Finger drumminglessons
One-to-one lessons in finger drumming technique, practice and sampling. Bring whatever you play on: MPC, Maschine, Ableton Live with Push, or another pad controller, such as the MPD218.
- In person at The Snedlab, Coburg North
- Online
- Any controller is fine
- All levels welcome
Tap the pads,or press Play
Three kits to try: a Studio kit, Mixed pads that combine drums and percussion with melodic samples, chords and bass, and the Beginners kit from the Beginners course page.
Tap the pads, or press Play to hear a groove.
Learn from a high-level finger drummerand experienced teacher
Hello! I’m John. I’m a degree-qualified jazz musician: I studied jazz performance at university and graduated with a Bachelor of Music. I’ve been training instrumentalists for nearly 20 years and, along the way, picked up the art of finger drumming.
Coming up with a practice routine, a practice regime and specific technique exercises is something I’ve done with students for a long time. Finger drumming responds to the same approach as any other instrument, so lessons give you a clear plan and the exercises that suit your hands.
It doesn’t matterwhat system you use
I work completely in Ableton Live, and I’ve trained people on Maschine and MPC too. All of the technique concepts are interchangeable and transfer between instrument types and platforms, so I can help you whatever you play on.
Bring your own controller to lessons, or use one of mine in the studio.
- Akai MPC
- Native Instruments Maschine
- Ableton Live with Push
- Akai MPD218
- Any other pad controller
Not sure if your gear will work? Get in touch and ask.
More possibilitiesif you useAbleton Live
If you use Ableton Live, I can give you extra specialised guidance. Live opens up a lot more possibilities for sound design and instrumentation, such as easy access to mixed pads setups that combine drums and percussion with melodic samples, plucks, chords, and vocal chops. There are many pathways to explore: Ableton stock devices, VSTs and various sampling routes that Live opens up for you.
A lot of my own playing uses pads that are half drums and percussion and half melodic. I can show you how to build and play setups like that. Try the “Mixed pads” kit above to hear the idea.
- Drum Rack presets from my own sets to start from
- Mixed layouts of drums, percussion, melodic samples, plucks, chords and vocal chops
- VST plug-ins and Max for Live devices
- The wide range of sound design and audio engineering options in Live
Rudiments, exercisesand a practice routine
We work on the physical side of playing pads: control, timing and feel. You’ll get exercises for your hands and a practice routine that fits your week, and we adjust it as you improve.
As well as the basics, we will focus on groove, swing and syncopation, so what you play feels good as well as sitting in time. We can work in any style you want to play.
- Rudiments on pads: single strokes, double strokes and paradiddles, split across fingers and hands
- Finger independence and coordination between your hands
- Groove, swing and syncopation
- Timing: playing with the Metronome, then holding the time without it
- Dynamics: ghost notes, accents and velocity
- Hi-hat patterns over kick and snare
- Fills and rolls
- Building speed while keeping it clean
- Setup and ergonomics: pad layout, pad sensitivity, posture and hand position
- A practice routine written for you, with a plan for each week
Learn the groovesreal drummers play
Learn how to analyse, break down and absorb drum beats and patterns from any song or drum loop you come across, and bring them into your own playing.
Practicing along to drum loops is one of the best ways to learn the vocabulary and the parts drummers play. I can give you a huge amount of drum loops to practice along to, to pick up ideas and practice specific feels.
- Learn a groove from a record you love
- Learn real grooves from real songs
- Practice slowly and loop the hard bars
- Play along with drum loops in any style
- Play with a bassist: in person I can play bass with you, and for online lessons I can record bass lines for you to take away
Sampling forfinger drumming
I can help you with sampling, and teach you how to do it yourself. Whatever you sample, we’ll turn it into kits you can play and bring into your practice and performance.
- Records: chopping sounds and phrases from vinyl and other releases
- Recordings: anything you’ve recorded yourself
- Your own music: parts and stems from your own tracks
- Sample libraries: finding and choosing sounds from packs
- Sound design: sounds you design yourself
- Choosing, trimming and chopping sounds
- Laying out your pads so the kit sits comfortably under your fingers
- Balancing levels and tuning so the kit feels like one instrument
- Choke groups, so an open hat cuts off when you play a closed hat
- Building your own kits and racks on whatever system you use
- In Ableton Live: Simpler, Drum Rack and Slice to New MIDI Track
- In Ableton Live you also have VST plug-ins, Max for Live devices and many more sound design options
- On MPC or Maschine: the same ideas with their own tools
- Recording what you play with Capture MIDI and Record Quantization, or keeping your own feel
Every student gets a free sample pack of 2 GB or more, chosen for finger drumming. Use my samples, your own, sounds sampled from albums, or anything else.
From practice to performance
When you’re ready, we can turn your kits and grooves into something you can play live, and get your playing filmed and shared.
- Live performance and set work: turning kits and grooves into something you can play live, including jamming in Session View and playing along to other tracks and loops
- Filming and sharing your performances
- Video practice check-ins: send me a short clip between lessons and I’ll tell you what to work on
Built around what you want to play.
What music you love and where you’re stuck. We set goals together.
In whatever mix you need.
Exactly what to work on, with a schedule that fits your week.
In the studio,or online
60 minutes suits technique, grooves and practice routines. 90 minutes adds time for sampling, building kits and racks, and production work.
$85
Single lesson in the studio, $80 online. 4-pack: $310 in the studio, $290 online.
$120
Single lesson in the studio, $110 online. 4-pack: $440 in the studio, $400 online.
The Snedlab
4/36 Norfolk Court, Coburg North VIC 3058
Online lessons
The same one-on-one lessons from anywhere.
10% off for Ableton Live Beginners Course students. Need longer for building kits or sets? Get in touch.
Bring your own controller, or use one of mine in the studio.
Bookfinger drumminglessons
Tell me what you play on, what music you love and what you’d like to work on. I will reply by email, usually within a day, to set up your first lesson.
Prefer to talk? info@snedmusic.com 0449 705 424
