Fantastic! My six year old is making quick progress on the congas under Michael Bahan's guidance. Bahan excels at making the lessons age appropriate: he breaks down complicated rhythms into smaller segments so my son can learn them in manageable chunks and gives reasonable homework assignments. As a result, my son is developing good practice habits, feels successful with the drum, is having fun and can play some delightful music (yes, I am a proud mother... but trust me, I was originally afraid to get drum lessons because I envisioned my son creating a horrible, unendurable racket when practicing at home and it has been such a relief to discover that I enjoy hearing him practice). What I love most about the lessons is that Bahan often inspires my son to discover the wide world of drumming that awaits by playing samples on other drums like Indian Tabla ("finger drums") or West African Djembe ("talking drums"). Bahan even taught my son a djembe duo that my child managed to teach to unmusical-me and we've had such fun playing djembe rhythms together on the congas at home! As a teacher, Bahan is the perfect combination of demanding, patient and inspirational. read more

Our 7 year old son began lessons with Michael, initially for bongos, and now on a full drum kit. Michael is a very talented drummer but also an amazing teacher. From the beginning, Michael was able to establish a great rapport with our son which helped him build confidence and learn to read music and play both bongos and a full drum kit. Our son is excited and looks forward to his weekly lessons and can't wait to get home so that he can show us what he learned. Michael sends audio clips each week so that our son can listen and practice at home as well as writing down the notes and patterns. Michael is also very accommodating to us (the parents) and allows us to play our bass and guitar in the rehearsal rooms while our son is in his lesson. If you or someone you know is interested in learning percussion, we highly recommend Michael. read more

I am a full time grad student at UT with mostly no time at hand. But I have been taking drum lessons with Michael, on and off, for a couple of years, and I am quite happy with my progress. I have come from not knowing anything about the drumming, to be confident and comfortable around drum sets and playing beats (given enough practice). Micheal is an experienced teacher and is willing to adjust the lessons to your interests. Depend on your motivation, and time put into practice, you can a get a whole lot from his lessons. I highly recommend him, especially for the beginners (because I was a beginner back then). But the best way to see if his style works for you is to go for a couple of lessons, it does not cost much but it will be more informative than thousand comments. read more

After purchasing a kit off of craigslist I thought some lessons might be a good way to get more proficient. Here I am after two years of studying with Michael: I've gigged as a drummer all over town, I have a record for sale on Itunes and I have Michael to thank for it. He's a good drummer but a better teacher who gives you material to practice as well as teaching you all of the fundamentals before you start developing bad habits. Also, being versed in all styles you can tell him what kind of music you want to play and he'll base your teaching around that style while giving you an education in other style to make you more tasteful and better overall. If you want to be a drummer or just learn a skill I can't give a higher recommendation than Michael. read more

If you're looking for a drum teacher this is the guy! I've been taking lessons from Michael for several years now and his teaching approach is awesome! He's patient, and keeps an eye on what you're doing well and working with you to correct areas that need work and helps you to develop them and progress so a few months down the road you laugh at the idea you were really struggling with something like the rocking motion on the hi-hat. You don't have to be Jon Bonham, Dave Grohl, or some rock N roll god, just someone who wants to play drums and Michael will help you. He wants to know what your goals are with drums and no matter what style, rock, jazz, blues, latin...he will spend time so you're not just thinking of playing it, you ARE playing it. read more

Michael Bahan is more than just a drummer, he is a great musician. Not only great with newbies, he's the one other drummers go to for lessons. An expert on all percussion instruments, Michael teaches out of the box to get the most out of his students. I've been taking drum lessons from him for a year and a half. He's gone out of his way to teach me not only the basics, but how to tune and care for my drums and helped me put together the perfect kit for me. He's also been awesome about charting out music for the stuff I want to play. It's also fun to go watch him play in one of his bands and watch his awesome expertise first hand. read more

Michael has been giving my son drum lessons for almost 9 months. We initially sought out a private instructor to bridge what was missing in his school band lessons where my son was suffering from a strong lack of interest. Michael is great. He is really in tune with the needs of his students and finds ways to get the best from them. My son has made amazing progress to the point that we even have a drum set in our house now. He has improved his skills but also peaked his interest in percussion. I cannot say enough about the value of the lessons Michael has provided. read more

