Chris Makes Music

05/27/2024

Been working really hard, in general. This workshop tonight has a few things fighting against us..obviously the holiday being one of them (anyone want to help teach me how to read a calendar?) That being said if you want to learn about sync licensing for your music, please come out tonight Heather Evans is an absolute gem in Columbus and is NOT a gatekeeper, she wants you to succeed, and make money from your music. She has helped me immensely. I hope you can make it out 6:30p-8:30p at N8 Glass Music & Art Studio - brought to you by Move Your Music Forward

01/15/2024

Any inclination to learn an instrument, work on your songwriting, start up the drums again? FREE LESSON DAY - in fact, there will be two different days to sign up. The last one was great. Come over February 2nd or 9th 2p-7:30p for a free 30 minute lesson. Sign up at https://calendly.com/topherjames/free-lesson-day?month=2024-02

01/15/2024

https://calendly.com/topherjames/trial-lesson?back=1&month=2024-01

01/15/2024

08/26/2023

https://calendly.com/topherjames/free-lesson-day

If you want to skip the free lesson and go right into paid - I am happy to help you - just click the lesson time on the home page of calendly link here https://calendly.com/topherjames

08/25/2023

Leo is such a joy to have. A high school student, he plays in marching and concert band. We work a lot on drum kit mainly because I know he has instruction on other percussion in band classes. We started virtually in early 2021 and have continued to work in that format which actually works pretty well even on drum kit thanks to decent mics on these iPhones as well as the audio interface I run thru on my end. We worked thru “How To Play Rock Drums” by David Lewitt which lays out almost every kind of rock beat possible in a nice linear way. Leo can echo back about anything I play and so after the rock beat book we moved on to strengthening his time feel. Playing the notes is one thing, and as any drummer will tell you, playing time is a whole other beast. We have started working thru “Groove Essentials The Play Along 1.0 with Tommy Igoe”. This book is taking his knowledge of different beats, adding to it, and then putting those beats into practice playing an entire song. Each song has three grooves provided, Leo will play thru and I follow along on the chart in the book and give him pointers. It's been a huge joy seeing him grow as a drummer!

08/24/2023

Amy is fun, she loves to rawk! Shes taught me about Dokken and other 80's bands I have never heard of (I was a child of the 90's). She is kind, dedicated, and diligent. She found me in June 2021 having played drums in the past but never had formal instruction. We worked at her pace and it took a while to fall into a groove (no pun intended). She came to the realization that if she wanted to truly improve that she needed to surrender to the process and allow herself to re-learn drums entirely and not rely on old habits. Her supportive (musician) boyfriend has helped a lot offering suggestions and helping her at home (which can be seen from the notes scrawled in her books). Sticking with it one hour a week, she now can read just about any rock groove I put in front of her on the kit and she keeps a very solid beat. I chose to go with note reading for her because of the way I saw her respond to it and per her wishes. I feel it has matched with her personality to conquer this goal and shes really gotten good at it. She already could “play” drums before but now she understands notes and her drum vocabulary has expanded ten fold because now she has the written language down. It's been a really fun journey I’m so glad she stuck with me (she even left for a bit to explore other options of teaching but ultimately came back). I am proud of what she’s been able to accomplish in a relatively short time and I really enjoy having her as a student!

08/23/2023

A little background, sign up for a FREE lesson Sept 28th https://calendly.com/topherjames/free-lesson-day

08/22/2023

Free Lesson Day Sept 28th - Make an appointment https://calendly.com/topherjames/free-lesson-day?month=2023-09

08/22/2023

September 28th, take a lesson with me NO CHARGE

08/21/2023

https://calendly.com/topherjames/free-lesson-day

08/20/2023

https://calendly.com/topherjames/free-lesson-day

08/19/2023

https://calendly.com/topherjames/free-lesson-day

08/18/2023

Interested in drums? I teach as young as 7-8 and as old as ? Try it for free - - https://calendly.com/topherjames/free-lesson-day

08/17/2023

https://calendly.com/topherjames/free-lesson-day