Develop the Personal Discipline for Solid Musicianship
Whether you are an advanced player, are just starting out or somewhere in between, we will work on foundational aspects of playing the drumset as we simultaneously advance your individual goals.
There is almost no limit to how many styles, genre’s and sub-genre’s there are at any given time. Certainly far too many to list here. For the drummer, however, there are certain principles common to all of them. Principles that make the music good, first and foremost, and that establish within you the deep capacity to authentically relate, create and play without limits.
At the root of all we do are discipline, listening, control, power, musicality, creativity, solid time, touch, tone and feel, improvisation, soul, technique, culture, a strong understanding of what defines the style or genre, and complete command of the instrument on all levels. There's collaboration, groove, intuition, clarity of ideas and precision.
Learn these, and you can do anything. I can help you with virtually any style of drumming ever imagined, and more importantly, do it in a way that develops your unique voice.
For students at all phases of learning and for virtually any drumming style, the primary focus will be on building a foundation which contributes to musicality. Technique, although a very important part of the focus, is interpreted in support of specific musical goals, not practiced simply for its own sake. This provides an immediate musical context for learning, and engages students in the process.
Technique is often viewed as the primary component of learning the drumset. But there is much more involved in playing this instrument than just the physical aspects. While it is true that playing the drumset involves more of the body than other instruments, it would be a mistake to assume that it takes less of the other parts – experience, intuition, imagination, etc.
As students of the instrument, we absorb the vocabulary; assimilate the phrasing, musicality and culture of 100+ years of American music, and ultimately speak with our own voice.
As we work together, students receive guided information that integrates with and opens a path for their own explorative curiosity.
Students are guided to develop strategies of inquiry for problem-identification and problem-solving.
My students have more autonomy to understand the why and how. Classes are not based on lecturing, and the work does not consist of mindless repetition.
All students are encouraged and expected to be participants in their own progress. In the process of learning, individuals are not vessels to be filled, but are empowered to be directors of their own learning. Students develop self-efficacy – the belief in their own capacity to succeed. They learn good practice habits and develop a personal discipline. All are essential components of strong musicianship.
My objective is to share the wisdom I’ve gained and to guide students in the creation of their own understanding of all aspects of creative music-making. I use empathetic awareness of where students are at every moment to guide them where we want and need to be.
In addition to the infinite small details involved in learning to play the drumset, we learn not to follow but to understand. We see how to relate to music, to culture and how to use scientific principles. We seek to add value in all of life’s situations. And importantly, to nurture the skills for collaborative improvisation – essential skills for music and of immense value in our daily lives.
The emphasis is more on how to think rather than what to think. From this perspective, students develop practical strategies and essential critical thinking skills that can be used in identifying problems and how to solve them in any endeavor.
With problems of the mind and body no longer an obstacle, our cognition is then free to create, relate and innovate.
Students will be fed as much as they are able to consume. In addition to practical aspects directly relating to the drumset, students can discover additional contextual factors related to this uniquely American instrument:
There is almost no limit to how many styles, genre’s and sub-genre’s there are at any given time. Certainly far too many to list here. For the drummer, however, there are certain principles common to all of them. Principles that make the music good, first and foremost, and that establish within you the deep capacity to authentically relate, create and play without limits.
At the root of all we do are discipline, listening, control, power, musicality, creativity, solid time, touch, tone and feel, improvisation, soul, technique, culture, a strong understanding of what defines the style or genre, and complete command of the instrument on all levels. There's collaboration, groove, intuition, clarity of ideas and precision.
Learn these, and you can do anything. I can help you with virtually any style of drumming ever imagined, and more importantly, do it in a way that develops your unique voice.
For students at all phases of learning and for virtually any drumming style, the primary focus will be on building a foundation which contributes to musicality. Technique, although a very important part of the focus, is interpreted in support of specific musical goals, not practiced simply for its own sake. This provides an immediate musical context for learning, and engages students in the process.
Technique is often viewed as the primary component of learning the drumset. But there is much more involved in playing this instrument than just the physical aspects. While it is true that playing the drumset involves more of the body than other instruments, it would be a mistake to assume that it takes less of the other parts – experience, intuition, imagination, etc.
As students of the instrument, we absorb the vocabulary; assimilate the phrasing, musicality and culture of 100+ years of American music, and ultimately speak with our own voice.
As we work together, students receive guided information that integrates with and opens a path for their own explorative curiosity.
Students are guided to develop strategies of inquiry for problem-identification and problem-solving.
My students have more autonomy to understand the why and how. Classes are not based on lecturing, and the work does not consist of mindless repetition.
All students are encouraged and expected to be participants in their own progress. In the process of learning, individuals are not vessels to be filled, but are empowered to be directors of their own learning. Students develop self-efficacy – the belief in their own capacity to succeed. They learn good practice habits and develop a personal discipline. All are essential components of strong musicianship.
My objective is to share the wisdom I’ve gained and to guide students in the creation of their own understanding of all aspects of creative music-making. I use empathetic awareness of where students are at every moment to guide them where we want and need to be.
In addition to the infinite small details involved in learning to play the drumset, we learn not to follow but to understand. We see how to relate to music, to culture and how to use scientific principles. We seek to add value in all of life’s situations. And importantly, to nurture the skills for collaborative improvisation – essential skills for music and of immense value in our daily lives.
The emphasis is more on how to think rather than what to think. From this perspective, students develop practical strategies and essential critical thinking skills that can be used in identifying problems and how to solve them in any endeavor.
With problems of the mind and body no longer an obstacle, our cognition is then free to create, relate and innovate.
Students will be fed as much as they are able to consume. In addition to practical aspects directly relating to the drumset, students can discover additional contextual factors related to this uniquely American instrument:
- History and evolution of the instrument
- Individual musicians and their personal history
- Social and cultural conditions from which the music arises
- Role of the drums in music and in the culture at large
- Improvisation, creativity and tradition
- The diversity of individual and cultural styles
- The acoustic and physical properties of the drumset and cymbals
- How discipline and skills transfer to creating a life of meaning
Copyright © 2023 Brett F. Campbell. All rights reserved. Text or images on this site may not be copied, reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior written consent of the author.
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