Allendale, NJ Songwriting Lessons

g of their natural talent), and the Confidence (which is one of the most vital elements of performance).

*** Lesson Details ***
I have a very unique teaching style most would say. I'm very real, honest, upfront, and approachable. My feedback is constructive and insightful. I focus on technical singing, initially, to really establish a solid foundation for musicality and health longevity, then as progression is made, I put emphasis on performance methods. Throughout my lessons, confidence building is my main focus! Most of my students can attest that if the work is put in, the best results are put out! I teach many genres: Classical, Pop/R&B, Rock, Country, and Musical Theatre!

*** Travel Equipment ***
Piano

*** Specialties ***
Overcoming stage fright, Proper technique of vocalizing

Technique- We will help you improve breathing, phrasing, improving tone, projection and develop range.

Artistry- Some singers already have a sense of "who they are" and
have found their "sound" as artists, and others need help refining it.
We'll look at what songs are great for you, (maybe you write your own)
how to style songs and make them your own and even experiment with
different genres.

Performance skills- It's one thing to sing in a room one on one
with a vocal instructor and quite another to be onstage with an
audience with all eyes on you as you stand in front of the mic. How do
you connect with your audience? How do you handle nerves? How do you
talk between songs? Some of these things are learned best from
experience. Most singers are working on their voice because they want
to perform. Michael will provide opportunities for performance
experience for each artist when each individual is ready.

Be an Intelligent singer- Learn how to be ready for an audition.
How to communicate with a band /accompanists. How to know what keys you
need your songs in. Learn about singing harmonies/backing vocals. Learn
about recording vocals in the studio.

This is what one new student had to say about their first lesson with Michael...

"I had SO much fun
this past Sunday, Michael. I already feel like I learned a great deal. You are
such a fun and easy going teacher. Can't wait for the next one. Thanks!"

*** Travel Equipment ***
I can bring a keyboard and a laptop. It would be nice if they could provide a CD player, but not necessary.

*** Specialties ***
pop, soul, r&b, rock, country, any commercial styles. Performance coaching, Songwriting

365 Track Pro recording studio
Demos to completed CD's.

GUITAR & PIANO

*** Travel Equipment ***
Guitar & Keyboard

*** Specialties ***
All styles from blues to classical

t compliments the interests of the student.

*** Lesson Details ***
In a private lesson setting I like to say, "What you put in is what you'll get out." Students who show up having practiced a lot, who are eager to dive in depth into a subject, will grow immensely in a short amount of time. Those who are interested in practicing guitar as a casual activity also have plenty to gain, and I try to push my students in accordance with their interest level.

As a teacher, I like to support my students' personal ambitions on the instrument and with music on the whole, drawing on a wide range of materials. My goal is to put the proper resources in front of my students and ask them questions that will push them to discover the elements of music they knew they were looking for and some they didn't.

Every student has personal goal, and I like to draw on my diverse background in music to help each of mine achieve theirs.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Common space seating for parents.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I expect my students to have an instrument, paper, and a pencil. I can bring a music stand if necessary.

*** Specialties ***
I have been playing various styles of guitar, from classical to jazz to rock and beyond, for most of my life, so I feel comfortable showing all students the style they are most interested in.

ember of NYC group Noise Collective, and am currently running songwriting and performance workshops through them. I work with industry executives from Island Records, Razor and Tie Publishing, the Agency Group Booking, and more. This gives me fresh perspectives on current music, and how to approach a successful career!

(If this is your aim… I’m also just as happy helping people whose sole goal is to learn to sing better in the shower!)

I have been a teacher for 6 years, specializing in one-on-one lessons, loving the thrill of helping students grow to their fullest potential.

I realize that there are a lot of options out there, and am honored to be considered for your needs!

*** Studio Equipment ***
- Extra guitar available.
- For voice, I record our lessons, and send you Mp3's after each lesson as a practice tool.

*** Travel Equipment ***
- I bring my guitar, and expect students to have their own.
- For singing, it would be best if students had a program like Garage Band to record, and practice to the lessons.

each student individually, catering to specific goals and needs that we will decide upon and plan together. Some students want to seriously study a craft. Others want a hobby that will be fun and interesting. I have had success teaching to both, and will impart basic fundamentals and musicianship to all types of students.

I see my primary job as keeping the student inspired, intellectually fed and sprinting in the right direction. The student's job is to do the work. Daily practice is essential to move forward in any craft.

*** Studio Equipment ***
My Brooklyn studio is a dedicated music space with two drum sets, PA, amplifiers and recording capabilities.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I will provide books, a drum pad, sticks or mallets, an iPod with two sets of headphones, and a metronome. Additionally, I can bring small hand drums, special instruments and percussion that might be needed for specialty lessons. I expect students to have some sort of pad or drum to practice on at home; a full drum set is not necessary.

