Fenland Drumming School

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BECOME THE DRUMMER YOU DESERVE TO BEFDSlogo

matt@fenlanddrummingschool.co.uk

  • Complete beginner?
  • Tried on your own but now need guidance to progress further?
  • Want to take grades but need appropriate direction?
  • Tried before and gave up?
  • Have convinced yourself you don’t have co-ordination?
  • Think you are too young or old?
  • Need confidence that the teacher is up to standard?

Consider a teacher who can help remove these issues and doubts.  At one time or other, we have all experienced doubts about our abilities or potential.  I have 15 years teaching experience and 38 as a musician.  I have studied the drums for many years, learning from multiple outlets, and certainly learning by making mistakes. I can help you believe in yourself and focus on the drummer YOU can be rather than making comparisons.

If you would like any of our books, the beginners book is available free as a pdf and the theory and essentials and technique books are available for 5 pounds each.For the beginners book all we need is your email address.

A dedicated and effective drum teacher is better because…..

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Self Teaching

Whilst it isn’t impossible to teach yourself, especially if in the right circumstances more often that not you will find your self teaching will lack direction and certainly feedback.  With the popularity of the the likes of Youtube many will see this as a reaplcement for a teacher.  I think it contains some excellent lessons, examples and inspiration but this can only benefit you as an additional resource. 

The problem with teaching oneself via Youtube, books or DVDs in isolation is the lack of feedback. How can you be sure that you fully understand what you’ve learned and can integrate and apply it in your own music unless you have an ongoing dialogue with the tutor? 

Work with a ‘Good’ drum tutor

The problem with picking up bits and pieces of drumming technique here and there from friends, the Internet or other media is that it often leads to the situation of trying to run before you can walk. You will get where you want to go faster if you learn things in the with structure ensuring you have a solid foundation, and an experienced drum teacher can show you this.

How do you ask a DVD or a book to explain in detail something that’s confusing you? Can you ask the guy you’re watching on Youtube to slow down and show you exactly what he’s doing? This is one of the main benefits of having a live teacher in the room with you. 

Studying for an hour a week won’t by itself make you a better drummer though. It’s how you spend the time between lessons that really counts, and this is where a good teacher makes all the difference. If you know what to practice, and for how often, you cannot fail to improve.

Dvds and books are an excellent resource but just be careful not to waste money on a book that will not be effective. There is so much (mis)information around these days that it can be very hard to know what you should be doing to move forward, whilst avoiding the many trial-and-error pitfalls which could actually slow your progress or worse still, put you off drumming for life. A good teacher will deliver exactly the information you need, when you need it.

  • Learn things with structure.
  • Get instant feedback on your drumming in real time.
  • Stay motivated and inspired.
  • Learn how to practice effectively.
  • Save TIME and MONEY!
 Why learn at Fenland Drumming School?
  • You will received personalised instruction during classes, tailored to your specific goals and directing you towards achieving them in the shortest time.
  • You will learn buy playing with your tutor (who can also play bass guitar for your to interact with
  • You will be instructed on how to use both new and existing skills to become a better and more confident musician.
  • You will learn how playing techniques are applied by professional musicians.
  • You will learn how to become more creative using what you already know. Use your foundation and build your own parts.  
  • You will learn the most effective ways to practise, ensuring you get more value out of practising, learning faster and having more fun playing.

Contact me NOW to find out how to become a better Drummer!

Learn your favourite songs

Write your own music

Learn how to play with other musicians

Discover how to learn music by ear

Play with more feeling

Learn how music works

BEWARE!!  – Poor Teachers

After self-teaching, the worst road to learning drums is taking lessons from a well-meaning but ineffectual friend or family member, or worse… an ineffective “professional” teacher. This can end up causing more frustration and take you even longer to progress. I have taken on students from time to time who have told me horror stories about their previous teachers. Maybe you too have experienced this?

  • Teachers who spend each lesson showing off and playing for their own amusement?
  • Teachers who spend more time talking about themselves and their band than they do about you?
  • Being taught stuff you are never shown how to actually use?
  • A teacher with limited experience, decication, understanding of the grade system and abilty to demonstrate it (in any syllabus). Having a drumkit and wanting to make a fast buck does not make one a great teacher!
  • Random, unstructured teaching with no indication of a plan to take you where you want to go with your music?

Not only is this behaviour damaging to the student’s progress, in some cases it drives the student into quitting altogether.

Be wary of choosing a teacher based purely on his/her location and/or price, since it may cost you more money in the long run and take you longer to reach your goals than investing a little more in a quality, experienced educator and hopping in the car for a little longer.

Musical Lessons In School

Whilst it may seem that music lessons offered in school are more convenient and cost-effective than arranging private music tuition for your child, remember although the teacher may be great, the flaws in this are hard to ignore.  Group lessons are sometimes forced upon a child in which you can never guarantee you are learning at the same rate or are the same level. This is even more critical if your lessons are 20mins or less. Lessons in school are only in term time. Also the equipment and other resources are often severely limited.  

Poor Study Environment

Another reason for students not making effective progress is practicing in a less than ideal environment. This is why do not offer mobile lessons.  For a student to learn effectively, there should be no distractions such as TV, young children or pets playing nearby, or other potential disturbances. Therefore, studying at a designated premises set up for the task is far better for concentrated learning than doing so in your own home, unless you can be sure of having privacy and time to yourself.

Proud day

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Hi everyone. It’s impossible for me not to blurt out to the world how proud I am as a drum teacher right now. We have just received the pinnacle of academic achievement I have ever seen in my 14 years of teaching.    For some years now I have been teaching a young lad called Charlie Westbrook.  He is the perfect example of what can be achieved with the right level of commitment, enthusiasm and love for music.  So anyway, this young man just took his Grade 8 in Drumkit (Trinity Guildhall syllabus) and received a result of a pass of 99%!!   Knowing how tough the marking and scrutiny is under Trinity Guildhall and the requirements at this level and versatility required compared to rock syllabus’, this is an incredible achievement.  And it doesn’t stop there. He’s hungry for more.

FREE FIRST LESSON – TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!

Fentronix Free offer , , , , ,

We are currently running a promotion.   Come and have a trial drum lesson for free to see what its all about.   I guarantee everyone without fail is surprised about something when they come to learn drums, whether it be something simple like, yes you can read music.

So come along, have a try and see what its all about.  Drumming can be such a rewarding interest or hobby, a great way to forget about the day to day stresses, and can even be good for fitness.

What other sources of inspiration are there?

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I believe the best musicians draw on as many sources as possible.

Growing up, like many, I was kind of fixated on one particular genre. Through lessons, I vastly expanded these influences.   Your influences are musical influences and also drummers that can inspire you.  These days access is so much easier than when I started, and yet it is vastly underused.

For drummers, find out what drummers are in bands you like and also seek out names in drumming.  Look up biogs on them and find videos on youtube.  For the more educational types you will find videos on youtube and also a wide selection of books and videos are available through Hudson music.   Watch concert footage too. Learn not only how the music sounds but how the music looks too.

Musically you should explore a number of different genre.  Look up bands from each genre you discover and look out for genre specific radio shows.

The list goes on, but the wealth of knowledge available is incredible.  Its just that many drummers don’t explore these things.  You can never copy or be a particular drummer but if you can borrow from them the you that results can only be a good thing.