We are pleased to announce that beginning this fall, TakeLessons and Learning Care Group, Inc., the second largest for-profit early education and child care provider in North America, will be partnering together to offer music lessons to children ages 5-12 at select schools within the Learning Care Group umbrella of brands, including The Children’s Courtyard, Childtime Learning Centers, La Petite Academy and Tutor Time Child Care/Learning Centers.

With this partnership, TakeLessons will offer private, one-on-one lessons on site at over 75 Learning Care Group schools in major cities such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle, Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. The program launches on September 1, 2010, with plans to expand to additional markets in the near future.

Students will have the option to choose from guitar, piano or voice lessons, which will be conducted in a designated area within each participating Lesson Center location. As an added benefit, students and other family members age 5 – adult have the opportunity to take in-home lessons through the program as well.

Each lesson is 30 minutes in length and provides the student with one-on-one personalized instruction at a pace that complements their overall learning ability.  All of our Lesson Center teachers are TakeLessons Certified™, and must meet our rigorous hiring standards and pass a background check before they are accepted into the program.

Numerous studies have shown the direct correlation between playing music and increased brain development and academic achievement.  Many children experience additional benefits from taking music lessons, such as improved memorization skills, enhanced motor skills, and increased self confidence.  This program will provide Learning Care Group students with the opportunity to start building these valuable skills at a young age, which will continue to impact them throughout their lives.

More information about the each school’s music program can be found on the following sites:

TakeLessons at Children’s Courtyard
TakeLessons at Childtime
TakeLessons at La Petite Academy
TakeLessons at Tutor Time

For adults with hectic schedules and limited free time, learning to play an instrument at this stage in their lives may seem like a pipe dream.  Sure, it would be fun to fulfill that childhood dream of learning to play the piano or jam on the guitar, but other priorities such as work or family commitments often prevent many adults from leaping into music lessons with the same enthusiasm they might have felt at a younger age.

But if you have the passion and desire to play music, it’s never too late to get started with lessons; in fact, there are many positive benefits for adults who take music lessons, including the following:

–Music lessons help with job skills such as creative thinking, collaboration, social aptitude, expressive communication, and confidence.
–Music lessons provide a creative outlet that balances work life, family life, and personal time.
–Music lessons can help lower stress.
–Music lessons provide a way to be involved with others that share similar interests.
–Music lessons help seniors stay active, vibrant, and mentally sharp.

For adult students who are just beginning their musical journey, the process of learning to sing or play an instrument can certainly be daunting.  Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Keep expectations realistic. Regardless of whether or not you have ever played an instrument before, there will be a learning curve.  Don’t expect to play like a pro straight away; instead, set realistic goals of milestones you’d like to achieve in the next week, month, and so on.  Track your progress and make the necessary adjustments to ensure you are on track to meeting your goals.

Trust your teacher. Your teacher is there to help you reach your goals.  More than likely, this person is a professional with many years of experience – take advantage of the fact that you are working with someone who is an expert at playing their instrument, and ask for their advice.  In turn, your teacher should take the time to learn about you as a student, identifying your strengths and weaknesses and then tailoring each lesson to your needs.

Success takes time. We’ve all heard the phrase “practice makes perfect,” and if you want to master your instrument, you need to practice.  This time commitment can be a deterrent for those with busy schedules, but you can still learn an instrument even if you don’t have much time to practice – just expect the process to take longer and your progress to be slower.  As long as you stay focused and motivated, you will be able to achieve your goals.

TakeLessons offers music lessons for adults and students of all ages.

One of our talented guitar teachers, Jeff S. from New Jersey, sent us the following article with some ideas that helped one of his students practice guitar more effectively. Read on for Jeff’s tips on how to be your own Guitar Hero!

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I came up with the idea for this article in an effort to help one of my intermediate guitar students break out of a rut.  This particular student, a big fan of Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana, would frequently put on classic songs by those artists and just jam along with them.  I can also recall doing the same thing during my first few years of playing guitar, but I stopped once I learned the chord changes and tinkered around with some lead guitar fills because I realized that I didn’t get much out of practicing this way.

