at a rate of $50 for the hour, and $25 per additional 30-minutes.
- Lessons to be paid in full at beginning of the month
- Payment types accepted: Cash / Paypal / Venmo / Check / Credit Card
Policies
- Lessons missed outright are charged
- Lessons cancelled by the student with less than 24 hours notice are charged. This includes cancellation due to sickness, lack of transportation, school events, etc. If the cancellation is due to lack of transport (or if the student isn't too sick), we can do a remote lesson in the same time slot.
- Lessons cancelled by the student at least a week in advance will be rescheduled (if possible) or credited to the next month. If the cancelled lesson cannot be rescheduled, the lesson will be charged.
- If Peggy has to cancel, the lesson will either be rescheduled or credited.
Lesson Materials
The main instructional books Peggy uses are shown below. Lesson books are available directly from Peggy and should be purchased from her, unless the student already has the correct version of that particular book. If the student has other existing materials, Peggy will try to work with them if she feels they are ability-appropriate, but usually some books have to be purchased. When the student has finished these books, more advanced study books are also available.
Lesson Notes
Peggy provides the student with lesson notes taken during their lesson; these notes consist of their book assignments, written exercises, or other information.
These notes are taken on an electronic tablet, and a pdf (usually only a single page) of the lesson notes put into the student's online folder after their lesson. Peggy also provides the student with a 3-ring binder; the student or their parents should print out a copy of the lesson notes and store it in the binder. They should bring this binder, along with their books, to lessons. Peggy also provides copies of specific exercises (in a page protector) that should remain in the binder as well.
For Home Practice
There are a few items the student should have at home to get the most out of their lessons. These items are also available at local music stores or online.
- Electronic metronome (not the thin LCD-screen type ones) with an adjustable dial
- Snare drum pad, "Billy Gladstone" type is preferred but may not be available.
- "Sound-Off" mute pads for the toms/cymbals of a drumset (or old towels that can be thrown over the drums for muffling)
