Cory J.

Students can expect to learn the fundamentals of their preferred genre based on THEIR preferences and specifically catered to where THEY want to go. We will figure a direction, find some common ground to lay the groundwork for core concepts, then begin to expand while minding technique. Then when a solid grasp on the aural, intellectual, visual, and kinetic elements of what we’re learning are comfortable, we will go back and focus on the intellectual aspect of what makes the piece interesting and focus on explaining what’s going on to really cement an understanding and appreciation for what the lesson is teaching.

For drum lessons, students can expect to learn how to learn the core concepts of what is most important about being a professional and highly regarded drummer. As a working professional drummer, the experience I have to offer in terms of technical ability as well as when to use that technical ability was a trial and error process that took me years to balance. Learning it as you’re putting the pieces of your style together is essential to building competency as a drummer. Drum students can expect to learn challenging rudiments that are applicable to their favorite songs as well as to the rest of the kit. The greatest asset in any drummers arsenal is how to do a lot with a little, so exploring what that means to a drummer as well as creating good playing habits in terms of technique, stamina, posture, and exploration of dynamic.

Song writing is the hallmark of my musical capabilities. Students will learn how to step back and see the bigger picture in terms of making a composition come to life and audiating how each section will tie into one another in order to better serve the emotion they are trying to express. Students can expect to write songs, like A LOT of songs. We’ll explore lyrical cadences, melody and appropriate use of melisma, working with other musicians, how to use alternative time signatures and modulate meter to drive certain concepts, and how to make it all come full circle.

Writing a song is one of the easy parts, RECORDING that song is a whole other sport. Students can expect to learn about the science of acoustics, microphone placement, finding the right DAW digital audio workshop for them, recording tactics, and how to record other artists as well as themselves. Once they’ve learned how to get a good wave form coming in, they’ll learn how to balance tracks and space while adding supporting atmosphere and textures by use of compression, reverb, and phasing. If they already know how to make the music, they will learn how to make their music SHINE.