Pulse_ironica
New member
B-quartet has One of the best drummers in singapore in my opinion. Given the fact that he is under the age of 20. Hes a prodigy man.. Seriously good and solid drummer.. *Respect
Drums Instructor
- Thread starter yapsand
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GrimBrody
New member
Pulse_ironica said:
Yeap! RESPECT! He just caps it all off! First time i saw him in action was at the BOTB 2004 Auditions...as he did the drums for Mochanova Junction and they covered Eric Benet's "Why You Follow Me"..aiyo..our jaws dropped to the ground after watching him play. And knowing that at that time he was just taking his O's.. :smt107
rayer:funny, i too was under james. he made me feel like a robot. there was no feel, no soul, no fun at all. i quit and use the money to buy drums books & DVDs instead. now i'm enjoying myself with my band. i'm going b'quatet's drummer way - self taught. he inspires me. but sad to say i'm still not half as good as him though. but most importantly, i'm enjoying myself.
bklk
New member
bani hidir - LEGENDARY!! he really impressed me when i saw the gig at esplanade...he really is a prodigy..his ochestration around the drums on the originals and covers... really is brilliant..!! and his band b-quartet...\m/ reeeaallyy good.!! if any of you guys have a chance to watch them..pls do so...dont miss out.!! \m/ :wink:
gotta ask.
can you guys recommend me some DVDs on drumming please? I've stopped my lessons @ Yamaha, looking to get a private drum instructor, but would like to be a little more prepared since private drum instructor will be costly.
can give me some titles of drumming DVDs for newbie/intermediates? and also where to buy? or some of you want to sell off yours?
FYI, I'm learning to drum to jam with my friends. music we play are mainstream, haven't ventured into jazz funk etc yet. would love to though..
NEXT...
where will this b'quartet be performing next?
can you guys recommend me some DVDs on drumming please? I've stopped my lessons @ Yamaha, looking to get a private drum instructor, but would like to be a little more prepared since private drum instructor will be costly.
can give me some titles of drumming DVDs for newbie/intermediates? and also where to buy? or some of you want to sell off yours?
FYI, I'm learning to drum to jam with my friends. music we play are mainstream, haven't ventured into jazz funk etc yet. would love to though..
NEXT...
where will this b'quartet be performing next?
Gosh..I owe you guys big time.I was went to yamaha to sign up for the drum course and I reserved a space.I was about to confirm today when I read the posts about yamaha teachers.and guess what ? the teacher who was in charge of my time slot is actually james! =X
thanks to you guys ! but now I need to find some other drum teachers.
thanks again.lol
thanks to you guys ! but now I need to find some other drum teachers.
thanks again.lol
shred5
New member
ymmit said:
Just to name a few:
1) Thomas Lang Creative Control Method
2) Chad Smith's Red Hot Groove Method
3) Scott Travis Double Bass Drum Method
4) Mike Portnoy's Liquid Drum Method
Last but not least..
5) Lars Ulrich "How Do I Get The Snare Sound In St. Anger." Method* :wink:
Mr_Fantasy
New member
May I know wat's Hensen Beng's credentials? Since he's teaching at Yamaha. Just how gd he is?
mel80
New member
lepids said:
I beg to differ about James from Yamaha though. I took drum lessons from him a couple of years back.
Yeah, he can be kinda cocky and shoots his mouth off too easily at students sometimes. He can be too straightforward a person. But if you take what he says more constructively, he actually means well. He just expects his students to practise everything he has taught from the previous lessons really well before going on to the next lesson. When he walks out of the studio for a 'toilet break', he actually stands outside the studio to observe how the students practise. That is his way to observe his students' progress because some students might feel shy/intimidated when practising the chops with him standing around. Well, at least that was what he told me back then lah.