There’s a very logical reason that this tends to happen.  The solo is already impeccably played and virtually all of the best and most obvious places to play fills in these recordings have perfectly placed riffs and licks.  So you’re left with a very limited canvas to work with.  On top of that, each time you listen to these often-virtuosic lead guitar solos and licks, all you’re really doing is further cementing your idol’s seminal lead guitar work in your head.  Now how can you be adventurous (or even hear yourself think, let alone play) in that setting?  With this conundrum to overcome, I set out to find the antidote for my student and for you.

Rather than subjecting yourself to this very limiting makeshift jam session, I would suggest seeking out fully produced rhythm tracks (aka “jam tracks”) in whatever style you prefer or want to improve in. Many are offered online, either for free or at pretty reasonable prices; however, the quality of the musicianship and recordings can drastically vary, so listen before buying.  In case you’ve never encountered these types of tracks, they are fully produced rhythm section replications of famous songs or styles without the lead guitar parts.  {Note: they make these types of tracks without other instruments as well, so be sure of what you’re buying!}  One site I thought had good quality jam tracks is datamusic.org, and my student thought so too; he purchased a wide variety of tracks from them and is quite happy.

When you work with tracks like these, they offer you a wide-open expanse in which to develop your improvising and lead guitar playing.  After you get comfortable playing along with these types of recordings, I would suggest “flying in” the rhythm track (i.e. drag the tracks into Garageband or whatever recording platform you use) and record several tracks of you playing lead guitar along with it.  Concentrate initially on developing a complete guitar solo first before recording “fills” or other embellishments and “window dressing.”  After you get a take of a solo you feel pretty good about, you should then analyze the results and determine what passages or licks could be stronger or played with more precision and confidence.  “Punch in” (i.e. re-play and re-record) parts as needed, but it’s a good idea to leave your previous takes intact until you’ve got replacement tracks you feel certain are better.

If you don’t like or can’t afford these “music minus one” rhythm track recordings, another option is to lay down your own rhythm tracks (without lead guitar).  This is a great way to go because you can make all decisions concerning key, tempo and style, rather than be stuck with what the rhythm track companies offer.  With the user-friendly editing tools in virtually all recording platforms, you don’t even need to record 5 minutes of a song.  You can often get away with recording 1-2 minutes of a song or pattern and then copy and paste it together to create a longer track. If you do decide to record your own tracks, you shouldn’t burden yourself to create perfect takes on each instrument. As long as you play to a click track and stay with it, you should emerge with a track that’s going to suit your purpose.

If you feel your lead guitar results are not satisfying your inner critic, then I would suggest creating one memorable and well played lick at a time and connecting them until you forage a complete solo.  Keep a firm grip on what’s most important; develop your own style, create your own licks and have fun!

-Jeff S.

While there are certainly many benefits to music lessons for children, getting them to practice their instruments isn’t always the easiest task.   Samantha D., one of our Rock Star teachers who frequently works with young children,  sent us the following list of her best tips and tricks for encouraging children to practice.

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— In my experience, the responsibility of practicing relies strongly on the parents until the child is in middle school. Before then, children do not have the capacity to send themselves to their instrument to study for a set period of time. Most young children, if excited and confident, will sit down and play their instrument but will tend to “noodle,” not focusing on what was taught in the previous lesson. Parents must encourage and direct their children to spend time practicing and oversee what they are practicing with gentle reminders. If pushed too hard and forced to practice, the child will no longer see music as fun, but rather as a chore to add to the list.

– Have the parents sit down with their child and look at the family schedule.  Involving the child when scheduling practice time will go a long way and help them feel like they are part of the decision. Keep in mind that practicing in smaller increments throughout the day is much easier on small children than forcing them to sit still for one hour.

