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Many Hats Creative

Musical Endeavors

Musical Endeavors

Signup for Saxophone or Clarinet Lessons

(I'm always looking for ways to help market my saxophone and clarinet tutoring services. Thumbtack is a good way for me to help me show off my expertise in providing very affordable, unique saxophone and clarinet tutoring. Check out my listing to learn even more about what I do.)

I'm happy teaching beginning - advanced students, children - adults, the basics of playing the saxophone or clarinet. I can help you get started and grow as a musician and help you with personal goals like preparing for an audition, moving up a chair or two in band, etc.

I'm best at teaching intermediate to advanced students how to read and play in a jazz style and improvise. I can also help you learn how to get past the fear of performing and have fun on-stage during performance.

I normally teach in my home studio, but can also come to your home, school, or office for lessons.

Directions to Many Hats Studios

As my card says, your first lesson is free--you shouldn't have to pay for something before you know what you're getting!

After the first lesson, the cost includes the method books we use, a play-along, and a practice book (so you don't pay out-of-pocket expenses for books). A typical week's lesson for an advanced student might look something like this:

Example Lesson/Assignment

Warm-up:

  1. Bends: starting on middle B working down by half-steps to G: 4 counts on pitch, 4 counts bent, 4 counts on again.
  2. Overtones: Work on getting the octave and fifth overtones starting on low Bb working up by half steps to low D.


Goal-based practice
Scales . . .

  1. (One octave descending and ascending) | II (Dorian), V (Mixolydian), I (Ionian) in five keys: C, G, F, D, Bb.
  2. (Across the range of the horn) Minor Pentatonic (Blues) scales in the same five keys (Helps: Find the b-5 first, Play Sonny Side Up or lick #3 on p.30 of Aebersold scales book).
  3. (Across the range of the horn) Whole tone scales, all 12. (Helps: Only 2 scale patterns cover all 12 scales. One pattern includes C# and D# then all "naturals"; the other is all #'s except C, D and E.)
  4. Extra Credit--you had drafted a matrix of II, V, I patterns in the keys in the order assigned and were going to fill it out in the remaining keys (following the pattern I assigned, the remaining keys would be: A, Eb, E, Ab, B, Db, F#) to see if the diagonal pattern held through all 12 keys.


Goal-based practice 2

Play/Learn [ A New Tune ] with the play-along recording.

  1. Play chord roots in time with the rhythm section (start adding a major or minor 3rd once this is old-hat).
  2. Play chord roots again--but watch melody in music and hear the melody in your mind.
  3. Play melody in time with recording.


Technical Chops/Ear Training exercise

Continue working on your own with the Aebersold Ear Training book and CD.

Fun/Cool Down Exercise.

Play Happy Birthday "by ear" in same keys as scales. (Helps: Starts on the fifth. Try playing the major key triad (I-III-V) ascending and descending before playing the melody.)


Curriculum

If you study jazz with me, you'll follow a diverse curriculum including working from:

Qualifications

I'm an accomplished, performing jazz and improvisatory musician and music teacher. (And I perform legit stuff, too, but don't tell anybody.)

As a teacher, I'm big on "chunking" information together into easy to understand "bites" and helping you grow in small steps toward your larger goal (we'll start by talking about where you want to grow as a musician).

I'm not a Suzuki teacher, but I like Mr. Suzuki's attitude toward teaching music, " . . . every student is capable of a high level of music achievement."

My resume as a player includes . . .



As a teacher . . .

Rates Rationale Example Event, Lessons, and Composing Rates
Music Lessons:


Students (K-College)
$25 – ½ hour
$35- 1 hour
(2nd ½ = guided practice)

Others:
$35 – ½ hour
$45- 1 hour
(2nd ½ = guided practice)

Jazz Quartet:
$200-250/hour – 1st 2 hours
$150-200/hour – thereafter
Composing/Arranging:
$45/Hour 		If cost (of a horn or for the lessons) is keeping you from learning an instrument or taking private lessons, let's talk--we can work it out, including finding you a horn through a school program or an NPO, reduced fees or trade for services for lessons, etc.


Don't let the costs keep you (or your children) from the benefits of learning an instrument and experiencing the joys of music!

Live music is a different story . . . and an incredible value. If you considered the overhead of hiring four similarly qualified professionals (experts with advanced degrees and 10 - 30 years of experience . . . each) along with $10-20,000 worth of equipment, you’d be talking thousands of dollars per hour, not hundreds. But we play mainly because we love to—not because we need to play to make a living.

 A typical wedding reception might last about three hours. To hire the group for a three hour event would cost between $550 and $700 depending on location.


For music lessons, I charge a flat $25 per half-hour or $35 for a one-hour lesson for bona fide K-college students. (I usually spend an hour or more preparing for each weekly lesson, so the true rate is a lot less.)

Arranging/Composing is a lot like copywriting—varies widely, and I typically start with a simple estimate of hours and provide a not to exceed amount. (To be honest, most of the arranging and composing I’ve done was completed gratis for church or student groups.)
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