When it comes to drumming education, very few schools in South Africa can match the experience of studying at the Groove Regulators.

Andries Visser is one of the most knowledgeable, experienced and patient teachers I've ever had the privilege of learning from and nothing has prepared me more for mastering my instrument and excelling in the music industry.

In 2004 I registered for the one year Groove Regulator Drum course with Andries Visser.

I could only play a few basic rock beats when I arrived. During that year I have gained an immense amount of knowledge about drums as an instrument and drumming as a skill.

I got introduced to different subjects within the field of rhythm such as: Stick control, Independence, Sight reading, Power workouts, Groove studies - including different styles such as Funk, Jazz, Latin and Blues to name but a few. The course enabled me to get acquainted with the Theory of drumming which is a huge advantage as I am now able to read music on drum charts which gives me tremendous confidence within a band setup or in a studio; and I can also compose and transcribe grooves. Another useful skill i got taught is playing along with a metronome click which increased my ability to be a steady drummer. We also exlpored Odd time signiatures.

Thanks to the Groove Regulator Course I was forced to learn to play different styles of music in just one year. I remember how excited i was to learn the Latin beats. Even today I love playing the Samba. And because of this wonderful and comprehensive course I also passed the Trinity Grade 8 Drums Exams.

I strongly encourage anyone who is serious and passionate about drumming to complete this course. It is well worth every penny.

I was still busy with my Matric year when I started taking lessons with Andries Visser, sure I played drums in school for the school rock band but I didn’t really know what drumming was until I started with Andries.

As the year went on I was well on my way to Bloemfontein to study a degree in I.T. but my parents seeing my passion for drums then decided I could join the Groove Regulators in 2011.

At first it was intimidating, being surrounded by all the other students, but after the first couple of days I realized no one is there to show the other that they are better but rather help each other out to grow and become better players. As the year went on I was faced with some obstacles in terms of my playing, but through the teaching of Andries and the help of the other guys I came out above and exceeded my expectations.

Coming to the end of my 1st year at the Groove Regulators I went and did my grade 6 exam, never before doing a drum exam, and I did pretty well, well enough for me to get the go ahead to continue with my 2nd year, finishing with my Grade 8.

Throughout my time at Groove Regulators I never once thought that this wasn’t for me or that I wanted to quit, all the other students and teachers are so helpful and in the end you really do make friends for life. I never once thought to myself that I regret doing this, now I’m studying a B.Mus degree at NMMU and enjoying every day of it and this wouldn’t have been possible without Andries and the Groove Regulators.

I did my Groove Regulators Course year in 2004.

I thought I was a good drummer and then realized that I’ve only started scratching the surface of drumming while just playing on my own.

Groove Regulators taught me to be disciplined and hard working when it comes to mastering the drum set.

It was a great experience where I made great friends and strong musical connections.It literally opened doors to amazing job opportunities and freelance studio work.

Looking back, doing the Groove Regulators course was definitely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made

Dear Groove Regulators

This is a short message to explain my experience at Groove Regulators in 2006.

I had no idea as to how to play drums or be serious in the music industry. All I knew for sure was that I absolutely LOVED music and wanted to be involved with music in any way I could.

Andries spent hours drilling us on stick control and theory as well as self discipline making us understand that no matter what, we have to mold ourselves to become the best version of who we are. Striving for success means personal growth and wealth in ourselves so as to manifest reality in our lives.

We covered such a vast variety of styles and a massive amount of work that would take years to master. I ended up doing two years at Groove Regulators and still to date I'm using the information and skills I learnt to improve myself as a player and to promote myself.

I endorse groove regulators for what they have offered me and for what they can offer any new muso wanting to enter the industry and make something of themselves. It will be a life changer and exceptional experience for whoever commits the program and puts in the hours.

Looking back over the years, having played with some of the top artists in South Africa, I cannot help but think it wouldn't have been at all possible without my first three years of study with Andries at The Groove Regulators.

Apart from the theory I learnt, the practical and musicianship that makes an instrumentalist a musician was mind blowing.

"It's not always about drumming" he said, which implied building lasting relationships is the number one priority-

It's how it works, I landed my first Class A gig with Dozi by practicing those principles.

I will recommend Andries and Groove Regulators anytime, anywhere, anyplace!

Studying at Groove Regulators gave me the exact tools that I needed to break into the music industry, because these days you need more than just talent.

Learning a variety of styles ranging from pop to rock to jazz to Latin and refining my technical skills, I could not help but become a well rounded drummer.

What impressed me the most, was the amount of time you spend with Andries each week. Not many music institutions gives you that much time with your instructor like Groove Regulators does.

With the help of Andries I grew tremendously as a musician, but also as a person in the year I spent there.

Because of everything I learned at Groove Regulators, I am now very active in the music industry doing sessions and touring nationally and internationally.

Hi I am Andy Maritz. In 2004 I embarked on a musical journey that I never thought would change my life forever. I joined the Groove Regulators and studied under coach Andries Visser doing a custom full time program that he had designed and compiled. This was a year of studying the drum kit and not only developing my playing skills but also gathering a lot of technical insights regarding the instrument. The course was very intense and I am grateful for it now because of all the hours I had to put in behind the drum set. Being full time in the industry now as a musician and a producer, I understand the value of time management and hard work. Thank you coach Andries for all your love, time and patience and thank you for developing young musicians such as myself.