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Top 10 Reasons TakeLessons Gift Certificates Make An Awesome Holiday Gift

Thursday, December 9th, 2010

Holiday adThe holiday season is in full swing, and if you’re looking for the perfect gift for that hard to please musician or music lover in your life, look no further.

Presenting….the Top 10 Reasons Why TakeLessons Gift Certificates Make an AWESOME Holiday Gift!

10.  Our gift certificates NEVER expire!

Whether the recipient wants to start lessons right away or a few months down the road, a TakeLessons gift certificate provides a flexible option that lets them start lessons when they’re ready.

9.  Gift certificates are good for any type of lesson we offer.

With more than 30 types of lessons to choose from, there’s something for everyone!  If you know what instrument the recipient is interested in learning, simply give us a call and one of our student counselors can check our database of teachers to confirm availability at the time of purchase, or you can do a search on our site and find a teacher yourself!

8.  Location, location, location!

TakeLessons gift certificates can be used toward lessons at any of our 3,000 locations across the country – including our Best Buy and Learning Care Group (Childtime, Children’s Courtyard, La Petite and Tutor Time) lesson centers.

7.  More convenient than fighting the crowds at the mall…

Gift certificates can be printed and mailed to the recipient – or, if you’re a last minute shopper, email delivery is also an option.

6.  Lessons for any age or stage in life.

Old or young, beginner or advanced – everyone can benefit from music lessons.  Our instructors help their students set goals and create a customized curriculum to help them achieve those goals!

5.  A first class experience from start to finish.

Nothing is more important to us than keeping our customers happy.  When you purchase a TakeLessons gift certificate, you can be sure that you are making a risk-free investment.  Should the recipient not be satisfied with their lessons for any reason, we will gladly set them up with a new instructor to ensure that they have a wonderful lesson experience.

4.  A great addition to music instrument gifts.

Planning to buy Junior that guitar or drum set he’s been begging for?  A gift certificate for lessons with one of our TakeLessons Certified™ Music Teachers will make sure he starts his music career off on the right foot.

3.  A fun and unique gift option that will be remembered.

Chances are the recipients on your gift-giving list have all the neckties and kitchen appliances they need.  This year, why not give a gift that will make an impact and potentially change a life?  Which brings us to our next point…

2.  Forget Rockband and learn to play for real!

Sure, video games are fun – but learning to play an instrument provides many more physical and mental benefits, including improved memorization skills, increased self-confidence, and enhanced creativity.

And the number one reason to purchase a TakeLessons gift certificate this holiday season?

1.  It’s better than fruitcake.

Enough said.

Call us at 877-231-8505 or click here to purchase your TakeLessons gift certificate today!  Happy Holidays!

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Posted in Drums, Music Lessons for Adults, Music Lessons for Children, Piano, Singing, The TakeLessons Team | No Comments »

Give the Gift of Music Lessons this Mother’s Day!

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

piano fingers

The countdown to Mother’s Day is on, with the big day rapidly approaching on Sunday, May 9th.  This year, instead of giving mom the same old flowers, candy or jewelry, why not give her an experience she’ll remember forever?  Give her the gift of music lessons with a TakeLessons gift certificate!

Whether your mom has previous musical experience or wants to try singing lessons or playing the piano for the first time, a TakeLessons gift certificate is a unique Mother’s Day gift that gives her the opportunity to learn some new skills and have a little fun!  TakeLessons gift certificates are valid for any type of music lessons that we offer, including singing lessons, guitar lessons, piano lessons and many more.  Gift certificates can be used for lessons with any of our TakeLessons Certified™ Instructors and never expire, so recipients can use them at their convenience.

TakeLessons offers gift certificates in amounts beginning at $50, which can be printed at home or sent to the recipient via email.  Simply call one of our student counselors at 877-231-8505 or visit our website to purchase your certificate today – it’s a gift any mom will appreciate!

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TakeLessons Rock Star Teacher of the Week: Carol K.

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Carol KEach Monday, we give recognition to an outstanding TakeLessons instructor who is making a difference and inspiring students to discover and cultivate their talents through music lessons. This week’s Rock Star Teacher of the Week is Carol K. from Manassas, Virginia, who teaches lessons in piano and music theory in the Washington, DC area.  Although Carol has only been an instructor with TakeLessons for six months, music has always been a part of her life. She began taking both piano and voice lessons at a young age, and it is her passion for all types of music, as well as her ability to interact with both children and adults, that inspires her to teach others.

