San Bernardino, CA Music Performance Lessons

, I have come in contact and learned from a vast amount of different musicians and educators. A classically-trained bass-baritone with roots in R&B, Soul, Rock, Pop, and Jazz, I have aspirations to help each and every student realize their full musical potential.

If you're looking for a teacher who will motivate and inspire you not only to learn your instrument of choice, but also how to perform it (whether on the big stage or in your living room for the family) and record it as well, I'm the perfect teacher for you. Learning to sing, play, and act beautifully doesn't have to be difficult -- we'll work on finding your voice or your style, all while having fun along the way!

I teach in-studio, in-home, and online lessons, so we can be flexible with the lesson type and schedule!

This is a perfect chance for you or your child who can't stop singing around the house or has dreams of shredding on the guitar or twinkling on the ivories to learn the fundamentals of music, start something new that keeps them or you focused, and have fun while doing it!

Feel free to contact me at show contact info for any questions and check out my student reviews and qualifications.

I look forward to meeting you and accompanying you or your child on your musical journey!!

usic and Dance in 1999, and I studied jazz guitar with international guitarist/violinist Art Johnson and theory with David Ward-Steinman. From the time I graduated, I have been playing professionally and recorded five releases of my own as well as made appearances on others and have toured the country several times playing my own original music. My bands have opened and/or toured with the likes of Dee Dee Ramone, Blink 182, Green Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Jimmy Eat World, Ten Foot Pole, Big Drill Car, and Leeland. I also play for Day 7 and Revival Christian Fellowship where I shared a stage with Greg Laurie, Franklin Graham, Raul Reis, and Jon Courson.

*** Lesson Details ***
I have been teaching music for over 10 years. I love my lessons to be laid back, light, yet focused. The lessons are tailored for the students needs/levels. For the beginning student we start from the basics. for example, tuning, vocabulary on the parts of the guitar, to basic chord shapes and strum patterns. Almost from the beginning, I introduce music theory to the student. I believe it is important to the musician, because music is a language that is spoken through the instrument and also read by the musician. Not just piano or band instruments, but guitar too! Guitarist always seem to get left behind in this. I teach it hand in hand with the guitar and it comes naturally while learning. Some students want to learn songs and/or to write songs. This is what I have been doing for many years and enjoy it! As the student progresses, I love to pull the creativity out of the students. Music is also art and a passage for the individual to express him/herself. It is a joy to see and help a musician to mature on the instrument!

*** Studio Equipment ***
amps, cables, tuner.

*** Specialties ***
Songwriting, Music Theory, Performance, Technique, Learning Songs

usic to help you find your own voice.
When you find your voice, the rest of you is not far behind.

We help people to overcome any fears they may have about playing. We simply help you to find your confidence. Many people are afraid to express themselves because of negative comments from a family member or friend. We help you move far past that and get to your own voice, free of worries.

It has been said that playing only from sheet music is like only being able to talk when you are reading it from a book.

We help people to play and sing by ear.

Yes, learning to read music brings you wonderful music from some great composers. But there is so much more.

First, we find out how you learn and what you are interested in. Life is just different when you get in touch with the music inside you. Sure, it is some work, but it is very satisfying!
I love to help people do this!

All that said, reading musical notes is like your alphabet.
When was the last time you had to ponder the alphabet when you wanted to speak? Once you know the alphabet, you just forget it and move on, to words, stories and communication.
Music is a language as well.

Everybody loves music. How will you find yours? It’s different for everyone.
Maybe you want to sing like that great pop singer you love, or play keyboard. Some people write songs. In all cases, the keyboard helps you to understand all about music.

Bach used to improvise all the time. Why shouldn't you?

SONGWRITERS:
If you write songs, just bring in an idea and we will record it. We set a tempo and a key, and get your basic groove looped, all in about two minutes. Then we lay down the chords and a bass part and you sing a reference vocal. You can easily lay out a song in a one-hour session. Then it is easy to see how to produce it. It is amazing to go home with a recording of your song that did not exist in the world until you gave it a voice!

