Jakub B.

In the first few weeks, students will learn the parts of the drumset, how to sit properly, and how to hold the sticks using matched grip. They'll start with basic stroke technique by supplementing rudiments. They will be introduced to simple quarter-note rock beats, playing the bass drum on beats 1 and 3 and the snare on 2 and 4, with eighth notes on the hi-hat. Basic rhythm reading, including quarter notes and rests, will also be introduced. As they progress, students will develop coordination between hands and feet, working on grooves with varied bass drum patterns and simple drum fills. They'll begin to understand musical structure and dynamics, and expand their reading to include eighth notes and more complex rhythms. Next, students will explore different styles such as funk, pop, and Latin grooves, and start incorporating sixteenth-note and triplet patterns. They'll practice playing to a metronome or backing tracks to improve timing and feel. In the final stage, the focus will be on musicality and expression. Students will learn to play full songs, create their own fills, and understand song form. They’ll also begin improvising within grooves and developing their own musical ideas. Throughout, rudiments and listening exercises will support their growth as well-rounded drummers

At the advanced level, students will refine their technique, creativity, and musical voice. Lessons will focus on mastering complex rudiments and hybrid sticking patterns, applying them to grooves, fills, solos, and phrasing. Four-way independence will be developed in depth, including advanced coordination between limbs in styles such as jazz, Afro-Cuban, funk, and odd meters like 7/8, 9/8, and beyond. Students will study groove interpretation across multiple genres, focusing on feel, articulation, and dynamics. Jazz drumming will include comping, brushwork, and soloing over form. Advanced reading will cover full drum charts, transcriptions, and sight-reading in various time signatures. Creativity will be emphasized through solo construction, thematic development, and improvisation. Students will transcribe professional drummers, create original grooves, and record their own playing for critique. Play-alongs and ensemble-style exercises will prepare them for real-world performance, studio, and live settings.

Intermediate students will focus on improving technique, coordination, and musicality. Lessons will include more advanced rudiments like flams, drags, and paradiddle variations, applied to both grooves and fills. Coordination will be developed through four-limb independence, ghost notes, syncopated bass drum patterns, and dynamic hi-hat control. Students will explore a variety of styles, including funk, shuffle, jazz, reggae, and Latin, as well as basic odd meters like 5/4 and 7/8. Reading skills will advance to include sixteenth notes, triplets, syncopation, and basic drum charts. Fills will become more creative, using rudimental and linear ideas around the kit. Students will work on improvisation, musical phrasing, and playing full songs with confidence. Regular play-alongs, basic transcriptions, and listening exercises will strengthen timing, groove, and stylistic versatility.