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Ben Assiter - Drums/ Drum Kit Lessons in Hackney, East/ North/ Central London

Ben Assiter Gold Member

Hackney, London. (E8) View on map
Last Logged In: 24 Apr 2012
Sex: Male
Can Travel To: EC N SE WC

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BMus (Hons) in Music at King's College London
CRB checked through Haringey Council.
Musician's Union, PRS, PPL.

Subjects

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Drum Kit £25.00/hr

Drums/ Percussion £25.00/hr

Personal Message: I'm an East London based drummer and drum tutor, with several years experience as both a performer and a teacher.
Which subject(s) do you teach?: I can teach multiple styles on the drum kit, including jazz, reggae, funk, afrobeat, hip-hop, electronic/dance, rock, pop etc... I can also teach orchestral snare drum.

However, the main aspects of my teaching cover more general technical and musical skills, which are important when playing in any style.

I also aim to develop regular and eclectic listening habits among my pupils - there is often a lot more to be learnt from good record than from a book of technical exercises! Following on from this, I think that understanding musical notation and sight reading are important skills (included in my teaching), but they should never get in the way of basic musical development - particularly for beginners.
Tell me about your qualifications.: I graduated with a BMus (Hons) in Music from King's College London in 2010. I have grade 8 (distinction) in piano, as well as grade 8 (high honours) on drum kit and grade 7 orchestral percussion. At school (The Latymer School, Edmonton) I was awarded the A.P. Newman Prize for instrumental performance.
What kind of experience do you have?: As a teacher, I have taught privately on and off for several years. From 2008-2011, I taught drum kit in various secondary and primary schools in Haringey, as well as assisting with the Haringey Orchestral Percussion Ensemble and the Haringey Young Musician's Symphony Orchestra.

As a performer, I have toured extensively with the Mercury nominated electronic artist James Blake, covering Europe, USA, Japan, Australia and festivals such as Glastonbury, North Sea Jazz and Montreaux Jazz. My work with James has also included live Radio 1 sessions, an appearance on Later With Jools Holland (BBC) and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (US).

I gig regularly in London and around the UK with several other bands (predominantly Ruby And The Vines and FUR at this moment in time) and am currently involved in various recording projects.

I also have some experience in theatre work for musicals.
How much do you charge?: I charge £25 per hour or £15 for half an hour.

While half hour lessons can work well for younger children, I generally recommend a full hour lesson.
Where do you teach?: I can teach out of my drum studio in Manor House (N4) or I can teach at students homes. I live in Dalston but I'm a keen cyclist so I can easily reach most of North London, East London, Central London and parts of South London. Please don't hesitate to get in touch and we can discuss what works best.
When are you available?: As a working musician I have a varied schedule. This means that I can usually fit with most people's availability, but it also means there are times when I will have to rearrange certain lessons due to other commitments. I aim to give as much notice as possible when timings/dates have to be changed.
Which ages and levels do you teach?: I can teach beginners as well as more advanced players, of any age. I don't mind whether you are just interested in learning as a hobby or whether you aim to become a professional. Either way, I do hope that you are willing to put some level of work in - you will find it difficult to have fun playing drums if you're not getting anywhere, and this won't happen without practice! This isn't meant to sound intimidating - a daily 15 minute practice routine can be very productive - it is more a warning against those who think drumming is very easy and requires little effort... I have had pupils like this in the past and they have never lasted very long!
Which qualifications do you prepare your students for?: I can teach the graded syllabuses from grades 1 to 8 (TrinityGuildhall) but unless pupils particularly want to gain a qualification I generally prefer to tailor lessons to pupils' individual interests and abilities.
Do you have an up-to-date CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) disclosure certificate?: Yes.
Where and with whom did you train?: I have studied drum kit with Paul Clarvis, Trevor Tomkins, Ben Bryant and Graham Instrall.

My Articles

Albums with inspirational drumming

I have compiled a short index of albums that as a drummer, and foremost as a musician, I have found to be useful, inspirational and most importantly, pleasurable to listen to. This list is in no particular order and by no means comprehensive. It purports to be nothing more than a few albums that I have been influenced by over the years. I hope...