Well, you guys were right

[Markadiddle]

I should have listened. I feel like a complete IDIOT!

Sorry, this is so long.....

This is all in reference to this thread: http://www.drumchat.com/showthread.p...736#post625736

So, Sunday rolls around and I take off for my lesson. I arrive about five minutes early and I have no idea where to park. There are a bunch of guys out playing with a RC car but I figure no big deal. I drive around a bit and call my instructor and it turns out he's one of the guys playing with the RC car. Meh, no big deal. He waves me in to a parking spot and I get out of my car. We introduce one another and at first, all he wants to talk about is cars. OK, I figure, no biggie. I work for an auto auction. So we talked about that for a few minutes. We finally head in and I walk in to this room that looks like a dirty apartment. There sits one sad little Roland TD4 Ekit. Above it hanging on the wall is a poster of a few bars of music showing how to play a basic drum beat. OK, I know this guy works with young kids, so that's cool. We talk a bit more and he has me sit down asks me to demonstrate what I know(I just friggen told you! ) So I play a basic snare on two and four and kick on one and three. I throw a couple ghost notes in here and there and he says, "Oh, I see you're pretty advanced!" Me --

Then he sits down and proceeds to show off a bit(not very well either I may add) as he's missing notes as he's trying to play double kick. I think to myself, "What did you get yourself in to this time!?)

So I listen to him talk about different things such as I should always practice single stroke and double stroke rolls when I practice (HELLO!? I told you I do that all the time while I'm sitting around). We talk a bit about what I am looking to learn and I tell him I'm looking for ways to improve my weak hand and foot. So what does he do? Goes on and on about how important the kick drum is and how important it is to always use the kick when crashing a cymbal. Sigh. Then he starts talking about rhythm. Oh good I think, finally, I may learn something. I proceed to start talking about always knowing where "One" is. He asks, "The one?" Me thinking to myself, Man, this is gonna be one loooong hour. I explain what I mean and he kinda nods his head like he understands. So, he starts going on and on again about how rhythm is like a circle and that I should stay relaxed. Dude, if I was any more relaxed with your droning on and on about what I already know, I'd be friggen' asleep!

Next, he plays an exercise that is supposed to help me warm up. He starts blasting away. Then it's my turn. So, I play the exact same thing and throw in a couple more fills just to add a bit of insult. I see this look on his face like, "Oh man, I think this guy is actually better than me, what should I do now?" He quickly changes the subject and asks what do I want to work on. I tell him that I have been working on half time shuffles like the one from Fool in the Rain and Roseanna. He looks at me dumbfounded and asks, "half time shuffle?" I proceed to explain that it's in 12/8 and it's a triplet based pattern that I could use a little instruction on. So, I start to play it as best I can, and I can tell by the look on his face that he has no clue. So, he attempts the same thing and can't figure it out. He then tells me he's not familiar with it(duh... really!?) and that he'll research it over the course of next week. He then tells me to just break each part down and master the different parts first(I'm paying you to tell me crap I already know? HELLO!?)

I notice that he keeps looking at the time, so I say, well, I think we should end until next week. He then tells me that he has to be to work by 3( my lesson was from 2-3 o'clock... hmmmm.) So I say, that's cool. I pay him a few bucks and take off. I drove down to Starbucks to get a coffee. It takes me awhile and it's now well past 3. I drive back past where I was and guess who's outside playing with RC cars. Go ahead, take a guess.

Ya, I'll be back for lessons..... when a certain hot place freezes over.

[longgun]

What a Jack-A..............you normally get what you pay for............in this case, not much.

[PopsOldSkins]

Sounds like you gave yourself and the instructor a lesson.

[late8]

Wow....hey it's was $20.

[Texdrumr]

Oh man, sorry to hear. Lesson learned I guess.

Tex

[Cdeleone]

what a bummer! Sorry man...that sucks. You should post a review somewhere. Is he on Yelp or any other website where he advertises his service? I think folks like this need to be shut down. If you're going to be instructing people and taking their money, you better have the chops and skills to be able to teach properly. Just goes to show that being in a band that has played out, toured, whatever - doesn't have merit necessarily. At least it was only 20 bucks

[marko138]

Sorry, Mark. I'm laughing here. You've gotta get a chuckle out of this right? This is worse then I expected. But hey...you've got a good story out of it. Money well spent!

[porkpieguy]

Wow, sorry to hear this.

I really like a couple of guys on youtube. You might want to check out Mike Johnston's lessons online as well.