Personally, that worked well for me because it kinda 'forced' me not to slack. Then again, I guess what works for one person may not work for others
he also told me like that. standing outside to watch students play. true lah, i still can see his face at the window. even scarier! why dun dare to come in?! hahahha.. but i can't stand yamaha. very slow. he will make a good teacher if not for the syllabus and his cocky-ness..
there was one time i enjoyed drumming with him is that we played together for a song and he taught me some stuffs. that was the only time i enjoyed.
likes to do a solo ending and then give u one smile and speak in a way cocky tone bout how he become what he is now.. argh.
there was one time i enjoyed drumming with him is that we played together for a song and he taught me some stuffs. that was the only time i enjoyed.
likes to do a solo ending and then give u one smile and speak in a way cocky tone bout how he become what he is now.. argh.
Funkifized
New member
Hey, first post here.
I read about what you guys wrote about James and I personally disagree with some points.
I was his student for about 2 years. Yes he is cocky, and most of the time you'll get into deep trouble if you piss him off. But sometimes, you have to understand why he was pissed off. Most of the time, (I was in a group class) those people who were publicly embarassed were the people who were too damn lazy to practice, or are those who expect to be able to drum just because they attend an hour a week's worth of drum lessons.
It doesn't work that way, fellas.
I'm not saying all of you don't practice. I'm just saying what I saw in the class. He really did teach me quite a few things. And most of all, he taught me the most important element in drumming - TIME. Without time, you are nothing.
I guess I got off quite easily from him because I was already in a military band when I joined CPS, hence I got my rudimentary chops in place (not saying I am good, but before I had joined I already knew all the rudiments so I didn't get scolded as much).
And yes, he had ridiculed me in front of the class many times, but that was because I either did not practice or was late for class. But he really meant well. He was always outside the studio and listening to us play and rectifying our problems. Rarely did he really go out and drink kopi or something like that.
One thing I agree, is his impatience. Like how some people are tone deaf but want to sing, there are also some people who are rhythmically 'deaf' but still want to drum. They are born with the inability to coordinate their limbs. Even the simplest 8-beat pattern poses a great difficulty to them. A paradiddle will seem like the craziest thing in the world. And James doesn't realize that. All he thinks is that the student did not practice. Which is not true. Some people practice like crap and yet they still can't get that certain groove right. He needs to understand that. Rhythm is such a complex concept. It is the heart and soul of the music, not just a mess of kicks and snares.
One thing I am in gratitude to him, is how he introduced me to the world of great drummers. He showed me the Jeff Porcaro halftime shuffle. He showed me Steve Gadd's groove in 'fifty ways to leave your lover' as well as the groove in 'late in the evening'. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have known what the hell they were playing. And it is thanks to him now, that I am having so much fun with the halftime shuffle. It's a damn musical groove.
Sorry for that long post but man, give the man a break.
I read about what you guys wrote about James and I personally disagree with some points.
I was his student for about 2 years. Yes he is cocky, and most of the time you'll get into deep trouble if you piss him off. But sometimes, you have to understand why he was pissed off. Most of the time, (I was in a group class) those people who were publicly embarassed were the people who were too damn lazy to practice, or are those who expect to be able to drum just because they attend an hour a week's worth of drum lessons.
It doesn't work that way, fellas.
I'm not saying all of you don't practice. I'm just saying what I saw in the class. He really did teach me quite a few things. And most of all, he taught me the most important element in drumming - TIME. Without time, you are nothing.
I guess I got off quite easily from him because I was already in a military band when I joined CPS, hence I got my rudimentary chops in place (not saying I am good, but before I had joined I already knew all the rudiments so I didn't get scolded as much).
And yes, he had ridiculed me in front of the class many times, but that was because I either did not practice or was late for class. But he really meant well. He was always outside the studio and listening to us play and rectifying our problems. Rarely did he really go out and drink kopi or something like that.
One thing I agree, is his impatience. Like how some people are tone deaf but want to sing, there are also some people who are rhythmically 'deaf' but still want to drum. They are born with the inability to coordinate their limbs. Even the simplest 8-beat pattern poses a great difficulty to them. A paradiddle will seem like the craziest thing in the world. And James doesn't realize that. All he thinks is that the student did not practice. Which is not true. Some people practice like crap and yet they still can't get that certain groove right. He needs to understand that. Rhythm is such a complex concept. It is the heart and soul of the music, not just a mess of kicks and snares.
