What is taught at MGD?
One thing that really separates what is taught at MGD is a real encouragement for improvisation and self discovery. The main formula for most lessons are based on my book “Practical Drumming - a systematic approach to achieve freedom on the drum set.” Typically - giving a student a book or using one straight into your personal drumming journey is a terrible idea. This book is the only exception. It brings together all the ideas that I believe helped to set a solid foundation to my playing as well as new ideas that I have seen bring about those same moments of realization in my students. Rather than applying restrictions, we constantly want to embrace freedom and confidence at every step - striving to balance having fun and putting in the hard yards. More than anything, it gives permission to explore and discover on your own - with guide rails in place to help you find your way.

Often, a lot of online courses and other teachers are used to having students come to them already having a certain handle on drumming as those teachers are very advanced themselves. This book has been truly field tested over thousands of hours of teaching, with a wide range of student skill levels - fine tuned and developed for not only naturally talented musicians, but also those of us that don’t think that drumming is going to come naturally to them. As a musician, and especially drummers we need to learn to feel time, hear rhythms and melodies, and something that is unique in “Practical Drumming” – see shapes and pathways. Something that is truly unique about the book and this method is that it can be adjusted and scaled to any age and is supplemented by songs at the appropriate level depending on the student. Whether you are 7 years old, or 60 years old you will still be able to understand the concepts and apply them to your playing without finding it either overly childish or too difficult. Another thing that is a big focus in the book that is often overlook in most methods is applying fills and feeling confident to create them yourself - with in depth studies in different styles and fill types. It really does keep you in that magic place of place of “I totally get what to do… it’s just tricky” - rather than feeling like what you are trying to learn is super impossible.

Style wise- both George and I are VERY well versed in rock, pop and metal and we tend to stick to those genres more than Jazz and similar genres. We focus considerably on developing confidence, with a lot of attention to just PLAYING - especially at the beginning. Lots of tracks, lots fun but also a lot of hard work and encouragement.

Your lessons are more expensive than some other teachers and studios, why is that?
Teaching isn’t a side gig for me - it is everything that I have worked on since I started teaching at the age of 16. I often receive new enrolments from students that have studied under other teachers previously and quite often the things they were working on just wasn’t right for them. I truly believe you get what you pay for and have put countless hours into studying the best learning pathways to help you achieve freedom on the drum set.
Your lesson fee also includes:
- Practice rewards system for younger players
- Personalised online practice log
- Personalised Progression tracker so you can see not only the progress you have made, but also what is to come
- Online Members area giving you access to sheet music, backing tracks, song suggestions, and much more
- Expertly structured learning with individually tailored classes

What qualifies you to teach drums?
- Over 15 years’ teaching experience throughout NSW and QLD
- AMEB CPM lvl. 4 (Hon) + EBM (Bach.)
- Author of the “Practical Drumming” teaching manual
- Professional Member of QMTA
- AMEB Rockschool enrolled teacher with 100% pass rate (all above 80% grade)
- Professional studio with multiple kits with online integration
- Extensive Australian touring experience
- Current Blue card holder

Do you need to have a Drum Teacher?
One of the key reasons face-to-face lessons are so important is since a teacher can pick up on technique issues that you just can’t see on any video lesson. They can help you make the smallest of adjustments that will have a massive impact on your playing. They know what exercises to give you to improve specific aspects of your playing, they’ll tell you what books to buy, inspirational videos to watch, music to listen to, they’ll help with things like advising on your kit set-up, tuning issues, what sticks to use, what gear to buy - they’ll be your best drumming buddy! And I’m yet to meet a good drum teacher who doesn’t get excited talking about all that stuff so don’t be afraid to ask – although do bear in mind they do have other students so chat about it in your own lesson time.

Am I the right teacher for you?
Choosing the right teacher can make a huge difference in how quickly you will pick up the hidden drummer within and develop as a player. I think my forte as a teacher is with beginner to intermediate students that have either never had lessons OR those who have had lessons in the past and gave up because they weren't enjoying it. Drums is a whole load of fun and I like to keep my lessons that way BUT still putting in the hard work. 

As a player I really am based predominantly in Rock, Pop, Funk and Metal music - and I love teaching within those styles. This being the case, if those are the genre’s you are keen to explore then we’ll be a great fit but if you are a Jazz lover or want to explore really advanced progressive concepts then I can suggest some great local teachers who are more in tune with those styles. Feel free to get in touch if you would like some recommendations or contact details.

Is a bad teacher better than no teacher?
No. I’ve met many teachers who have no passion at all for the subject they teach, be it drums or geography, and this is a killer. For whatever reason they’ve lost their spark and it’s time to have a break from teaching. It kills the students’ drive and desire to learn – it’s not inspiring and often leads to a genuine dislike of not just the teacher but the instrument. Teaching is never ‘just a job’. You know if your teacher just can’t be bothered – do yourself and the teacher a favour… and pick a different teacher.

Am I too old to learn drums?
No. As long as you can hold the sticks and hit stuff you’re never too old to play drums. I’ve taught pupils of all ages and often it’s the older pupils who have more time to practice and make the fastest progress. Playing drums is all about muscle memory – more so, in my view, than any other instrument since few other instruments require independent control of your four limbs. So when you’re young your muscles are a lot more open to learning new stuff than when they’re older. That’s not to say ‘oldies’ can’t learn to play drums – there’s a lot to be said for maturity, wisdom and patience but you will have to work harder at the muscle memory bit. Please be prepared for this. Something that a 15 year old might learn in a couple of days can take weeks or months when you’re older.

Drums are, like really expensive!
They’re as expensive as you want them to be but where there’s a will there’s a way. You can pick up incredible bargains on second hand kits, and you can always upgrade and add to your kit as you go as well. It’s much more advantageous to have a cheaper kit from the beginning than wait to get the one you’ve always wanted and miss out on all the progress you could have made in the meantime! 

Should I use online resources?
By using the right online resources you can progress your playing… like a lot. There’s a HUGE amount of information out there, you just need to go looking for it. Some of it is entertaining, some of it is inspiring, some of it is challenging. It will keep you interested in making progress on the drums and can really help you develop your playing. There are also some excellent resources out there to help you play specific songs, tutorials about that fill you always wondered how to play, pad exercises, etc. Jump on Youtube especially, there is a mountain of great content on there!