Learn!
That's a text that the dad of one of my students sent to me by mistake.
Here's the video he was trying to send to his friend- I often make a video at the end of a lesson to help my student practice in between our sessions:
I have students of all ages and skill levels, and I teach in many settings. My students are 8-year olds who are picking up a pair of sticks for the first time, University music majors who are improving their jazz skills for college credit, adults who haven't played in a rock band since they were teenagers and want to start back up, and middle school and high school students who are serious enough about playing to attend the biggest fine arts school in my home state. You can head over to THIS PAGE to learn a little more about me.
Here are a few words about my teaching from:
Michael is a monster drummer and his abilities as a teacher are just as great. He is very adaptable to your pace and style.
Mr. Michael makes things that we’re working on easier...he explains them step-by-step and really makes me understand it.
His online lessons are just as productive as the in-person lessons but without the commute.
Michael is an awesome teacher- your knowledge of drumming grows with every lesson.
Lessons are always fun, and the most important thing I get in class is inspiration to be a better percussionist!
He is super friendly, very patient and absolutely child focused.
Michael Glaser's teaching techniques are outstanding.
Not only is Michael a talented musician, he is also great with kids. That’s not always easy to find.
His love of his craft and his even temperament make him an incredibly strong teacher. He is so very gifted - with patience and humor and infectious enthusiasm.
I can say after having observed several music teachers, you are one of the best! I'm sure your other students love you. I hope you are passing your teaching knowledge along to other young music teachers.
Michael is a pro! All his lessons are structured, and I know he has a lesson plan for for the next month and a vision for the next year!
I think part of what makes Michael such an effective teacher for online learning is his ability to communicate clearly and to be as patient online as he would be if he was teaching an in-person lesson. As a result, I can’t believe how well my son is playing after only a couple months of lessons.
When my 16 year old daughter asked to learn to play the drums I wanted to find someone who could meet her where she was at (zero experience but a lot of enthusiasm!). We found Michael through word of mouth and he couldn't be a better fit! It's been a lot of fun seeing my daughter learn to play the drums.
He is a gifted teacher with patience and a great sense of humor, making the lessons fun and at the same time challenging. On top of all that, he is very kind, friendly and responsive with us as parents.
My son is always in a great mood after his lessons, and can’t wait to show me what he has learned. We love that not only has Michael helped our son improve as a drummer, he has also boosted his self confidence.
What I admire most about him is that he teaches to the level and desire of our son. He is encouraging, but recognizes our son does not want to be Dave Grohl.
Since COVID-19, we have been holding lessons over Zoom. It has worked GREAT! It’s just as hands on, focused, and personalized; it’s like Mr. Michael is in the house!
Our son has made huge progress while learning with Michael. His approach to music is serious and fun at the same time. He is a great drummer himself, and you can tell that he knows and loves his music, and is able to share this.
My son loves the convenience of being at home (in PJ's) doing his lessons! My husband and I are grateful for Michael.
Michael is one of the most organized private teachers I have observed and will go out of his way to provide his students with thoughtful, high-quality instruction. He is my top choice to teach drum set in the state.
Michael's students at Alabama School of Fine Arts range from 7th to 12th grades. He is friendly, approachable, supportive and encouraging yet he also demands hard work from them. With his training our ASFA drum set students consistently place in the Alabama All-State Jazz Band.
Some of the things you will get with online lessons:
Written drum music sent to you BEFORE the lesson - Since I can't just pass a piece of paper to you and write on it as we go, I will email or text you our lesson pages beforehand, to make the lesson as smooth and clear as possible.
Lesson recap videos - After our lesson is over, I will make a custom video just for you, so you will have a study guide and a reminder not only of WHAT we worked on that day, but HOW we worked on it. I'll upload it to my YouTube channel (unlisted, so only you and I have the link), and send you a link either that night or the next day.
FREE TECH SUPPORT! - This means that if you're having trouble with something we worked on together, you can contact me for extra help in between lessons via text, phone, email, or video, at no charge. I'm also happy to help out as much as I can if you have equipment issues in between lessons, like if some part of your drumset is having mechanical problems and making it hard to practice.
21 years of teaching experience, 38 years of drumming experience, and a big love of music!
Here are some full reviews from students, parents, and other teachers:
You are very good at checking in with my son. Not always the case with teachers (including myself). I can say after having observed several music teachers, you are one of the best! I'm sure your other students love you. Plus, your pacing is just right. I hope you are passing your teaching knowledge along to other young music teachers. It is not easily learned and is not in any books!
I’m the director of jazz studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and Michael is one of our finest teachers. He is patient enough to work with beginners and has enough skill and experience to teach even the most advanced students. Michael is one of the most organized private teachers I have observed and will go out of his way to provide his students with thoughtful, high-quality instruction. He is my top choice to teach drum set in the state.
We have had the very best experience with Michael as a drum teacher to our 9 year old: he is super friendly, very patient and absolutely child focused. His approach to music is serious and fun-focused at the same time. He is a great drummer himself, and you can tell that he knows and loves his music, and is able to share this with the student. Our son has made huge progress while learning with Michael.