One thing I am in gratitude to him, is how he introduced me to the world of great drummers. He showed me the Jeff Porcaro halftime shuffle. He showed me Steve Gadd's groove in 'fifty ways to leave your lover' as well as the groove in 'late in the evening'. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have known what the hell they were playing. And it is thanks to him now, that I am having so much fun with the halftime shuffle. It's a damn musical groove.
Sorry for that long post but man, give the man a break.
mel80
New member
Funkifized said:
I can't agree more with you Funkifized. I got ridiculed by him a couple of times too, but it's all about taking it in the right spirit. Although he might sound harsh, but he actually means well. His point is always "practise hard before coming for classes". And yes, he opened the doors of drumming for me too. Been years since I last attended his lessons, but I'm still grateful to him today and still say hi whenever I bump into him.
Then again like I said, what works for us might not work for some others
I recently started taking group class from him.. I realise too, that he is cocky and straightfroward and lacks the patience... But from my pespective,i feel one should try to look at it in a positive way.He is trying to mould us to be good drummers and to keep up with the standards out there..To achieve these it definitely requires regular practice on everything he has taught us especially from the previous lessons before attending the class..This would definitely prevent him from getting angry.. I think we should reflect to the phrase "Practice Makes Perfect". Perhaps there is another possibility to look at this, he may be trying make us thick skin..( this mould us to be open to bad comments not jus good ones and encourage self-motivation. This helps us to work our way to perfection and to be professional in what we play). I also realise that when the class perform to his satisfactory level he does give some good tips. I understand that each and individual are different in their own ways and they absorb differently.. So the best will be taking it positively.
:smt036
:smt036
mel80
New member
Well said man, Drumology :smt023
Agreed that James Chan's approach to teaching can be better though. The problem with his approach is that it might work for some while not for others. Some other teachers may be less strict and all, but if I were under them, I'd become too relaxed. Won't improve much that way. I need to have my ass whipped sometimes to buck up lol.
Some people like to be kept on their toes all the time, while others prefer to take things at more comfortable levels.
Agreed that James Chan's approach to teaching can be better though. The problem with his approach is that it might work for some while not for others. Some other teachers may be less strict and all, but if I were under them, I'd become too relaxed. Won't improve much that way. I need to have my ass whipped sometimes to buck up lol.
Some people like to be kept on their toes all the time, while others prefer to take things at more comfortable levels.
Yes, James is no doubt a skilled player, but his teaching style has to change.
He was very slack in handling my brother for the past 2 yrs... He spends 1/2 the time walking along Level 6 of PS (I've seen it with my own eyes before picking my bro up). Not looking thru the window as some of u have said.
The best part is when my bro said he wanted to quit, all of a sudden James woke up his idea and stayed in throughout and played together with him for the first time! The first time in 2 yrs! He also tried to 'talk' him out of it.
I think that is pathetic in terms of work ethic. People are paying alot of money for his services. So when you lose a student or 'customer', you go all panicky when u should've been teaching properly since day 1?
Sorry to ex/students of James. He may have worked for some of you, but he most certainly did not in this case.
Just an honest opinion based on frequent observation.
He was very slack in handling my brother for the past 2 yrs... He spends 1/2 the time walking along Level 6 of PS (I've seen it with my own eyes before picking my bro up). Not looking thru the window as some of u have said.
The best part is when my bro said he wanted to quit, all of a sudden James woke up his idea and stayed in throughout and played together with him for the first time! The first time in 2 yrs! He also tried to 'talk' him out of it.
I think that is pathetic in terms of work ethic. People are paying alot of money for his services. So when you lose a student or 'customer', you go all panicky when u should've been teaching properly since day 1?
Sorry to ex/students of James. He may have worked for some of you, but he most certainly did not in this case.
Just an honest opinion based on frequent observation.
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