Along the way, you become a better writer, singer and/or keyboard player. You will learn to play by ear. And have a LOT of fun. You can do this online too.

ONLINE SESSIONS
You create a rough sketch and we track it, with your input.
We can help you to set up your own songwriter studio as well. If you get Logic software at your end, you can put on phones and cut a vocal with me producing you.
Seriously, great fun.
;0)

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
“...an amazing instructor...inspiring mentor...compassionate.”
“...a lot of patience.”
“My son's love for music has come from Randy.”
“...positive attitude and friendly personality.”
“...wildly entertaining.”
“ ...will teach you in a way that will make you want to learn.”
“We look forward to our lesson every week!”

"Randy, I like your "Semper Method of Music” teaching method.
It's applying knowledge with fun, and common sense... the best combination. Good luck. You’re a great musician."
Joe Messina,
Motown recording guitarist & Funk Brother

SONGLab
Your music. Instantly.
We use recording as a powerful tool to help you listen and improve.
Tired of crappy tabs? Struggling to capture your song? No worries.
Learn a process, instead of a lesson. Apply it anywhere.

Go from musical idea to music, fast.
Get to the groove in 2 minutes or less. In any software.

SONGLab Studio. The antidote to rote.

SCHEDULING:
Please note: If the particular time you had in mind is listed as unavailable, don’t worry. Between working online and two locations, I am very flexible and will work hard to make our schedules click.

SPECIAL NEEDS?
Everyone's needs are special. If your child has been diagnosed ADHD or ASD, music can be a joyful and rewarding way to see real growth and make a wonderful experience for parent and child. We help with the Proprioceptive and Vestibular senses in a fun and therapeutic way.

Just Google "BrainVolts" for a tremendous study from Northwestern University on the amazing effects of music study!

Playing by Ear
Pretty much everyone can play by ear. So we help you to find your own voice, reach your musical goals and to create and perform music as a real and beautiful part of your life.

Making music should not be a boring job. Rather, it should be something you can't wait to do. A way to get in touch with the rest of the universe. You will also learn to read and write, but it won't get in the way of your music.

Since a very young age I have loved to improvise and to create music. It is very satisfying to pass this on to others who are full of music inside but may not know how to get it out. If you wish that you or your child could get some help creating your own music as well as playing the great music already written, perhaps we should be talking.

I am from Canada, and I have been a professional musician since 1970. I studied music performance in school, piano with the Royal Conservatory of Toronto and Music Education at Queens University. I have toured with national acts, produced dozens of recordings of all kinds and played, arranged and conducted music on cruise ships all over the world.

Music is my life. Bringing other people's skills to a higher level is what I do best.

Tell me what you want to accomplish, either for yourself or your child. I look forward to speaking with you.
Warm regards,
Randy

PS:
A note about allergens:
I teach online and at my home and my studio. At home we have two very friendly dogs and a cat (Julian) who sleeps all day. If you have allergies, we will study at the Troy studio which is allergen-free. Unless you love animals. In that case, you will get to meet Vinnie & Buddy, the two most kid-friendly, loves-everybody, most gentle little guys you will ever meet. I put Vinnie's picture up so you can see him.

Teaching teachers
Several excellent teachers I know who have been teaching music for many years were frustrated by not being able to play without a sheet of music. They have found satisfying and positive results from this approach.

Wouldn't it be great to be gifted? In fact... It turns out that choices lead to habits.
Habits become talents. Talents are labeled gifts.
You're not born this way, you get this way.
~ Seth Godin

*** Lesson Details ***

Music should be fun. Period.

My only real job is to make sure you have fun and want to learn more. Then you will do the rest. you will astonish yourself and everyone around you!

In a traditional music education, reading the works of others is the focus, with no encouragement to improvise or to play by ear.

In our community, there is a prestigious, private college prep school that charges just under $80 per hour for traditional private music lessons. If you take away the music, most cannot play a note.

