Filling In the Gaps ~ Improv Coaching for All Instruments

Berkeley CA

Description

All INSTRUMENTALISTS (string, horn, and mallets players, guitarists and bassists, too) ALL STYLES (jazz, Latin, African, funk, pop, classical) / ALL LEVELS (beginning through pro) If you’re just starting out your journey as an improviser you’ll love what happens when the doors swing wide open. If you’re already gigging and even teaching, you’ll love the feeling of filling in all those “gaps” and blowing the lid off of what you though you were capable of. You’ll be working one-on-one with one of the most experienced, patient and richly trained musical coaches in Northern California. And you’ ll be meeting in the most luxurious and fully-equipped teaching studio around — great PA and recording gear, mallet and percussion instruments from around the world (including drum set), huge Yamaha grand piano and synthesizers, big CD and book library, and lots more! I can coach and accompany you from a wide variety of instruments (including voice) to match whatever playing situation you’d like to take on. ·HARMONIC THEORY - navigate easily through different flavors of harmony and create your own harmonic colors “on-the-fly,” even if the piece has no chord changes. ·WESTERN & EASTERN SCALES - scales from the East are no longer “exotic,” they’re just guaranteed to spice-up your playing. ·EAR-TRAINING & THE VOCAL CONNECTION - the fastest way to build your confidence as a players is to build “your ear” ·TRANSCRIPTION - writing out tunes (as well as solos) that inspire you is a great learning tool and the next step for building your musicality. ·RHYTHM & FIND Y0UR "GROOVE" - when your rhythm is solid everything falls into place as your phrasing takes on a new freedom, regardless of the meter. ·FREE IMPROVISATION - a great technique to loosen-up your creativity and create spontaneous music with friends that really works. ·COMPOSING & ARRANGING ~ you've probably thought about it for a long time, now's the time to jump in and hear your creations played like you hear them. You’ll learn how to: *set up an inviting practice environment *maximize your practice time *learn tunes from the inside out Michael Smolens has been teaching IMPROVISATION CREATIVITY to folks from all background, skill levels, and interests for over three decades. I have published and lectured extensively on the art of practicing and am on the staff of Sonoma State University and JFK Univeristy. I’ve also studied with some of the most innovative jazz teachers today, including Art Lande and Kenny Werner. Currently, I am finishing my eighth CD of original works that feather jazz legends Stefon Harris (vibes), Paul McCandles (reeds), and Zakir Hussain (tablas). Michael can be reached at You can e-mail also him or read more about this service at http://www.secondsightmusic.com/craigslist/freelance_music_teacher.html Great Berkeley location ~ just minutes from the Bay Bridge