In-Home & Online Drum Lessons
CARLSBAD . ENCINITAS . RANCHO SANTA FE . DEL MAR
SOLANA BEACH . SAN MARCOS
In-Home Drum Lessons
Fine Tune Students have had their Music featured on Radio, TV, iTunes, Spotify and Major Motion Pictures.
The Fine Tune Academy has been providing Drum Lessons and Musicians Services in North County San Diego since 2003. We set ourselves apart with a multimedia curriculum taught by a dedicated faculty of experienced working musicians.
Drums are a fantastic first instrument. All music has Rhythm, drummers are Rhythm specialists. Drum students can quickly learn the basic beats and fills they need to play with other musicians. Drum students will build on these basic skills while learning about their equipment, song arrangments and their role within a band. Students as young as 5 years old can learn to play the Drums
In-Home Drum lessons allow students to learn in a comfortable low-stress environment on the Drum Kit they use every day. Parents love In-Home Drum lessons also! Say goodbye to loading gear, traffic, gas prices, and waiting rooms with the convenience of Drum Lessons in your home. Numerous studies available show children who play an instrument, score higher on both standard and spatial cognitive development tests alike.
Our drum course allows students to advance quickly on their path to becoming a confident musician with a detailed understanding of Music Theory, Music History, Recording Arts, Stage Craft and Songwriting.
We offer many events for students including Shows, Field Trips and Workshops.
Why Play Drums?
FUN
Playing an instrument is an excellent source of pleasure and fulfillment. Solo practice and playing with others can provide a deep sense of satisfaction.
Music is great for social gatherings and family time. A creative alternative to Computer Games and TV Shows.
Learning an instrument will allow you to listen to music with greater enjoyment and appreciation. Since you will learn how songs are put together, your listening ability will become more refined. You will start to hear and notice more distinct details in the music that you listen to. Songs that you have been listening to for years will seem richer as you hear nuances that you have never noticed before. You may also start to enjoy songs from other genres of music that you would normally never listen to.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Practicing an instrument is often compared to meditation. Many people feel refreshed and relaxed after a 30 minute practice session.
Performing well for an eager crowd is a great feeling. Managing stress and performing under pressure are valuable skills that students carry with them for life.
TIME MANAGEMENT
Practice is key to a Musicians success. Making time to practice and spending your time practicing efficiently are skills that can be applied to all aspects of Life.
New students receive our “How to Practice” E book detailing ways to encourage fun, productive, practice.
COORDINATION & MENTAL DEXTERITY
There are numerous studies showing the relationship between Music Lessons and enhanced cognitive skills.
People who learn an instrument, especially children, enjoy significant improvements in Memory, Math and Conceptual Thinking.
DRUMS
One of the first things human baby’s respond too is rhythm. Baby’s will often spontaneously wiggle in time to music they like, studies have found that even newborn baby’s brains can detect missing beats in a piece of music.
Early Drums have been found all over the world, some as old as 6000 years old.
Drums are an integral part of many cultures worldwide. In the west African language of Bamana, the word Djembe means “Gather Together”. African cultures believe the Djembe drum contains the spirits of the Tree and Animal it was made from. In Native American Culture, the Drum beat is thought to represent the pulse of the planet.
While the definition of a drum requires a shell with a vibrating membrane, there is no doubt that early humans were clapping and banging on logs long before recorded history.
University of Oxford researchers discovered that when drummers play together, both their happiness levels and pain tolerance increase, similar to Olympic runners. Observing these benefits, researchers believe that drumming is integral to community-building and the evolution of human society.
In studies on the effects of rhythm on brains, researchers showed that experiencing a steady rhythm actually improves cognitive function. One psychology professor at the University of Washington used rhythmic light and sound therapy on his students and discovered that their grades improved.
EXERCISE
Drumming requires constant use of all four limbs leading to a great cardio workout. Playing along with your favorite tunes or rehearsing with a band can burn hundreds of Calories per hour.
In a rock concert a drummers heart rate and energy use can equal an athlete running a 10k or a professional Football player in a Super Bowl.
There are even workouts designed for drummers.
For Younger Students
Drums can be learned from an early age, students as young as 3 years old can make progress on a small size Drum Kit.
Drums allow a musician to concentrate on Tempo, Coordination, Rhythm & Arrangements without the extra complication of Scales or Chords.
Drums are a great way for younger students to enjoy music and use up some youthful energy.
Drums History
HISTORY
Percussion instruments have been used since prehistoric times. The earliest drums consisted of fish or reptile skin stretched over hollow tree trunks that were struck with the hands.
Snare drums and Bass Drums and Cymbals have existed for hundreds of years. In traditional orchestras, these instruments were played by individual groups of Snare Drummers, Bass Drummers, and Percussion specialists. In the late 1800s, these instruments were being used by smaller groups, notably Jazz musicians and Theater Musicians who adapted drums to being played by a single musician who could fit on a smaller stage.“Doubling” or playing more than one drum at a time required using every limb. Many contraptions where devised to strike Drums and Cymbals with pedals and levers.
