Are you stuck because you don't know what to practice?
If you’re a self-taught beginner drummer learning drums online, and you’re struggling with not knowing what to practice so that you can nail songs & sound awesome with a band, then this is for you.
In the video I share your ultimate solution: The "Beginner to Gigging 6-Step Automatic Growth Path"
+ The secret to making sure your practice sessions aren't "missing anything" - How to KNOW you're growing as fast as possible
Joining is easy & risk free. Just do these 3 things:
- Click the big red button above, which takes you to to the two membership plans at the bottom of this page.
- Choose monthly or annual - whichever is right for you, then pay with PayPal or credit card on the checkout page.
- You’ll immediately receive an email with a link to set up your account and gain instant access to the beginner-to-gigging system, and if at any point in the next 90 days you’re not getting the results you expect, I’ll refund you 100% - no questions asked.
Any self taught drummer can go from total beginner to ready-to-play-with-a-band in 12 months by following the Beginner to Gigging 6 Step Automatic Growth Path...
...Because it shows you exactly what to practice and in what order - So that you’re confidently nailing songs and having a blast on the drums.
Check out what students inside the program are doing now!
"...My playing has improved in every respect and way beyond my expectations."
Kim U.
"Seriously! I am doing it! and Loving it!
CONFIDENCE!!...where there once was NONE!"
“[I was dealing with ] discouragement, defeat, 'what was I thinking,' 'who am I to think I can be a successful drummer?' 'Kim, Cut your losses and choose another dream to chase,' 'drumming is not going to be possible for me, I am too old and will not be a dream I will be able to achieve.'
“Then...I found Stephen and the Non Glamorous Drummer!
“Seriously! I am doing it! and Loving it! Thank you! What is different? EVERYTHING and every way you approach teaching drumming, especially beginners like me.
“By putting in the work, itsy-bitsy step by step wins, watching the trainings over and over again, today I am able to play doubles 120+++ bpm. Ok they are not lightening speed, but getting close to 150bpm! There is hope for me yet and I CAN do this. Thank you for sticking by me and helping me to achieve my goals.
“CONFIDENCE!!!- where there once was NONE!”
"I would have never decided to do this if it wasn't for...this great community."
"The amazing thing that happened after that was I was able to sit more upright and then I was like, wait a minute! My right hand was free to do whatever I needed it to do."
Virg A.
“When I started playing with other people, I noticed that I could do more than I thought and my technique was getting smoother. I was actually caught off guard when I realized that.
“I was always stuck at one level and couldn't get beyond that. It made me think there would be no way to get faster and smoother and there were times when I just thought I should settle for where I was and move on to something else.
“But I did keep going and really didn't realize how much I had improved until the The Song of the Month Challenge started.
“When I started playing with other people, I noticed that I could do more than I thought and my technique was getting smoother. I was actually caught off guard when I realized that."
Are you struggling with not knowing what to practice... and feeling like you're never making any progress as a result?
Are you spending hours practicing the lessons & exercises you find online… but you’re struggling to make any measurable progress because you don’t know if the things you’re practicing are even working?
Maybe you’re starting to feel that embarrassment of spending a ton of time on learning a skill when you’ve hardly got anything to show for it.
What will your loved ones think when they’ve been hearing you practicing day in and day out… but you’re not sounding good and you’re constantly running into the same roadblocks in your practice?
Maybe you’re considering giving up and moving on to another hobby since the odds of you actually mastering the drums in your lifetime are pretty slim, and you find yourself asking...
Is this even worth going after?
Tell me if you relate to any of these 5 specific challenges:
- You feel stuck, overwhelmed, and never sure what to practice (You’re wasting hours of valuable practice time practicing things that probably aren’t working)
- You're never sure whether or not you’re practicing things right (“Am I building bad habits that will come back to bite me years from now??”)
- You're slow at learning songs - And you're afraid you’re not actually capable of really playing a song like the record.
- You're afraid you’ll never be good enough to play with a band, because you’re terrified of making mistakes in front of people.
- You're afraid you’re not prepared enough… and you have no idea how to know if you’re prepared to nail a song or play it with a band.
…And so here’s what happens:
You’re left feeling defeated, discouraged, and wondering if all the time (and money!) you’ve spent learning the drums has been a waste.