– I find that setting a timer does not always work with kids; they will end up not practicing what they should for a majority of the time because they are just waiting for the buzzer to go off. Instead, I suggest that the parents have them play the song a set number of times during each practice session. It is a fine balance that parents will struggle with, but pays great rewards in the end.

– It is mostly the teacher’s job to create the desire for the child to practice. Music should be fun and rewarding -  not a chore. So if the child is eager to improve and eager to impress their teacher, practice time will naturally happen. Teachers should create an environment that feels safe to the student and promotes confidence.

– Rewards are an excellent way to encourage practicing.  However, there is a fine line between reward and a bribe. A bribe is used to persuade the child to do something they really don’t want to do, while a reward is used to encourage good behavior.  Stickers have always been the prize of choice, but I go one or two steps farther. I use a regular sticker when we have finished a song, but if the child has worked extra hard on a more difficult song, I have ‘special’ stickers that I give out.  I also set goals with each of my students; when they reach a goal that we have set early on and check regularly, they may choose a prize from a basket of items from the Dollar Store.  They know that if they do not put in the time to not even bother asking for a sticker, let alone a prize.

– My last incentive that I am just starting to incorporate is a points chart.  Let the children race each other to see who can accumulate the most points by the end of the semester. Points are awarded for good behavior, listening, sight reading and theory, as well as practice times. I encourage the parents to also have an incentive chart at home so the child can keep track separately from me and have an extra reward.  Most parents are happy to do so, as they want to see their child succeed just as much as I do!

– As a teacher, it is my job to keep my students excited about every step forward, no matter how small. Concerts are another way to create a sense of accomplishment. Kids LOVE to perform for their peers and are not put off because another student played the same song or they are not at the same level as another student.  Another idea I am working on incorporating is “Day of the Week” concerts favored by Suzuki method teachers. During one week every month or semester, students from each day’s lessons will play for each other.  Then they are constantly working toward a performance, rather than waiting 6 months in between concerts.

– The best thing you can do for a young child is to encourage them every step of the way. They will put all of their effort in to playing their best for you if they know that you truly care and will always support them no matter what.

-Samantha D.

Recently, we held a contest on our Facebook page to celebrate reaching 2,200+ fans (a huge accomplishment!).  Fans were asked to submit their feedback on ways to improve our page and were then entered into a drawing to win a TakeLessons t-shirt.  We received some great ideas – everything from lesson plan suggestions to practice tips to more stories featuring TakeLessons students.  And it just so happens that one of our contest winners, Brian S. (pictured here in his TakeLessons t-shirt) has a pretty inspiring story himself!  He explains below:

“I live with a severe form of juvenile arthritis that has fused my neck and spine and subsequently limited my range of motion permanently.  Regardless, learning to play the piano has done wonders for me.  It has raised my spirit more than you know and proven to me that “Disability doesn’t mean Inability.”  I am very fortunate to have a “Rock Star” Piano Instructor, Laura D. (from TakeLessons in San Antonio), who gives me the knowledge and confidence I need to keep moving forward from week to week with my lessons.  I owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude for her patience with me, as well as your company for putting me in touch with her.”

In addition to the proven physical and mental benefits of music lessons, Brian is a perfect example of why we do what we do – to help make a difference in the lives of our students!  Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Brian!

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If you are a TakeLessons teacher or student, we invite you to share your story and tell us what being a part of TakeLessons means to you! Click here to send us your story (you can include pictures or videos as well); if we feature your story on our blog or Facebook page, we’ll send you a TakeLessons t-shirt!

Javier’s musical journey began when he decided to take private piano lessons during his years as a high school student in Mexico.  He later studied music notation and tried his hand at composing, eventually releasing two CDs of his own compositions.  Javier’s musical education continues to this day, as he is currently enrolled in a program focusing on technique, performing, and music ensembles at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Javier believes music makes an individual happier and assists in intellectual growth.  His approach to teaching is to let students discover music by showing them how to relate to the piano first, then gradually introducing music notation, scales, chords, and other exercises after they become familiar with the instrument.  He teaches in both classical and contemporary styles, altering his method to fit each student’s needs.  Wonderful job, Javier – keep up the great work!

