Looking for a Skype Coach

Frank

Gold Member
I'm looking for someone to coach me a bit. I'm an experienced player, but there are things I know I can be doing that I don't. I'm confident I can take some quick steps with the right coach.

I looked into a pro teacher in the region. It's about an hour away, and, it's $75 an hour. I have no problem with either, if it's a good teacher. I *was* a little surprised at $75 an hour from someone who isn't nationally known. I was guessing a pro would be charging closer to say $55 these days, with the nationally known people going higher. Am I off base with that?

Anyway, if you know of a pro coach who would do something over Skype, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks.
 
I do a 2h private lesson once every 2 months. The in-person aspect really is a huge help, and since the instructor is local, we do it in my basement studio. The cost is $100 (cash) for the 2h. When I hit a limitation with some facet of my playing, I'll join a site that targets my deficiency for a month or two (BillB's for example) and unsub till I hit my next blocker.

While I've never taken a Skype lesson, I have trouble believing that they are as effective as the real deal. Curious to see how it works out for you (let us know).
 
Last edited:
I´m teaching with SKYPE one on one, I speak 5 languages:

English
Spanish
Italian
Portugues
German

The PRICE is 1 hour = 28 Dollar with Paypal

You can check out my playing, here:

Youtube Videos:

1) Rudiments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0t_l5mv1cg

2) Medium Tempo (8´s): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t0XzNlIdu8

3) Up Tempo (12´s on Blues): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6kGkGZuQtc

4) STUDENTS (9 of them - me too, at minute 10:37): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTCxU8chn-4

You can watch more VIDEOS at my Website:

WEB SITE: http://www.alexsanguinetti.com/

Some places I taught and gave seminars:

Drummers Collective, New York, USA //
Richard Strauss Konservatorium Munich, Germany //
Long Island Drum Center, New York, USA //
Camerloher Musikschule, Murnau, Germany //
etc.

I studied with:
Tony Williams
Billy Hart
Jeff Watts
Jeff Hirschfeld
Mark Mondesir
Kenny Clare
Terry Clarke
John Riley
etc.

Played with:
Clark Terry, Kenny Wheeler, Joe Lovano, Danilo Pérez, Rick Margitza, Conrad Herwig, Leo Wright, Renato Chicco, Fareed Haque, Walt Weiskopf, Ralph Lalama, Walter Norris, Marc Copland, Herb Geller, Barbara Dennerlein, Santi Debriano, Jim Snidero, Bireli Lagrene, etc.


Best regards!

Alex Sanguinetti

full.jpg
 
Last edited:
I was offered some free skype lessons as a test subject last year, and then I paid for a few more... while it was great help, I got to sit down with Bill Bachman in person this year for an hour and he was able to see that I was making some fundamental mistakes that the other teacher probably didn't pick up on because of the visual limitations of webcam - specifically that I wasn't closing my hand enough to grasp the stick with all my fingers.

It's such a basic thing yet it never occurred to me I was only just touching them with the tips of my 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers. Now I've got my fingers moreso wrapped around them.

He also gave me a solution to what I knew was a problem - my bent wrists - all I had to do was play American grip (where I was a little bit too german with my palms flat to the floor. Now I've got that nice 90 degree angle happening and I'm starting to get some control.

Would he have picked up on this over webcam? Possibly, probably (I don't doubt Bill Bachman at all) but I still think the first skype teacher I had was great, but at a disadvantage because he wasn't actually in the room with me.

FYI I think the first teacher was about $50 (skype) and Bill was closer to $100 (in person). Money well spent if you apply what you're told.
 
I *was* a little surprised at $75 an hour from someone who isn't nationally known. I was guessing a pro would be charging closer to say $55 these days, with the nationally known people going higher.

Don't discount someone who isn't a widely-known pro. Some of the best teachers & educators out there - the ones who pros study with - aren't household names, or necessarily even working drummers. Well respected teachers included Freddy Gruber in L.A., Sam Ulano in NYC, Murray Spivack in L.A., and Roy Knapp in Chicago. Unfortunately, all are gone and even the recent departures wouldn't be up to speed with online lessons.

If I was looking for a great teacher (and I probably should be!) I'd of course start here, but also use Google, talk to people at music stores, investigate percussion teachers at universities who might also take extra students, etc. I'd prefer in-person lessons for a few reasons, primarily because the audio and delays online may suffer depending on both parties' connection speed. And there are audio & sticking nuances that may not translate as well on a screen as they do in person. But I also know that if someone is an outstanding teacher, the information to be gained is worth the necessary logistics.

Good luck, keep us posted!