Your loved ones have watched you and your lack of progress, and they’ve probably wondered the same thing.
At best, you’re ready to give up on your lifelong dream of learning the drums and move on to another hobby.
At worst, you’re ashamed and embarrassed, realizing you’ll NEVER be good enough to play with a band or even nail songs along with the record in your basement.
Hey I get it.
This is a tough spot! Believe me - I’ve been there.
I got to a point in my playing years ago where I had learned a lot of stuff… but I was stuck, not growing anymore, and I was frustrated to no end because I had no clue what to practice next in order to get out of the rut.
I was practicing and playing all the time, but I wasn’t growing. I was even practicing complicated exercises I found online… yet I still didn’t SOUND good. I was working and striving and working and striving again… but I had no new results to show for it.
Until I realized I was practicing the WRONG things.
So here’s a question for you:
What if you knew the RIGHT, most important things to practice - and in what order - that would actually yield huge growth in your playing over the coming weeks & months?
This would mean being able to practice LESS… and still make MORE progress.
What if you had a guaranteed method to follow that showed you what level you’re at, where you’re going next, and exactly what to practice in order to get there - Even if you’re starting out as a total beginner and you don’t feel you have any natural talent?
- Imagine the hours you’d save without the constant guessing and wondering if you’re making progress.
- Imagine what you could do a year from now after steadily progressing through a mile-marker system that literally shows you how much you’re growing.
What if you had all the hand technique, coordination, and aural skills you need to be confidently nailing songs with a band 12 months from now - Even if you just have 30 minutes a day to practice?
The truth is, you CAN do this.
All you need is a method - a system for automatically delivering results without you having to wonder, hope, stress, or “figure it out” on your own. You’ll always know where you stand and when to move on to the next step, which makes mastering the drums SO much easier.
Join the Know What to Practice Coaching Community, the self-taught drummer’s 6 step path from beginner to nailing songs with a band (and beyond!).
- Get the valuable, real feedback you need on your playing
- Follow a practice system tailored to your level that keeps you growing quickly
- Learn a new song every month via monthly song breakdown lessons
- Master critical, core skills via a library of in-depth “Core Trainings”
- Get all your questions answered on our live monthly group coaching calls
- Be encouraged & supported by other likeminded drummers in the “Community,” where you can post videos of your playing or ask questions any time
Joining is easy & risk-free. Just do these 3 things:
- Click the “join now” button, which takes you to to the two membership plans at the bottom of this page.
- Choose monthly or annual - whichever is right for you, then pay with PayPal or credit card on the checkout page.
- You’ll immediately receive an email with a link to set up your account and gain instant access to the beginner-to-gigging system, and if at any point in the next 90 days you’re not getting the results you expect, I’ll refund you 100% - no questions asked.
This program is simple, structured & not overwhelming.
If you want to get a lot out of your membership here, plan on doing these 3 things after joining:
- Set aside 30 minutes a day for practicing (even if you're busy, you can make this happen!)
- Learn a new song each month by taking the 30 day song challenge (I walk you through this step by step, so that learning a song is super straightforward)
- Post & interact with fellow drummers in the community (post videos for feedback, ask questions, and get to know fellow Non Glamorous drummers)
"I think I have made more progress this year than in the prior 6 years."
Charles R.
“I was stuck and not happy with my playing before joining the program..."
“[What helped me the most were…] Stephen’s communication skills and being able to articulate common problems for beginner drummers and break each problem down so it becomes a workable problem.
“When I posted [my first SOTM challenge video], it felt like an accomplishment - and when other drummers acknowledged my accomplishment, that validation seemed to be a powerful motivator to keep going.
“I can see a path I can take to get to a more competent level, and that feels very empowering. It gives me hope.”
Wendy R.
“I do actually feel more confident when I’m playing with others. I’ve joined a new band and they all seem to be happy with my playing!”
“[I struggled with] not being able to execute things I heard and wanted to play, both in hand and foot technique and in coordination between all the limbs. I constantly complained to my husband about the fact that I decided to start learning drums so late in life, when I retired, and didn’t get the basics down as a kid.
“I’ve watched many online teachers and generally can get something from them all - but I liked the idea of the community that you offer and all the parts: SOTM, coaching calls, technique lessons, etc.