Marc has been a member of the TakeLessons team since February 2010 and is part of our recruiting team.  His responsibilities include interviewing potential TakeLessons teachers to find those who are the best possible fit for our company!

What do you like most about working at TakeLessons?
Free Lunch Monday (just kidding)…honestly, it’s the people. I genuinely love working with everyone at TakeLessons. Every one of us has such a unique story and a great set of talents to bring to the organization. Brainstorming with my teammates about ways to better our business and to accomplish the challenges we are presented with is always a highlight of my day. Basically, I love being a part of something bigger than myself that allows me to better the world through music. Our actual office is pretty rad too. It’s right in the middle of the Gaslamp. Where else can you grab some amazing New York style pizza, or chocolate mole enchiladas, or delicious Mediterranean food all on the same block?

Do you have any musical experience or play any instruments?
I actually started off playing the piano when I was about 8 years old, but it wasn’t until I began learning the drums when I was about 11 that my passion for music really began. Recently I have picked up the bass. Learning the guitar is my next project.  Luckily, once you learn the basic language and concepts of music, each subsequent instrument is easier to learn than the last.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?
So, does this question mean that I’m grown-up now? Because that’s debatable. But as a young kid, I wanted to be some kind of Superhero. Preferably one that could fly, had super human strength and enhanced healing abilities, had a really cool talking car, was amazing at basketball, could eat as much pizza/candy as he wanted without getting full, could shoot confetti out of his hands, could talk to animals and make a mean apple cobbler. So, essentially, I wanted to be Superman/Wolverine/NightRider/Michael Jordan/The Ninja Turtles/a Carnival Magician/BeastMaster/my Mom. What can I say – I’ve always dreamed big.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am very proud of having such amazing friends and family. I am also very proud of being able to play music/do humanitarian work all over the world. Receiving Summa Cum Laude Honors and graduating from the SDSU Media Studies program at the very top of my class was pretty cool too.

What is your favorite thing about living in San Diego?
I love all the distinct neighborhoods of this city, each with their own feel and flavor. The laid-back people, the amazing local food and beer, the music and art scene, the Pacific – they all capture my heart. However, I’m not a big fan of the famously sunny weather. Cold, cloudy days are like beloved, faraway friends that I never seem to see enough of.

What are your activities outside of work?
Traveling is one of my first loves, and I find few things as interesting or exciting as meeting new people and exploring new places. I also like hiking, playing basketball, riding dirt bikes, camping and playing games. I am also a huge nerd, albeit a high-functioning nerd as I like to say, so I love to read too. Whether it’s a newspaper, a novel, a poem, a sports magazine, a comic book or an encyclopedia, chances are I’ve already read it or really want to. Also, enjoying a good meal with good friends is one of my favorite things to do in this world. I am also a SparkGood volunteer group leader and active member of a faith community located in North Park, San Diego called Mosaic.

What are one professional goal and one personal goal that you hope to achieve this year?
Professional Goal: Become an expert in the recruiting department, and continue to grow the company through finding and hiring qualified and enthusiastic teachers. I want there to be constant improvement in this area.
Personal Goal: Intentionally take at least one risk a week to help someone else. Visit another city/state/country that I have not yet been to.  Also, I would really love to write a novella (short novel) – that is, if I can ever find the time to sit down and start it.

What is the best place you’ve traveled to (or the place you’d love to go to)?
I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to travel all over the world on both humanitarian trips and music tours. Some of my favorite places have been are Switzerland, Holland, Peru, Chile, France, the Black Forest and the Northern California Coast. (yes, I put it in the same league as the other locations).  But I think the most amazing, eye-opening place I have been is Kenya, Africa. I went there three years ago to bring school supplies and volunteer in several urban development programs in Kibera, the largest slum in Africa (featured in films like Blood Diamond and The Constant Gardener). Kenya is such a place of paradoxes. It is full of pain and suffering, life and beauty. And the people – they are unforgettable. It was there, in the heart of one of the most desperate cities in the world, that I experienced some of the greatest generosity and joy I have seen anywhere. It is one of those places that changes you.

