Harvey Minchin Private Lessons
Drums - Percussion - Piano

Harvey has been teaching private lessons for over 35 years - since graduating from Trenton State College in 1987. While many students study drums, he also teaches mallet percussion (marimba, xylophone, vibraphone and bells), and auxiliary percussion instruments that students may be required to play in school band, such as triangle, cymbals, woodblock, maracas, tambourine, claves, etc. He has taught after school lessons through the local elementary school, worked with the high school marching band and has taught at local music studios. He is familiar with the types of music played in school bands and can assist students in the areas that will benefit them most in their education, while adding fun things into the lessons that students may also be interested in. He has also been playing piano/keyboards since college and has taught many students beginner through intermediate.

Harvey teaches in his home studio or in the student's home in the Phillipsburg/Easton area. He enjoys teaching in the student's home because they are able to play on the instruments that they practice on. A family discount is given when multiple students are scheduled for consecutive time slots. Lessons are typically 30 minutes, but 45 or 60 minute lessons can also be taught.

E-mail Harvey at hminch@enter.net or call 908-454-3797 for more information and to set up lessons.

Drum Lessons, Harvey stresses the importance of being a well rounded drummer and musician, teaching snare drum, drum set and auxiliary percussion instruments. One of the most important things for a drummer to do is to keep a steady tempo and he works with the students to develop good timing. Improvisation is also worked on during the drum set part of the lesson. Along with keeping a good, steady, smooth drum beat, drum fills are worked on to enhance the student’s creativity in their playing - and most students really enjoy using the entire drum set.

As an accomplished performer, Harvey can demonstrate how exercises are to be played so the student can hear what it is suppose to sound like as they follow along with the music.

Topics worked on during lessons include:
Properly Holding the Sticks (for Beginners)
Warm Up Exercises
Stick Control
Rudiments
Reading Music - Snare Drum and Drum Set
Sight Reading
Syncopation
Variety of time signatures
Dynamics

Drum Beats - Basic to advanced rock, swing, jazz and latin beats are worked on
Full Drum Set Work - exercises utilizing the entire drum set in different note patterns.
Brush Work
Improvisation: Drum Set Fills
4-Way Independence on Drum Set
Songs are a great way for students to have fun with and a great learning tool as they learn how to play along with their favorite tunes.

Various Drum Beats: Rock and Swing/Jazz are Studied In Depth, also work on Blues, Shuffle, Polka, Bossa Nova, Cha-Cha, and more. Work on various tempos for all beats.

School Music - Music for concert band, jazz band and marching band can be brought to lessons to work on.

Writing: Advanced students compose their own snare drum solos and beats for the drum set.

Mallet Percussion Lessons, Harvey teaches all mallet percussion instruments: marimba, xylophone, vibraphone and bells. Both 2 mallet and 4 mallet technique are worked on. For 4 mallet playing, Harvey teaches both the Burton and the Musser/Stevens grip.

Topics worked on during lessons include:
Properly Holding the Mallets (for Beginners)
Warm Up Exercises
Scales - Major and all forms of minor, chromatic, pentatonic, blues, modes, etc.
Exercises for scale work - to build up accuracy and speed
4 Mallet Control
Reading Music - Treble and Bass Clef
Sight Reading
Dynamics
As players progress in their ability, standard mallet percussion pieces will be worked on.

School Music - Music for concert band, jazz band and marching band can be brought to lessons to work on.

Piano Lessons, Harvey teaches beginner through intermediate students on piano and keyboards.

Use of standard piano books help students learn the basics, including the notes on the piano, reading notes and note values.
Proper posture and finger technique is worked on and reminded at all lessons.
Scales, chords and theory are incorporated into lessons as the students are ready.