Marriottsville Music Lessons

of all types, from rock and pop to big band to world music to orchestral to small combos and everything in between. In 2007, I embarked on a two and a half year gig with Princess Cruises as a show band drummer, and traveled the world on some of the world's most modern ships while performing on stage over 1000 times. From 2011 to 2013 I was the touring drummer for renowned Celtic/Gypsy/Americana band SCYTHIAN, a band which tours extensively and is known for their energetic live show. Other groups I have recently recorded and toured with include "Yall-ternative" fan favorites Mr. Fuzzy & The Barbarian and modern funk band The Royal Noise. In 2014 I relocated to College Park, MD and I love it!

*** Lesson Details ***
When we work together we will split lessons between the necessary mechanical aspects of the instrument and the more creative and spontaneous elements. At the beginning, I emphasize a relaxed technique and an efficiency of motion. Once this is established, we will explore the instrument through improvisation and other creativity exercises. Although drumming can be very technical, I never lose sight of the importance of groove, expression, and having fun while playing.

*** Studio Equipment ***
My studio is complete with 2 drums sets, practice pads, computers, hand percussion instruments, and other instruments for accompaniment.

*** Specialties ***
I try to split lessons between the technical elements of drumming and the more creative aspects of the instrument. I feel that you can't have one without the other and teachers need to be mindful not to lean too much to one side. I also strive to give the students practical examples in their style of interest and encourage them to apply what they learn to actual musical situations as much as possible. I have had experience in pop/rock, jazz, show music, and many traditional world-music styles.

ks better than the spoken word because it doesn't have to be understood to be effective."

In some instances, music works better than the spoken word because it doesn't have to be understood to be effective. Although many musicians agree that music is a "language" it is rarely treated as such.

Many of us treat it as something that can only be learned by following a strict regiment under the tutelage of a skilled teacher. This approach has been followed for hundreds of years with proven success... But it takes a long time. Too long.

Think about the first language you learned as a child. More importantly, think about how you learned it.

"You were allowed to make mistakes."

You were a baby when you first started speaking and even though you spoke the language incorrectly you were allowed to make mistakes - and the more mistakes you made, the more your parents smiled!

Learning to speak was not something you were sent somewhere to do only a few times a week. The majority of people you spoke to were not beginners, they were already proficient speakers. Imagine your parents forcing to only speak to other babies until you were good enough to speak to them! You'd probably be an adult before you could carry on a proper conversation.

To use a musical term, as a baby you were allowed to "jam" with professionals.

If we approach music in the same natural way we approached our first language, we would learn to speak it in the same short time it took to speak our first language.
Proof of this can be seen in almost any family where a child grows up with other musicians in the family.

Here are a few keys to follow in learning guitar or bass:

In the beginning we embrace mistakes instead of correcting them. Like a child playing air guitar there are no wrong notes.

Allow young musicians to play and perform with accomplished musicians on a daily basis.

Encourage young musicians to play more than they practice. The more they play, the more they will practice on their own.

Music comes from the musician, not the instrument.
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2) RockSmith 2014 becomes your personal accomplished musician or band for you to play in a daily basis as it monitors how you play, dynamically adjusts difficulty to your skill level, then slowly introduces more notes and phrases until you're playing your favorite songs note-for-note. Lead Rhythm and bass lines.

Rocksmith 2014 teaches you fast and effectively by letting you plug any real guitar or bass directly into your Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system, Windows PC or Mac.

The Rocksmith Method will first make sure you can PLAY the instrument.
You will play your favorite songs.
You will learn a new technique every month.
Rocksmith is designed to match the way your guitar is laid out, so there's no need to interpret tablature or learn sheet music to get started.
Have strings on your guitar? You'll see strings on the screen....

You'll need a game console, a screen and a electric guitar or bass. It's non negotiable.

If you don't have it. I will provide you with a loaner system until you catch up.

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3) A dedicated and passionate Teacher to tie everything together and keep you on track.

The early you start, the better. Kids age 6 or up are my best customers. They don't have adjust to anything other than to get their little fingers around a guitar appropriate to their size.
For young adults and people that tried play the guitar the old fashion way, here's my advise:

You will need to take a step back... or maybe two steps. Let me show you a better way.

