Music Institutes

JarodMaybern

Senior Member
I've been playing drums for 6 years now and I wouldn't consider myself bad in any means but I feel like I could be alot better if I just had some direction. So with that said, I've been thinking recently about going to Atlanta Institute of Music and studying percussion to further my playing abilities, but am a little sketchy about how the experience will be. I know it isn't gonna be bright skies and fun times the whole way, and I'm willing to grind myself to learn things on drums; But I don't want it to be an experience that will make me lose my passion for music. So, what I'm asking is (for those of ya'll who know about music as school): How was/is the experience for ya'll and would you recommend it for a self-taught drummer of six years?

I know the pro's out weigh the cons mostly but overall I don't want the experience to completely suffocate my passion for music (especially by over-assertive teachers), and would like a testimony from others on how the experience is/was, both good and bad.

All the help is appreciated.
 
I had a great experience at AIM and consider it the best of these kinds of places for drummers. The main percussion teachers are outstanding and the facilities are only 2 years old. Their state of the art recording facility is close to brand new. The quality of my colleagues was also very high. Never did I find the teachers suffocating, and all of them were gigging everywhere. There was nothing but encouragement. I was also allowed to keep certain things I hadn't planned changing, like my unorthodox traditional grip that several university profs had claimed they would correct if they ever got their hands on me. Most important, the student to teacher ratio was pretty small so you got a great deal of individual attention. To me this was the final selling point

But like all these places, they are what you decide to make them. For example there were guys who complained around the lounge but seldom practiced in a way that would encourage their survival. Then you had those who arrived with their ego issues and couldn't be taught at all. I only wondered why they spent all that money when they could have busked out in the street with that attitude for free.

An excellent teacher named Creig Harber will give you the entrance audition, but don't sweat it. It's mostly a groove exploratory, with the Mozambique being that unorthodox something he usually asks for. But do what I did. Just take a free lesson with Creig beforehand and get to know him. Believe it or not he actually gives free lessons at Mt. Prion Church in Marietta a couple of days a week. Call him at AIM, line it up and see if he's what you want.

As is the case with these kinds of threads, there will probably be a handful attempting to pass judgement while using any number of reasons why they believe these places are inferior, with the main ones being that they heard about some inferior graduate, or that no real connections into the actual business world are made. But just know that 99% of those who put down places like AIM have never set foot there. You will also hear those who will say just save most of your money and get a private teacher. But I don't think you get all that much done unless you have deadlines, structure, and other hungry guys pushing you at the same time. When it's just you and your teacher, it's too easy to walk away when you don't feel like working. It's not like this type of comittment. But I'll be honest with you too. It's not the same comittment as attending a true 4 year institution of learning either. But for now, this was all I really wanted. so if you want to get yourself polished up before making a try at the life, then yeah, this is what to do.

AIM is a good place and I continue to support it as an alumnus. You learn a wide assortment of styles there. I only wish there had been a few more musicians with the jazz bug. And if I were to site a personal neg, that would be the only one.
 
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