Nate Harlan
Drummer
Percussionist
Teacher
private lessons
Drum Set & Hand Percussion​
Are you trying to learn to play along with your favorite songs? Are you looking to brush up on your technique, play more musically, join a band, or work on your reading? Are you trying to take your playing in a school or community orchestra to the next level? Or are you a beginner who is just curious to explore the drums? No matter your age, your experience, or your style - I have got you covered! In our lessons you will grow your love of music, strengthen your rhythm and your technique, become confident in any style of drumming you choose to study, and have a bunch of fun while doing it!
My Teaching
I love to teach. I taught for the first time at the age of 13, giving a workshop on Arabic percussion to a group of middle schoolers, and from that day I was hooked. I always feel lucky to be a part of my students' journey towards that new confidence and joy that they find in their growth as musicians - to be able to help guide them towards that goal. The dedication, curiosity and enthusiasm of my students are a constant inspiration to me.
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I believe that every student is unique and requires a unique approach. I do have certain methods, rhythm games, techniques, exercises, and books that I like to use, but no matter what we are working on I always allow our lessons and study plan to evolve with the needs and strengths of each individual student.
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Of course, no matter what else we are doing, we always work with music! Whether we play along with recordings of songs, play along with other musicians in person, or write our own music to play with - incorporating real music into lessons is a must. Encouraging students to actively listen and respond musically is a big part of my teaching style.
Online Lessons with Zoom​
Zoom lessons are an easy and convenient way to learn. I have had lots of success on Zoom with students of different ages and levels all around the country. All you need to get started is a laptop or tablet, a decent wifi connection, and of course some drums. The initial setup for sound and camera angle usually takes just a few minutes at our first lesson, and from then on it takes just a few seconds.
Student Drum/Percussion Shows
It is so important to play music for others and to get inspired by seeing other players do their thing!
Twice a year I bring all my students together for a Student Drum Show, which we do on zoom. We invite friends and family to watch and support too. It's a lot of fun! The student shows are a great opportunity for each of my students to show off what they have been learning and share the music they are passionate about. Equally important, the shows are also a chance for all of my students to support each other in their music and to see what everyone else is up to. It is always exciting to see a student get interested in a new technique or a whole new kind of music after seeing another student perform.
a taste of some types of grooves you could learn in your lessons
testimonials
"He’s a fantastic teacher and human being. So positive and patient. Definitely the right teacher for our family."
- Katherine
"I’ve been working with Nate for over three years. He is an incredible drum instructor and can work with all ages and levels. I’m an adult learner with experience in drumming from my high school days and he has improved my drumming immensely. And based on the recitals he holds, I have seen the impact he has on kids and young adults learning to play for the first time. Nate is incredible at teaching the fundamentals so that you develop strong stick skills and timing. But his superpower is that he is able to break down challenging music into achievable pieces so that you can learn to play almost anything."
- Rich
"Nate is a fantastic drum teacher who helped me go from basically no drumming experience in 2020 to performing with a band and all through virtual lessons. The lessons had a great mix of technique, theory, and learning songs and drum patterns and we went through a variety of musical styles. Nate was also able to tailor our lessons to my goals as a drummer and gave me excercises to stay consistent in between our lessons. I highly recommend if you’re looking for lessons that are both fun and effective!"
- Sharell
"Nate is a great teacher. Firstly, he is a really good drummer and is fluent in a variety of styles. Secondly, he is a thoughtful and responsive teacher that really pays attention to his students. He tailors his classes to fit the students need. He focuses on fundamentals but keeps the lessons interesting by having students learn songs that they like. He is very punctual and is always prepared for class. He is also just a super nice guy."
- Les
"Nate has been teaching both our 14 and 12 year olds now for a few years. He is a very talented musician and instructor. Nate is very patient, and works at the pace of the student, while always providing encouragement, guidance and continued support throughout the session. If you are considering learning drums, whether you are a beginner through advanced, Nate is the perfect choice."
- Steve
"Nate's adept skills make him a great teacher to learn online and as a first time student specifically. I've enjoyed my lessons and have learned a lot week to week."
- Natalie
about
Nate has performed in many different genres on drum set and percussion, across the United States and around the world. He has appeared on stage with many artists, including Manley Lopez, Little Giant, Grooversity, the JNF Collective, Clave & Blues, Ritmo Masacote, the Silver Arrow Band, Bombay Fugitive, Shakoor Hakeem, and as a featured percussionist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
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Nate has been honored to study the language of rhythm with many great drummers and percussionists, including Joe Tayoun, Pablo Batista, Cheshire Augusta, Samuel Ruttenberg, Hafez El Ali Kotain, Leonard 'Doc' Gibbs, Juan Castellanos, Ernesto Diaz, Eguie Castrillo, Jerry Leake, Marcus Santos, Mikael Rinquist, Manley "Piri" Lopez, and Irian Lopez. He is forever grateful to them and to many others as well.
Nate Harlan is a drummer, percussionist, composer, and teacher living in Boston, MA. Through music and sound he seeks to cause a deepening of joy, reflection, and empathy in both himself and everyone he meets.
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Growing up in the culturally rich music scene of Philadelphia, from an early age Nate was drawn to music of all kinds. He quickly became immersed in the worlds of Afro-Cuban music, Arabic music, jazz, and underground rock. He began both teaching and performing professionally at 13 years old. Nate went on to study Composition and Music Production at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
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During his time at Berklee he spent the summers living and studying with his teacher in Afro-Cuban folkloric music, master drummer Manley 'Piri' Lopez, in the thriving Cuban communities of Miami and Mexico City. He later travelled to Havana, Cuba to meet and learn from Manley's family - Los Chinitos - who are known for their depth of knowledge in Afro-Cuban musical traditions.
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