LESSONS
Our Drumdrill sessions are a great way to ask yourself questions about your drumming. Between how you normally hear, move and think there is a lot to consider in order to get to where you want to be.
There is a lot of material available online these days and it can seem like a good idea to just go down the youtube or pre-recorded lesson route. However, with direct guidance, I can help you identify the habits you need to start changing to see significant and meaningful improvements in your playing.
For the last 20 years I have taught hundreds of drummers both privately and in formal institutions such as BiMM London (formerly Drumtech), ICMP and LMA colleges. I have developed a strong reputation, helping musicians to sound great behind the drums.
My priorities as a player are always to be able to make the band sound great.
I work on fundamentals that are directly applicable in musical situations.
Whether I help someone taking their first steps on the instrument, or professional players who want to fine tune their technique, I have a very similar approach:
It starts with a dialogue, understanding the person I work with, a diagnostic then a plan to reach our goals.
One to One drum lessons are available in person at my studio in Chiswick, West London or online via ZOOM/SKYPE. If you’re interested in booking a lesson or would like a chat, please fill out the Contact form below.
A GLIMPSE INTO MY APPROACH
My teaching, like my playing, has evolved over the years.
Discovering, understanding and accepting ones deep habits is key to be able to implement real and meaningful changes in our ability to learn and improve any skill.
The goal oriented approach of learning – omnipresent in our western society, tends to make us value ‘trying to be correct’, ‘succeed’, and ‘being right or wrong’.
If you only keep looking at what you want you are probably not going to do what you need.
Letting go of the desire to achieve the result and instead identifying the habit that you must change in order to set you on the right path.
Once the habit identified, the mindset shifts to experiment with a task to develop a skill rather than having it memorised and stored hoping for results.
Taking a few lessons to pass your driving test isn’t quite like learning how to actually drive right?
So I focus my efforts on addressing the:
HEAD, so that the
EARS can take centre stage and help the
HANDS getting comfortable at executing.
Your ideas don’t come from your hands!
To borrow from F.M Alexander’s principles: What feels Normal isn’t necessarily Natural.
Musically
It means that I focus on feeling comfortable Hearing rhythms. Working through permutations, syncopation, subdivisions, groupings etc…are all great ways to challenge how to stay relaxed and rooted to the Pulse. If you can sing/count it out loud comfortably, then playing & interpreting it will take you no time.
Physically
It means that without a focused intention on what body part you want to use and how, your body will simply react to what you’re trying to play. It will go to what it ‘knows’ and you’ll likely waste many hours of hard work without understanding why you’re not making the expected progress. You’re getting in the way, and it likely starts with your approach not your ability.
AS AN EXPERIMENT TRY THIS:
This is a little perception test I like to explore. Follow the steps below and let’s see if we can find some challenges in the simple stuff.
• Grab a sit and start playing a single stroke roll RLRL etc, no need for click or sticks.
• Keep going, simply observe, try not to yawn just yet and start asking yourself:
• Can you comfortably hear a pulse?
• Can you hear the rhythms played by each hand individually?
• The resulting 16th note?
• You just assumed these were 16th right? That was your brain choosing for you, going for the path of least resistance.
• Without changing the motion or the speed of your hands and without adding any accents, can you hear this single stroke roll as triplets, 8th, quintuplets…?
• Can you swap the leading hand, mentally?
• Let’s assume they are indeed 16th notes. Can you count any number on top of each note? (e.g ‘3’= 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 ,1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 etc)
• How does that affect your sense of time and your motion?
• Still no accent right?
• Ok, you can stop counting. From the neck down, left to right, try to get a feel for all the muscles involved.
• Can you get rid of a few you might think are surplus to requirement?
• What’s going on around your neck? shoulder? elbow? your forearm?
• What your face and jaws? Are you locking up at all?
• Which muscles ‘should’ you isolate for an optimum, frictionless motion?
• What if you change dynamics or subdivision? (don’t change the ‘speed’ of your hand but your perception of where the pulse is)
• How does your body/ grip react?
• What if you keep the same rhythm (16th) but now you change the sticking to RRLL? The same sound, same rhythm, just different technique.
• How is your body ‘fighting back’, how is your notion of time and rhythm being affected there?
• The quality of your sound and dynamics?
• Does it matter whether you lead with your right or your left hand?
• Does it matter if we start the doubles ‘across’ the beat?
We ‘just’ started with a single stroke roll and barely moved from that base right?
…and we’re not even playing on the kit or with accents. Add different sounds, pitches, an extra limb or two and all of these perceptions will be even more challenged.
Basic is powerful, very.
With a bit of curiosity and creativity it can go from ‘Simple‘ to ‘What The Hell !?‘ in no time.
More importantly it is useful, applicable and a guaranteed way to connect deeply into the music.
