Sunday, February 10, 2008

I’m All In

i pulled the trigger.  i quit my job working at Calvin’s digital studio, took my interim off, built a drum studio in my basement, and started teaching drums again.  it’s been a while since i’ve taught (at least 3 years ago, when i was still in hong kong), and this time i’m taking it a lot more seriously.  my time at the digital studio taught me the value of integrating media into an educational environment, so my drum studio doubles as a home theater, which i use for referencing useful videos and websites.  i’ve got two students so far, and i’m looking to add six more by the end of april.

it all began with some serious introspection during the first semester.  i realized that i couldn’t spend so much time at the digital studio.  they asked for at least 10 hours a week, and i was having trouble fulfilling that while keeping my head above water in schoolwork.  moreover, i couldn’t justify spreading my time so thinly working at the digital studio for only $8.50/hour.  although i loved the work there and learned a lot, i just could not work 10 hours a week for $8.50/hour.  i had bills to pay, and i couldn’t spend so much time trying to pay them.  so i thought about my other alternatives.

sure, i could freelance again, doing web and graphic projects here and there, but freelance work can be spotty at times.  besides, i’ve already done a lot of that, and i want to try somthing new.  after all, college is a time for exploration, right?  so i turned to my steady passion of 8+ years: drumming.  i just can’t get drumming out of my mind; i love it so much.  the performance, the hard work that pays off with new breakthroughs, the challenge of pushing myself, the business aspect of self-management… it just all appeals to me.  so why not give drumming a shot and become a working musician?

a working musician can take many forms, and considering the time i have available, teaching seemed to make the most sense.  sure, playing gigs with a band is fun, but gigs don’t pay that well to a band starting off.  besides, a band requires so much time and effort to get a decent and steady paycheque.  also, my drumming isn’t at that caliber yet, and i don’t know enough musicians that i’d like to work with.  so with bands and gigs out of the picture, i thought about integrating my knowledge from the digital studio and integrating it with my teaching experience.  perhaps i could provide a fresh approach to teaching drums, one that was inspiring and fun.  after all, i realized that beginner drummers needed encouragement more than anything else.  technique is important, but that can come later.  a beginner drummer needs to realize that drums are fun, and that they are worth his or her time.  these drummers also need to see their own progress, because progress is an exciting part of learning any instrument.  there’s nothing more motivating than seeing yourself improve.

with technology, i can extend the education outside the studio.  there are lots of resources available online, such as websites, sheet music, online drum magazines, videos, and songs.  i can pick and choose the best resources to distribute to my students, and my students can check it all out from the comfort of their own home at their own drumset.  i can also use technology within the studio, filming students’ progress to create a video journal that students can show to their parents (who are paying the bills after all).

so i made the leap and became a working musician.  if anyone wants drum lessons, gimme a holler!

Posted by Nehe555 on 02/10 at 02:02 AM
Permalink

<< Back to main