“I do actually feel more confident when I’m playing with others. I’ve joined a new band and they all seem to be happy with my playing!”
"Ok this is BIG people! Breakthrough today!
I was actually able to do [hihat] 8th note chicks AND chicks on the 'ands'!"
It worked for them and will work for YOU too.
So what would it look like if you dive in right now as a beginner and begin working toward being able to play with a band 12 months from now?
First, you’ll check out the automatic growth path where you’ll be able to pinpoint which of the 6 drumming phases you’re in right now:
- Beginner Drummer
- Grooving Drummer
- Jamming Drummer
- Gigging Drummer
- Improvising Drummer
- Session Drummer
You’ll immediately know what you need to work on to level up to the next phase, and you’ll begin the process of reaching that “Stage 4 Gigging Drummer” (and beyond!).
This system ties together all of our Core Trainings so that you know what to work on right now - and what to work on next based on your level.
- Never feel lost or overwhelmed! Have constant clarity and direction.
- Find which drumming stage you’re in, then dive into the respective core trainings that help you with the specific skills you need right now
- This gives you clear milestones and goals so that you know that you’re making progress.
- This is your tool for creating a custom practice plan that suits your needs.
- Btw - We also link specific core trainings to the song of the month challenge so that you know exactly where to go to thoroughly learn whatever challenging skills the song of the month might be presenting.
In other words, everything is clearly organized so that you’re never overwhelmed and you always know what to work on based on your level and based on what we’re working on together with the monthly song.
You will amaze yourself and anyone who hears your playing.
This program gives you the ability to deeply know, understand, and nail songs with conviction, which is huge!
But here are some more big wins this system will give you. Let me show you how all this works…
Here are four huge assets to your growth that you immediately gain access to when you join:
Dive into the coaching community!#1: The Core Trainings
Dig deep into mastering ANY key skill on the drums - The CORE TRAININGS [$738 value]
These in-depth 45-90min trainings will help you to…
- Build hand speed & fluidity by mastering key techniques like doubles, Moeller, and ghosting (in our hand technique & motion trainings) [$147 value]
- Gain 4-way coordination & build foot speed by working through rock & jazz independence systems (in our 4-way coordination & groove trainings) [$247 value]
- Learn how to listen to & chart songs for much faster song-learning and performing (in our song learning & creativity trainings) [$197 value]
- Tune your drums for a professional sound & feel,
- And set up your kit perfectly for YOUR body by adjusting the 3 kit components that matter most (in the bonus trainings) [$147 value]
Here are some favorite Core Trainings inside the program...
The DOOR HINGE method | How to achieve relaxed rebound without losing control
Free your RIGHT foot | The 3 crucial steps for overcoming a slow, sloppy kick drum foot
Free your LEFT FOOT | Optimize your hihats & Keep time with “chicks” & “splashes”
Song Learning 101 | My 5 STEP process for learning & performing a song
Develop your “Pocket” | 3 steps to professional TIME & FEEL
Master DOUBLES | Achieve loud, fast, even doubles you can ACTUALLY use
Shorthand Drum Notation | Learn, memorize, & recall drum parts faster
“Realistic Rock” | How to use this method for maximum coordination results
Master Moeller | Play accent-tap 16ths at 80bpm
Drum Musically | 5 ways to train your ear for better listening & heightened musicality
Make your TOMS sound awesome! | The realtime 2-step tune-up + All the tips & secrets for best tone
Master Fills | Know what to play & when to play it - AND nail your transitions!
These are like a whole bunch of on-demand mini courses at your fingertips. Just pick a technique or skill you need to work on, then dive in!
"[My grip] is so much better than before.
Clearly, putting everything at the beginning again and learning and perceiving the grip completely anew was the one thing on which everything else is now based. It's so much better than before."
What students are saying about the Core Trainings...
Together these Core Trainings provide you with all the instruction you need…but this next component is actually the "secret sauce" to your success:
#2: The Interactive Community
And here’s something that will provide you with value beyond what I can even personally give you…I’ve dropped some hints on this already, but let me tell you more about this crucial component of the 30 day song challenge program…
Interact with fellow Non Glamorous drummers in the COMMUNITY, where you can ask questions & get feedback [$17/m value]
- Post videos of your playing in the community, and myself and others will offer feedback, critique, and encouragement so that you always know that you're on the right track and are practicing the most important skills.
