Ishmael M.-

Most of my lessons will include a piano/keyboard to help gain a more visual concept of how music is played. There are technically 11 keys to the piano and they all move accordingly to the key signature of the song, so no note is ever the consistent. Just like the other instruments, we will first break down what makes a piano/keyboard, there are so many kinds. You will learn how to properly place and move your fingers across the board. You will learn to read your notes and scales as you're playing.

This beginner's course aims to provide a strong base in guitar playing. After this, students should be competent in knowing how to form chords, play scales, and begin playing and creating songs. We will first break down the guitar to understand what makes it play. We will first learn to shape the open chords and learn to properly place the fingers on the fretboard. As the lessons continue, the chords and notes will move closer to the body, allowing the student to full grasp the concept of key changes and musical progressions.

I have played the drums since I was 8 years old. I have learned to play in many styles and genres of music. Rhythm and beat are the most important concepts to understanding the drums. Accents, fills, rolls, paradiddles, are all creative ways to play, but it's the dummer that keeps the beat and flows perfectly with the bass and the melody that makes a good song a great song. We will break down what makes a percussive instrument and how to properly take care of and tune your drums. We will break down the different styles of playing and compare other big name drummers. There are many ways to play and even more percussive instruments than what we know.

This subject gives beginning songwriters the basic tools need to build and create a song upon a solid foundation. Like with any new skill, it takes time and dedication to become what relatively good songwriter. I will teach how to strengthen your linguistics and push your creativity. You will learn how to collaborate with others as well as by yourself. My songwriting course is split up by specific subjects in songwriting and once I feel that the student has grasped the concept of the lesson, we can move forward to the more fun stuff. We break down what makes a good song from the ground up, from lyrics and story building to writing music on staff paper. This is a course that contains some study of music theory and learning to read and write music.

Everyone has a voice, and that voice can be trained to be used in ways you never thought you could and it's all perfectly natural. The key to singing is "Freedom"; True relaxation of the body. As singing is used by the entire body, your body is an instrument. I always begin my lesson by establishing the "base and support" of singing; Diaphragmatic breathing. My students will learn about voice placement, how to use facial/head muscles, and proper use of vowels and consonants. Students will learn about the different resonators of the body and learn how to take proper care of the voice. Students will also train on how to perform as they sing, and relax the body and mind to allow students to express themselves in the most outgoing way possible. This does include performing the song once it's learned correctly. Most of all, my students will have fun, because that's why we sing right?! When it comes to choosing songs, if the student is training a certain song for an audition/performance, we will work on that song. Otherwise, music will be provided and chosen by me, and songs will be given accordingly as the student progresses. The abilities learned by taking my vocal lessons will be carried with you daily.