Beaverton, OR Music Recording Lessons

r creativity.

Backed by an extensive musical background debuting with the Philadelphia Orchestra and continuing her career singing with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, Jan L. went on to receive a Bachelor’s of Education in Opera at Temple University and two Master’s Degrees from Combs College of Music in Theatre Arts and Composition.

Jan is the author of the performance book called "Once More With Feeling."

There is exciting news with Jan. Jan has been teaching online on Zoom.us. It's like Skype but better because you can record the whole lesson. For those of you who want a world class teacher, you can learn from Jan who has 20 Grammy winners. No driving, Just sit yourself in front of your computer screen. You will love the intimacy without leaving your home. Give it a try.

Jan teaches vocal technique that connects the chest middle head voice with a gospel belt. Jan covers proper breathing, vocal technique, performance coaching and recording in her protools studio.

"Jan L. is an award winning songwriter, producer, actress, and artist developer. Her studio, Angel Diva Music, is designed to improve artist abilities on and off the stage as well as giving the clientele first-hand knowledge of the industry while increasing their creativity."

Writer of performance book called "Once More With Feeling:

ning things they like. I always ask students what they are listening to and what they want to learn, after all, it's their lesson. But I always come back around to emphasizing how and why things work and how a student can use the lesson to learn on their own. Students should expect to be very hands on, to bring lots of questions, to expect a lot, to work hard and have some fun in the process. While it's not rocket science, its music and music is fun but it is also a vast wild wilderness. I want you to be able to play your heart out but also have a good idea of musical knowledge that can help you grow way beyond. I also incorporate various ideas to further learning as appropriate to what you are trying to accomplish including recording, video and use of backing tracks, as just a couple examples.

*** Studio Equipment ***
I have a variety of gear as needed to complement the lesson, the student should provide their own instrument. If you need help picking one out, I can do that. Getting the right instrument that you are comfortable with is important. There are lots of options out there and instruments have never been more affordable.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I can provide all my own equipment, student should have at least a guitar

*** Specialties ***
I usually use a system based on my assessment of the student's goals and current ability. With the guitar, that will usually include reference to CAGED and some music theory although I don't usually call it that.

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

*** Travel Equipment ***
I can travel with a sax, flute, guitar, electric bass, and a didgeridoo....

*** Specialties ***
I'm a jazz musician! But I listen to and perform all styles of music. I have written string quartets, been the front man for a funk band, and recorded every style of music under the sun. I can teach Bach and the Beatles and explain how/ and why they intersect and are similar musically.

first two albums with composer Yves Vincent of San Diego, California in genre-stretching new-age/classical style.

After relocating to Tucson, Arizona, as music director for his church, he encouraged a variety of styles and genres to be used by the musicians and choirs of each of five weekend Masses.
Later, in Illinois, he directed another 60 voice parish choir that frequently performed with orchestras from Illinois State & Wesleyan Universities. His voice students in all these locations have been encouraged to explore and develop their own unique expression of their favorite music, while building on a solid foundation of technique, vocal strength and musicianship.

Now that Patrick has relocated one more time to Los Angeles, CA, he is working on a 3rd and 4th CD and once again accepting students. He enjoys the opportunity to expose young & older talent to the power and passion of classical music while also helping them create ways to make it new and exciting by reinterpreting it with their own favorite genres.

Lessons

Patrick's passion for teaching comes from his philosophy of music:
"Music is humanity's most evolved form of expression and communication. Music includes language, our physical senses, and our sense of meaning. With music, ordinary language is ultimately transcended. Words communicate from mind to mind; music communicates to the depth of the soul."

Patrick teaches and encourages young beginners as well as coaching and challenging seasoned professionals. He has even taught a hearing-impaired student to use physical sensation rather than sound to sing on pitch! He focuses on fundamentals of breath, technique and strength to help singers take care of their irreplaceable instrument. (Patrick's own vocal coach, Edward Kingins, continues to perform and move audiences in Detroit well in to his 70s!) Along with helping students build a strong foundation, he nurtures a love and commitment to music by working with students in the style and genre they enjoy most, from rock to pop, jazz or country.

Patrick also has unique insight into the entertainment industry, both in Los Angeles and across the country. Over the years, he has been associated with and close friends with musicians and actors such as John Denver and Richard Hatch as well as sought-after speakers Tom Crum and W Mitchell. Since locating to L.A., he has worked in independent movies with Damian Chapa and David Carradine as an actor and production assistant and coordinator. This experience, coupled with his own success on stage and as a recording artist helps him guide and advise serious young talent to maneuver the crazy environment of Hollywood and avoid the scams and pitfalls of the entertainment industry.

Subjects Taught

Singing, Acting (stage Presentation)

*** Lesson Details ***
Beginning Lesson Outline

My Basic lesson outline is to determine where we are starting with each student and custom make lessons designed to fit the needs for that student. We will also work on meditation and visualization techniques for performance. The idea is for you to feel the words and sing with passion or so your audience believes your song.

