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Kevin Mendes
Ontario
Photo of Kevin Mendes
Telephone:(647) 280 5299
Website:www.simpledrummer.com
Teaching Location:Toronto, Ontario, M4C 5G2
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Email:Contact Kevin Mendes
About Kevin Mendes

My name is Kevin Mendes and I am a drummer based in Toronto, Canada. Sitting behind a drum kit and playing music with others is my favourite thing to do in life. Period. I have built a career performing and teaching on the drums for over 25 years. Now that teaching online is a comparable option, I have the luxury of teaching enthusiastic learning drummers of all ages, from all over the world!
I have been a teacher at Long & McQuade for 15 years and counting. You can find me teaching in-person lessons at the Danforth (Toronto) location. 
I also operate a website called Simpledrummer.com where you will find pre-recorded lesson material as well as world-class 1-on-1 online lessons with me, directly from my Simpledrummer studio. Simpledrummer.com is dedicated to providing learning drummers with simple, interactive and effective resources.
*** BOOK A FREE 15 min check-in here, to meet me and experience the Simpledrummer online lesson environment! ***

A Little More About Me…
Music has always been a source of joy for me as well as a refuge. It helped me to find a creative outlet with other people that I could relate to and identify with. Although I love all aspects of music, I’ve always felt that my calling was to be a drummer. Playing the drums allowed me to escape teenage pressures and I enjoyed the feeling that I was getting “good” at something.
After my post-secondary studies in music, the name of the game became the gig “hustle”. I spent most of my 20s and 30s meeting other musicians, playing gigs and generally trying to make the most out of a career as a drummer-for-hire. It was not easy. There is very little stability and it can be incredibly volatile. Some months I was busy and getting by nicely and other months I hardly any gigs and was struggling to pay my bills. Deep down, I knew that there was a risk that this life was unsustainable for the future. Rather than change course, I wanted to figure out a way to “make it work” on my own terms, with my drums.

Fast-forward to 2014 and my wife (girlfriend at the time), was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. That put the breaks on our entire lives and my drumming career. I needed to be there for her everyday. Every doctor’s appointment, biopsy, chemo treatment (mon-fri) and radiation, I was always there with her. Even at home, I couldn’t just leave to play a gig. I had to be there in case she became sick enough that she needed to go to the emergency room. 
It all happened so fast and changed my life so drastically. I continued to teach lessons because it was flexible. I could always cancel a lesson if I needed to take my wife to the hospital. Gigs require more commitment that I was no longer able to take on. You can’t just call in sick or ask someone to learn all the music in only a few hours to play in your place. 
It was at this time that I began filming video lessons in my basement with the intent of starting a website. Back then, I spent hours everyday making videos that documented my approach to teaching. It took time, learning and experimentation over the course of 9 months to make my first 80 videos. I had to learn about lighting, camera technique, video editing and post-production. My goal was to make professional looking videos that captured the viewer’s complete attention on the drums and instruction. I wanted to be able to film from anywhere, without any differences in the background. After all the filming, building and design and legal stuff, Simpledrummer officially launched in 2018. I also began work on my 2nd and 3rd drumming textbooks, which are now published and available in print or PDF in the shop and at musical instrument retailers. 
In 2020, the covid pandemic hit and for the 2nd time, my drumming career came to a grinding halt. I was able to however, provide more value to people who were stuck at home with time for their drumming hobby. Many people just wanted something new to do, to help them cope. I was already in a good position for growth and it picked up right away. I expanded the website to include 1-on-1 online lessons via video conferencing.
Presently I am performing live with Tommy Youngsteen and continuing to expand Simpledrummer as well as continuing to teach at Long & McQuade in Toronto. 
Click the link below and come and say hello!
*** BOOK A FREE 15 min check-in now!

Drum Lessons in Toronto.

Credits
  • Tommy Youngsteen
  • Sean Pinchin
  • Emma-Lee
  • Andrew Hanna and others