- Ask any questions you have so that you have complete clarity, stay focused, and grow faster,
- And be encouraged and kept accountable by other drummers in your shoes who understand what you’re working on.
- This is where you share your progress as you take the monthly song challenge. But you can literally post ANYTHING here and ask any questions you have. You’re not alone anymore.
- (Best of all this is a clean, curated FB-style group free of ads, spam, or trolls. It's purely designed for talking drums, sharing in our struggles & wins, and growing together as we encourage one another.)
I'm inside the community on a regular basis helping students out with whatever questions or struggles that might be going on...
#3: The 30 Day Song Challenge [$27/m value]
Here you will...
- Learn a new song every month (via a monthly song breakdown lesson)
- Get the personalized feedback you need (from myself in the community and on the monthly live coaching calls)
- Know what to practice based on your level (use the “6 step automatic growth system” so you know where to focus and grow quickly)
- Gain the technical & musical prowess you need to confidently NAIL songs (via our on-demand library of Core Trainings)
This monthly challenge will deliver game-changing results for you...
Here’s the nitty gritty of how this 4-step, 30 day system works each month:
- WEEK 1: Listen to the song & learn the grooves & fills with our “break down lesson” complete with notation, play-a-long video, and audio recordings.
- WEEK 2: Write your own shorthand chart & compare it with mine as we discuss the musical, arrangement aspects of the song that help you truly learn it, internalize it, and memorize it.
- WEEK 3: Post your video of you playing through the song (even if it’s not perfect!), so that you get real practice learning & performing and are kept accountable by the community.
- WEEK 4: Get feedback from myself & other students! We all encourage one another, and each month I randomly choose students to give in-depth performance critiques to.
Then rinse and repeat, as we continue this cycle each month with a new song.
Best of all, I’m walking alongside you every step of the way, holding your hand, answering questions, and making sure you’re growing & succeeding.
Now the 30 day challenge is a big part of what we do here, but this is not the only thing…
#4: Live Q&A Coaching Calls
Join us on the monthly LIVE coaching calls!
Get your questions answered in realtime [$27/m value]
- Ask me anything live so that you get the coaching & direction you need for quick success on the drums
- Learn from other drummers’ questions & struggles
- And submit questions ahead of time then go back and watch the recorded call if you can’t make it live
What folks are saying about the coaching calls...
Now I could charge a lot for a program this powerful.
My current rate for group coaching is $290/m, and my one-on-one coaching packages start at well over $1,000.
- Get the valuable, real feedback you need on your playing. Gain access to a powerful community of brilliant, encouraging, like-minded drummers who understand where you’re at and know your struggles.
- Know exactly what to practice by following a practice system tailored to your level that keeps you growing quickly. You’re immersing yourself in the “BEGINNER to GIGGING 6 Step Automatic Growth Path,” which connects you to the right Core Training at the right time so that you always know what to practice.
- Become an awesome song player by learning a new song every month via monthly song breakdown lessons. You have access to the monthly song challenges, where I break down and teach you a new song every month as we learn together as a group.
- Avoid stress, confusion, or overwhelm by getting all your questions answered on our live monthly group coaching calls. You’re receiving monthly coaching from myself on the live Q&A calls, plus you can get one-on-one feedback anytime in the community.
All in all, you’re receiving multiple courses worth of lesson content, personalized feedback & coaching, a monthly song challenge you can take me up on each month, and an organized system to follow for automatic results. And that’s not to mention the incredible value of being a part of an encouraging, empowering, like-minded community of drummers like you.
So here’s my question for you: How much would all this be worth to you?
Well, those 4 big growth assets above will take you far, and if we add them all up - you’re getting a whopping $1,590 a year value.
(And that's not even including the value of the "6-step growth path" that ties all this together!)
If we do the math and break that into months, that would be an $132/m value.
But I won’t charge you over $100 a month even though you’re getting even more value than that (because this isn’t all you’re going to get!).
I won’t even charge you $50/m.
Instead, I want to make this super affordable for you.
You can join at just $29/m for this week only - Doors close Friday night at Midnight Pacific.
