Hearing Your Instructor On YouTube!

Today we had an interesting experience. Like you and many other folks, we do a lot of our music listening on YouTube. We were in the mood for some Frank Zappa and a track in particular called  “Camarillo Brillo” off the 1973 LP Over-Nite Sensation. After listening to the studio version several times we moved on to a live one. We found one from May 8th 1974. After several times playing it we went back and read through the comments and discovered that the drummer on this tour and version was none other than LAMA’s own Ralph Humphrey! Ralph is the Drum Departmant chair and a wonderful instructor. Next time we see Ralph in the hall, we’re going to corner him and get some stories about his time playing with Frank!

-LAMA Staff

Jody Fisher Guitar Video Quick Tip: “Learning Chords”

Jody Fisher grew up studying guitar with his uncle, jazz guitarist Sid Fisher, who had spent many years as an RCA recording artist. Jody has published over twenty instructional books about jazz guitar with Alfred Publishing, Workshop Arts Publications, and Mel Bay Publications. Four of his books have appeared in the Smithsonian Institute’s Folkways Exhibition in Washington, DC. Jody has also written for most of the major guitar magazines, including Guitar Player, Just Jazz Guitar and Finger Style Guitar.  Check out www.jodyfisher.com for more information.

In this video, LA Music Academy Guitar Department Chair Jody Fisher offers this quick tip “Learning Chords”:

For more great videos, tips and highlights from LA Music Academy alumni and instructors, subscribe to our YouTube channel here: http://youtube.com/LAmusicacademy

-LAMA Staff

5 Reasons Adults Should Go Back To Music School

There have been a lot of articles posted lately about stats on adults going “back to school”. The articles tend to list all the wonderful ways an adult can go back and get a sociology degree or an anthropology degree. We were dissapointed that there aren’t many articles about the benefits of them going back to music school. LAMA welcomes adults who come here to refine their skills or build on their existing knowledge — also to get that real world experience of playing with our instructors and ensemble workshop musicians. So we thought we would lay out the top reasons adults should go back to music school here:

The Economy

Much like buying low, selling high, going back to school when the economy is at a low point is a common tactic. While it is looking like we could be seeing the end of the tunnel for America’s economic issues, there are others who argue that we could just be going down the rabbit hole. What that means is going to music school might be a nice little place to wait out our economic woes and graduate in a few years at the perfect time to start your career in music.

Take Your Skills To The Next Level

Have you taken a true inventory of your skills as a musician? Here are some good things to ask yourself. Can I read music? Can I jam with anyone in almost any style? How are my improv skills? Composition? If you are a little shaky on any of these, it might mean you have some room for improvement, which music school can help with.

There Are Great Career Opportunities

Unlike a lot of other careers, musicians actually have some pretty nice offerings waiting them after graduation. A school like LAMA will have a full-time career staff on hand to field job postings and make sure you have a good shot at landing a paying gig. The same can certainly not be said for graduating law students!

It Can Be More Affordable Than Other Educational Offerings

Speaking of law school — you might be surprised how much more affordable music school can be compared to the other degrees. Schools like LAMA have many scholarship opportunities too. LAMA also has staff on hand to deal with financial aid.

Do What You Love

More than almost any other area of study, there is something about music that brings out wondrous and joyous feelings in all who hear it. From performance, to composition, to practice, there is a pleasure with music that is so often missing when you are in a more traditional school setting. Many people who worked in the corporate world return to their passion and art by rediscovering it as an adult in music school. If someone said you could do what you love as a career, would you?

These are just a few of the reasons why adults might want to investigate going back to music school. There are about a million other equally good ones. If you are curious, make sure you do your due diligence in selecting the right music school for you. A tour of the school or an open house is always a good start.

-LAMA Staff

Succeed in the Music Industry

Do you agree with this graph? Experts released data showing the newest profile for a musician who wants to succeed in the music industry. Of course, they left off “being a LAMA grad” which is right up there with Genius and musically gifted 🙂 But you are going to need a lot more than being Mac owner to get into LAMA!

–LAMA Staff

Music Codewords

 

Can you use your musical powers to decode this note (source unknown)?

-LAMA Staff

LAMA Knowledge is Power!

LAMA students are familiar with piles like this one from Caylon Travis who says “one and a half years of school at LAMA”. But what you really get from LAMA is a lifetime of material from which to work. It’s up to you to put it to use once you’ve graduated. Also, network with your fellow classmates and teachers and never give up! Congrats again to all our recent grads:

-LAMA Staff