Private Instruction
University City & Greater STL
Since 2007 I’ve taught drum lessons to students in music academies, homes and in my private studio. I consider it a great privilege to have helped so many people to have become great players. Please read my thoughts and perspectives on teaching below as well as testimonies from my students. I hope it provides an insight on how I conduct my lessons and gives an idea how I might help your drumming.
For a free trial lesson reach me at 857-540-1622 or bendickemusic@gmail.com
“Studying with Ben was a fun, relaxing, and a thoroughly enjoyable experience. We always progressed at a pace that I was comfortable with. If I was having issues grasping a particular concept, we would take our time and work through it successfully, and stress free.”
General Lesson Topics
Basics
For those completely new to drumming the basics of hand technique, rhythms, and grooves will be covered. By practicing weekly assignments you’ll be able to expand on these areas and get creative. After the first milestone of playing though medium tempo songs is met, we’ll dig deeper. Again these lessons are designed around your pace, strengths and interests.
Time & Pulse
Do you ever get lost when playing fills, odd meters or taking open solo? Do you have a hard time ‘hearing’ certain rhythms and feel that things fall apart when trying something new? Problems like this arise from having a weak internal pulse and orientation of subdivisions. It’s also proof that strong mental ability is the foundation and not just chops. I have a few methods that will improve your awareness of accuracy and time, boosting your confidence along the way.
Hand techniques
I teach a technique that emphasizes the proper use of the fingers, hands and arms in tandem with a fluid and consistent stroke motion. The aim here is to have control over the entire stroke in a calculated and relaxed way. By using this method the issues of tension, coordination, and endurance, can be solved.
Coordinative
Movement
Performing certain fills around the kit or figures in a groove can be challenging, even if they seem simple on paper. By breaking down the act of drumming to its simplest elements (limbs moving separately or together) we'll focus on how your body moves and releases tension as it plays through awkward trouble spots.
Your ability to focus in the practice room and on stage is your most important asset. Many drummers tend to let their mind wander when material gets tough, wasting time and stifling improvement as a result. While some traditional methods can be practiced mindlessly, I have many exercises designed to get your head in the game. Your concentration, ability to 'hear’ what you play, and overall confidence behind the kit will be improved.
Focus
There are many frustrated drummers who feel that snare rudiments are boring to learn, hard to master and seem out of step with what they would normally play. They tend to be practiced as exercises rather than applied musically. I have developed a method that threads rudiments tastefully into soloing and grooves.
Rudiments
The mentality behind playing grooves requires an consistent feel and tight sound. I cover methods of developing grooves with these things in mind with along with thoughtful phrasing to be applied in many situations.
Grooves
I come from a jazz background. There’s a whole ocean of vocabulary and skill to be gained by taking a dive into it. It’s not a “beat” or a style of drumming to me, but rather an expansive musical language. Time playing, ride phrasing, comping, soloing etc will be covered. Regardless of what we're working on though, these lessons embrace the creativity and conversational nature that jazz drumming embodies.
Jazz Drumming
There’s a tendency to treat soloing as a way to show off chops and fast licks. This might be dazzling in the beginning but in the end doesn’t say much. I use improvisatory syncopated phrasing with rudimental embellishments as a basis for soloing. Instead of playing memorized licks combinations, your soloing will be made up of original communicative ideas. With this soloing approach, your playing will remain honest and meaningful.
Soloing
Practicing
I’ve had the privilege to study with teachers who’ve encouraged me to undertake my practice as a creative venture. As a student of the instrument I'm always curious about drumming approaches, techniques and methods. As a teacher I feel grateful contribute to this field through the work I do as a teacher and performer. I hope to inspire the same in you.
Lessons payments are due at the beginning of a monthly (4 lessons weekly) or a bi monthly (2 lessons every other week) cycle. I accept check, cash and digital transfer.
If you can’t make a lesson you may reschedule it along as you contact me before the 24hr window of the lesson time. If a student is a "no show” and/or if a student cancels within 24 hours of the lesson time it will considered a forfeited lesson and you will be charged for the time. Bad weather, or unforeseen circumstances may be considered as an exception as long as you contact ASAP.
If I cannot make a lesson time I will contact you as soon as I can to reschedule.