For this discounted price you’re gaining access to valuable community & coaching, multiple online courses worth of Core Training content, and an automatic growth system that ties this all together and keeps you organized.
And that’s not to mention you’re getting all the monthly Song of the Month material delivered to your inbox every month so that you can take the challenge & grow like crazy.
This is a crazy good deal, and I won’t keep the price this low forever, so join now this week while the doors are open.
You’ve got nothing to lose, because you can take advantage of my “My Solid-as-a-Supraphonice-Snare Guarantee”...
My "Solid-as-a-Supraphonic-Snare" 90 Day Guarantee
The Know What to Practice Coaching Program comes with with a 100% money back guarantee.
When you dive into this complete method...
- You’ll find yourself becoming MORE than good enough to play with a band so that you AMAZE yourself and anyone who hears you because of how quickly you become a song-learning & performing master.
- You’ll be consistently learning, memorizing, and executing songs that were once difficult because you now have the 30-day SYSTEM in your back pocket…
Or else I’ll make it right - guaranteed.
That’s the advantage of learning the drums the Non Glamorous way. We get right to it, eliminating the fluff and helping you grow FASTER.
If at any moment you decide that the "Beginner to Gigging 6-Step Path" method hasn’t delivered the results you were expecting, I’ll give you a complete refund.
All you have to do is shoot me an email at [email protected] saying “give me my refund!” in the subject line, and I’ll give you your money back no questions asked.
There are no strings attached, no forms to fill out, and I won’t question you.
As a matter of fact, you can try out the program for a full 90 days.
If at the end of the 3 months you’re not nailing more difficult songs thanks to a practice system that delivers faster hands, deeper 4-way coordination, and mind-blowing listening skills that makes memorization & performance EASIER & FASTER….
Then I’ll refund you for the entire 3 months that you paid for!
I am so confident that this system will transform your playing that I’ll take on all the risk here and make this decision a no-brainer for you.
Know what to practice TODAY! Join now.But wait there's more :) Seriously, though!
There really IS more because I want to help you grow more than you thought humanly possible. So here are some super valuable bonuses designed to accelerate your progress here in the program.
Some students might argue that this first one has been the most important catalyst for their personal success.
#1: Make MORE progress in LESS time with the "Practice SMARTER, not HARDER" quick-win mini course!
[$47 value - included for free]
I’d like to help you get results right off the bat when you join the program. I’m including my Practice Smarter, Not Harder mini course for you to dig into right now! This program will totally change the way you practice the drums. Here’s what it will help you accomplish…
- Do an 80/20 analysis of your drumming skills so that you save hours of time by finding YOUR most important skills to practice.
- Create your ideal weekly practice schedule that fits your busy life.
- Learn the “magical” power of repetition in practicing and how to use it correctly to truly master a skill.
- Know when you’ve mastered something, and build a healthy understanding of what “perfection” should actually mean in your drumming.
- Set realistic short term, mid term, and long term growth goals so that you can confidently reach success by knowing exactly what you’re working toward.
"This mini course is invaluable. Go do it first!
Finished the 'Practice Smarter Not Harder' training today. If you are a beginner drummer and struggling with goal setting and practice schedule (like I am), this mini course is invaluable. Go do it first!"
#2: My full-blown course, Song Learning University, completely free [normally $147]
This is a HUGE bonus, but there's a catch:
Only the annual members can access it.
Join the annual plan instead of the monthly, and you’ll get access to my full blown course, Song Learning University (not to mention you’ll get two months of your membership free in the process!).
Here’s what this game-changing song-learning method helps you do:
- Eliminate fear & anxiety, and become the confident drummer you’re made to be
- Learn a repeatable system for learning and memorizing songs for gigs
- Learn the key listening techniques for picking out kick drum pattern and mastering grooves & fills without consulting drum tabs or sheet music online.
- Ditch the mental “fill library” or “groove library” and free yourself up to create unique parts that fit on the fly
Normally I’d sell this course for at least $147, and currently the doors are closed most of the year. But right now you can gain exclusive access to this powerful method, and it’s all included in the annual plan to this membership.
Go annual and get 2 months free + Song Learning University, my gift to you.
