Meshem Jackson

Greetings! I have had a passion for drumming most of my life. I started on the practice pad in 5th grade before eventually moving up to the drum set in junior high. I played in many ensembles in high school and college from concert band, choral, marching band, winds, and jazz bands. I was always in a leadership position for percussion in these groups. I found early on that I really enjoyed not only performing, but also showing others how to obtain skills in drumming. I guess my instructors saw that in me as well. 

I continued performing in a variety of bands and ensembles throughout my life, gaining new knowledge and skills with percussion and drum set and particularly understanding what it means to be in a group.  

I currently perform with various artists from Seattle to Los Angeles to Nashville and right here in Central Oregon. When I am not performing, I am doing another thing that I love: I teach at my home studio and at Cascade School of Music. And, with the technology we all enjoy, I now offer lessons online.

My main objective is to inspire the student to play and practice. Lessons are tailored to each individual student and should be fun, inspiring, and challenging. With this approach, the student will see the benefits more quickly.

• We will set goals together, whether that is learning your favorite song, preparing for a specific audition or event, or more long-term goals. 
• I want to challenge my students but keep things fun and interesting for them. So, lessons and topics covered are flexible and taught in ways that speak to the individual.
• I believe in lots of hands-on playing in our sessions. This will ensure that the student will go home and remember exactly what to do and how to do it. Any additional questions you have while at home can be answered by messaging me. I am available at many times throughout the day to assist.
• I will cover basic theory with all students, as it is the basis for good musical understanding. We will even learn to write our own drum compositions as it is one of the best ways to understand note value relations.
• Jamming! At times, we will jam out on our drums just for fun. What happens in a jam session is the student not only has a blast just rocking out, but also gets inspired by what I am doing and starts to incorporate some of that into his or her playing.  
• Overall I will teach the student how to be a great musician. Not just a great drummer, but a musician who has awareness of his/her role in an ensemble as well as how his or her roles interact with others. 

​I am excited that you have an interest in drumming. Let's see how far we can go!

To get started, I am offering a free 15 minute consultation.