Hello and welcome to Raleigh Drum Lessons! My name is Todd Proctor and I am so excited that you are interested in learning how to play an instrument. Studies have shown that learning how to play an instrument has positive effects on the brain and on a individual’s ability to learn. Formal training in music is associated with other cognitive strengths such as remembering verbal information, improved spacial-temporal skills, and increased IQ.
“Magnetic resonance imaging has shown that the left planum temporale region of the brain is larger in musicians than in non-musicians”
Schlaug, G., Jaencke, L., Huang, Y. & Steinmetz, H. Science 03 Feb 1995:
Vol. 267, Issue 5198, pp. 699-701
DOI: 10.1126/science.7839149
My teaching concepts are cutting edge for the beginner to the advanced Hobbyist. I have had success teaching students as young as three years old to adult students well in to their 70’s. Aside from being comfortable behind the drum set, I have studied and play various membranophones (hand drums) in their respected styles. These include the bongos (Afro-Cuban), congas (Caribbean), djembe (West Africa), doumbek/darbak (Middle-East) and cajon (Peru). Additionally, my classical training prepared me to become proficient on all idiophones (pitched percussion instruments). These include marimba, vibraphone, bells, and xylophone.
All drum students will learn how to read music notation, count out loud, play to the metronome, have command of the 26 essential rudiments, learn what good hand technique looks and feels like, and analyze music utilizing the ability to extract, copy, and recreate a drum part from prerecorded music. Once the student has grasped the fundamentals of the drum set he/she will learn style awareness by understanding how the drums function and serve the music in different genres. Advanced students will use visualization to accomplish complex patterns that require a great deal of multi-limbed independence. Please consult the visualization page for a more in-depth explanation of how this technique is used and how efficient it is when learning something new.
