What’s Included?
- Weekly Private Lessons
- Weekly studio classes (group gathering to try out new repertoire and receive feedback from Matt and your studio-mates!)
- Monthly group technique class
- Access to the Band Director’s Survival Guide library of instructional videos and PDF’s
- Competition and audition training
- Video and email support between lessons
- Private Facebook group for student community and peer support
- Monthly Q & A sessions for parents (for ANY questions you have)
Hi. I’m Matt Richards.
I’ve been performing and teaching percussion for over 20 years. If there is one core principle I would tell every prospective percussionist, playing percussion successfully is enormously difficult without a solid technical foundation on the snare drum.
We as percussionists learn to play dozens (often hundreds) of instruments, but most of them require similar techniques that piggyback off of a solid foundation in snare drum playing.
As a kid, when I saw a professional drummer play for the first time, I instantly fell in love. His hands were a blur as his hands whirred around the drum set and the sounds and the rhythms immediately attracted me to the instrument.
I knew I wanted to do that someday also. What I didn’t know is that to play with that level of speed and dexterity requires an enormous investment of time and a dedicated instructor.
Snare Drumming is actually very simple. But here’s the thing! Just because something is simple does NOT mean it is easy. That’s why I have developed my own system to snare drum called “The Big Picture Roadmap”. With this roadmap, I give all of my students the gift of a guide to help them increase their dexterity, speed, and confidence on the snare drum.
I would like to thank Keith Williams, Joe Pereira, Jim Babor, Bill Bachman, Eddie Meneses, Andrew Stenvall, Josh Jones, and Buster Bailey, as this system was borne out of their teaching, expertise, and advice.
WHETHER YOU ARE…
a high school student who is looking to take your playing to the next level
Wanting to make the Snare Line for your school Marching Band
Hoping to compete in DCI
dreaming of a future career in music looking to get into music school
craving a sense of community and looking for a group of like-minded musicians
a beginner looking to get the proper techniques right from the beginning
a student looking for accountability though community
…THE BDSG Snare Drum Skill shop WILL TAKE YOU FROM WHERE YOU ARE TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
3 Keystones to successful Snare Drumming
Vocabulary
Snare Drumming is a complex art form of stroke types and their endless combinations, we will build a solid vocabulary of stroke types and rudiments in order to build up a proper technique step-by-step. Rudiments are the “scales of snare drumming,” and involve some of the most common stroke combinations in music. We will learn them all and why they are useful!
Coordination
I believe snare drum is almost 100% coordination. The ability to develop the different stroke types of snare drumming and play them in both hands is simple in concept, but as we know simple does not mean easy! Through my core warm-ups and exercises, you will learn to develop your coordination and understand the building blocks to successful playing.
Relaxation
Everyone wants to play fast. Playing fast is challenging because it requires relaxation. As we develop more coordination and practice thousands of good repetitions, my students develop relaxed, healthy playing habits that lead to a long, injury-free, playing career. Playing fast and playing pain-free can be your reality.
When is the program?
The BDSG Snare Drum Skill Shop has Fall, Spring, and Summer Enrollment
Spring Program: January 17, 2021 - May 17, 2021
Where: Zoom Video Conferencing, Private Facebook Group, and Email
Limit: 8 students in the advanced studio, 8 students in the beginner studio
Recordings of all classes will be available in the Facebook group