*** Specialties ***
Drum set (rock, jazz, R&B, folk, pop, electro, Afro-Cuban)
Snare drum
Timpani
Two- and four-mallets (marimba, vibraphone, xylophone)
Accessory percussion
Frame drums
Traditional samba
Afro-Cuban hand drums
Japanese taiko

of Brazil,  receiving TV and radio coverage. He has also done workshops and performed at the Conservatory of the state of Pernambuco. In August 2004 he performed weekly at Rio Scenarium in Rio de Janeiro. His Band Brooklyn Brazil Bop has played at Joe's Pub as well as Central Park Festival. His band the Brazilian Acoustic ensemble performs periodically at 'Barbes' an important performance space in Brooklyn NY. In 2007 he gave a successful jazz workshop and concert in the city of Florianopolis Brazil. Billy has been awarded 3 prestigious composer's residencies 2006 - Yaddo and 2007 - The MacDowell Colony. He was featured on the PBS news hour during his residence at MacDowell. In 2008 he was awarded another MacDowell residency and followed this with a 3 hour appearance presenting his compositions live on WKCR Jazz Radio and another live radio appearance with band in 2010. Billy regularly plays in many venues around NY in Jazz trio settings as well as with Brazilian vocalists and instrumentalists. Most Recently his groups have been performing at the famed Cornelia Street Cafe in New York City. He also specializes in solo guitar and can double on percussion (Pandeiro) and Cavaquinho. Billy has completed two CD's of his original music and an EP of his original Choro music. He has a BFA in Jazz Performance from CCNY.

Testimonials:
From Coda Magazine August 2012: by Seton Hawkins

Through outstanding collaborations like the Brazilian Acoustic Ensemble, guitarist and composer Billy N has emerged as a leading exponent of the music of Brazil. Exploring far beyond the well-trodden bossa nova path. Billy unearths the full range of styles the country offers, including choro, baiào, valsa and samba, and gives American audiences a rich panoramic glimpse into Brazilian art, highlighting its parallels with progressive jazz.

A recipient of composers residencies at Yaddo and MacDowell Colony, he is the curator of a three-day series at the club dedicated to the country's music. Billy will showcase his own group—a sextet with drummer Matt Kane, bassist Leco Reis, saxophonists Michael Attias and Eric Schugren and trumpeter Ben Holmes—in a concert primarily featuring his original works. SH

Reviews of my Book on Alfred Brazil: Guitar Atlas,  I love this series and this is the best of the six titles I have. Billy really knows his stuff; the analysis of time at the beginning is superb: something I now use in my teaching. This is definitely for intermediate and higher guitarists, but the pieces are worth the effort to get right, and the accompanying CD shows you what you are aiming for. This is as good as my other Brazilian guitar book (by Nelson Faria) and much more compact and easier to follow. Highly recommended!

#2

This book is essential homework for students of Brazilian guitar. It is one of the best resources out there, along with Nelson Faria's "The Brazilian Guitar Book." The original etudes are not only instructional, but are nice pieces in their own right. An excellent value.

*** Lesson Details ***
I've taught all levels over 20 years both in NYC and Brazil. I work with the material that the student wants and also through recordings and charts introduce much music that the student might have been unfamiliar with. My lessons are catered to the individual. There is no obstacle anyone has that is too great to work through. My approach to rhythmic training has helped many. I have simple way of breaking down the guitar fingerboard which can used as a guide to learn harmony. I'll get you into the horizontal aspects of guitar, traveling across the neck, making music across one string as well, mastering the guitar in a small fret range - " vertical position playing".

*** Studio Equipment ***
I have guitar for the student, either electric or nylon. Cavaquinho students bring their instrument. First time students must bring their instrument so I can see what they are playing on.

*** Specialties ***
Brazilian Fingerstyle - Choro, Samba, Baiao Solo
Jazz Guitar - Pick or Fingers
Beginning Flamenco
Cavaquinho
Improvisation for any instrument
Harmony and Theory

, tailoring lesson plans to suit their personal goals and interests. I have experience playing and teaching an extensive range of styles including pop, rock, jazz, country, metal, and classical. One of my main goals is to foster a sense of musical understanding with every student so that they may learn to combine technical, theoretical, and aural skills into a unified whole.

Most students want to learn to play songs they know and love. To that end, I get students playing the music they want to play right from the beginning, often through personally crafted arrangements of songs/pieces of the student's choosing, specifically tailored to their current skill level. This way, technical and theoretical skills are learned through direct experience with actual music, and only very rarely through rote exercise.
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For more advanced players, I offer an array of strategies designed to take your playing to the next level. I find that the most common shortcomings of advanced players are conceptual. The technical skills are there but the level of conceptual and theoretical understanding has hit a wall. Many players find themselves playing the same chord shapes, melodic patterns, and harmonic progressions over and over again. I've had much success over the years in getting advanced students out of this rut and helping open up new pathways for exploration in both improvisation and composition.

g, marketing and branding, and licensing. I'm currently a member of 3 original bands and have continued to do an array of session work on both guitar and bass.

I am endorsed by Lakland basses and am a member of SESAC. I love coffee, chocolate, and like my eggs over medium.