Bermuda
 
You haven't specified what kind of lessons you are looking for?

Hand technique, bass drum technique, coordination, style, musicality ?

So we can point you in the right direction.

Not every teacher is good on everything.

BTW nationaly known teachers LA area can be 130$ / Hour
 
Really great posts. Thank you all.

Had some offline suggestions as well.

Just to clarify: I'm not looking for all categories of study. I'm experienced, and I really want to focus with a great player just on some specific fills/rudiments that I want to bring up to the speed and strength that I know I can. But, obviously, at age 54, I can't do it myself. :) Definitely need some coaching.

Thanks again for the great responses.
 
I found a great coach, and I just finished my first 1 hour lesson with him - Alex Sanguinetti.

I gave him a few topics I wanted to explore. Right before the lesson, I was emailed several sheets already written out that drill into the topics.

The material was top notch, and so was Alex's instruction. I am super confident that he will help me improve.

He's a great guy and a great teacher. I would highly recommend him.
 
Don't discount someone who isn't a widely-known pro. Some of the best teachers & educators out there - the ones who pros study with - aren't household names, or necessarily even working drummers. Well respected teachers included Freddy Gruber in L.A., Sam Ulano in NYC, Murray Spivack in L.A., and Roy Knapp in Chicago. Unfortunately, all are gone and even the recent departures wouldn't be up to speed with online lessons.

If I was looking for a great teacher (and I probably should be!) I'd of course start here, but also use Google, talk to people at music stores, investigate percussion teachers at universities who might also take extra students, etc. I'd prefer in-person lessons for a few reasons, primarily because the audio and delays online may suffer depending on both parties' connection speed. And there are audio & sticking nuances that may not translate as well on a screen as they do in person. But I also know that if someone is an outstanding teacher, the information to be gained is worth the necessary logistics.

Good luck, keep us posted!

Bermuda


I agree and this is who I'm striving to be.

Big name players aren't necessarily the best teachers and teachers spend a lot of time disecting every part of the art even if they can't possible have the time or energy to be the most proficient masters of it all. There is a connection and offcourse plenty of overlap, but they ae two completely different jobs and skill sets.
 
...
While I've never taken a Skype lesson, I have trouble believing that they are as effective as the real deal. Curious to see how it works out for you (let us know).

It worked perfectly. I didn't see any downside whatsoever.
Plus,
- We were both at our own kits
- We were able to bring up charts on the computer when needed
- I didn't even need to be wearing any pants [jk]

Worked really, really well.
 
If you have a minute to explain your audio/visual gear and setup that would be really helpful to me and maybe others here who'd like to try the same thing.

Are you using just a video chat camera that sits on top of a monitor or something more elaborate with microphones?

Thanks!
 
Thanks a lot, Frank, for the nice words!


Are you using just a video chat camera that sits on top of a monitor or something more elaborate with microphones?

Jeremy, I´m using just that, a very normal PC, Asus F551, no special mics or cameras, just what is integrated.
asus-f551mav-db02b.jpg

YOU CAN TEST YOUR CONNECTION WITH ME AND THEN DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LESSON. IT´S AT NO COST.

Before the actual lessons (each time) we will test everything is OK (signal, etc) otherwise I will return you the money.

Anyway, so that you know, through the years I never experienced problems of any kind, to any country.

Best,
Alex
 
Last edited:
If you have a minute to explain your audio/visual gear and setup that would be really helpful to me and maybe others here who'd like to try the same thing.

Are you using just a video chat camera that sits on top of a monitor or something more elaborate with microphones?

Thanks!

Sure.
I'm simply using the camera already in the laptop. I'm sure any 30 dollar webcam would work just fine. Audio was fine with the mic in the laptop.
I put the laptop on a folding coffee table a few inches from the front of my bass drum, and the video captured my whole kit and me so that Alex could observe while I played. I had a full view of him at his kit.
 
I wanted to reiterate something about the lesson with Alex:

> I gave him a few topics I wanted to explore. Right before the lesson, I was emailed several sheets already written out that drill into the topics.

He really invested time in my lesson.

I can remember an advanced session I had with someone several years ago, and we weren't even writing anything down. He was just throwing concepts at me. I had to stop him and ask him for time to take some notes so that I would have a fighting chance of remembering what to practice After the rehearsal.

I have also explored Skype with some big U.S. names, and I basically got one word answers - as if they Really didn't want to work with an unimportant person like me.

Alex really puts into the lesson, with care, and you are left with materials you can work with. Really, really good materials. Somehow, he is doing this at a much lower rate than others doing Skype lessons out there.

Really glad I found Alex.
 
Back
Top