Private Drum Lessons
(Face-to-Face & Online)
Are you interested in learning to play the drums or looking to level up your existing drumming skills?
As a faculty member at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, I also offer private drum lessons for students of all levels. Whether you’re just beginning, sharpening your skills, or striving for professional excellence, I welcome you to explore the art of drumming and music-making in a friendly and relaxed private lesson atmosphere with me.
What to Expect in My Classes
In my classes, you’ll be able to explore a wide range of musical styles, including jazz, pop, rock, funk, world, and Latin music. You’ll also learn the necessary techniques, skills, and concepts to succeed on your instrument and in performance settings.
Our lessons are a collaborative journey, where your active participation is highly encouraged. Your interests, goals, and feedback are key to shaping our sessions. I also encourage you to follow your curiosity and ask many questions, as this hunger for knowledge is crucial to your growth. I’ll help identify your strengths and weaknesses, and together, we’ll set goals, develop a plan, choose the right exercises and methods, and work on them in a fun and inspiring way.
Jazz Drumming Lessons
My passion is jazz and musical improvisation, and my extensive experience playing all styles—from early jazz to bebop and contemporary—allows me to provide you with a rich and nuanced understanding of this beautiful music and how it relates to other genres.
Learn the essential jazz styles and how to swing. Master comping, soloing, stick, and brush techniques—all the skills you need to become a versatile and expressive drummer, valuable not just for jazz but for any genre.
Drumming Technique
I place a strong emphasis on teaching good technique to my students because it’s often the root cause of why many drummers struggle to progress or hit roadblocks in their playing. By focusing on proper technique, you’ll develop more quickly and avoid injuries down the road, leading to a fulfilling drumming experience.
Developing technique isn’t about aiming for speed. Good technique improves your sound and control, allowing you to express yourself and better serve the music. Speed will follow naturally. Ultimately, technique serves no purpose unless it’s in service of the music.
Location
My private drum lesson studio is located in Shin-Kawasaki near Motosumiyoshi station (元住吉駅), making it easily accessible from Tokyo, Yokohama, and Kawasaki by train or car. (Free car parking available)
Online Drum Lessons
No matter where you live, I offer the flexibility of online drum lessons, allowing you to study with me from anywhere. Thanks to today’s technology, I can provide the same personalized instruction online as I do in person. I’ve taught students from Japan, Germany, the USA, Canada, Singapore, and Taiwan, demonstrating that effective learning can happen from a distance.
Contact me for more information and to set up a test connection to experience it for yourself.
Languages
My lessons are available in English, German, and Japanese.
ドラムレッスンは、主に英語とドイツ語で教えていますが、日本語も多少話せます。私のレッスンに興味のある方は、お気軽にご連絡ください。
Lesson Fees
A standard lesson is 60 minutes and costs 8,000 JPY (including tax). Extended sessions of 90 or 120 minutes are also available upon request. For other formats, feel free to ask.
There are no additional fees for joining or membership—you simply pay for each lesson you take. Whether you attend once in a lifetime or once a week, the frequency is entirely up to you, though regular lessons are recommended to ensure proper learning.
Payments can be made via cash, bank transfer, or PayPal, with any bank transfer fees covered by the student.
Contact
While I don’t offer free trial lessons, I’d be happy to arrange a free online consultation via Skype or Zoom. This is a great opportunity to discuss your goals, ask questions, and see if my teaching style is the right fit for you. Feel free to reach out to schedule a session—I look forward to hearing from you!
About Me
I am a professional drummer and music educator from Germany, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2009. I teach at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music (Jazz and American Music Course / JAM) and run my own private drum lesson studio. Over my 20+ year career as an educator, I’ve taught at various music schools and conducted workshops and ensemble classes on jazz and improvisation at middle and high schools in both Germany and Japan.
I studied music at Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA (Class of 2004).
While my expertise is in jazz and anything related, my love for music knows no boundaries. I’m an open-minded and versatile musician, always eager to explore various musical styles—both as a performer and with my students in class.
As a performer, I have participated in concerts, tours, and recording sessions across Europe, the USA, and Asia. My experience ranges from playing in small combos to large ensembles and orchestras, and from performing in intimate clubs to concert halls and arenas, as well as in recording studios and on TV. Artists I have worked with include Makoto Ozone, Sadao Watanabe, Seiko Matsuda, Lisa Ono, Dan Nimmer, Sarah McKenzie, Tomonao Hara, Kengo Nakamura, Michel Reis, Martin Sasse, and Roman & Julian Wasserfuhr, among many others.
Find out more about my drum lessons
in this interview!
Drum Lessons in Karuizawa / Collaboration with Sibe Music School
(シベミュージックスクール、軽井沢)
I am collaborating with my dear friend and exceptional drummer colleague, Kungo Sadanari, in Karuizawa, Nagano. Kungo operates his own music school there, and I will be offering private drum lessons approximately once a month. For more information, please visit his website: www.sibemusic.net, or feel free to contact me directly with any inquiries.”
What the students say…
Yuki O.
“I highly recommend Dennis as a drumset private instructor, I’ve been taking drum lessons from him for about 3 years now and I’m very happy with the progress i’ve made with him! Currently preparing to study jazz performance at a college level and Dennis has really helped me with that.”
Chris M.
“I’ve been studying with Dennis both in person and online since 2019. He is patient but persistent, always pushing me forward while encouraging and guiding me in my efforts to be a better musician. He has also helped me work on any type of music I have wished to. Taking online lessons with Dennis on forte has been quite smooth; he understands and uses the technology effectively. I recommend Dennis without hesitation.”
Sebastian S.
“Our son started drums lessons with Dennis about 3 years ago, at the beginning face to face lessons and later due to pandemic situation online. So we know Dennis very well and we strongly recommend Dennis not only as a very good teacher, but also as a very nice person. Our son enjoys a lot the lessons and he plays with fun and confidence because Dennis finds a good balance between challenging drums theory, relaxed communication and playing together drums. Dennis writes personalized music notes for the level and music interests of our son. Even if we live know in Germany, Dennis is very flexible in providing us a proper and reliable lesson schedule: he never forgets appointments, he is always punctually and in a good mood! We are very grateful for his engagement in teaching our son in a high quality and fun drum experience!”
Gary L.
“Dennis has been giving my son online lessons in English for two years. He is a kind and patient teacher and is always creating new ways to keep the lessons interesting and fun for my son. The online technology works great and makes it possible for us to attend lessons remotely from our home in Tokyo. I highly recommend Dennis for drum lessons!”