Carol is a warm and caring instructor who caters to each student’s individual learning style by using a visual and hands-on approach to reinforce musical concepts. She has 100% student retention, which is surely a testament to the interest she takes in her students and her willingness to help them succeed in the learning process.  We are so lucky to have Carol as part of the TakeLessons family!

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Black Friday 2009: 40% off Music Lessons for One Day Only!

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

Black Friday IconWe did it. We jumped on the Black Friday bandwagon. But why wouldn’t we? On a day where people are looking to find deals and start their holiday shopping, why not give them an amazing offer that they can’t refuse??

So…for the first time EVER, we are offering new students 40% off on your first month of voice or music lessons* when you purchase your lessons on Friday, November 27, 2009.

If you were thinking about getting started with music lessons or singing lessons, now is your chance. If lessons are not your thing, lesson packages make fun and unique holiday gifts for family members and friends. We have never offered a deal this great – and it’s for ONE DAY ONLY. You will not be able to get this deal at anywhere else.

We know that signing up for lessons is a big step. You are committing to something new and must find time in your schedule and room in your budget to get started. It’s a very involved decision and we definitely recognize that. But, that is also why we are really excited to offer our 40% off Black Friday sale to all new customers. With savings like these, you don’t really have an excuse to not pick up that guitar, tune up that piano or flip on the karaoke machine and get started with lessons.

You only have one day to take advantage of this offer. So once the tryptophan-induced sleepiness  from your Thanksgiving Turkey dinner wears off, pick up the phone and give us a call at 877-231-8505 on Friday to book your lessons. We will be looking forward to your call!

Nov Calendar

*For more information, click here or visit http://takelessons.com/black-friday-music-lessons. Customers must call in and mention the Black Friday 2009 offer to receive the discount. The offer is not currently available for online booking.

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The Art of Scat Singing

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

Shoo-bee-do-whap doo-wah…bee bop ba baah…

No, we have not lost all ability to converse here at TakeLessons, we are trying out scat singing –and it’s tough! Check out this article by one of our Berkeley voice teachers, Richard K., and see if you can whip up a scat solo the next time you hear your favorite song…


Have you ever hear a band playing a familiar Rock & Roll or jazz standard and then the vocalist, instead of singing the right words, started singing started singing a bunch of nonsense phrases like “da ba sheh-bop doo-wah” or “Doo-bee-bah-dip shwee-aah”?  Chances are you just heard scat singing.  And if you listen carefully, you might find it to be a real treat.

Scat singing is NOT what a vocalist does when they can’t remember the words to the song.  It is a singer’s act of creative expression; the time when he or she gets to perform a solo just like the instrumentalists do.  And just like instrumentalists, there are skills a scat singer must acquire.

Louis Armstrong

So how does a novice go about learning to scat sing?  Many singers are terrified of scat—that vast unknown territory where you have to (or get to) make up your own melodies, phrases, or rhythmic licks.  Some would rather stick to the safety of the memorized lyrics and melody of a song.  But there is real freedom and excitement in creating your own melodic phrases, and great joy when your audience claps or roars in enjoyment of what you have created.

Learning to scat comes from getting a “feeling” for the music, so many folks start with the blues.  If you’ve ever listened to a song, and had the melody spark an alternative musical idea in your mind that would sound great out loud, you’ve started the process of learning to scat.  Or, if you hear another melody that fits into the one that you’re listening to and you try singing it, that too is scatting.

If nothing else, the way to start learning about scat singing is to listen to some great scat artists. Try to learn their solos and phrasing, try to capture their timing and emulate the tonal qualities they utilize.  Imitate them when they sound like a bell, or like a horn, or like they are growling or groaning.  Also, listen to your favorite instrumental players and learn their solos.  Listen to the solo repeatedly until you memorize it and can sing along while they are playing it.  Try to make your voice sound like an instrument—whether it is a horn, a guitar, a bass, drums or even a piano, if you can!

As with any singing technique, you’ll need to commit some serious practice time to learn and master the skill.  For additional help, sign up for singing lessons with a teacher who is familiar with scatting – the individual attention and that extra ear will definitely help you along your way.

Find a voice teacher in your area and book lessons today!

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You might also like…
- Find Your Voice as a Singer: 4 Tips That Work
- How to Build Confidence On Stage
- Using Scales to Improve Vocal Range and More

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