Austin, TX - outdoors
Nowhere loud enough to play? Learn drums in an Austin park.
He brings the kit. You bring nothing. In the first hour you play a beat that sounds like music.
- No kit needed
- Rain or heat moves it, free
- Beginners are the point
- He replies in 24 to 48 hours
Most people who book have never played. Plenty of them are in their forties and fifties and have wanted to do this since they were twelve. That is the normal starting point here, not the exception.
“I would start them with the rock beat, and then I would take them from there to the most popular beat in the world now: the reggaeton beat.”
How it works
Four steps, about a minute of your time, and the first one is on this page.
- PickChoose the first lesson or a pack, and say roughly when suits you.
- PrepayPay Brian on Venmo. It holds the slot, and the amount is filled in for you.
- Meet in the parkHe texts back to confirm the time and sends the exact spot, usually within the hour.
- PlayHe sets the kit up. You sit down and start. Nothing to bring, nothing to pay at the end.
Your first hour
This is the actual shape of it, minute by minute. Nobody is put on a practice pad.
- 0-10 minSit down and warm upGrip, posture, throne height, and getting your hands and feet moving before anything is asked of them.
- 10-25 minThe rock beatThe beat under thousands of songs you have heard since you were a kid. Slow first, then up to tempo.
- 25-40 minThe reggaeton beatThe one on the radio everywhere right now. It moves your limbs differently, and it is the fastest second win there is.
- 40-50 minThe reggae feelWhere the weight lands, and why space makes a groove stronger. This is the one people feel before they can explain it.
- 50-60 minPlay something throughOne piece of music, start to finish, with Brian playing alongside. You leave having played, not having practised.
Order and timings move to suit you. If something clicks fast, he pushes on; if it does not, he stays.
Kit
What is provided, what you bring
He brings
- The full kit, hauled to the park and set up before you arrive
- Sticks
- Throne and cymbals
- A second stool, if you are bringing someone with you
- Shade where the park has it
You bring
- Water
- Shoes you can work a pedal in
- Sunscreen and a hat, most of the year
- Nothing else at all
You do not need to own a drum before, during or after the lesson.
“You can do all these little subtle things to make maybe playing in your home environment a little more tolerable for your family.”
Prices
What it costs
Four ways to take a lesson: outdoors in a central Austin park, at your place with the kit brought to you, online if you already own a kit, or as a group. The two-hour in-home session is the one he recommends - full kit delivered, set up and packed away, nothing left behind.
Outdoor lesson in a central Austin park
$125
60 minutes
Anyone starting or restarting; nowhere loud enough to play at home
Full kit provided · Exact meeting spot sent after booking
In-home lesson: Brian brings and sets up a full kit
$200
60 minutes
You want it at your place; no kit needed
Full kit delivered, set up, packed away · Central Austin; travel fee outside
In-home lesson, two hours
$300
120 minutes
The white-glove session: set up, play, learn, leave nothing behind
Full kit delivered, set up, packed away · Best value per hour
Online coaching (you own a kit)
$100
60 minutes
You already have a kit and want an hour of focused coaching over video
Group lesson, flat fee for 2 to 4 people
$200
60 minutes
Friends, couples, a family; split it however you like
Prepaid; flat fee per group
Outside central Austin there is a travel fee of $75 per hour of drive time, quoted before you book so it is never a surprise. Traveling outside central Austin? Add $75 per hour of drive time, quoted before you book.
- Reschedule free up to 24 hours before. Rain or heat: we reschedule, no charge.
- Prepaid and not confirmed within 24 hours: full refund.
- Venmo to Brian with your booking reference. Prepaying holds your slot; paying after the lesson is fine too.
The full terms, in plain words
Under 18. Under 18 is welcome with a parent or guardian present for the whole lesson.
Waiver. A simple signed waiver at the first lesson. Read it before you come.
Hours. Flexible; nothing too early, nothing too late.
The same wording is on the terms page.
Hold your slot
Book a lesson
Three required fields. Brian reads these himself.
Paying now is what holds the time. It is a Venmo payment straight to Brian with your reference on it - no card checkout, no account, and nothing stored on this site.