Unlike other instruments, your voice cannot be replaced if it is damaged. I take the time needed through each step of the process so your voice is strengthened and developed properly. It is up to the student to practice and apply what is learned and build a trained, strong instrument that will be useable for your whole life.

You will learn:

Proper breathing techniques and practice.
Properly warming up the voice.
Working on music theory (reading music, etc.)
Ear training and pitch.
Expression, phrasing and performing.
Applying techniques learned to music suitable for student's capabilities.
Learning to have fun and enjoy the music experience.
Confidence and self-esteem

Depending on student's progress, specific lesson components above will be emphasized so that the student's goals will be achieved.
My goal is to prepare you to the best of my ability for you to achieve your dreams.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Keyboard & Recording Studio

*** Travel Equipment ***
CDs, recorded lessons, vocalization practice material. Student should have a CD/tape player. Keyboard is helpful, but not required.

*** Specialties ***
Vocal: Classical, jazz

in churches and various performing groups. He has worked as a recording studio engineer, live sound engineer, and theater sound designer.

Don strives to bring out the best in each student. Whether a beginner, intermediate, or advanced student, Don will expand your musical horizon and styles to new levels.

*** Lesson Details ***
All that I request from a student is a desire to learn. I will work with you at your pace to achieve the musical goals you have. Each student begins at a different level.

The first lesson will focus on your musical background. If you are a beginner, that's no problem. I specialize in working with beginning students to teach them all the joy and satisfaction there is in mastering an instrument.

I love to laugh and the lessons are very laid back and fun, but I desire that a student move forward and learn new techniques.

You will be playing simple songs after your first lesson. I'm asked many times by students "how long will it take until I'm good." My answer is: that is in direct proportion to the amount of time you dedicate to practicing. After a month or two, you will know how to read music and have a basic understanding of music theory.

I use various curriculum depending on the student's need. For piano, I generally use Alfred Methods. For guitar, Hal Leonard or Mel Bay. For voice, the curriculum is individually tailored to the students level and goals.

*** Specialties ***
I specialize in theatrical performance for actors/vocalists.

and goals of the student. Beginners will likely start with a standard lesson book and grow from there. More advanced players may want to spend time learning their favorite songs, "jamming," or focusing on specific aspects of their playing such as improvisation ("soloing") or rhythm guitar. All students should expect noticeable improvement over a three-to-six-month period, and be able to transcend merely playing notes and chords, but instead learning to play songs.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, amps, music stands and lesson books

*** Travel Equipment ***
Brett can happily provide extra guitars, lesson books, and music stands if that will make it more convenient for the student. For best results, students should have a decent guitar, lesson book, and music stand at home for practicing.

*** Specialties ***
Rock, Blues, Pop, Singer-Songwriter

as learn at their own pace. My goal as a teacher is to give you an enjoyable experience in learning a new instrument and to tailor the lessons based on your interests and goals. After the first few months a beginner student can expect to have learned basic techniques and useful skills to allow them to play simple songs and melodies with ease.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Lessons are taught in a studio with amps, acoustic guitars and electric guitars, ukuleles, along with fretless and fretted bass guitars, drums, microphones, recording equipment and software, are available for a student to use during the lesson time.

*** Specialties ***
Simplifying concepts and process. Breaking down elements of how to play Pop, Jazz, Funk, Blues, Rock, Folk etc.

rograms, Samsung laptop and two Dell PCs,

*** Specialties ***
Jazz improvisation, funk, pop/rock, recording techniques, rhythm section,

situation that can make learning at your lesson more fun.

Genres include Acoustic, Blues, Country, R&B, Funk, Latin, Jazz, Rock, Pop and more.

*** Studio Equipment ***
My Line 6 Spider Jam will take any wave file and speed up or slow down the tempo and lower or higher the key to your preference.
Great transposing tool

Tuner Korg

Electric Ibanez Guitar s470dxqm
Acoustic Taylor 110CE
Classical Cordoba model 20

Amp Mesa Boogie Nomad 100 watt combo all tube
Amp Line 6 Spider Jam

Effects Roland GR-55

Microphone Audio Technica AT 2035
Microphone Peavey I-101

Operating System WIndows 7 64 bit edition
Recording Software Presonus Audiobox USB with Studio1

Mixer Alto ZMX 862 Zephyr Series

Logitech C620 HD Webcam

Camcorder Sony HDCRX430V

*** Specialties ***
I have studied under virtuoso Rex Carroll from Atlantic Records signed band Fierce Heart & another famous band he was in was Whitecross, Shawn Gette who is in the band Forbidden Symphony, who in his words once took over a gig for Steve Vai and the American Guitar Academy.