Ben Jeffrie Varghese

Focus on Basics: Start with fundamental skills like grip, posture, and basic rudiments (e.g., single strokes, double strokes, and paradiddles). These are essential for any drumming style.
• Slow Practice: Encourage students to practice slowly to build accuracy and control before increasing speed. This helps prevent bad habits and promotes perfect base.
• Drill Practice: Repetition is key to mastering technique. A great tutor will have students practice key exercises or rudiments multiple times to build strength, coordination, and precision.
• Consistency in Practice: Stress the importance of regular practice. The tutor might recommend a practice schedule to help students stay consistent and improve steadily.
• Step-by-Step Approach: Break down complex patterns or songs into manageable chunks. Teach students one section at a time, then gradually increase difficulty as their skills improve.
• Layering Concepts: Introduce new techniques or rhythms gradually, ensuring the student has mastered each before progressing. For instance, once they can play basic patterns, introduce syncopation or fills.
• Emphasize Timing and Rhythm: A strong sense of timing is critical for any drummer. Great tutors focus heavily on helping students internalize rhythms using a metronome and understanding different time signatures.
• Clapping and Counting: Tutors often have students clap along to rhythms or count out loud to internalize the beat before they play it on the drums. This is especially helpful for understanding syncopation and complex patterns.
• Adapt to Learning Style: Recognize that each student learns differently. Some may be more visual, others auditory or kinesthetic. A great drum tutor will tailor lessons to a student’s learning preferences. For instance, some students may benefit from watching videos of great drummers, while others might prefer listening and playing along.
• Addressing Weaknesses: Focus on areas of difficulty. If a student is struggling with hand-foot coordination, for example, a tutor will create exercises to target that specific weakness, like hand or foot isolation exercises.
• Teach Musicality, Not Just Technique: Great drumming isn’t just about playing patterns correctly; it’s about playing with feel and emotion. Tutors will encourage students to express themselves through their drumming and to understand the importance of dynamics, phrasing, and musicality in the context of a song.
• Play Along with Music: To help students apply what they learn, tutors often have students play along with music (such as backing tracks or full songs). This helps students understand how their drumming fits into a larger musical context.