Venmo to Brian with your booking reference. Prepaying holds your slot; paying after the lesson is fine too. Brian replies within 24 to 48 hours.
“I'm surprised this guy isn't playing with a band or giving lessons.”
Already play and want a specific thing? Say so in the note - Reggae & dub, Funk, Drum solos & technique, Metal, Progressive rock are all on the list, and so are the three reggae beats he teaches by name: rockers, steppers and one drop. The first hour goes there instead.
Assembled in your browser, never printed in the page source - which is why it is behind a button.
Straight answers
The things people actually worry about
I am 45 and I have never played.
So is most of the room. Plenty of people book this having wanted to play since they were twelve and never had anywhere to do it. Nobody is going to be surprised by you, and nobody is watching except a few people walking a dog.
It is for my kid, not for me.
Book it right here on the form - tick "I'm booking for someone under 18" and it asks for your name and number as the parent or guardian. Brian calls you before the first lesson, and a parent or guardian stays for the whole thing. Same prices as everyone else.
I do not own a kit.
He brings one. You will not need to buy anything to find out whether you like this, and if you do want to buy later there is a free guide here on what to get.
What if the weather is terrible?
It moves, free. Rain or extreme heat and the lesson is rescheduled at no cost, with a covered backup spot as the alternative. An outdoor lesson is never lost to weather.
Where exactly?
A public park in central Austin - he names two options when you pick a time, and you get the exact spot before you leave the house. Outside central Austin there is a travel fee, quoted before you book.
Is it safe meeting a stranger in a park?
It is always a public, busy park with parking and people around, in daylight, and you know the spot in advance. Bring someone with you if you would rather. Plenty do the first one that way and it changes nothing about the lesson.
Questions
The things people ask first
I have never touched a drum kit. Is that a problem?
It is the normal starting point here, not the exception. Most people who book have never played, and plenty of them are in their forties and fifties and have wanted to do this since they were twelve. The first hour is built for exactly that person: you leave having played a beat that sounds like music.
I do not own a kit. Can I still take a lesson?
Yes. He brings one. You bring nothing at all, and you do not need to own a drum before, during or after the lesson.
What do I need to bring?
Water, and shoes you can work a pedal in. That is the list. Kit, sticks, throne and cymbals are all provided. Sunscreen and a hat are a good idea most of the year here.
Where do lessons happen?
Outdoors, in a public park in central Austin. When you pick a time he names two options, and you get the exact spot as soon as the time is set. Outside central Austin there is a travel fee, quoted before you book.
Is it safe meeting someone in a park?
It is always a public, busy park with parking and people around, and you get the exact spot before you leave the house. Bring someone with you if you would rather - plenty of people do the first one that way, and it changes nothing about the lesson.
What happens if it rains, or it is 105 degrees?
It moves, free. An outdoor lesson is never lost to weather - rain, lightning or a heat index over 105 and it is rescheduled at no cost, with a covered backup spot as the alternative.
How does paying work?
You pay Brian directly on Venmo. After the form you get a booking reference that looks like CTD-4KJ2, and a button that opens Venmo with the amount and that reference on it - and the reference printed large on screen with a copy button, so you can type it in yourself if Venmo does not prefill. Send it, and he matches the payment to your booking in seconds. This is a Venmo payment to Brian with a reference on it - not a card checkout, and nothing is stored on this site.
What if he never confirms?
Full refund on Venmo. If Brian has not confirmed your time by text within 24 hours of your payment, the money comes straight back. That promise applies to every prepaid item on this site.
Can you teach my child?
Yes. Book it on the same form as everybody else and tick "I'm booking for someone under 18" - it asks for the parent or guardian's name and number, and Brian calls you before the first lesson. A parent or guardian stays for the whole lesson. Same prices as everyone else; for a very young child say so in the note and Brian will tell you what he would do.
Do you teach online?
Yes. Online coaching is 60 minutes for $100, and you will need a kit of your own - he sends you a video link. It is the same teaching, minus the kit being carried to a park, and it is how people outside Austin work with him.