Lessons

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 was honored to be recently selected as the "Featured Teacher" for  SEN (Sabian Education Network), an educational forum for drummers & drum teachers!


Scheduling - Cost - Policies

Scheduling

Current available lesson days (any format):

  • Monday: 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. 



Make-up dates or special requests are dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

 

Cost

 

  • $25 per 30-minutes of instruction (in-person or remote)
  • Weekly & Bi-weekly lessons to be paid in full at beginning of the month [amount depends on how many lessons in 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, unless due to severe weather. If a student gets sick on the day of a lesson, one unscheduled cancellation (per semester) will be allowed without charge. The missed lesson will be credited to the next month's lesson payment.
  • Lessons cancelled by the student at least a day in advance will be rescheduled or credited to the next month. If the cancelled lesson cannot be rescheduled within the next 4 weeks, the lesson will be charged.
  • If Peggy has to cancel, the lesson will either be rescheduled or credited.

 



Lesson Materials

Technique/Reading/Drumset Books

The main instructional books Peggy uses are shown below. If the student has existing materials, Peggy will try to work with them if she feels they are ability-appropriate, but usually some books have to be purchased.  The books shown below can be purchased at local music stores, or online. When the student has finished these books, Peggy will recommend other advanced study books. 

Stick Control
by George Lawrence Stone
Alfred's Beginning Drumset Method
by Sandy Feldstein & Dave Black
One of the below books is normally used, not both:
Alfred's Snare Drum Method, Book 1
by Sandy Feldstein & Dave Black
Breeze Easy Method 1 - Snare Drum

Lesson Notes

Peggy always provides the student with lesson notes taken during their lesson; these notes consist of their book assignments, written exercises, or other information. There are 2 options for lesson notes:

  • (preferred) Taken on an electronic tablet, with a pdf printout (usually only a single page) of the notes put into the student's online folder after their lesson. The student or their parents should print out a copy of this pdf and store it in a 3-ring binder. They do not need to bring this binder to lessons. More advanced students may want to skip the paper printout and view their notes on a tablet or computer.
  • Written in a spiral notebook. This should be a typical notebook-paper size, with the spiral on the left (not the top). An easy, inexpensive, and environmentally responsible way to provide a spiral binder is to use one previously used for a school class. Usually there are quite a few blank pages left after the class notes are removed.



For Home Practice

There are a few items Peggy believes the student should have at home. 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
  • "Sound-Off" mute pads for the toms/cymbals of a drumset (or old towels that can be thrown over the drums for muffling)
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