Palisades Park, NJ Singing Lessons

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

y students are now well respected pro guitar players.
All of my students love my lessons and benefit greatly from them
in so many ways.

*** Lesson Details ***
I customize the lessons to fit the level of proficiency of my students,and to fit to their schedule of practicing.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Guitars,Bass,Amps,recording equipment

*** Specialties ***
Guitar,Bass,& Music Theory teacher.
Blues/Rock/Jazz

tarist & songwriter for a well-known touring rock band with a worldwide fan base and nearly 4 million You Tube views. I graduated from New York University with Bachelor's of Music in Jazz guitar and trained with the most highly respected rock/pop vocal coaches in the world. In 2015, I signed a major label publishing deal with Fieldhouse Music/BMG played throughout Europe (and taught online lessons while away). My songs have been licensed for national/international TV (E!, MTV, VH1, Oxygen, TBS and more), commercials for CBS, Nike, Coca-Cola, Samsung and in video games. I actively perform/record and tour with my (3) bands, and produce/cowrite with artists for their own projects.

I’m endorsed by PRS guitars, Elixir Strings, Godin Guitars/Bass Guitars, & Metaldozer Mic Stands.

Styles I regularly teach include: Rock (Classic Rock, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock, Hard Rock), Metal, Punk, Pop, Jazz, R&B, Blues, Funk, Soul, Classical, Folk.
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Lesson Details

My students gain expertise in the following techniques and more...

Voice:

∙ intonation / resonance
∙ proper breathing & breath support
∙ diction
∙ vocal placement
∙ understanding chest / head voice
∙ bridging registers & 'the high note'
∙ vowels and modification techniques
∙ mixed voice
∙ edgy/bright
∙ clean/distorted
∙ vibrato
∙ screaming
∙ rhythmic singing
∙ vocal health/maintaining your voice
∙ touring, recording, performing
∙ writing songs/melodies/lyrics to suit your vocal strengths
and personality

Lead and Rhythm Guitar:

I've developed a step-by-step approach to learning to solo and improvise.
Using simple, "guitarist-friendly” techniques you will quickly learn and begin to apply major/minor scales/modes, blues/pentatonic scales and “licks.” You will learn triads, arpeggios, interval studies, and extensions and how to use them to create interesting and melodic solos. With my line development/phrasing techniques, you will have your own library of “licks” that will help you navigate both simple and sophisticated harmonic progressions. I will help you to become a become a well-rounded, three-dimensional guitarist with a unique voice!

A few of techniques I teach:

∙ triads / arpeggios
∙ strumming
∙ alternate/sweep picking
∙ tremolo picking
∙ hybrid picking
∙ scales/modes
∙ slide guitar
∙ hammer on/pull off
∙ (up to 8 finger) tapping
∙ bending / double stops / unison bends
∙ whammy bar techniques
∙ diagonal scales,
∙ arpeggios & note groupings
∙ 3 and 4 finger per string scales
∙ fingerstyle
∙ Jazz scales, chords including
4 note open/closed voicing
7th, 9th, 11th, 13th chords
∙ chord melodies
∙ rhythm and grooves of various styles

Bass Guitar:

Right hand:
∙ finger style, pick
∙ slapping/popping
∙ groove, rhythms and playing time
∙ time signatures, walking bass lines,
∙ arpeggios, double stops,
∙ chords & improvising
∙ writing bass lines.

All of my students learn:

Sight reading (standard notation/tablature)
∙ music theory & ear training
∙ rhythm / timing (including reading rhythms)
∙ composition/songwriting

We will focus 1/2 of the lesson on repertoire and 1/2 the lesson on technique. Many of my students text/email me a few days prior to our scheduled lesson with a song selection for the week. I focus our lesson's technical study with the song in mind. It has proven to be very effective and makes the technique and theory are less "boring."

Studio Equipment
I have (7) guitars: including (4) electric, (2) acoustic/electric, & (3) electric bass
(2) tube guitar amplifiers, and various guitar effects pedals.

(1) full-size 88-key MIDI keyboard, (1) 61-key USB keyboard controller, and (1) Arturia MINILAB MIDI controller.

Also, I have an assortment of industry standard dynamic & condenser microphones for live performance and recording applications.

DAW recording software (Pro Tools 12.x, Logic 10.x, Ableton Live)
software synthesizers by Arturia, Fabfilter, Native Instruments, Spectrasonics, Steven Slate, Toontrack and more. I use plugin effects by Izotope, Fabfilter, Plugin Alliance and Universal Audio and Waves for many of my lessons and recording projects.

Travel Equipment
I can provide a guitar, videos, music recording, music workbooks and everything else a student may need. Students are only expected to bring a desire to learn. :)

Specialties

I am a performer with a ton of touring/stage experience, a composer who understands the art of writing and a producer who is fluent in the latest recording technology. In addition to technical studies, my students receive performance coaching/career development. I will help you to find your unique voice, a polished and distinct sound, and your true personality as an artist. I am 100% committed to making you a success!

