Whether you’re trying to get your boyfriend to go to the theater with you or convince a talented guy you know to go to a local audition, rent one of these 5 guy-friendly musicals to get the man in your life totally jazzed about musicals!

1. Guys and Dolls Even the most macho man will find something to love in Guys and Dolls. Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando are classically cool guys portraying bad boy gamblers who fall for do-gooder gals. For extra credit, mention that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is rumored to be in talks to star in a remake!

2. The Producers If your guy loves to laugh, check out this 2005 musical update of Mel Brooks’ 1968 classic about a theater producer determined to put on a terrible musical and profit when it fails. Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick play starring roles, accompanied by hilarious supporting performances from Will Ferrell and Uma Thurman.

3. Sweeney Todd Guys whose tastes run a little darker are sure to enjoy Tim Burton’s version of Sweeney Todd. Johnny Depp, another quintessential cool guy, is Sweeney Todd, a murderous barber bent on revenge. This one is pretty violent so you might want to keep it away from the littler guys in your life.

4. True Stories Does your guy love the band Talking Heads and/or quirky art movies? Introduce him to this 1986 cult classic musical, directed by and starring Talking Heads’ frontman David Byrne, and he will be singing and dancing in no time! Most of the music in True Stories is by Talking Heads, and the great comic actor John Goodman also plays a prominent role.

5. Rock of Ages What do Def Leppard, Guns ‘N Roses and Whitesnake have in common, besides big hair? All of them have songs in Rock of Ages, a jukebox musical featuring tunes from many of the biggest artists of the ’80′s. Ease your guy into enjoying musicals by checking out this movie featuring many familiar songs he might already like!

Guys, do you like musicals? Let us know which ones in the comments!

-Megan L. TakeLessons Staff Member and Blogger

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Photo by Charamelody

The post 5 Movies to Get Your Guy Hooked On Musicals appeared first on | TakeLessons.

Ready to bust a move? Here are some of the best wedding dance moves to learn:

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If your child tells you that they don’t want to continue with music lessons or if you sense that their motivation is slipping, you can take action. Read on to find out what you can do to keep your kid committed to learning music!

Ask Why, and Really Listen
The most important thing you can do is really listen to what’s happening in your child’s life that is making them want to quit. Do they feel shy or insecure about learning something new? Are they frustrated because learning music is more work than they thought? Let your child know that it’s totally normal to feel nervous about trying a new activity and learning takes time. Share with them a time when you felt nervous or frustrated with something but you persevered and eventually succeeded.

Put it on the Calendar
Sit down with a calendar and write down all of your child’s activities. If the calendar starts to look more like it belongs to a busy executive than a third grader, your kid is probably feeling overwhelmed and over-scheduled! If music is important to your child but stress is making them want to quit to get some free time, look at other activities and see if there is anything else that can be cut out.

Talk to their Teacher 
Everybody has different inherent strengths that come into play when learning music. Maybe your child is frustrated with the piano because they’re a natural drummer or a shy singer who would love to pick up a guitar. Talk with your child’s teacher to see what their honest feedback is about your child’s musical strengths and weaknesses. Switching instruments or going from an instrument to vocal lessons (or vice versa!) can help keep your kid involved in music in a way that is better suited to their learning style and personality.

Try a Different Method 
If your child is having a hard time with the pacing of group music lessons, get him or her involved in private, one-on-one music lessons. Ask your child how they feel about their teacher. If their teacher’s approach or personality isn’t the best fit for helping your child succeed, don’t feel bad about trying out lessons with a different instructor!

Set a Goal
Whether it’s learning a favorite song or preparing for a performance, help your child pick a goal and show them how continuing lessons will help them reach it. When kids see that their hard work and practice is going toward a tangible achievement, they usually feel more excited and determined to continue.

Parents, how do you keep your kids interested in music lessons? Share your stories and advice in the comments!

-Megan L. TakeLessons Staff Member and Blogger

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Photo by CProppe

The post Don’t Quit Now! Keep Your Kid Motivated for Music Lessons appeared first on | TakeLessons.

Murli writes, “ I wanted to learn to play the lead and augment my chord playing skills.  This song helped me bring all the learnings together  and I consider this a milestone in my learning. I recorded the song in my home studio and published it. Adam is a great teacher – one who is very knowledgeable, patient and a wonderful guitar player.” Check out Murli’s video for his version of “Red Bud Tree” by Mark Knopfler below:

Thanks for sharing your progress with us Murli! Who wants to be in the spotlight next? We’re featuring students every Friday, and YOU could be next! To participate, send us an email at social@takelessons.com. We’re looking for photos and video clips of you performing, you with your teacher, or any other action shots that show just how important music is to you! For the full guidelines please click here. And in the meantime, don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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The post Student Spotlight – May 17, 2013 appeared first on | TakeLessons.

The service is similar to what Pandora and Spotify already offer to their over 200 million subscribers, however Google is by far the largest company to break into the streaming music market. Additionally, Google has their tech platform already in place to release this music service across Android phones and PCs, and to seamlessly integrate social media via Google+. All Access also provides you with recommendations based on what you already like, in addition to allowing unlimited plays and skips.

Although Google’s existing music store, Google Play, is dwarfed by music sellers like Apple and Amazon, Google will be the first of the three tech giants to release a streaming music service. Google reportedly also has high hopes to convert YouTube into a streaming video service, which would be an enormous gain for the company.

