Patrick Carrick
Patrick Carrick wants to put his stamp on the Invermere music scene.
The 30-year-old Australian drummer and Invermere resident will be offering music lessons to people of all ages this winter.
Ive basically been playing, performing, recording, composing and doing all sorts of things within music since I was 15, so basically for about the last 15 years, said Mr. Carrick. Aside from high school (training), I have a music tertiary education. In Australia, we call it TAFE (technical and further education), and basically it was just a course designed to teach students how to perfect their music abilities through recording, management and the business side of things, along with your practical skills as well.
Now, Mr. Carrick would like to offer a similar service to people from all walks of life, and all ages, in the Columbia Valley. He will be teaching drum and guitar lessons, managing entertainment and editing videos from his home. While choosing an instrument is a unique experience to everyone, Mr. Carrick predominantly encourages rookies to start off with the drums.
I teach on electric drums just because theyre much easier for children to learn without all of the big, loud sounds so you can kind of tune your kit to how exactly you want it, he added. Its also encouraging to parents as well, to know that there is an alternative to learning how to play drums without all the crash-bang noise that comes along with it, so I really encourage all my students interested in playing to learn on an electric drum kit so you can plug into your computer, iPads or stuff like that so they can play along with their favourite songs, which can be really fun for people to learn as well.
Mr. Carricks reason for promoting percussion instruments to his students is twofold: 1) its a fun instrument to play; and 2) everybody can connect to the rhythm of percussion.
Ive always enjoyed the drums, my dad was a drummer, but basically I think everyone has, at any age, rhythm with them, he said. So, I think whenever were listening to a song rock, pop, contemporary, any type of music I think people connect first and foremost with the vocalist because we can all speak so we can always connect to someone who is singing a song, but what comes behind that is the drums.
I think everybody taps their feet to the drums, but not everybody knows or understands exactly whats going on with the guitar, but theres always a subconscious understanding that everybody has with percussion, drums and rhythm because we all have it within us.
He has found that most of his students will nail down the basic beats of drumming after a mere lesson with him, as he typically offers a 25 per cent discount to prospective students on their first lesson to try it out.
Its a versatile instrument which is pretty cool, and I think thats my favourite part about it, he explained.
In addition, Mr. Carrick will be offering guitar lessons, but feels its important to see other instrumentalists emerge from the area.
The great thing about this area is and I realized this when I first moved here there were plenty of guitar teachers, but nobody actually teaching drums, he said. When I was younger, one of the most fundamental parts about me learning music in general was playing along with other people. Theres plenty of guitarists around, and I think theres a bit of a need for some drummers so I thought Id start a new kind of army of drummers around the area to compliment the guitarists and bass guitarists, which there seems to be plenty of its worked out quite well on the percussion side of things.
The lessons will be ongoing and typically offered in a one-on-one setting out of Mr. Carricks basement suite.
Right now, Ive got students that are five years old and my eldest student is 27, he explained. Ive got 18 year olds, 14 year olds, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 so anyone can do it. And if theres any adults out there who have always wanted to learn or that they want to build upon, I take people from all different ages.
For more information, visit www.patrickcarrick.com.
