Curriculum, starting dates and terms of admission
We take you from zero to hero in ten stages. We guide you through various aspects of snare drums, such as rhythmical music reading, elementary applications and Baseler drums. On the drum set, we provide instruction in all mainstream musical styles, such as rock, pop, fusion, Latin, jazz and several more. We work with you on big band drumming, sight-reading and how to accompany artists. We even cover lead sheets, solos and licks & tricks. Of course, we will also add playback drumming and improvisation.
You can join our standard courses (2 students / 1 teacher) on either 1st October or 1st February and individual lessons can be booked at the beginning of each month. We do not have admission tests. If you like, you can take our in-house tests that are held once a year, shortly before the summer holidays. These assess your current level:
Preliminary Stage 0 | a kind of rhythmical drum training for youngsters under the age of 10 |
Preliminary Stage 1 | absolute beginners of all ages from 10+ |
Preliminary Stage 2 | advanced beginners of all ages |
Preliminary Stage 3 | amateur drummers of all ages |
Preliminary Stage 4 | advanced amateurs with band experience in several styles |
Basic Stage 1 | semi-professional drummer performing as a good all-rounder |
Basic Stage 2 | advanced semi-professional drummer with experience, self-confident style and exact notes |
Intermediate Stage 1 | first exclusive professional level, professional drummer playing at regional level |
Intermediate Stage 2 | professional level covering all styles and techniques, confident sight-reader, high performance professional drummer at national level, a “local hero” |
Top Stage | df master class, professional drummer at international level, “national hero” |
Christoph Schlumberger, www.drumlab.de writes in a personal mail to Cloy Petersen, October 2002, after passing his 2-hour Medium Stage 2 examination with a “very good with first-class honors”:
“I’d like to thank you again for Saturday evening – after the familiar problems at the beginning, my examination turned out to be a very special event for me. You know the huuuuuge part you have played in my success. I have learned a lot – as I have done all the years under your guidance. I know it was right to come to you many years ago. Your school is something special and I hope it stays this way forever!! I LOVE YOU!!!”
df student Jürgen Wiehler, (Bambam) www.vintage-drum-net.de drummer of Bonfire www.bonfire.de when interviewed in Sticks magazine, issue 8/2001:
“I’m the best example that the df method really works because, in the past, I used to just hit the drums ...”