And on top of all of this…
I want to make sure everything is super clear & direct and you always know exactly how to take action… So every training in the mini course as well as every big Core Training and every Song of the Month Challenge is complete with:
- Audio play-alongs
- Notation & action step PDFs that you can download or print out and take straight to your practice room
I want you to think ahead 12 months from now...
Imagine you’ve dived in to 12 song of the month challenges, mastered 12 songs in depth, plus you’ve dug into the 6 step automatic growth system and the core trainings that taught you the key skills you needed to nail each song.
What will things look like for you a year from now?
Well it’s safe to say that you will have made massive progress that probably exceeded your expectations. Most drummers are capable of so much more than they think!
Imagine a year from now getting a call from a local band to go fill in with them on their gig Saturday night. 12 months ago you would have been terrified, unprepared, and completely unable to jump at this opportunity.
But now you’re actually ready! You have the technical & listening skills to quickly learn some songs and step into a new playing situation. You’re confident & empowered to show up to that gig sounding awesome, helping the band out by being a solid drummer… and having a blast in the process.
In 12 months...
- You will be MORE than good enough to play with a band if you want to.
- You will have amazed yourself and anyone who hears you because of how quickly you became a song-learning & performing master, taking what you learn here and applying it to any songs that come your way.
- You’ll be consistently learning, memorizing, and executing songs that were once difficult because you now have the 30-day SYSTEM in your back pocket.
- You’ll be the musical, commanding drummer you didn’t realize you were capable of, confidently creating on your instrument and able to fill in with a band.
These are some awesome wins, but to be fair…
What if you DON’T join the Know What to Practice program? Where will you be in 12 months?
Well… Most likely nothing will have changed, and the same old struggles will still be there.
When a friend calls and asks if you can come sub with his band tomorrow night, you’ll have to say no since you know you can’t pull it off.
You’ll still be…
- Stuck, overwhelmed, and never sure what to practice (you’ll be wasting hours of valuable practice time practicing things that probably aren’t working)
- Never sure whether or not you’re practicing things right (“Am I building bad habits that will come back to bite me years from now??”)
- Slow at learning songs - And afraid you’re not actually capable of really playing a song like the record.
- Afraid you’ll never be good enough to play with a band, because you’re terrified of making mistakes in front of people.
- Afraid you’re not prepared enough… and you have no idea how to know if you’re prepared to nail a song or play it with a band.
I don’t want you dealing with any of these things, and I doubt you do either.
Joining is easy & risk-free. Just do these 3 things:
- Click the “join now” button, which takes you to to the two membership plans at the bottom of this page.
- Choose monthly or annual - whichever is right for you, then pay with PayPal or credit card on the checkout page.
- You’ll immediately receive an email with a link to set up your account and gain instant access to the beginner-to-gigging system, and if at any point in the next 90 days you’re not getting the results you expect, I’ll refund you 100% - no questions asked.
This program is simple, structured & not overwhelming.
If you want to get a lot out of your membership here, plan on doing these 3 things after joining:
- Set aside 30 minutes a day for practicing (even if you're busy, you can make this happen!)
- Learn a new song each month by taking the 30 day song challenge (I walk you through this step by step, so that learning a song is super straightforward)
- Post & interact with fellow drummers in the community (post videos for feedback, ask questions, and get to know fellow Non Glamorous drummers)
Which way will you go?
This is it.
I want you to make a decision right now.
Either you’re in, or you’re out.
You can either keep doing things the way you’ve been doing them…and likely go nowhere.
Or take action and KNOW WHAT TO PRACTICE. Join the community, take the 30 day song challenge, and become the master drummer you were made to be.
Remember that you can dive into the program for an entire 90 days risk-free, so you have nothing to lose. I believe YOU CAN DO IT!
I’ll see you inside the Know What to Practice Coaching Community. Stay Non Glamorous!
Take the challenge by joining nowHere are the biggest questions you've asked since we first opened up the program in Fall of 2021...
I’m 65 years old! Am I too old for this?
I don’t have natural talent or a particularly good ear, and I’m afraid this will all take too long and not work for me in the long term.
I’m already practicing learning songs, and I’ve been using sheet music & drum tabs to learn songs faster. How is this system going to help me?
How will I know if I’m making progress? How can I stay motivated and know that I’m actually getting better at playing songs?
I have a full time job & a family. I’m busy - Do I really have time to take full advantage of this program and succeed on the drums?