[Markadiddle]

What a Jack-A..............you normally get what you pay for............in this case, not much.

You got that right. Who schedules a "lesson" and then has to be to "work" the minute it ends? Ya, looked like he was working pretty hard alright. I didn't know driving an RC car was considered work.

Sounds like you gave yourself and the instructor a lesson.

I think he should have paid me! LOL!!

Wow....hey it's was $20.

Lesson learned I guess. (I could of bought a few coffees from SB with that!) LOL!!

Oh man, sorry to hear. Lesson learned I guess.

Tex

Thanks Tex. More like lesson NOT learned. LOL!

what a bummer! Sorry man...that sucks. You should post a review somewhere. Is he on Yelp or any other website where he advertises his service? I think folks like this need to be shut down. If you're going to be instructing people and taking their money, you better have the chops and skills to be able to teach properly. Just goes to show that being in a band that has played out, toured, whatever - doesn't have merit necessarily. At least it was only 20 bucks

Ya, I'm thinking he posted all his own reviews. I'm gonna find a way to post some reviews of my own and trust me, it won't be pretty.

Sorry, Mark. I'm laughing here. You've gotta get a chuckle out of this right? This is worse then I expected. But hey...you've got a good story out of it. Money well spent!

I don't blame ya for laughing. I'm chuckling about it too. I guess you could say I got my $20 bucks worth in laughter.

Wow, sorry to hear this.

I really like a couple of guys on youtube. You might want to check out Mike Johnston's lessons online as well.

Thanks. My first teacher actually learned from and bought out Mike Johnston's business. The only problem I had with him was, he always seemed to waste my 1/2 hour lessons.

[marko138]

Ya, it stinks. And for 20 bucks it was worth a shot.

[Bish]

Live and learn. That's what it's all about.

You didn't happen to run over his RC did you?

He may have ended up being late for work, if you had.

[Markadiddle]

You didn't happen to run over his RC did you?

He may have ended up being late for work, if you had.

Believe me, I was tempted.

[MDK]

Sorry to hear bud, sounds like a complete waste of $20 and more importantly your time.


Sort of reminds me of my 2nd instructor I had for 2 lessons. He had me doing slow single strokes in the air with just my wrist using an 8lb short sledgehammer. Ouucchhh I was sore as hell for about 2 weeks.

I agree that you need to put a review somewhere out there because this guy could really lead someone just starting out down a long road of pain and frustration.

[late8]

You didn't happen to run over his RC did you?

[Markadiddle]

Sorry to hear bud, sounds like a complete waste of $20 and more importantly your time.


Sort of reminds me of my 2nd instructor I had for 2 lessons. He had me doing slow single strokes in the air with just my wrist using an 8lb short sledgehammer. Ouucchhh I was sore as hell for about 2 weeks.

I agree that you need to put a review somewhere out there because this guy could really lead someone just starting out down a long road of pain and frustration.

Thanks MDK. Meh, it was only 20 bucks. I got a good laugh out of it. 8lbs sledge hammer? Wow!

BWAH HA HA HA HA!!!

[Bish]

Good one, Rich.

[Markadiddle]

The thing that killed me the most is when I started asking about songs with odd time signatures. The guy looked at me like I had three heads. I'm the beginner, I sort of understand, but this guy was clueless. Apparently, the only thing he "understands"(and I use that term very loosely) is 4/4. Seriously.... really!?

[late8]

Good one, Rich.

Great line...

[marko138]

HAHA. Nice.

[weezy]

I totally thought you were going to tell us that he had the 3:00 shift at Starbucks when you went for coffee.

[Markadiddle]

I totally thought you were going to tell us that he had the 3:00 shift at Starbucks when you went for coffee.

That would have been funny.

What I found interesting(or laughable as it were) is the fact that my "lesson" was from 2:00 - 3:00, yet, he had to be at work at 3:00. Apparently, after making him look like a fool, he suddenly had to get to his "other job".

Even if the guy really had to be to work at 3:00, apparently he can stop time and arrive instantly.

Now, where can I get a job playing with RC cars?

[Bish]

Now, where can I get a job playing with RC cars?

Radio Shack

[Markadiddle]

Radio Shack

Ya, that's OK. I'm good, thanks.

[SpazApproved]

As a teacher that is so sad to hear.. I try so hard to always do my best and teach the students what they really want. Hurts to see people who shouldn't be teaching try to teach.

[rickthedrummer]

That story makes me really glad I never took lessons, I probably would have wound up with a idiot like that.

By the way, you don't have to hit the BD every time you crash a cymbal.