Testimonials

Don will get you where you want to be,”I have been a student of Don’s for 2 years now. When I was attending U of O during some of that time I would drive up to Portland every other week specifically to study with Don. After my first lesson he basically threw everything I thought I knew out the window and we started the rebuilding process. The greatest thing about Don that I have not experienced with other teachers is his intense focus on proper grip and stick control techniques. I can’t believe I was allowed to progress with other teachers for so long with such poor technique. Now, two years later, I am faster, my stick control has improved immensely, I can play other styles of music, and my sight reading skills have improved. I look forward to every lesson and hope to be a student of Don’s for a very long time. Choose Don!!!

~ Kevin M.

Fantastic Drum Instructor,”Don Worth blows me away with all his knowledge and technique. Don’s approach to teaching and playing drums is simple and straight forward. My drum technique and playing have improved tremendously in a short amount of time I’ve been studying with Don.

Don has taught me much more than any other drum instructor I’ve had. I could study with Don for the next ten years and still learn something new each time I see him. From the basic rudiments to the complexities of Funk and Jazz, Don knows his stuff. He has taught how to play the music, read the music, keep time, expand and improve my improvisational skills.

If you want to learn to play a song, get a CD. If you desire to be a drummer contact Don Worth II.

~ Thomas B

Top Notch Drum Instructor,”Our son Nick has been taking lessons with Don for over a year now. Not only is Don a world class drummer and musician, but is also an expert teacher and coach in relating essential skills to any level student. He has been very patient with Nick’s progress and has given him the appropriate level of motivation/pep talks to keep him on track.

~Nick’s Parents

Incredible Drum Instructor, I’ve been with Don Worth for over a year now and couldn’t ask for a more talented and incredible drum instructor. I could never have learned so much from one person when it comes to drumming- I would recommend Don Worth to anyone who wants to seriously learn how to play the drums the right way.

~ Renea

What can I say? This man changed my life.,”I’m not kidding. I started lessons with him when I was 13 or 14 yrs old; it’s a bit hazy now that I’m 41. He helped me win 3 consecutive Oregon High School rudimental snare drum championships, playing the solos he wrote. Amazing. He fixed everything with my technique, which was massively important at that stage in my playing. As a youngster, growing up in PDX, Don II and Don Sr were the kings, and I feel so blessed that I was able to study with both of them. The shop they had in Sellwood was incredible. Nothing like it. Every time I would go there, I was like a kid a candy store, BUT! I would get my ass kicked by the best teachers in the world, IMHO. Amazing! I am still threatening to look up Don II for more lessons the next time I’m in PDX. If anyone is reading this, and had ever been considering drum lessons, and you live in PDX, consider yourself lucky. You have THE ABSOLUTE BEST at your doorstep. Seriously.

~ John McEntire

Great Communicator With Skills To Match,”I have been with Don for just over a year. He takes our time together seriously. He is very thorough and meticulous, with great attention to detail. Anyone can play on a drumset (Guitar Center is full of them), but not everyone is a drummer, a musician and master of their instrument. Don is a drummer. From day one, he has instilled in me that technique is only half the equation – you need to APPLY it properly. As a drummer, you don’t operate in a vacuum. You work with other musicians. 32nd double bass notes as fast as you can doesn’t work in every situation!!

He has a love of drums that come out in his teaching. I like Don because he always expects the best from me, constantly motivating me to reach my potential. Our lessons are fun and relaxed, yet I always leave learning something new, something to work on. Whether it’s technique, history, or just general drum knowledge, Don delivers.

Finally, there are the intangibles. Don has always worked around my busy schedule, ready to move me around as necessary. He answers my misc. questions via email or phone call. He keeps me informed of new drum news, websites, and products. He routinely shares his extensive video library. He as even helped me tune my drums. Call it “”customer service””.

If you are serious about learning the instrument, I recommend Don.

~ Kurt

Don knows drums!,”Teaching is second nature for Don, he can pinpoint barriers and come up with solutions in short order, he’s just a great teacher. I would (and do) encourage anyone interested in playing drums to see Don. I have played a long time and have had different teachers over the years, but Don was the first to stress the importance of proper grip and the right way to strike the drum. Other teachers covered holding the stick but Don actually has me doing it right. The progress I’ve made with Don has been worth every penny. Go listen to Don play, give him a call or just set up a lesson, you’ll be glad you did.

~ Dan

Check Don out!,”I am a 50 year old drummer who has been studying with Don for almost a year. I have been playing on and off for 35 plus years, but have been primarily self taught (long story as to why I did not take lessons earlier). I always suspected I had developed some bad playing habits, not to mention being unable to comprehend basic drumming terminology. Don came highly recommended, plus I knew he and his father used to operate a drum shop in Portland a number of years ago, he literally grew up around drums and drummers.

Don is a fantastic drummer/teacher, with an incredible wealth of knowledge and experience. He is extremely versatile, and is qualified to teach any interested student regardless of age, experience, playing style or musical preference. Don runs a professional studio, and is very flexible regarding fittting you into a time slot that works for everyone. The atmosphere is relaxed as Don has a good sense of humor and is quite patient. However when it comes time to learn he is all business.

In my case he has had to strip me down to the very basics, and have me start over. Since I have been playing so long with little proper instruction, my poor technique is hard wired into my mind and body. Don has the challenge of identifying these problems, and teaching me how to correct them in order to play properly (this is where the sense of humor and patience kicks in).

Unless your name is Steve Gadd, I think just about anyone interested in studying to play the drums could learn a lot from Don Worth.

~Phil H.

I’m a 49 year old drummer who has gigged a little and played in mostly casual situations. I’m well like for what I can do but I knew that I would not be able to progress on my own without good instruction in technique and the rudiments. Don came highly recommended by other local drummers and I’ve studying with him for a year and a half. With me, his has not been an easy job. I have developed some bad habits that are hard to break, especially with my left hand. Don has been tough and encouraging all at the same time. He knows what I’m after, assures me it’s attainable but also tells me the truth in order to get there. I stress this because when I’ve been able to study through the years my teachers have generally catered to my momentary whims. “I want to learn this lick!” And I learned some good licks. But I didn’t learn the things that are foundational to playing in a well rounded way – i. e., a good clean single or double stroke roll at different dynamics. And no one ever stressed the rudiments – just licks and such.

Having read about others who had teachers that drove them in a disciplined manner, it took me a long to time to realize that I needed a teacher to determine my agenda, not me. Someone whose goal was to teach music not just help someone cop licks. Don has been that teacher. He understands the tendency for musicians to fool themselves and works to establish integrity in his student’s abilities. At 49 years old I needed that in order to break through my barriers. He had to change the course a few times based on my particular ingrained problems. I’ve also had wrist injuries to deal with that put me down for a few months. Don was greatly accommodating and has helped me work through those.

Mechanically, I have not progressed very far because my problems are so foundational and ingrained. But Don has kept me on a steady path and my breakthroughs have been meaningful because they are leading me in a more fruitful and holistic direction. My left hand has improved mechanically but more importantly I’m being given the conceptual foundation to continue to progress while working on broader goals. I highly recommend Don to anyone who wants to learn drumming as a musical and artistic pursuit at any level.

~ TheMunk

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