Will I be able to get personalized feedback regularly from you, Stephen?
How do the live coaching calls work?
How does this "community" work? Can I post anything?
What does this program NOT include?
Don't take my word for all this. Hear from even more of my students!
Jonas H.
"Now, all of a sudden, I could play it! I was hammering out double pedal bars at 150 bpm!"
"I really wanted foot control, speed, and great sound on the bass drum. But I had no idea if I was even doing the right thing to address the problem. Thankfully, very personalized help from Stephen and community members helped me get there - in addition to detailed instruction on foot movements plus slow motion footage from great angles (in the Core Trainings). The level of detail and pure amount of that content really helped me find the right practice path. Other platforms I’ve tried unfortunately failed in that regard.
"After a couple of weeks following the practice path with daily effort, I walked into the practice room, started playing, and as usual tried my dream tempo. Now, all of a sudden, I could play it! I was hammering out double pedal bars at 150 bpm! Weeks earlier I was not only stuck at 120 bpm, but the adjusted technique meant I was much more powerful. Fellow musicians have commented on how my “bass drum just sounds better now.” Consistent, loud hits with clear beater bounce did that.
"My feet are close to catching up with my hands, and for the style I play that means amazing freedom. It’s also easier to play in time now thanks to no lagging foot!"
Tamara C.
"I can’t wait to get home to practice now, because I know now that I can do this!"
"I was hitting a wall with singles and doubles and coordination around the kit. For the most part, my frustration with not improving on singles and doubles made me feel less motivated to practice. One huge difference with this community is how the success path is laid out for me, so I could figure out where exactly I am and what I need to be working on to get to the next level.
"Another difference is that the membership is more affordable than any other memberships I’ve tried. The greatest difference, though, is that Stephen is humble, patient, and excellent in developing and teaching core trainings. It is clear that he truly believes that I can do this, and he shows us exactly how to get to that next level. I discovered my biggest stumbling block had everything to do with hand and foot technique.
"It has been a huge relief to know that I really can do this thing - making music on the drums - that I’ve wanted to do my whole life. I work on singles and doubles on the pad in my car for 30 min daily on my lunch. And I have created and maintained a practice schedule in Excel that gets me behind the kit 4 or more hours per week. I can’t wait to get home to practice now, because I know now that I can do this!"
Mike E.
"I know I am a better drummer now! ...and other musicians like having me in the band..."
"A poor weak hand, poor coordination, limited bass drum foot, poor timekeeping (especially when playing fills or changing grooves!) really held me back. I am entirely self-taught as a drummer, and without a proper strategy I felt hopeless and like I would never be able to do it. With Stephen’s proper strategy/priorities, improvement has become my expectation rather than my hope.
"What sets this program apart from others is that it provides a proper structure of teaching exercises, like how to improve bass foot and how to improve hihat foot. Also, it focuses on fundamental elements (fulcrum, seating position, matching grip in weak and strong hand, using a metronome, etc.) that I have really benefited from.
"The Community is very encouraging and inspires me to keep going when progress doesn't go as fast as I'd like. I'm also much better at diagnosing where I'm going wrong, thanks to watching Stephen’s feedback to others and applying the same logic to my own playing. I realized within a few months that I was now improving steadily rather than getting stuck.
"After about 12 months in this membership I realized at a gig that I could play stuff easily live that previously was really hard! I also know that I am much more relaxed and better co-ordinated at the drum set, and I have more mental space to invent fills and play with more subtlety. I know I am a better drummer now! I can play (or learn) most things I'm asked to, and other musicians like having me in the band because my time keeping is fairly good now and I fit the drum part to the music more effectively."
Ian S.
"This program worked right from the get go when I joined."
"The problem was I never had a community. I love everything about playing drums, but there is no drumming community and no drum teachers where I live. Being an older, late starter drummer, means that in my mind there is no time to waste. So the prospect of wasting valuable time learning the long way by experience alone is just not a practical nor a desirable outcome at all.
"Joining a community has enabled me to avoid that frustration. I love the thorough treatment of basic techniques, and Stephen’s availability for direct when-needed interaction with his community of students is in itself a very efficient arrangement. A mature self driven student can go on practicing and working the course material independently yet ask for help when needed, as opposed to having to attend an obligatory lesson say weekly when it takes longer than a week to achieve any real progress.
