NGE EWAR104

ROLAND TD15-KV

DRUMMER MAGAZINE

Super-natural e-kit

DDRUM REFLEX KITAcoustic black beauty

Issue 104 JULY 2012www.drummermagazine.co.uk

DREAM CYMBALS

Dark metal sounds

IAN THOMAS • ALEX ACUÑA • PETE CATER • STUART WILKINSON • PLUS: NEWS • REVIEWS • FEATURES AND TUITION

Drumming Matters

FEATURE
Premier Drums
factory visit

TESTED:

DW 5000
PEDALS
Upgradedengineering toenhance yourfootwork:
WTIANSTICFAN UMDRIESSORSE
ACCIAN

THOMAS
THE SESSION SUPREMOON THE VOICE UKAlex Acuña

Tales from 50 yearsin the industry

Pete Cater

On big band, Buddy
Rich and more…

11 PAGES OFTUITION FROMOUR EXPERTS

UK £3.99 Issue 104 JULY 2012

PLUS: GIG REVIEWS, DRUM TECH DIARIES, DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE & SHOW US YOURS
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TUITION

The Teacher Feature
Kasey Peters

We meet Northern Ireland-based Kasey Peters, who received a large
number of nominations for her teaching

Kasey Peters is a Belfast
based teacher offering lessons
Monday to Thursday afternoonsand evenings from her
dedicated teaching facility. She
also teaches at several schools
in and around Belfast as aperipatetic tutor during the day.
KaseyPeters.com
Facebook: Kasey Peters Drum
Kit Studio
Twitter: @KaseyPeters
Kasey is endorsed by theDistrict Drum Company(www.districtdrumcompany.com)

WHAT HERSTUDENTS
SAY…

“Kasey Peters has taught me somuch over the past 8 years. I had
6 years of lessons with Kasey atschool and since leaving she
has continued to help me out
whenever I have music relatedproblems. I always thought it
was really cool how she wasable to put up with angsttype teenagers asking her toteach us Metallica, RHCP andNirvana songs even though
it wasn’t really her thing. She
always shows a great love forthe instrument and music ingeneral and that has definitely
passed on and influenced megreatly.”
James Clendenning

TELL US ABOUTYOUR TEACHER!

If you would like to see yourteacher featured in a futureissue, email us their details(under the heading ‘TeacherFeature’) and tell us in no morethan 100 words why they
deserve special mention:
nickc@blazepublishing.co.uk.
If your teacher is featured here
you’ll receive a special prizeas well as a mention for yournomination!

How long have you beenteaching?
I’ve been teaching for 12 years. I moved
to Northern Ireland from the States, set
up my own teaching studio and haven’t
looked back.
Do you specialise in any particular
styles or areas of drumming?
I’m very into funk, having grown up
during the 70s in LA. I adore jazz due
to the influence of my father who
was a jazz drummer. I try to instil anappreciation of jazz within my students– there’d be no rock without jazz,and historically the kit was createdto swing.
What age range do you teach?
I teach anywhere from age six to62. The majority of my students arehigh school age, though I also teachin a primary school and have adultstudents, as well.
Do you teach graded exams andwhat are your thoughts regardingthem?
It’s important that students have a good
grounding and knowledge of reading
notation, rudiments, an understandingof various styles, improvisation,sight-reading and listening skills. The
Rockschool curriculum, which I use, isgreat for this. I have recently branchedout with the Trinity syllabus as well.
What set-up do you use for yourteaching?
I use two acoustic kits set up side-byside facing the same direction. This isgreat for demonstrations as you areable to mirror one another. I use slowdown software to help learn songs at a
comfortable tempo and headphones
to manage decibel levels. Electric kits
are great for practising if there arevolume constraints, but the majorityof gigs are played on acoustic kits andstudents benefit and love experiencing
the acoustic feel, especially at fullpelt! I have a pet peeve about studioswhere the drums face a wall, as it canbecome rather demoralising. I believe
you should play out to the room in thesame manner you would play out toa crowd.
What do you think makes a goodteacher?
A good teacher is someone who canengage with students and is open tolearning from their creativity. They
offer more than formal learning,drawing on their gigging experienceand knowledge of the history of thedrum set, as well as key players andstyles of music. The best teachers
also read music. This is important forrecalling and referencing materials andwill give students more options andprofessional opportunities in the future,
while cultivating a greater musicalvocabulary. Other vital attributes
include not being a musical fuddyduddy, being open, generous and hip!
Do you have any particular books
that you use in your lessons?
The usual suspects like the Ted Reed
and Louie Bellson books, but lately I’ve
been very into Stanton Moore’s Groove

Alchemy and Michael Adamo’s The
Breakbeat Bible – ‘Cold Sweat’ neverfails to please!
What should students think about
when looking for a good teacher?
Look for an experienced musician who
is patient, someone who can impart
information thoroughly and succinctly.
Try to find a good communicator whois supportive. Consider what a teacher
has to offer and look for someone whois teaching because they want to.
Any notable students – previous
or current – that we would knowor should be looking out for?
Danny Trouton got a distinction on hisGrade 8 exam just after turning fifteen
and is developing into a technicallyproficient player. He has aspirations
to go to Berklee and is definitely
one to watch. Conor McErlane,seventeen, (Grade 7 distinction) is an
exciting young player and Fionnbharr
Brannigan who is only eleven, yet
won third place at the Northern
Ireland Young Musician of the Year
competition for primary school pupils.
Any advice for people thinking of
having lessons?
Shop around for a teacher. Don’t justsettle for the first person that wows
you with their instrument skills. Just
because someone is good at something
doesn’t automatically make them agood teacher. It’s a completely different
skill set. Find someone with a real
knack for teaching that can inspire,motivate and encourage.

94 DRUMMER July 2012

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