Pulse Percussion School

What kind of drummer are you right now?

Your answer determines which plan fits. Pick the card that feels most honest — not aspirational.

Scroll down — every question you have is answered below
Single Stroke Roll·Double Stroke Roll·Paradiddle·Flam·Drag·Ruff·Five Stroke Roll·Nine Stroke Roll·Ratamacue·Polyrhythm·Chart Reading·60 BPM → Freedom·Single Stroke Roll·Double Stroke Roll·Paradiddle·Flam·Drag·Ruff·Five Stroke Roll·Nine Stroke Roll·Ratamacue·Polyrhythm·Chart Reading·60 BPM → Freedom·
Frequently Asked

"How fast will I actually progress?"

Honest answer: most adult students master the 26 Percussive Arts Society rudiments within 8–14 months, depending on home practice consistency. We measure progress in rudiments checked off a list and tempos unlocked on a metronome — not in "feeling good about it." The table below shows what each tier delivers per month.

Progress comparison across Pulse tiers
What you're asking aboutFree
Trial / Intro		Core
$89 / month		Intensive
$179 / month
How many lessons per month?1 diagnostic session4 lessons (1×/week)8 lessons (2×/week)
Structured curriculum with weekly goals?NoYesIncluded
Progress tracked via rudiment checklist?Snapshot onlyYesIncluded
Milestone certificates (26 PAS rudiments)?NoAfter 3 monthsIncluded
Metronome-based tempo benchmarks?Intro sessionYesIncluded
Between-session practice plans (PDF)?NoYesCustom weekly

6 weeks

Average time to read a basic chart from zero

94%

Of Core students hit 100 BPM on single strokes by month 3

26

PAS rudiments — the complete vocabulary of the drum kit

Frequently Asked

"Will I need my own kit?"

Short answer: no. You need a pair of sticks and a practice pad by week three — total cost under $30. We provide everything else. Our studio has four full acoustic kits, two electronic kits for quiet sessions, and a wall of snares ranging from a 1970s Ludwig to a modern Yamaha birch. You focus on the playing. We worry about the gear.

Equipment access across Pulse tiers
What you're asking aboutFree
Trial / Intro		Core
$89 / month		Intensive
$179 / month
Studio kit provided during lessons?YesYesIncluded
Practice pad + sticks loaner kit?Session onlyYesKept for duration
Electronic kit for silent home practice?NoRental available +$30Included
Gear guidance & buying advice?15-min consultYesCurated shopping list
Recommended starter kit price range?$0 needed to start$0 needed to start$0 needed to start
🥁

Acoustic Kits

4 full setups in studio

🎚️

Electronic Kits

Silent practice option

🥢

Stick Library

Try before you buy

📐

Metronomes

Korg, Boss, app-based

Frequently Asked

"What's the differencebetween your levels?"

Three levels — Foundational, Intermediate, Advanced — each defined by a checklist of rudiments, tempos, and reading skills, not by how long you've been enrolled. You move up when you've mastered the criteria, not when the calendar says so. The free diagnostic session places you on day one; no guessing, no false starts.

Foundational60–100 BPM
  • Matched & traditional grip
  • Single/double stroke rolls
  • Basic kick-snare-hihat patterns
  • Quarter/eighth note reading
Intermediate100–140 BPM
  • All 26 PAS rudiments
  • Chart reading in 4/4 and 3/4
  • Rock, funk, and jazz grooves
  • Bass drum independence
Advanced140+ BPM
  • Polyrhythms & odd meters
  • Latin and Afro-Cuban patterns
  • Recording session etiquette
  • Sight-reading charts cold
Level and curriculum comparison across Pulse tiers
What you're asking aboutFree
Trial / Intro		Core
$89 / month		Intensive
$179 / month
Lesson level optionsDiagnostic onlyFoundational · Intermediate · AdvancedAll levels + custom tracks
Rudiment-based curriculum (PAS 26)?Assessment onlyYesIncluded
Chart reading & notation training?NoIntroduced at Level 2From week one
Polyrhythm & independence exercises?NoLevel 3 (≈6 months)Level 2 (≈10 weeks)
Genre modules (jazz, rock, Latin, funk)?No2 genres per termAll 4 simultaneously
Live ensemble / band sessions?NoQuarterly jamMonthly + recording
Lesson format options?In-person onlyIn-person · Live onlineIn-person · Online · Self-paced hybrid
Instructor continuity (same teacher)?NoYesIncluded

Not sure which level is yours?

The free diagnostic session places you precisely — no self-assessment required. Bring sticks if you have them; we'll supply the rest.

The Faculty

Every instructor plays gigs.
Every lesson shows it.

No conservatory drones. No one who stopped playing when they started teaching.

Marcus Webb, drum instructor with short hair, seated at a drum kit in a studio with warm lighting

17 years teaching

Marcus T. Webb

Lead Instructor — Technique & Rudiments

Berklee College of Music, PAS Certified

Former touring percussionist with 200+ live dates. Specializes in rebuilding technique from the grip up — his diagnostic sessions are known for finding the one habit that's blocking everything else.

JazzRockOrchestral
Priya Nair, drum teacher with dark hair, standing beside a snare drum and holding drumsticks

11 years teaching

Priya Nair

Instructor — Chart Reading & Theory

Eastman School of Music, ABRSM Grade 8

Classically trained percussionist turned session drummer. Her chart-reading curriculum takes self-taught players from "I fake it" to sight-reading in eight weeks. Works primarily with Intermediate and Advanced students.

LatinFunkContemporary
Daniel Osei, young male music teacher smiling, casual attire, natural background

8 years teaching

Daniel Osei

Instructor — Youth & Foundational

MusEd degree, 400+ student hours

Specializes in ages 7–14 and adult beginners. His patience is legendary — students describe his 6:15 AM sessions as "the best part of the day." Former middle-school band director with a gift for making fundamentals feel like discovery.

PopAfrobeatMarching

Lesson windows: 6:15 AM · 12:00 PM · 7:30 PM

Weekdays + Saturday mornings — built around real work schedules

Portland, OR · In-person + Live Online

No kit. No commitment. No guessing.

Discipline is the doorway to freedom.

One free diagnostic session. We measure where you are, show you exactly where you're going, and let the curriculum do the rest.