Internal clock
Metronome work, pulse, and subdivision until you can hold time without tension.
Reckless
Darling
Chicago · In person & online
Reckless Darling
Drum kit and Arabic percussion lessons for confident, expressive, cross-cultural playing.
Lessons
Balance is the foundation of everything you play.
Every lesson is built on mizan — the Arabic word for balance: steady internal time, relaxed technique, close listening, and the confidence to play with other people.
Physical ease
Relaxed technique and limb independence that stay comfortable as you speed up.
Listening and ensemble
Using music you already love as the model, then playing responsively with others.
Setup, posture, grip, strokes, basic beats, and foundational rhythms.
Expanded vocabulary, odd-time feels, technique, and ensemble awareness.
Improvisation, soundscape, live confidence, and your own musical voice.
What you can study
Two instruments, taught in depth.
Hybrid kit practice
Drum Kit
Rock, funk, Arabic rhythm translation, timing, fills, dynamics, and musical decision-making.
Adults and teensAudition support
Tambourine tradition
Riq
Jingle control, finger rolls, orchestral patterns, split-hand technique, and ensemble awareness.
Small group availablePerformance focus
How it works
Two ways to learn. One clear path.
Lessons are structured but conversational, and shaped around where you actually are.
01
In person or online
Lessons run in Chicago or over video — whichever fits your schedule and setup.
02
Met where you are
Beginners start with touch, posture, and pulse. Experienced players work on phrasing, improvisation, and performance.
03
After each lesson
You leave with notes, a practice loop to work on, and one clear benchmark for next time.
04
Getting started
Send a short inquiry below and Karl follows up to find a time and plan your first lesson.
About
Karl El Sokhn, aka Reckless Darling.
Judgment-free. Inclusive. Precise.
Karl is a Chicago-based musician and educator on drums, riq, and guitar. He began playing in Lebanon, performing in heavy-metal bands as a teenager before expanding into maqam, rock, jazz, funk, and Arabic percussion.
His teaching blends Lebanese rhythm and composition with Western performance vocabulary, refined over years on stage.
Who it's for
Adults, continuing-education learners, hobbyists, and experienced musicians refining their technique.
The approach
A high-trust conversation between teacher and student, rooted in culture, technique, and expression.
Work
Performances, workshops, and sessions.
Beyond teaching, Karl performs and records across Chicago's music scene on drums, riq, and guitar.
Selected collaborators:
Clarissa Bitar, Ronnie Malley, Wanees Zarour, Funkadesi, Billy Joel Jr, Firas Zreik, Jamila and the Other Heroes, U of C Middle East Music Ensemble, Sumoud Collective, TAYF Ensemble.
Private lessons and courses
Drum kit and riq lessons, plus maqam and rhythm workshops.
Performance
Live and session work on drums, riq, and guitar for ensembles, bands, and cultural events.
Creative work
Film soundtrack work, including the award-winning short film Junction.