Drums
Get behind the kit and start playing real grooves fast — at your own pace, in the styles you love.
- Levels
- No experience → Advanced
- Gear
- Provided at the studio
Play real music. Private music lessons in Philadelphia with Stevie “C-Note” Cunningham.
Drum, guitar, bass and beginner piano lessons with a professional musician of 40+ years and a teacher of 25+. Tailored to you, fun and interactive — never a grind. You’ll be playing real music, fast.
Tempo · 4/4Running
BPM
Tap in time to set the tempo. The page keeps the beat.
01The teacherProfessional musician · Music instructor
Forty-plus years on stage. Twenty-five-plus years teaching. Thousands of lessons on drums, guitar, bass and piano — each one tailored to the student in the room. Never a grind.
Stevie
“C-Note”
Cunningham
I’ve been a professional musician for over 40 years, playing in rock, blues, jazz, funk, reggae, heavy metal, orchestra and dance party bands — mostly right here in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs.
I’ve been teaching for over 25 years and have given thousands of lessons on drums, guitar, bass and beginner piano. Many of my students have gone from complete beginners to professional musicians playing in bands.
Every lesson is tailored to you — your abilities and your musical goals. Lessons are fun and interactive, never a grind, and I accompany my students so they get the real-time experience of playing in a band with other musicians.
- Background
- Checked ✓
- In business
- 13 years
- Teaches
- Drums, guitar, bass, beginner piano
- Also
- Recording & production
- Levels
- No experience → Advanced
- Gear
- All instruments at the studio
“My goal is to spread the wonderful gift of music to as many people as possible, because music is good for the soul!”
02By the numbersSources: Stevie’s bio · Thumbtack profile
On the record.
40+
Years as a professional musician
25+
Years teaching music
4.8 out of 5
Rated “Great” from 17 reviews on Thumbtack
21
Times hired on Thumbtack
13
Years in business
8
Genres played in professional bands
03 / Instruments
Five ways in.
Guitar
From your first chords to your first band. Rock, blues, jazz, funk, reggae or metal — learn the music you actually want to play.
- Levels
- No experience → Advanced
- Gear
- Provided at the studio
Bass
Lock in with the drums and hold the band together. Stevie accompanies you, so you learn how it feels to play with other musicians.
- Levels
- No experience → Advanced
- Gear
- Provided at the studio
Piano
Beginner piano: a friendly, no-pressure start on the keys — at your own pace, with songs you’ll want to play.
- Level
- Beginner
- Gear
- Provided at the studio
Recording
Learn the studio side of music: recording, mixing and editing — taught in a real recording studio.
- Covers
- Recording · Mixing · Editing
- Software
- Logic Pro X · Pro Tools · Ableton · FL Studio
04Genres
Eight styles. One grid.
Stevie has played professionally in all eight. Hover a row — or tap it — to solo its groove in time with the metronome. Switch sound on to hear it.
05LevelsType weight = experience
Start anywhere.
Lessons are built around your abilities and your goals. Many students have gone from complete beginner to professional musicians playing in bands.
- L0No experience
- L1Beginner
- L2Intermediate
- L3Advanced
- L4In a band
06The studioConcert hall · Recording studio
A mansion turned into a music school.
Lessons take place in a huge mansion that’s been converted into a music school — complete with a concert hall and a recording studio.
Come see for yourself- 06.1
Concert hall
A concert hall under the same roof as your lessons.
- 06.2
Recording studio
A studio on site for recording, mixing and editing lessons.
- 06.3
Every instrument
All the instruments you need are at the studio. Just bring yourself.
- 06.4
Play with a band
Stevie accompanies you, for real-time experience of playing with other musicians.
- 06.5
Tailored to you
Every lesson matches your abilities and furthers your musical goals.
- 06.6
Free trial
Start with a free trial mini lesson and see how it feels.
07ReviewsThumbtack · Hired 21 times
Reviews: rated 4.8 out of 5 on Thumbtack
Out of 5 · Rated “Great” · 17 reviews
“Stevie’s lessons are easy and fun.”
Summaries of verified Thumbtack reviewsParaphrased, not quoted
- 01Patricia P.
Went from feeling daunted to confident. Patient, no-pressure lessons at her own pace, flexible scheduling, and just enough to practice after each lesson. Recommends him to anyone.
- 02Denise M.
She takes piano and her son takes bass, every week. Within a month, both of them could play several songs.
- 03Guy G.
Fun, dynamic lessons, with a pace that adjusts to the student’s skill level. Would recommend.
- 04Mengyi H.
Two months in and very happy with the progress so far. Friendly, and great fun.
- 05Cory C.
Fun lessons, and learning a lot about music beyond just the guitar.
08BookFree trial mini lesson
Book a free trial mini lesson.
Tell Stevie a little about you. Sending opens your own email app with everything filled in — no accounts, nothing stored.