Bob Lalko

Drummer Bob By Devin Musbach Boom! Boom! Crack! Boom! Boom! Crack! “Nice job, that was great,” said Bob, my drum teacher, as I was tackling a new song. I was preparing for solo ensemble which is a competition where you perform music to a judge. I was playing one of the most difficult pieces of music I had ever played on the drums, but that didn’t matter as I had Bob as my teacher who I knew I could trust to teach me every note and rhythm. By the time competition week rolled around, I was ready. I had my song memorized and I was playing it almost perfectly. And then like slamming into a brick wall, Covid came around. There was no more competition and there were no more drum lessons. I was no longer greeted by Bob’s friendly face or studio, but rather an image of it on my computer screen. Going through lessons on a laggy zoom call, really dimmed the mood of going to drum lessons. I had always enjoyed walking into Bob’s studio at Hartland Music because I am always welcomed by a friendly face in my eyes and wonderful music in my ears. I have been taking drum lessons for around ten years now. Over the years I have been taught countless things about drums like pitch, rhythm, and note values making me a great musician. The thing that sets Bob apart though from any other teacher, is that he is like a friend. In between segments of teaching, he would tell me stories about his childhood, his family, or about music. We would even share cool YouTube videos of drummers with each other. I am not the only one though. Bob has around a hundred students that walk through his studio every week and I know that they share similar experiences as me. Bob does lessons from sunrise to sunset everyday. It is like he never sleeps. Even on the weekends he fills his days with his other job of being a father. He hangs out with his family of two kids every weekend. Bob is friendly, devoted, and passionate about what he does. It is not easy to do but he is changing the lives of every person that steps into his studio. I am truly thankful for being one of Bob’s many students. One of the greatest lessons I learned from Bob is that it is better to take things slow and get it right instead of going fast and making a million mistakes. I have taken this to heart in my life as I try to take it slow, enjoy every moment, and not miss a single beat.

Devin Musbach