I will ignite a new, or recharge/rekindle your passion for music, and to sing/play the music you love a lot better!

I also offer hour lessons

30 minute voice/speech session - Typically work improving your voice through various exercises and strategies. I also offer hour lessons

*** Studio Equipment ***
I use my Macbook Pro to record lessons and distribute them to students via a free Dropbox account. IN PERSON LESSONS ONLY.

and HER sound, a challenge which continues to manifest itself even today in a variety of ways. Kathy is now a singer/songwriter and performs often with her own band in which she sings, plays guitar, writes her own songs and arranges them for intricate backup harmonies and multiple instrumentation. A variety of influences are apparent in her music, including the musical genres of folk, pop, jazz, and yes, even hip hop. She has recorded three albums of her music and all have been received to critical acclaim.

She sings as a professional cantor at St. John the Baptist Church in Manhattan, and teaches private voice, guitar and piano lessons throughout the city of New York. She served for a time as the general music teacher for St. Dominic's School in the Bronx, where she was responsible for Pre-K through 8th grade music classes, and, true to form, she is often called upon in a multitude of situations to perform in a variety of musical genres. She is always pleased with the ever-changing musical scenery around her.

*** Lesson Details ***
A lesson with Kathy equals half of the allotted time being used to learn good technique (i.e., learning healthy vocal habits, singing vocalizes, learning to read music, playing scales, etc.) and the other half of the time singing and playing repertoire. The repertoire includes both pieces chosen by Kathy (always approved by the student) which excite and inspire the student's particular musical tastes while providing a new challenge in technique to be conquered, and also pieces brought in by the student; for example, if a student is working on music for a specific performance, etc., or if they just really like a piece and want to learn how to play or sing it, Kathy is always ready and willing to lend a hand and an ear!

Vocally, Kathy believes good basic technique is the same for every genre of music. Therefore, great emphasis is placed on learning to breathe and support your sound correctly as well as maintain good posture, rid your body of unwanted tensions, etc.; musical styles beyond that basic technique change only in small stylistic ways, and Kathy is knowledgeable in quiet a variety of most musical styles.

With guitar, Kathy focuses on learning to read and play musical notation and chords without using guitar tablature. Again, a variety of musical styles are used for instruction, including everything from classical to punk!

And with piano, Kathy focuses on learning to read and play musical notation as well as mastering scales and chord progressions, inversions, etc. She loves opportunities to combine voice lessons with guitar lessons, or voice lessons with piano lessons, as one instrument feeds into the other in interesting and helpful ways.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I travel with my travel guitar and music for lessons. I expect guitar students to have their own guitar, and piano or voice students to have some sort of keyboard, even a small one.

*** Specialties ***
all-levels voice, beginning guitar, beginning piano
I specialize in a classical voice method, which I believe is a good foundation for all styles of singing. I have experience with classical singing, music theatre (I have a minor from my undergraduate education in Theatre) and folk. I'm an experienced songwriter and am able to guide students in that area.

I teach notes and chords for my guitar students. I don't teach guitar tablature; instead, I teach basic guitar music on the staff.

Also, I teach beginning piano, including basic music theory, note spelling, etc.

the title role of Hansel in Hansel and Gretel at Quisisana on Lake Kezar in Maine all summer.
Featured roles in past seasons have included the Miami Summer Music festival, where she participated in the Wagner Institute concert, and as Elizabeth Proctor in the new opera production of The Crucible. The Palm Beach Arts Paper noted that she “sang impressively, handling the music with confidence and flair.” She also sang the title role in Pinocchio at Cedar Rapids Opera, as well as Flora in La Traviata, Carmen in Carmen, Giulietta in Les contes d’Hoffmann, Meg in Mark Adamo’s Little Women, Mrs. Herring in Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring and the Nurse in Michael Torke’s Strawberry Fields.

Stephanie placed 3rd nationally in the New York Lyric Opera Competition, where she made her Carnegie Hall debut. She was the winner of the Miami-Dade artist access grant award, and the Concerto Competition at New World School of the Arts. Stephanie has also placed in the semi-finals of the Florida Grand Opera/Young Patroness of the Arts competition, and the Palm Beach Opera Competition. She has participated in distinguished opera programs such as the Miami Music Festival, International Vocal Arts Institute, Opera Academy of California, and the Manhattan School of Music Summer Festival.

ofessional opera and musical theatre companies, in additional to large choral works as a soloist, and have a private studio in Washington Heights.

Prior to NYC I taught middle school choir for 200+ students, of which I received teacher of the year in 2012. I also still hold a valid teaching license in the state of Indiana and currently applying toward my NYS teaching certification.

I look forward to hearing your beautiful voice and helping you to embrace music. Feel free to check out my website for any further information!