Check back every Friday for a new profile on one of our TakeLessons Team members!

Joshua believes in creating a strong foundation for his students to learn, and focuses primarily on breath, placement and eliminating bad vocal habits early on so that students can grow and develop new skills.  His students describe him as “easy to work with” and “incredibly patient,” and praise his ability to help them understand the core principles and underlying concepts of singing and acting. Congratulations on a job well done, Joshua!

What do you like about working at TakeLessons?
The team and the everyday challenges. Each day is a new beginning for me and a new opportunity to improve and work hard on something. Here at TakeLessons, everyone seems to share the same ideology, which helps us all become better professionals. I love the challenges, the people who I get to share the challenges with, and the thrill of the challenge!

What did you want to be when you were growing up?
When I was little, I wanted to be Mrs. Indiana Jones! I have always been very fascinated by cultures and societies. Though I haven’t had the opportunity to run away from a giant rock, I did have the opportunity to take college courses and still like to read articles related to Anthropology or Sociology. Who knows, maybe I will be Mrs. Indiana Jones some day!

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am very proud of graduating Magna Cum Laude as I didn’t have a “traditional” college experience. I started off as a full time student at a community college in Chula Vista, CA while working part time to help pay my overall expenses. After two and a half years, I got my A.A. and transferred to a small liberal arts school in Boston where I took my upper division courses, worked and interned part time for a year and a half. So after all of this craziness, I am proud of my honors degree not for the prestige of the honor per se, but because it represents my drive and motivation during my college experience.

What is your favorite thing about living in San Diego?
The fact that I live 5 minutes away from the ocean/bay! Whether I go there to read, run, play the guitar or just tan, I find a lot of peacefulness in the ocean. Also, there are great food venues here.

What activities are you involved in outside the office?
I volunteer for Amigos de las Americas, a national non-profit organization, as the Marketing Coordinator for the San Diego Chapter. We train high school students to go work on projects for 6-8 weeks in Latin American countries during the summer.  Also, I love to cook and try out new recipes. I honestly have 15+ DVDs of the Food Network (yep, Rachael Ray included).

Do you have any musical experience or play any instruments?
My musical experience started off with a little Playskool piano my mom bought me when I was young. Then she added the little guitar, the maracas, the microphone, and soon enough I sort of new a little bit of everything! As I grew up, I decided to just focus on vocals and guitar. I have been part of multiple choirs, musical shows, and composed several songs.

What are one professional goal and one personal goal that you hope to achieve this year?
Professionally, I want to polish my business skills. I want to translate all of the theory I learned in college into practice. Personally, I want to record an album of my songs. I first need to collaborate with friends to arrange each of the songs, which is what I will be doing all summer long!

What are you most passionate about?
I am very passionate about giving back to society. Whether it is to serve food for the homeless on Thanksgiving, read for children at the public library, or paint over graffiti, I am all about volunteering and making a positive impact on people.

What is the best place you’ve traveled to (or the place you’d love to go to)?
I felt in love with Puebla, Mexico. Everything was so colorful, the people were super friendly, and the food was delicious!  In the future, I would love to go to Thailand. I like the thrill of not speaking the native language, not knowing the ingredients in the food, not having the basics, and just having a great adventure!

Check back every Friday for a new profile on one of our TakeLessons Team members!

Samantha believes in teaching the fundamentals of music first, which makes the following lessons easy and fun for her students. She sets short and long term goals with each of her students, and works toward helping them achieve these goals with every lesson.  When not teaching music, Samantha is also passionate about horses; she is a certified riding instructor, and trains and shows Hunter/Jumper horses.  Outstanding work, Samantha – we are so happy to count you as one of our many talented TakeLessons teachers!