Get Your Summer Music Learning On!

Warm weather, trips to the beach, hiking outdoors… While summer is a the time for all those things, it’s a great opportunity to polish your musical chops. Prestigious music schools and colleges often offer summer music programs and camps that are open to musicians of all ages and skill levels. Music schools also have more advanced programs for experienced musicians. For the beginner it can be a great way to mingle with music royalty — while at the same time, you’ll get a taste of what day to day life is like at a music college. For the experienced student, a Summer music program can keep you fresh! Nothing would be worse than forgetting what you learned because of too much fun in the sun!

At LA Music Academy’s Summer Program, students write an original song, play in Ensemble Workshops, record, see their instructors performing daily, and much more. As with all programs at the Academy, the small, friendly environment and personal attention combined with daily playing/singing gives the student the most focused style-specific musical training possible in one week. LAMA is currently taking admission submissions now so what are you waiting for? Sign up here .

Guitarists and bassists must possess basic tablature reading skills. Placement evaluations will be held after orientation on the first day. Most students are teens and adults, but children as young as 9 are welcome.

Look for the info about summer music camps on music college websites, like LA Music Academy’s Third Annual Drummers Reality Camp. You may remember the DRC camp from the first two years, which featured some of the top drummers in the world. Taking place June 27th-30th, 2012 #DRC is brought to you by Drum Channel, Guitar Center, and LA Music Academy College of Music. Here you’ll have a chance to hang with and learn from the best drummers on the planet! The 2012 lineup includes Neil Peart, Doane Perry, Jim Keltner, Gil Sharone, Marco Minneman, Ralph Humphrey, Joe Porcaro, Tony Inzalaco, Gary Ferguson, and Uli Frost!

Just because admission requirements for the camp are open to more people doesn’t mean experienced musicians shouldn’t take part as well. In fact some of LAMA’s best students will be sitting front row – who wouldn’t want to hear awesome stories and insight from Rush’s Neil Peart?! For more info on DRC visit the official website. We’ll see you in June!

SO! Don’t fall prey to the summer slack off that some musicians do. You don’t have to ditch the beach and relaxation, but keep sharp and sign up for a summer music experience of some kind!

-LAMA Staff

Drum! Magazine Offers Audio/Video Rudiment Lessons

Need to polish up on rudiments? Well, drummers, Drum! Magazine has released a series of free online audio/video demos of 40 essential rudiments. Check them out here: http://www.drummagazine.com/lessons

Thanks Drum! Magazine!

-LAMA Staff

Drum! Night in Nor-Cal

After hosting an incredible Drummer’s Reality Camp last month, we here at LA Music Academy have been going through some serious “legendary drummers withdrawal.” We were spoiled by the likes of Terry Bozzio, Thomas Pridgen, Gil Sharone, Ralph Humphrey and Alex Acuna to name a few. We are already counting down the days until next year’s DRC (not yet seen the photos? Check ’em out HERE).

Anyone looking to solve that drummer withdrawal should seek out Drum! Night 2011 in San Jose. This year’s event features the Santana rhythm section of Raul Rekow and Karl Perazzo, Thomas Lang, and Terry Bozzio. Plus drummers who show up early can have a free technique tune-up with music editor Wally Schnalle, witness music demos, test new drum gear, and get in on a special autograph signing session with some special guest superstars. The editors of Drum! Magazine will also be giving out a special award to a local drummer.

Tickets are available on-line with Premium Seating costing $25 and general seating costing $20. Just seeing Terry Bozzio’s monster drum kit is worth that price! If you couldn’t tell, LAMA supports and encourages going out and socializing in the music community. Sometimes the best education is watching and learning from the pros. If you are able to make it please post a pic on our Facebook page and let us know what you learned. For more info and to purchase tickets please visit – http://www.drummagazine.com/drumnight.

-LAMA Staff

Drummer’s Reality Camp Starts June 29!

JR Robinson guides a student from DRC 2010 to max-groove-potential

Second Annual Drummer’s Reality Camp starts tomorrow at LA Music Academy College of Music. You can follow @LAmusicacademy on Twitter for daily updates and photos from camp! Spots still available — sign up for the whole week or for individual days here: http://bit.ly/fGEpk8. The school is really excited to be hosting this in conjunction with DrumChannel.com — give them a visit if you haven’t checked out the site. Remember, everyone who signs up this year gets a free DrumChannel.com subscription for one year! Check out this awesome schedule of events:

WEDNESDAY JUNE 29TH

10-11:15am – Playing Techniques w/ Ralph Humphrey

11:30am-1pm – Ensemble Workshop w/ Ralph Humphrey

1-2pm – Lunch Break

2-3:15pm – Thomas Pridgen Clinic

3:30-5pm – Gil Sharone Clinic

5-7pm Dinner Break & Private Lessons

7-9pm Roundtable (featuring Jim Keltner, Matt Chamberlain & special guests)

THURSDAY JUNE 30TH

10-11:15am – Jazz Drums Lecture w/ Joe Porcaro & Tony Inzalaco

11:30am-1pm – Jazz Ensemble Workshop w/ Joe Porcaro & Tony Inzalaco

2-6pm – Tour of DW & Drum Channel & Terry Bozzio Show/Clinic (Transportation NOT provided)

FRIDAY JULY 1ST

10-11:15am – Latin Drums Lecture

11:30am-1pm – Latin Ensemble Workshop

1-2pm – Lunch Break

2-3:15pm – Danny Seraphine Clinic

3:30-5pm – Alex Acuna Clinic

5-7pm – Dinner Break & Private Lessons

7-9pm – Alex Acuna Concert

SATURDAY JULY 2ND

10-11:15am Rock Drums Lecture

11:30am-1pm – Rock Ensemble Workshop

1-2pm – Lunch Break

2-3:15pm – Cobus Potgieter Clinic

3:30-5pm – Kenny Aronoff Clinic

5-7pm – Dinner Break & Private Lessons

7-9 Kenny Aronoff w/ special guests

Here is a sampling of YouTube videos from some of our guest artists this week:

RALPH HUMPHREY

THOMAS PRIDGEN

GIL SHARONE

KENNY ARONOFF

COBUS POTGEITER

-LAMA Staff

David Letterman’s Drum Solo Week

Via cbs.seenon.com

Do drummers fancy the Late Show with David Letterman? Probably to watch Anton Fig right? Well, percussionists of the world, mark your iCals starting June 6th — as reported by TVline.com, Letterman is dedicating next week’s episodes to some of the industry’s top drummers. Monday kicks off with Late Show’s own Anton Fig. Sheila E follows Tuesday, along with Roy Haynes Wednesday. The week is capped off with Rush’s drumming legend Neil Peart. We already think they need to do Drum Solo Month. There are just too many great drummers out there!

-LAMA Staff

Drummers, Let Ralph Humphrey School You

Ralph Humphrey discusses his drum department at Los Angeles Music Academy College of Music:

-LAMA Staff