The big question Google faces now is whether they can woo enough users to beat out Pandora and Spotify. Although streaming services are gaining in popularity, Google may be making a huge mistake by not offering a free version of their service. All Access is only available if you pay. Even with the offer of a free month, having to eventually pay might deter many people who might otherwise be interested from giving Google’s new service a try. To give an idea of the percentage of users Google may be turning off, Spotify currently has 6 million paying subscribers compared to 24 million other users who listen for free with commercial interruptions. That is a difference of 400%!

Additionally, Apple is rumored to be in the process of releasing their own free streaming service. News came last week that Apple had made a deal with Universal Music. Apple already has a huge share of the digital music market thanks to iTunes’ popularity. Although Google beat Apple to the punch this time, it remains to be seen if they can provide a superior and more popular service.

Do you pay to stream music online? Let us know how you like to get your tunes in the comments!

-Megan L. TakeLessons Staff Member and Blogger

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Photo by all that improbable blue

The post Google Makes Big Music Move appeared first on | TakeLessons.

Surprisingly, a recent survey found that 54% of people are likely to buy music because of a recommendation from a friend, a much higher percentage than those who will buy based on a blog or YouTube video. It seems that even as the Internet creates more spaces to find new music, social connections and trusted friends continue to  have a big impact on actual purchases. Learn more about the survey’s findings in this infographic via Hypebot:

Where do you fit in with the numbers? Let us know how you find new music in the comments!
-Megan L. TakeLessons Staff Member and Blogger

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The post Infographic: What Makes 54% of us Buy New Music? appeared first on | TakeLessons.

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The post Video: What NOT to do at Karaoke Night appeared first on | TakeLessons.

Meet Hannah. She’s 7 years old and is studying piano with our teacher Angela H. in Hazelwood, MO. Below, she shares her favorite song to play on the piano, “Summer Mountain Rain”. Hannah says she loves music because, “It’s pretty to listen to music. Especially when you don’t stop when you’re playing.”

We asked Hannah if she could have dinner with anyone in the world who she would choose and what they would eat. She said, “ “I’d have dinner with Justin Bieber and we’d have Bieber-burgers!  I don’t know what that is, but it would be whatever hamburger Justin Bieber likes.”

Who wants to be in the spotlight next? We’re featuring students every Friday, and YOU could be next! To participate, send us an email at social@takelessons.com. We’re looking for photos and video clips of you performing, you with your teacher, or any other action shots that show just how important music is to you! For the full guidelines please click here. And in the meantime, don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Student Spotlight – May 10, 2013 appeared first on | TakeLessons.

I would guess that most people who graduate from college with a music degree have an image in the back of their mind. They may see themselves on stage, singing in front of thousands of people. Or maybe they imagine writing that hit song that gets on the radio, or working on those hit songs in the studio with some of the world’s biggest artists.

In my case, one of these aspirations actually came true, but not nearly in the way I had imagined it would. Right after college, I moved to Los Angeles and started looking for my first job in a recording studio. Since I was one of the few people knocking on the door with a degree in music production and engineering, I had no problem landing a position at one of the major studios in Hollywood.

Of course, even with a college degree, you couldn’t just expect to start off at the top in the music industry. Instead, I was hired on as a “runner,” which meant I got to drive around in my VW Rabbit doing errands all over Los Angeles. After a couple months of driving, the studio boss called me in to his office and said I was being assigned to a “special” project. That project was Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous” album.

At first, Michael didn’t say much around me at all.  Over time, he warmed up to me, and even started calling me Robbie, a name I hadn’t used since elementary school. After a while, he started sending me out on personal errands, like taking his credit card to fill his huge Chevy Blazer up with gasoline for the long trip back up to his ranch. I am still amazed that the attendant didn’t even blink an eye when I handed him Michael Jackson’s credit card to pay for all that fuel!

Another favorite memory was the time when Michael walked up to me, and in a barely audible voice, said that he needed new socks and “drawers.” Once I realized he was not talking about furniture, I asked for a few more details. All of a sudden, he just shouted out the word “Underwear!” I think he surprised both of us, which made him laugh and then politely respond “Hanes, size thirty-two please.”

The other thing that I remember was how Michael was always concerned about doing anything that might upset those around him. Even though we would have let him do nearly anything he wanted, Michael still took the time to leave me notes like the one you see here, explaining how he took an “ink pin” off my desk home with him the previous day.

I really enjoyed my time with Michael, and learned a lot from working with him. Even though I began my career as a lowly “runner,” I hung in there and eventually added my name to the credits of hundreds of feature films, albums, and music videos. If there is any advice I can give to someone just starting out in music, it would be that even though you may find yourself doing something other than what you expected, you are still doing something you love, which very few people get to say. And who knows, maybe one day you might even be asked to buy some socks for the King of Pop!

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Rob D. teaches music recording, music theory, songwriting, bass guitar, and guitar lessons in Winston Salem, NC. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music from Berklee College of music, and his specialties include pop/rock, country, and jazz styles. Rob joined the TakeLessons team in April 2013. Learn more about Rob, or search for a teacher near you!

Photo by miggslives

The post Teacher Spotlight: Buying Socks For The King Of Pop appeared first on | TakeLessons.

If  you’re feeling lost or frustrated because your posts aren’t reaching as many of your fans as you would hope, learn more about how Facebook filters which stories appear in your newsfeed. Understanding the system will give you perspective on what can be improved upon in your posts to really get your fans plugged in. Thankfully, the good people at PostRocket (with a little help from Batman) made this handy infographic that illustrates the basics of “EdgeRank“, the algorithm Facebook uses to create your newsfeed each and every day.

Do you use Facebook to share your music? Let us know what works for you in the comments!

-Megan L. TakeLessons Staff Member and Blogger

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The post How Batman can help your Band get more Facebook Fans appeared first on | TakeLessons.