The Modern Drum kit we all recognize was brought to life with two inventions.
Bass/Kick Pedal
The Ludwig Drum Company. William F. Ludwig and his brother Theobald applied for and were granted a patent for an improved version of the Bass Drum Pedal in 1909. While various designs of foot operated pedals had been around for more then 100 years, the Ludwig pedal set the standard with their adjustable, reliable all Metal Kick Pedal.
Hi Hat Stand/Pedal
It was not until the modern Hi Hat was developed in 1926 by Barney Walberg that Hi Hat became a must have item. By the time players like Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa were seen on the big screen playing their full Drum Sets, Drummers were cool and everyone wanted a modern drum Set.
This recent history makes the modern drummer a relative new comer to the music scene.
Compare this to the birthdate of other popular instruments.
- Saxophone 1840
- Guitar 1840
- Trumpet 1818
- Piano 1780
- Violin 1530
How Much Do Drums Cost?
Purchase
Most drum kits do not come complete, major items are sold separately.
- Shells – The shells are the drums themselves. Normally Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Rack Tom/s, Floor Tom. Shells are normally made from wood.
- Cymbals – Most drummers will have a pair of Hi Hat Cymbals, Two Crash Cymbals of slightly different sizes and a Ride Cymbal. A set of good Cymbals can cost as much as the Shells.
- Hardware – This refers to stands and anything that’s not a Cymbal or a Shell. Clever Engineering and Ruggedness are signs of quality drum hardware. If its big, heavy and made from metal, its probably good.
- Bass Pedal – Drummers get very attached to how their Bass pedal feels and sounds. Many Drummers will buy their Bass pedal separately from the rest of the kit.
- Snare – Many drummers consider the snare drum to be the most important drum. Drummers will often buy a specific size or style of Snare drum to suit their style and preference.
- Cases – Most Drums do not come with cases. If you are moving drums from home to rehearsals or shows, cases are common.
A medium Quality drum Kit complete with Cymbals, Hardware, Bass Pedal, and Throne can easily cost $1500.
Pro level kits are often $3000-$7000.
USED
Decent quality used kits complete with Shells, Cymbals and Hardware are generally available starting at $600+.
Practice Pads
One of the major hurdles young drummers encounter is finding practice space that doesn’t bother family or neighbors. One option is to practice with drum practice pads, which are small and lightweight and simulate the feel and bounce of a real drum without the loud noise.
Many drummers will start by buying a practice pad on a stand and a pair of sticks. With these items you can start practicing the rudiments of drumming ready for your first Drum Set.
Practice pads start at $20.
Electronic Drums
Electronic drums are excellent for lessons and practice. They allow a drummer to play a whole drum kit, including cymbals while listening with headphones — and without annoying the neighbors.
Electronic Drums open the door to many creative possibilities including sounding like other instruments, sequencing, and easy recording.
Beginner electronic drum sets start at $400.
Sticks
Modern drummers use drum sticks. Drum sticks are generally made from wood and are sold in different sizes.
Drum Sticks are labeled with a number and a letter.
The number represents the circumference of the stick. A larger number means a thinner drumstick. 7 is thinner, 2 is thicker.
The Letter represents what job the stick is intended for.
B=Band, A=Orchestra, S=Street.
The most popular size of drum stick is 5A
Most pairs of drum sticks cost $5-10.
Fun Facts About Drums
FUN FACTS
Louis Bellson was the first drummer to use double bass drums in 1939.
Ringo was the first drummer to popularise matched grip with both hands. Other drummers started noticing, and today, two-hand matched grip is far more common than traditional/Sidestick
The longest drum roll by an individual is 8 hours 1 min 17 seconds and was achieved by Christopher Anthony (USA) at a shopping centre in San Carlos, California, USA, in 2012.
Knee Drums
Would you like to try drumming right now?
Sit in a seated position with your feet on the ground in front of you as if you are sitting at a drum set.
Cross your hands over and place your left hand on your right knee, then place your right hand on your left knee.
- Your right foot will be the kick drum
Count steadily 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 etc like the ticking of a clock. When you say the numbers 1 or 3 tap your right foot. - Your left hand (on your right knee) is the Snare drum.
Continue counting out loud, tap your right knee when you say the numbers 2 or 4 - Your right hand (on your left knee) is the Hi Hat.
Tap your left knee when you say every number, 1 2 3 4
Now try putting it all together. Count out loud and start slow.
If you can play knee drums, the first time you sit down at a real drum set, you will be able to play this basic drum beat.
It is a good idea to use the term “Kick Drum” as it helps remove confusion in situations where you could be referring to a Bass Guitar, like Recording or Live Soundcheck.
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