Mr. Michael makes things that we’re working on easier, and the things that I’m having a hard time on, he explains them step-by-step and really makes me understand it. – Amy, age 8
Michael Glaser's teaching techniques are outstanding. His virtual drum lessons with our daughter have exceeded expectations. - Amy's parents :)
Michael is a monster drummer and his abilities as a teacher are just as great. He is very adaptable to your pace and style and can easily push direction or let you guide next steps given your interests. His online lessons are just as productive as the in person lessons but without the commute. I highly recommend Michael as a great drum instructor.
Michael Glaser has been the drum set teacher at the Alabama School of Fine Arts for two years now. To put it simply, he is a fantastic drum set teacher! He is so well versed in all styles of music from rock to jazz. Michael and I even play in a Klezmer band together! ! Michael's students at ASFA range from 7th to 12th grades and he is great with them. He is friendly, approachable, supportive and encouraging yet he also demands hard work from them and pushes them to be better. With his training our ASFA drum set students consistently place in the Alabama All-State Jazz Band. I recommend him highly and without reservation!
-Robert Janssen, Music Department Co-Chair, Alabama School of Fine Arts
My 10-year-old son started taking online drum lessons with Michael when COVID hit, and we couldn’t be happier with the arrangement. Michael is a fantastic teacher! My son is learning very quickly from him and enjoying both the lessons and the practice drills. I think part of what makes Michael such an effective teacher for online learning is his ability to communicate clearly and to be as patient online as he would be if he was teaching an in-person lesson. I’ve heard him give my son instruction for doing something quite complex, then he patiently works him through the tough spots and allows plenty of time for repetition and tweaking until it’s mastered to a point that my son can then practice it during the week. As a result, I can’t believe how well my son is playing after only a couple months of lessons. I’ve also very much appreciated all the support material that Michael has provided both before and after the lesson: videos, sheet music, etc. The entire experience has been very positive!
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, my son was not able to attend his lessons in person BUT Michael was willing to try Skype and my son loves the convenience of being at home (in PJ's) doing his lessons! My husband and I are grateful for Michael and we are praying that his dedication and time spent instructing our son will benefit our son in his future endeavors!
Michael has been teaching our son for five years now. His love of his craft and his even temperament make him an incredibly strong teacher. He is so very gifted - with patience and humor and infectious enthusiasm. From a purely logistical standpoint we have also appreciated his abundant flexibility when it comes to lesson times, locations, and make-ups. It is an absolute joy knowing and working with Michael.
As a parent and trained musician I am always interested in how other people teach. When my 16 year old daughter asked to learn to play the drums I wanted to find someone who could meet her where she was at (zero experience but a lot of enthusiasm!). We found Michael through word of mouth and he couldn't be a better fit! Michael is an exceptional teacher, incredibly personable and I cannot speak highly enough about him. He is well trained and highly knowledgable, structured but flexible, professional, insightful, inspiring, fun and caring, and communicates well with any age and skill level. Not only that, he has adjusted very well to teaching in an online setting and consequently my daughter has kept up her momentum to keep learning and playing despite the shift. It's been a lot of fun seeing my daughter learn to play the drums. Thank you, Michael!
My son has been taking weekly lessons from Michael for almost two years, and we could not be more pleased. Not only is Michael a talented musician, he is also great with kids. That’s not always easy to find. He makes practice fun and challenging, and really takes an interest in getting to know his students. My son is always in a great mood after his lessons, and can’t wait to show me what he has learned. We love that not only has Michael helped our son improve as a drummer, he has also boosted his self confidence and kept learning fun for almost two years. I wasn’t sure how the transition from in person lessons to Skype lessons (thanks Covid-19) would go, but they honestly haven’t missed a beat... no pun intended. My son still looks forward to his weekly lessons, and using Skype has not been a problem. Michael has always been easy to work with and flexible when we need a schedule change. He is honestly a great teacher, and we would highly recommend him to anyone.
Michael is an awesome teacher. He always helps you learn and practice to become a better drummer. And your knowledge of drumming grows with every lesson.
For about two years, my 10-year-old daughter has been taking drum lessons with Michael. He is a gifted teacher with patience and a great sense of humor, making the lessons fun and at the same time challenging. He assesses a student’s interest and adjusts his lessons accordingly. My daughter enjoys every lesson with him, and she has learned so much during these two years – even some drum music theory. On top of all that, he is very kind, friendly and responsive with us as parents. The highlight for me was hearing my daughter and him playing at a concert together. I highly recommend Michael as a drum teacher. Thanks for the great lessons!
I thoroughly enjoy my lessons with Mr. Glaser! He's a remarkable percussion instructor as well as a person. He has a way of breaking lessons down and building upon those foundations in their easiest and simplest form. Anything that's outside your comfort zone, he encourages you to still do the best you can. Lessons are always fun, and the most important thing I get in class is inspiration to be a better percussionist!
Our son has been taking drum lessons from Mr. Michael for over 7 years! Mr. Michael is a pro! All his lessons are structured, and I know he has a lesson plan for for the next month and a vision for the next year!
What I admire most about him is that he teaches to the level and desire of our son. He is encouraging, but recognizes our son does not want to be Dave Grohl. To use a sports reference, our son is a ‘recreational’ drummer. Having said that, if he wanted to step up his game, Mr. Michael would meet the challenge.
Since COVID-19 has put in-person lessons on hold, we have been holding lessons over Zoom. It has worked GREAT! It’s just as hands on, focused, and personalized; it’s like Mr. Michael is in the house!