East Bay Music Academy

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Now accepting new students!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris Lee: (925) 360-1245
Dustin Marks: (925) 984-6589

About Lessons

We teach a number of instruments. Guitar, Bass, Composition and Theory & Musicianship are the areas in which we specialize. Many music instructors' lesson plans are full of songs that tend to prolong the teaching processes indefinitely. Our lesson plan is based on a logical progression of theory and musicianship drills which systematically sequence through every conceivable scale, arpeggio and chord voicing. Most importantly, our lesson plan is designed to have a destination (an ending point). This destination is the point at which the student is thoroughly armed with the necessary fluency to learn most any existing song, arrange most any existing song and compose their own music (equally as impressive as the music of their influences). With the exclusion of songs, our lesson plan is approximately 16 years in duration.

Guitar Lessons

We offer Guitar lessons (beginning, intermediate and advanced levels). We are proficient in the following techniques and articulations: pinching, tapping, sweep picking, alternate picking, cross picking, chicken picking, alternate strumming, palm muting, artificial harmonics, natural harmonics and legato.

Bass Lessons

We offer Bass lessons (beginning and intermediate levels). We proficient in the following techniques and articulations: natural harmonics, pizzicato, slapping, tapping, sweeping and legato.

The Theory Program

Theory (put simply) is the study of what sounds good. We offer a comprehensive program that covers the study of harmony, rhythm, voice leading (counterpoint), scales, functionality and form (composition). Our courses in theory are designed to start from scratch and take a student through graduate level theoretical concepts. We can teach theory to ANY musician that plays a pitched instrument (as long as the musician grasps the anatomy of their instrument first).

Musicianship Training

Musicianship focuses on the performance aspect of the student's education. Musicianship includes playing piano, sight singing, sight reading (on an instrument), harmonic dictation, melodic dictation, rhythmic dictation, harmonizing melodies, playing chord melodies (mostly for guitar players), conducting, score reading, chart reading, improvisation, performing rhythmic duets, performing odd meters, performing meter changes, performing poly-rhythms and metric modulation.

Composition Training

Composition covers writing techniques, analysis, instrumentation and form. By studying composition at an early stage in any student's education, they develop the necessary skills to write their own original music. By composing material based wholly on raw theoretical concepts, the students gain a broader pallet of familiar sounds that they favor. As well they tend to write more freely.

Rate Information for Private lessons

The rates that follow are for a regular, consistant, once a week lessons time (for one hour).

Guitar Lessons for $40 per hour (beginning, intermediate and advanced) Bass Lessons for $40 per hour (beginning and intermediate) Piano Lessons for $40 per hour (beginning and intermediate) Voice Lessons for $40 per hour (beginning and intermediate) Composition Lessons for $40 per hour (beginning, intermediate and advanced)

$40 for a full hour of private lesson time is a relatively high value considering that the majority of professional instructors in the bay area charge from $25-$50 for only a half hour of lesson time!!! All lessons that don't meet at a frequency of once a week are $45 per hour. While private (one on one) lessons are recommended, group lessons can be arranged (at the instructor's discretion) at a rate of $25 per student for an hour of lesson time. House calls can be made (at the instructor's discretion) for a fee of $10 per lesson on top of the rate that applies.

About the Theory Program

Levels Offered: 1-9
Course Description:

This Class is designed to give the musician the knowledge and practice methods to become a good improviser. The theory of which scales work with different chord types along with playing and listening experiences will be covered in the course. Memorization techniques and suggested Jazz, Rock and Classical greats to listen to will also be included.

Objectives:
* To develop a basic concept of Classical and Jazz Theory based off of roman numerals and solfege.
* To understand complex chord progressions and analyze them.
* To understand twentieth century Harmony and Composition.
* To develop a unique style of phrasing and soloing.
* To develop necessary musicianship skills such as relative pitch and improvisational abilities.
* To develop confidence playing in front of other players.

The Focus of each Level:

Level 1: Modes and harmonies of the major scale.

Level 2: Modes and harmonies of the harmonic minor scale.

Level 3: Modes and harmonies of the melodic minor scale.

Level 4: Modes and harmonies of the harmonic major scale. Modes of limited transposition.

Level 5: Harmonic tendencies of the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods.

Level 6: Harmonic tendencies of the Impressionist and 20 th Century periods.

Level 7: Chromaticism in the context of Blues and Jazz.

Level 8: Polytonality and playing outside.

Level 9: Polytonality and playing outside continued.

Required Materials:
* Any instrument that produces a pitch.
* 2 notebooks. One with music manuscript paper and the other with lined binder paper.
* Number 2 pencil. Folder or 3 ring binder for handouts.
* If the student's instrument requires amplification the instructor will do his best to accommodate the student's needs with a spare amp. Please note that spare amps are limited and it is recommended that if the student has a small practice amp of his/her own that the student should bring it to class.
Course Duration: 15 weeks

Rate Information for Theory Classes

The rates that follow are for a once a week class (for an hour and a half).

Level 1: $250 for 14 weeks Level 2-9: $275 for 15 weeks

Both rates work out to be less than $20 per week for an hour and a half of lesson time (AN EVEN HIGHER VALUE THAN THE PRIVATE LESSONS)!!!!