Ned Smith is just across the street from Microsoft near the intersection of 155th Ave NE & 51rst, where he teaches at his home studio. He mostly teaches professionals who sneak out of work, stay at home parents, homeschool kids, etc., while his kids are at school. Exceptions are Tues afternoons for kids (he provides a babysitter so sibs can play in the family room while their parents learn drums with their kids), and Saturday mornings. 1st lesson is free.
Ned is an accomplished drummer but doesn't spend much of a lesson playing for his students, at least not in my lessons. He mostly keeps me on the hot seat helping me 'breakthrough' to new coordination. When I told him in my first lesson that if I couldn't get time to practice I'd have to quit because it wouldn't be worth the effort he surprised me. He said something like, "Quit now. You're a professional with kids and an active social life. The chances that you'll be able to practice much are very low. That's why I've taken drum teaching to a new place. I don't assign homework that you then come in and perform. You learn right here making significant ground in every lesson so you walk out knowing you're actively reinventing yourself. One year later you'll be putting out craigslist ads seeking bands and answering ads for bands seeking drummers, or firing up something with guys from work." He pointed out that if you shake a tree in Seattle a guitar player falls out. First word out of the guitar player's mouth, "Are you a drummer?"
Well, he might be right about this. I've been studying with him for 6 months and I can honestly say that I can go into a Guitar Center and completely shock my wife and kids by bashing the drums as I rock out next to pimply rocker kids on drumsets next to me.
Some of my professional friends came over for dinner with their guitars and amps. They've been pushing me to jam with them since my first lesson. Rediculous. I surprised us all by playing beats and fills no problem. I kept asking them if they knew all these songs I've played in my lessons. Which made me feel very knowledgeable when they couldn't. I obviously didn't have to prove if I could do the tunes all the way through. The guys, doctors, said, "We've got to start a band dude." Our wives watched shaking their heads like they've given birth to extra boys. After, my wife told me I was giving her huge jr high flashbacks. But now we've got the fever.
The bass player fired his daughter's drum teacher the next day. SHe's been studying with a teacher for 2 years and still couldn't rock out a beat and a fill. When he called Ned for lessons, Ned made him promise to bring his bass with them. She got into the groove on the first lesson. They take an hour lesson every week and he's learning everything she's learning on the drums. They're going to start a family band yada yada yada. He's suddenly buying her better drum and cymbal equipment. "How could anyone get good with a crap pedal like this?"
Ned's flexible about rescheduling saying his market is busy people. He doesn't let you off the hook if you don't want to come in, you still have to pay if you can't find a reschedule time. I usually go in on Tues but have taken lessons everyday of the week but Sunday from him.
Once I arrived early for my lesson on a saturday and was hanging out with the moms in the family room. The student in there with Ned was being taught the intro and 1rst verse to a new tune every 3 minutes or so. They just kept banging out these tunes and only stopping if the guy couldn't get it. You'd here some mumbling some demoing and then the music would fire back up again. And the guy would start to get it. I was thinking man someday I'm going to be playing like this guy. When the door opened, out walks a sweating 5 year old! Ned said the kid learned last year playing air drums standing beside the drummer at his church every Sunday. So, Ned teaches him by asking if he saw the drummer do anything new that week, they figure it out, then do some music reading for 5 minutes, then Ned just plays for the kid and the kid mimicks him. I asked what other interesting students Ned has. Ned teaches people with physical handicaps, pros with reading problems or tendonitis or other maladies, autistic kids (Ned has a clinical psych degree), emotionally challenged kids and adults, and people going through huge life changes. He gets a lot of soon-to-be-dads who know it's now or never. He also gets a lot of people going through relationship changes. Ned thinks drums become very symbolic for people working through to a new place in life. "Drum skills are tangible proof we can reinvent ourselves, make waves, inconvenience people with noise, and make people dance the way their parents don't want them too."
Ned's patient. I'm a spaz who can barely keep hold of his fork. This has been great for me. I can even flip and twirl sticks now! read more
