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Geoff Cooper Drum Teacher

Drum Lessons

Teaching drums and helping drummers improve has been a passion for me throughout my long career. I have been lucky to have received guidance from some of the worlds most talented drummers- Terry Bozzio, Chad Wackerman and the late Jim Chapin. My aim is to pass both my and their experience on.
So a priority for me on relocation to North Norfolk was to get my tuition studio open where I continue to offer specialist "one-to-one" lessons.
If you would like to talk to me about tuition you can email me at:geoff@geoffcooperdrums.co.uk or call/message me on: 07973 297192

There a few concepts that I consider essential that I try to help everyone who studies with me appreciate, whatever style of music they apply it to:

1. Never lose sight of what the drummers "job" is - Creating the groove that the other musicians find comfortable to play with! Your "Time" and your "Groove" are everything.
2. Develop your technique so that it allows the music to flow - never let it get in the way!
3. Listen!

Free Drum Lessons
Work through the four lessons in sequence for the best results - Have fun!

Tutor Books

There are so many excellent tutor books on the market I could never list them all. One book however that I think every drummer should own and actively use is Stick Control - George Lawrence Stone. Stone really understood drumming and the book is a well thought out series of progressive exercises that develop "Brain to Hand" co-ordination, speed and endurance skills. Its concept is simple: play each exercise 20 times minimum and then then move on to the next! I think that the first page is probably the single best sheet of exercises ever written. Double pedal players note - try these exercises using just your feet and you'll notice a massive improvement in no time.

For more experienced drummers its worth investing in Benny Grebb's book "The Language of Drumming" and Steve Gadd's "Gaddiments"...both fantastic!

Rudiments

I place importance on developing good rudiments not only for the control they give us but also for the creative opportunities they offer.

Doubles
The key to becoming creative with rudiments is the "2 Stroke" or "Long Roll" (doubles). I was first shown these aged 5 or 6 by my father who joked "Now go away and practice it for 20 years." Well I thought he was joking at the time! Once you can play decent "doubles" the 5,7,9, and 13 stroke rolls fall into place and developing the Paradiddle variations get easier as well.