"This program worked right from the get go when I joined. I am very excited to say that by my Non Glamorous membership I feel that I am making best progress with little wasted time."
Wendy R.
“I do actually feel more confident when I’m playing with others. I’ve joined a new band and they all seem to be happy with my playing!”
“[I struggled with] not being able to execute things I heard and wanted to play, both in hand and foot technique and in coordination between all the limbs. I constantly complained to my husband about the fact that I decided to start learning drums so late in life, when I retired, and didn’t get the basics down as a kid.
“I’ve watched many online teachers and generally can get something from them all - but I liked the idea of the community that you offer and all the parts: SOTM, coaching calls, technique lessons, etc.
“I do actually feel more confident when I’m playing with others. I’ve joined a new band and they all seem to be happy with my playing!”
Charles R.
“I was stuck and not happy with my playing before joining the program..."
“[What helped me the most were…] Stephen’s communication skills and being able to articulate common problems for beginner drummers and break each problem down so it becomes a workable problem.
“Also he realizes that playing songs is fun regardless of your skill level so he just encourages learning by playing as well as basic fundamentals but do it concurrently…. Not seen anyone else quite like him … and I honesty believe he enjoys his job as an instructor. In the end he is a really good teacher.
“When I posted [my first SOTM challenge video], it felt like an accomplishment - and when other drummers acknowledged my accomplishment, that validation seemed to be a powerful motivator to keep going.
“I can see a path I can take to get to a more competent level, and that feels very empowering. It gives me hope.”
Kim U.
"Seriously! I am doing it! and Loving it!
CONFIDENCE!!...where there once was NONE!"
“[My challenges were…] Where do I begin, how do I get started, know what to do, practice, a lesson platform, etc. that ACTUALLY provided the CORRECT instructions, help, plan, and long term results I was looking for.
“[I was dealing with ] discouragement, defeat, 'what was I thinking,' 'who am I to think I can be a successful drummer?' 'Kim, Cut your losses and choose another dream to chase,' 'drumming is not going to be possible for me, I am too old and will not be a dream I will be able to achieve.'
“Then...I found Stephen and the Non Glamorous Drummer!
“Your style of lessons, courses, youtube videos; methodical steps, PDF's, playing along with you, keeping things simple and focus has provided me the growth, achievement and JOY of playing and learning the drums that I thought and almost convinced was NOT within my reach.
“Seriously! Not now! I am doing it! and Loving it! Thank you! What is different? EVERYTHING and every way you approach teaching drumming, especially beginners like me.
“Your approach, patience, style, encouragement, honesty, teaching demeanor, courses, youtube videos have provided me the foundation (as a beginner) to achieve, grow and realize my dream of being a drummer IS WITHIN REACH! Thank you! The moment...let me tell you! D O U B L E S!!!! I can and am able to play doubles incorporating my FINGERS and even with my Left Hand! YIPPEE - they are not the death of me yet!
“Your Core training, Hand Technique Course and LOTS of your encouragement, patience honest evaluations and one on one lessons have proven to deliver what you earnestly promise.
“By putting in the work, itsy-bitsy step by step wins, watching the trainings over and over again, today I am able to play doubles 120+++ bpm. Ok they are not lightening speed, but getting close to 150bpm! There is hope for me yet and I CAN do this. Thank you for sticking by me and helping me to achieve my goals.
“CONFIDENCE!!!- where there once was NONE!”
Virg A.
“When I started playing with other people, I noticed that I could do more than I thought and my technique was getting smoother. I was actually caught off guard when I realized that.
“I was always stuck at one level and couldn't get beyond that. It made me think there would be no way to get faster and smoother and there were times when I just thought I should settle for where I was and move on to something else.
“But I did keep going and really didn't realize how much I had improved until the The Song of the Month Challenge started.
“[My favorite things about this program…]
Close connection to the instructor, real feedback that means something, variety of learning areas with examples and ways to put that all into practice, notations are really good and my favorite part - having a real, supportive community!
“When I started playing with other people, I noticed that I could do more than I thought and my technique was getting smoother. I was actually caught off guard when I realized that.
“I feel really lucky to have found the Non-Glamorous Drummer!”