My method is every bit the equal of that school for those who are drawn to express themselves playing by ear. You will still learn all the core skills needed to be a well-rounded musician.

Music study helps people young and old to overcome shyness and build confidence. It empowers them as they refine their special talents.

We will always have a lot of fun, but there is a lot to do, so we need to be efficient. My teaching method is a combination of the best methods I have found. It is backed up with the same solid principles that I received when I was a student myself. If you choose to continue and pursue a classical education at a high level, you will be well-prepared.

Please note:
You are most welcome to start with 30 minute sessions to see if we are a good fit. 30 min lessons are offered for this purpose and also for very young children with short attention spans. For any student, wishing to make progress, lessons will eventually need to be an hour or 45 minutes at minimum in order to reach your goals.

Attendance
While fun is our main goal, we need results and I am an old-school stickler for results.

Weekly sessions are the only way to get measurable results, and the only way I teach. Two absences a month is noted by colleges as a clear path to dropping out. That is what bi-weekly sessions will do.

Though you'll receive serious critiques from me, I always uplift and encourage. Positive energy is the ticket.

My Method:
Listen, Sing, Clap, Play, Read and Write. With these tools you can look deeper into the elements that make up music. Folk, jazz, pop, rock or classical; all Western music is derived from the same principles. We will study ear training from a wonderful ear training book by a famous guitarist. It'™s simple: you learn all the theory so you will be at the top of your game, but always have fun doing it.
For notation, we will use The Semper Note Speller.
For scales, we have the famous Brown Scale Book.

Technology
We use recording as a tool to help you hear how you sound and we always encourage you to express yourself with improvisation. In many cases, you will have tracks to practice with. We also use apps for your phone that really help. A guitar tuner to nail down vocal pitch, as well as a metronome app that is with you wherever you go. If you have a minute anywhere you can get in some good practice time. So we truly have the best of all worlds: playing from music and learning to play by ear! If you stick with it and do the work, the end result will be that you can always just sit down and play, whether or not you have any music in front of you!

On our first lesson we will do a duet jam session together and you will not believe how great you sound!

The Big Picture
In the old days, a tiny percentage of students would become a concert pianist.

Today, there are a multitude of other ways to become involved with music. Whether you are looking at music as a profession or as a hobby, we let parents know of the many choices available so that they can make good decisions, for themselves and for their children.

Having fun as you improve is a big priority. I also teach songwriting, singing, music recording and performance, as well as piano.

Remember:
A piano should be an irresistible invitation, not an obstacle.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Troy studio: A digital keyboard in a professional recording control-room environment at our media production studio. The studio is near Big Beaver and Stephenson Hwy.

Home studio: An acoustic piano and recording studio environment at my home in Franklin/Beverly Hills.

Your Instrument
If you are taking any kind of music lesson, we recommend a tuned piano or digital keyboard, preferably with at least 76 full-sized keys.

We have helped many people to find the right piano.
If you like, I can suggest several different models of keyboard that I have researched and of which I approve. They range from an inexpensive but effective starter keyboard for ear training and just plain fun to an 88 note weighted keyboard for more expressive practice.

*** Specialties ***
Adults who always wanted to.
Homeschoolers who are frustrated.
Kids who just love music.

My youngest student is 4 and my oldest student is 102 now. )At 100 he recorded an album of songs from the 1920s!)

I teach people of all ages first to play by ear and to have fun while they study. Then I back up ear training with solid theory so they can read and write music. In school I studied many traditional methods and I have distilled my own distinct method from them. Though I am classically trained, I specialize in improvisation.
Here's to a most satisfying musical experience!
Best regards,
Randy

ked with children and adults who told me "I cannot sing" and have shown them that, once you understand how your voice works, you can do things you never dreamed you could do. I will work hard to help anyone who has the love and determination to sing to improve and become a better singer.

Students I have worked with have won competitions and even been accepted into the AMDA in New York.

