Teachers other than Mr. Igoe must be doing something right, because crushing young players are coming out of the woodwork right now. If they were suddenly becoming scarce, I guess we would need to figure out why we suck so bad, and radically overhaul our methods. But I'm seeing the opposite-- the type of player who would've been mediocre when I was in school, can sound pretty impressive today. And I don't know who are the "traditionalists" he speaks of, just blandly teaching default stuff. I don't know anyone like that. So I don't know what he's trying to fix.
Further: I suppose by 19th century he means 20th century, because I sure have never met anyone teaching drums in a 19th c. mode. He's being very emphatic, but I'm not hearing anything especially revolutionary. All he's saying about reading, if I'm hearing him right, is that average students don't need to be able to sight read hard conservatory literature like, say, Portraits In Rhythm, which is fine. He's not saying that people don't need to know to read, and if he is, he's wrong.
As for the part about recording, everyone should do it in the practice room, but recording at a professional level is as serious a discipline as playing the drums is, and not everyone is cut out for it. Like, the engineer who just recorded my new album tells me he's fully employed fixing or re-doing people's inept home studio recordings. I think anyone telling you that there is one way to be "the drummer of today" is just selling you on his particular teaching skill set; the one thing all drummers have in common today, is that there is no one way of doing it-- having a career.
All he's doing here is advertising for private lessons, frankly. And maybe trolling a little bit. Music is not flipping rocket science, and he has not blown in with the secret to warp drive, sweeping everyone else "squealing" (he really likes that word) into the dustbin of history.
there are quite a few guys in my area teaching with an old rigid stiff musty strict sit on the pad for 2 years before you touch a drum kit type attitude ..... and they quite often shit talk me and my methods from what I hear from the parents of students who left them to come to me because the kid dreaded going to lessons because he is 9 and being forced to memorize a 3 page snare solo written in 1925 that he has absolutely zero interest in.
2 of these guys have even gone as for as to email me to tell me how "wrong" I am doing things and how I am going to "damage the advancement of these young percussionists "
I assume their dwindling rosters have them in a tizzy since about 40% of their former students are either now part of my roster or on my waiting list and comfortable staying their instead of returning to their past instructor.
the way I was taught in the beginning was horrible and much like the tactics that the guys I speak of.
so many of these teachers take a stance to where making music is somehow secondary .
it is absolutely first in my practice.
all the teachers that opened my mind and kept my attention to the point where I could not wait to see them again all had a music first attitude .
if you do not listen to music with your students and introduce them to a wide range of music.
if you do not move your body and dance with your students.
if you do not pick up or sit down at another instrument and play music with your students
if you do not record those jam sessions with your students and have them leave with an MP3 or CD of it to come back the following week with suggestions and critiques.
if you do not reach out to other teacher in the area and try to form bands made of your and their students and book some sunday afternoon gigs.
you are a cave man and are not going to get the results that the people who do these things get.
(when I say "you" I obviously don't mean you Todd...you know what I mean)
kids are different than they were when we were growing up and respond to different things.... and there are more options now.
I have 10, 11 and 12 year olds in bands gigging playing everything from jazz standards to top 40 with students of other instruments....sometimes I even sit in on guitar.... its a blast and they feel amazing about it.... and super proud
the kids are happy and learning like crazy along with getting life experience
I get amazing satisfaction seeing the smiles on their faces when they find out that they can play in front of people playing things they never thought they could.
and as a result... the parents make it rain
the circle of life