I have taken lessons with Michael for almost two years now, and I can definitely say that it has made me a much better percussionist. He knows how to teach the basics all the way up to advanced rudiments and all the musical styles that I'll ever have to play set for. I cannot recommend Michael enough for anybody looking for a lesson teacher. Whether you have experience or are just starting, Michael is the best there is. Today was my last lesson with him before I leave for college, and I have to say that these last two years' worth of lessons was time well spent. read more

Mike is a great drummer but most of all a great teacher. If you ever have trouble with anything he'll explain it in a way that makes it more clear. He's really laid back but teaches you exactly what you need to know. He's very encouraging and gives you the confidence to take on new challenges. I've noticed my improvement from day one since I started lessons a year ago. He's inspired me to take it to the next level, start a band, and start playing in different places. Daniel Barrett, age 13 read more

My son has taken drum lessons from Michael for a year. He was previously a dummer in his middle school band. Michael has taught him to play the drum set which is fundamentally different from playing in a school band. He is now more confident in his abilities and considers Michael a mentor. My son now plays drums for the childrens choir at Church and is looking forward to increasing his skills with Michael. Michael has been a great and personable teacher. We highly recommend him. read more

I've been taking lessons from Michael for a year now, and it's been a great investment. Michael is energetic, funny, and is an awesome drummer and teacher. Even if you are not able to practice a week or keep messing up on a tricky beat, he never makes you feel bad. Michael is also very accomodating about lessons if you need to reschedule and really cares about his students. Plus, I don't think you can get a better price for this quality of instruction anywhere else. read more

I began lessons with Michael after longing to play the drums for 40 years. I am an absolute beginner. Michael is an excellent teacher. I had to learn everything, how to hold the sticks, posture, reading music, etc. This formed the foundation for me to learn rudiments, fill drills, and drum sets. He is so patient and provides concise feedback to improve my skills. I am truly enjoying learning to play thanks to Michael's outstanding teaching skills. Highly recommended! read more

My son has been taking lessons from Michael for 2 years. It's not easy to work with the attention span of a 7 year old but Michael does not lose his laid back approach. My son has made so much progress and really enjoys the lessons. Michael recently has set up a new studio arrangement which allows him to demonstrate a technique alongside the student. Also he has been sending us music tracks for him to practice with, which helps to keep track between lessons. read more

I have been taking lessons with Michael for a little over 4 years now, he is an awesome teacher, it's not just some " learn rudiments" cold as ice crap, he actually teaches you what you want to learn, if you say " I want to learn post glam space metal" by god he's going to do everything in his power to teach it to you. He is more than just a lesson teacher, he's a good friend and an awesome person, i would recommend him to anyone. read more

I have been going to Michael Bahan for drum lessons for some time now and he is an excellent instructor. His knowledge of various types of music and patience as a teacher is outstanding. He's very easy to work with and will teach you all types of music including songs that you want to play. I would recommend Michael to anyone interested in learning to play the drums from adults to kids of all ages. read more

Our 12 year old daughter has been taking drum lessons from Michael for two years. He has taken her from knowing nothing about playing the drums to now knowing basic rudiments to more advanced beats. She is always encouraged after her lesson with Michael and enjoys him as a friend and teacher. We would recommend Michael Bahan to the beginner as well as the advanced drummer! read more

Michael Bahan helped me through a very difficult time in my life (whether he knew it or not) by teaching me how to play drums. It's a pleasure to be able to express my gratitude towards a wonderful person and a great instructor! He truly cares about his students progress and has a pure and strong passion for percussion. Easy going and a funny dude. Check him out! read more

Michael took me on as a pure beginner - he is infinitely patient and knowledgeable. I've progressed by leaps and bounds in less than two years thanks to his encouragement. It helps that Michael is versatile across many styles. He can teach any style you want to play, but he will go beyond that to help you become a well-rounded player. read more

I have been taking drum lessons from Mike for more than a year. I started drumming 3 years back and Mike's lesson has given me the confidence and techniques required to play drums. He teaches from the notation which allows me to break down songs when I listen to a new song. I really enjoy going to take lessons from Mike every week. JT read more