*** Lesson Details ***
The voice is an instrument and, like any instrument, you have to know all of its parts and how it works in order to get the most out of it. I teach my students how to properly use their voice without damaging their vocal chords. I teach vocal techniques and exercises to help my students become a better singer. My students will learn how to use their diaphragm; how to use dynamics; how to project; how to build up their lung capacity; how to sing in a clear and articulate manner; how to sing various different types of music; how to control their voice; and how to develop their natural ear for music as well as showmanship. My style and technique has been developed over many years of practical experience and learning from instructors and entertainers who work in the entertainment industry. My method of teaching is entirely my own and I have had a lot of success with it. I expect my students to work hard and be dedicated but I try to make the lessons not just instructional but fun.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Home-lessons taught in a designated music room, has an electric weighted keyboard and a karaoke machine.

I have recording capabilities that allow me to record my students and blend their voices with the background tracks that we work with. Once a song has been mastered, I record the song and email it to you so you can have it to enjoy and share with family and friends.

*** Specialties ***
I teach my students breathing techniques; how to use the diaphragm and relax the vocal chords; how to project; how to properly enunciate; how to perform a song instead of just singing it; showmanship; how to select the music that is right for them. The voice is an instrument and, like any instrument, you have to fully understand it and its different parts in order to get the most out of it.

and eager to learn more.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Living room with an upright piano and seating for parents or companions

*** Travel Equipment ***

*** Specialties ***
Pop Music, Broadway, Classical, Rock, Jazz, Gospel, Contemporary to World Music

curriculum just for them based on their musical desires, strengths and weaknesses so I can help them become the best player that they can be. Each lessons will be a balance of learning new technique and theory and applying them in songs that excite and inspire.
Things such as: music theory, ear and harmony training, single string technique, sight and cord chart reading, cord structure, song writing, tone shaping, guitar maintenance and playing live will be covered with students as they advance. Feed back is always welcome and appreciated. This is your lesson, let's make sure you get the most out of it.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Music Studio: Guitars, amps, mixing board, protools, computer with external stereo, seating for parents can be arranged

*** Travel Equipment ***
I can bring my own guitar and cables. But the student will need to have their own guitar, amp etc

*** Specialties ***
Blues, Rock, Metal, Jazz, Funk and Country

o detail but I'm very passionate about music so no matter what I can make it interesting.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Grand Piano.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Resources to books.

*** Specialties ***
I teach beginning/intermediate piano, voice, ukulele, and music theory from ages 4 and older.

assical percussion and piano in college, eventually becoming Principal Timpanist for the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra and also Guest Artist with the nationally acclaimed St. Louis Brass Band. Since moving to Los Angeles in 2002, Paul has played/recorded with WAL (formerly the Jacob and Matthew Band), Jane Lui, Danielle Rose, Warren Charles, Scott Detweiler, Hunter Parrish (from Showtime'€™s Weeds and Godspell on Broadway), Brendan James, Billy Mitchell, Bill Purdy, Don Kirkpatrick (Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker), Jeff Littleton (Herbie Hancock, Stanley Turrentine), John Thomas (Bruce Hornsby), Pete Anderson (Roy Orbison, Dwight Yoakam), and has opened for acts including The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The Wailing Souls, Clint Black, Junior Brown, Rodney Crowell, and has also played for members of the Library of Congress. He has performed at numerous venues ranging from Lucas Oil Stadium, the Verizon Center (Washington, DC), and Cowboy Stadium to the Cerritos Performing Arts Center, Hotel Café, the Roxy, and many others. Paul is an active educator and has taught at the Los Angeles College of Music and Music Performance Academy and has also studied with Steve Ferrone, Peter Erskine, Joe Porcaro, and Ralph Humphrey.

*** Studio Equipment ***

Yamaha DTX electronic drums in personal home studio and Pro Tools for recording lesson progress.

I enjoy health and became a certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist and Loveologist. Owning my own business, David Gramling Yoga and Crafts, I like to customize lessons to best help whatever the needs are. I love to be present and helpful as I truly want to do service for others. I will become an attorney in the future for non-profit organizations.