Drumming Preparatory School

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) December 29, 2011 -- Drum Lessons - For Beginners to College level performers

Welcome to Gil Graham's Drumming Preparatory School

Conveniently located at the Arlington Center for the Arts, Gil Graham's Drumming Preparatory School provides drum lessons for beginning, high school, and college-bound drumming students in Arlington, Belmont, Concord, Cambridge, Lexington, Medford, Somerville, Wellsley, Wincester, Woburn and other Boston area communities in greater Boston and Middlesex county. Whether you are preparing for the high school orchestra or jazz band or want to study drums and percussion in college, Gil encourages all his students to learn proper stick control regardless of their musical preference whether it is rock, latin, funk or jazz. Semi-private and class instruction are also available.

Learn More Than a Drum Beat--Learn Your Instrument! You Can Do It--It's Up To You!

-Gil

Though Gil is always thrilled to give private drum lessons to anyone interested in the world of percussion, Gil Graham's Drumming Preparatory School (DPS) goes a step further. If you are aiming to major in music at college or are the parent of someone who does, Gil Graham's Drumming Preparatory School will offers a unique combination of private drum lessons and labs geared expressly towards college level performance skills on the drum set.

Drum lessons at Gil Graham's Drumming Preparatory School offer:

A simple, enjoyable, systematic approach for all ages
Hand development
Stick control
Independence
Reading/Sight Reading
A focus on the music you want to learn (eg. funk, jazz, latin, rock, etc.)
And a drummer's most important function... TIME

Gil Graham has over 30 years of teaching experience. For 14 years he was on the faculty of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and also formery on the faculty of the New England Conservatory Extension. He has also written and published a highly praised book, titled Beginning Drum Chart Reading. More...

A few testimonials (More...):

"I was a little rough around the edges when I went in, and I feel more polished now and an overall better player" - Berklee Student
"Gil is the type of teacher who goes straight to the problem and doesn't waste the student's time" - Adult Professional
"Gil was the best introduction to professional drumming I could have wished for. He showed me how to take my drumming to a much higher level"- Berklee Student

"He saw the problem and gave me the tools to easily solve it." - Adult Beginner

Gil Graham was actively involved in the Percussion Department's Required Lab Program, preparing students for a career in music by strengthening their performing skills. The program was a progressive four-course sequence designed to prepare students for required percussion examinations and to increase their ability to participate in a wide range of ensembles.

Drum Lab One:
overall hand development and stick control, including basic grip and sticking techniques, rolls, ruffs, flams

snare drum reading, including dynamics, accents, sticking, and simple embellishments in orchestral and rudimental styles
materials included Stick Control (George Stone), Syncopation (Ted Reed), and Musical Studies for the Intermediate Snare Drummer (Garwood Whaley)
Drum Lab Two:
development of drum set time playing and improvisational skills
basic knowledge of swing and bossa nova time feels
reading basic drum charts and lead sheets
more advanced snare drum techniques and reading studies
"music minus one" recordings Voyage (Stan Getz, Kenny Barron, Brian Torff), Blues Alley Jazz (George Shearing, Brian Torff), Chops (Joe Pass, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen)

materials included Modern Reading Text in 4/4 (Gil Brines, Louis Belson), Syncopation (Ted Reed), and Musical Studies for the Intermediate Snare Drummer (Garwood Whaley)
Drum Lab Three:
basic knowledge of waltz and samba time feels
more advanced independence, coordination, and chart-reading skills
brush technique on medium tempo 4/4 swing
reading basic drum charts and lead sheets
"music minus one" recordings Jazz Drumming (Billy Hart) and Jazz Lead Sheets (Dave Weigart)
materials included Modern Reading Text in 4/4 (Gil Brines, Louis Belson) and Syncopation (Ted Reed)
Drum Lab Four:
intermediate drum chart reading in small and large ensembles with swing, bossa, funk and samba feels

form, figures, and the importance of good time
"music minus one" recordings Etudes and Lead Sheets (Dave Weigart)
materials included Beginning Drum Chart Reading (Gil Graham)

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