Doing Music Lessons

Doing it and Doing it and Doing it well!
John has been a great and inspiring teacher. He is very patient and and also listens, which I feel is very important for a teacher. He tailors each lesson so he doesn’t teach in a generic way. John has even completely changed his teaching approach, on the spot, when he noticed that I am having difficulty grasping a technique.
John has also lead and encouraged me to take lessons with new teachers and look for music in new things. He is not selfish and truly has your needs and wants for music at the forefront. He has helped me take my love for music to the next level and for that I am forever grateful.
If you have the opportunity to take lessons with John, DO IT!

Highly recommended.
John showed me a strong basic foundation in playing the drum set, which was completely new to me. He was willing to let me record lessons on video, which was extremely helpful.
To show how versatile he is, John also taught me complex Afro-​Cuban rhythms by making recordings using Loopy HD so that I could practice at home. He was willing to let me record lessons on video, which was extremely helpful.
When I was unable to attend the student recital, he went the extra mile, setting up rehearsals with a guitar player so that we could jam together while he recorded the whole thing.
When he left Brooklyn, I started lessons with another teacher. Now I realize how much difference a dedicated, organized approach can make. John, please come back to Brooklyn!

I was pretty new to drumming when I first started taking lessons from John, and I could barely play a simple backbeat. Long story short — within 6 months I was playing my first show!
I was looking for a teacher with both rock/​jazz and classical background, so John fit the bill perfectly. He also knows a lot about Latin American percussion and other styles from around the world, and has a great understanding of how these different styles relate to each other and the various techniques which can be applied.
During the first few lessons, we discussed my background and aims, and came up with a solid plan for how I should proceed. John’s broad experience was really helpful for this process. I had been playing guitar and piano for many years before I started on drums, so I already had a decent grounding in musicality and theory. We therefore focussed mainly on technique during lessons. John has a real gift for explaining things in an easily understandable way, as well as going into detail when required. Whenever I had trouble with a particular technique, John’s advice would help me overcome it. He is also very helpful in suggesting suitable exercises and repertoire. John also provides a private blog containing lesson notes and useful links, and he was also happy for me to record lessons, which I found very useful. With John’s help, I was able to progress pretty quickly, and after 6 months I started playing in a band with some friends, which has been awesome fun.
John is super friendly and engaging, and this makes lessons with him great fun. As well as being a fantastic drummer, it is clear that he really cares about the quality of his lessons, and about his students. I’m sure he would make a great teacher for students of all ability/​background. John, you rock! Thanks!

Having never played drums prior, John has given me a great foundation.
Within a couple of weeks I’ve learned good technic practices, from how to sit and hit the drums properly, to learning how to count and read notes.
Each class is varied to what you want work on. John is super talented and well versed in explaining things in a way that makes sense for newbies like me. I liked that we would jam out together, which was not only fun, but helpful for me. He is also tech savvy, which makes it great for when you are practicing alone. By recording parts of sessions when needed, and using and blog to help keep you focused and on track.
You rule John :) Many thanks!

In my drumming experience, I’ve had three teachers to date (two of which are named John, but that’s beside the point). Anyways, I have been taught in various styles by all three, but none ever asked me to play what I was feeling or just go for it, like John did.
I am really good at hearing/​seeing a beat and then imitating it exactly as follows -(thanks NYU for training my brain to do this with your rigid theory). But John pushed me outside of my comfort zone by making me play a beat and then connecting it with what I thought would sound good.
He is always eager to jam with whatever style I like, just using his teaching methods. He’s really hands on with the methods as well, so that is helpful.
Also, since our lessons have been really spaced out, he always records voice memos detailing what we learned so that I can practice on my own without feeling lost! These are worth the lessons (and jam time) alone.
Thanks, John!