Jarrod Pizzata – Crystal Fighters | Mel C
I met Guillaume after more than 15 years as a professional drummer. He was able to help me make small changes to problems I never even knew were holding me back. The results made more comfortable behind the drums than I’ve ever been before. I felt excited about learning again! There are plenty of drum teachers who can teach you how to play all the notes. Guillaume can do that but he’ll also teach you about the bits in between. Can’t recommend him highly enough.
Andy Woodard – Adam Ant | New Model Army
Guillaume first hooked me in with his Drumdrill online group, which had my hands burning and my mind fried in no time at all. This inspired me to get some one to one lessons with the guru, who led me down a path of exploring musical phrasing and sharpening my extremely blunt hands! It’s amazing how you can tour professionally, play every night and still have no idea of the potential your hands can have. That is until you meet this guy!
Lucas Parlato – Craig David | Kenya Grace
Man I just want to say, all the seeds you’ve planted with me these last couple of years have been steadily growing and I feel better than ever behind the kit. My hands are softer, my stamina heaps stronger, I’m not aching after gigs and every sound engineer I work with compliments me on my sound! Insane. Thank you so much mate. You’re the man!
Lauren O’Donnell Anderson – Holly Humberstone | Carpark
Guillaume is the best! I went to him as I was struggling with tension in my forearms playing at faster tempos. He helped me rework my position and fulcrum, understanding how to better use my wrists & fingers to balance the stick and my playing has become so much more relaxed & enjoyable!
Lewis Jenkins – Operation Mince Meat
Hey dude! Just wanna to say thanks again for our session. Over the years I’ve worked on thousands of exercises (like most drummers), read books, messed with gap clicks and so many different methods and I don’t think any of it really revolutionised my playing until you showed me how to really engage mentally and physically; to implement those changes and ultimately sound better. I wasn’t paying attention to the right stuff. I just wasn’t really listening. That changes now! Mental, Physical, Musical. It’s all there, I’m so pumped! Thank you!
Anna Myle – Dorja | Birdeatsbaby
Guillaume is a truly polyvalent teacher. Whether you are a beginner or advanced, looking at improving your vocabulary or technique, he will be able to inspire you to be better and to work harder! His hand technique coaching has been greatly beneficial for me during the pandemics. I would strongly recommend it.
Adam Perry – A
As a professional drummer for nearly 30 years, I’ve formed a few habits, some good, some bad, but never took the time to unlearn the bad ones! Guillaume helped me realise I was expending energy in the wrong way, and simple changes to technique have helped me play stronger, with more dynamics, endurance and control. Thank you so much Guillaume, it’s amazing what you can learn/unlearn no matter how long you have been playing!
Meg Learmonth – Lozeak | Mura Masa
Hey Guillaume, just a small word to say how much I valued our session together, it’s really kicked me on and highlighted some weak spots in my playing that I wouldn’t have thought to look into – it’s so easy to get stuck in a rut and stay comfortable without pushing your boundaries as a professional but I’m now more excited than ever to improve & cultivate my playing & mentality! Can’t wait for our next lesson together & to grow even more.
Ollie Dixon – Lawrence Taylor | Matt Pearce
Hi mate, just wanted to say thanks again for the lesson last week! So much food for thought. I’ve had a chance to think about what we spoke and put it into practice; it’ll definitely take a bit of getting used to but I find myself already more focused on where I sit within the music rather than overcomplicating what I feel like I NEED to give to it. Thanks again for your help!
Vicky O’Neon – Anastacia
Thank you SO much Guillaume for an epic drum lesson. In just one session you’ve managed to unlock what I’ve been struggling with in my playing for over a decade. I now can’t wait to get on the kit to practice every day, something I haven’t felt like doing for a very long time. I can’t wait for more lessons together!!
Ben Welburn – Mark Harrison
Guillaume has helped me progress in such a way that I am now fully confident in my approach to both practice and performance. With an attitude of professionalism and eagerness to be the best we can; there is now always enjoyment whilst being productive. G is always encouraging and down to earth, his no nonsense approach whilst thinking outside the box makes him a blessing to learn from. I couldn’t recommend him enough as a drum tutor / coach to any aspiring drummer.
Daniele Antenucci
Hi Guillaume. I Just want to thank you for the amazing lessons last week. So many good tips for my hands technique. You have such a great teaching skills! I really loved the way you organized my homework’s schedule too. Feeling super grateful for this. Can’t wait for the next session. Grazie maestro!
Nicolas Py – Spector
In my life I’ve had plenty of OK teachers, some good teachers and only a few great ones: Guillaume was definitely one of them! His meticulous observations and ingenious advice have always been second to none. He is one of the few people who can truly make you improve at the speed of light by finding the right things to work on. Ten years on I still remember a lot of his wisdom. Thanks Guillaume!