These 3 things changes everything in how to learn or teach guitar. This is just to start the journey. I won't even mention custom songs or our musician club for you to perform your songs.

"If music is a language. You should never stop talking."

Remember that a language works the best when we have something interesting to say.
Many music teachers never find out what their students have to say. We only tell them what they are supposed to say.
A child speaks a language for years before they even learn the alphabet.
Too many rules at the onset will actually slow them down.
In my eyes the approach to music should be the same.

After all, music is a language too.

Let's Play & Grow Together.

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Private guitar and bass lessons are designed for students to progress at their own pace. Private lessons will follow the same RockSmith Journey structure. In a private guitar or bass lesson, the teacher has the opportunity to help the student individually for the entire lesson time, and structures each lesson personally for the student depending on their skill level and goals.

The Essentials/Techniques Plus:

Tuning
Strapping up
How to hold a pick
Plucking strings
Accents
Slides
Chords
Power chords
Double stops
Barre chords
Arpeggios
Notes Chords Scales

Shifting
Fretting
Sustains
Palm mutes
Slides
Bends
Tremelos
Hammer-ons
Pull-offs
Natural harmonics
Strumming patterns
Unpitched slides
Fret hand mutes
Improvising and jamming
Vibrato
Scales and modes
Changing strings

Additional Bass Techniques:

Fifths
Roots
Slapping
Popping

Advanced Players:

Double stop, Oblique, and Compound Bends
Two hand tapping
Articulation and phrasing
Pinch harmonics
Extended harmonies
Hybrid techniques
Advanced chords

and piano. We can do this as a split one hour lesson, or alternate weeks. We will also work on ensemble playing by playing together.

NOTE: I CANNOT PROVIDE IN HOME TEACHING WITHIN MONTGOMERY COUNTY

med local organizations. I have also been featured as a woodwind clinician in Baltimore County and Howard County public schools classrooms and have been the oboe adjudicator for the middle and high school division of the Howard County Solo & Ensembles for the past three years.

I graduated from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University with a Masters in Oboe Performance in 2016. I additionally hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance as well as a Teaching Certificate from the Peabody Conservatory. During my time at Peabody, I studied under Jane Marvine, English Horn of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

While studying at Peabody, my passion for music education was ignited and I really enjoyed exploring the development of my skills and resources both as a classroom and studio teacher. It is my personal mission to enrich students through music education while still having fun and learning to apply skills learned in music to other areas of life.

I am currently the Operations Manager with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Previously, I have held administrative positions with cultural organizations such as the Baltimore Choral Arts Society and the New York Philharmonic. I have been on both sides of the music industry and classroom, so I know what it takes to become a professional musician, and take a nuanced pedagogical approach to help each student achieve their goals in a way that suits them individually - no two students are the same! I believe each student should have a strong fundamental layer in technique and understanding of music theory, but should also focus on having fun while playing music, otherwise, what is the point?

Outside of oboe I enjoy hiking with my dog, painting, yoga, and Cuban food.

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e remaining pieces will go. The process itself gets easier down the road, because you've developed strategies and have spent so much time looking at your goal, i.e the finished picture on the box.
My role in this little analogy is to ensure you like the puzzle enough to keep going, give you hints on where to put pieces, and to show you the things you've put together that might have otherwise gone overlooked. All of which are easy for me to find simply because I, too, have done this puzzle before!

performed with the Tony award winning Signature Theatre, Studio Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, American Family Theatre, Washington Savoyards, Maryland Ensemble Theatre, Shawnee Playhouse, Prather Entertainment Group, Venus Theatre, Pallas Theatre Collective, Riverside Dinner Theatre and Toby’s Dinner Theatre. Melynda is the Director of Education at Adventure Theater MTC, the DC area’s longest running theatre for young audiences and only training academy offering comprehensive technique based training in all disciplines of Musical Theatre.

"Melynda Burdette gives a performance for the ages…With her strong acting abilities and superb vocals, Burdette drives this show from beginning to end."
- Elliott Lanes, Broadway World

"With a tender, refreshing, clear voice (without amplification), Burdette brings care and woe to sweet ballads …with more up-tempo numbers Burdette is no less skillful. Her voice is strong and solid."
-David Siegel, DC Metro Theatre Arts