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 Nate Beck, 08 School of Rock Graduate, playing at Dragonfly in Hollywood CA What happens when kids graduate from School of Rock and want to pursue a career as a professional musician?
That partly depends on the support they have from their parents. And that’s tough on parents. On the one hand you want to encourage your child to pursue his or her dream. On the other hand you know how tough it is to pay rent, buy food, keep a car running and, hopefully be able to afford health insurance. And musicians aren’t exactly the highest paid people in the world – at least not MOST of them.
Some of us try to have it both ways by encouraging our kids to continue their education by either attending a music-specific school like McNally Smith, IPR or Musicians Institute or by attending a traditional four year college which offers a music curriculum.
The Minnesota Schools of Rock have had several students go on to study music at the college level and what they are reporting back is that what they are being taught in their first year at college they already learned at School of Rock. So their challenge is to not become disenchanted with the college; to hang in and pay attention. I remember when I was in college. I had this problem with Spanish. I had taken 12 years of Spanish and I was minoring in it in college. I was so bored in the freshman classes that I zoned out. Unfortunately by the time I zoned back in I was lost. I still got the minor, but it was a heck of a lot harder than it should have been…or had to be if I had just paid attention during what I could have considered a “refresher period.”
The graduates who are out gigging are getting a hard lesson in the life of a musician. They’re used to someone else booking the venue (School of Rock staff) and someone else bringing in the crowds (usually Moms and Dads.) No matter how much we drill it into students’ heads that they need to get out and sell their own tickets while they’re at School of Rock so they know how to do it when they have their own band – most of them don’t do it. And that results in having a hard time getting a venue to play and a harder time selling tickets because the pressure is on now.
Young musicians want to believe that you can play music for the “love of it” and get paid to do it. Many young musicians can be heard saying they aren’t going to “sell out to the man.” Sadly they must acknowledge that without money a club can’t operate and without a club the bands have nowhere to play.
I still haven’t figured out how to teach them the difference between “selling out” and the entrepreneurial endeavor they are about to embark on. Maybe that’s a lesson that can only be learned over time?
Please share your thoughts on your child considering a career as a musician.
Buying any musical instrument for a beginner can be a daunting task for parents. Do you spend a lot of money to be sure they have the best? Or do you get the cheapest in case they don’t stick with it? In some instances, it doesn’t matter. But with others, it matters a lot.
 Drum Student at School of Rock Music Buying a drum set for a beginner is one of those times it matters the most. Several professional rock music drummers share their recommendations for buying the first drum set for a young rocker.They all agreed that one of the most important considerations is the “throne,” which is what a drum chair is called. Parents frequently overlook the throne, thinking it’s just something to sit on.
While a drummer does sit on it, given how the body moves while drumming, it’s critical that the right throne be purchased for your child. It must be a sturdy, well-balanced seat to help your child play better and to prevent injuries. The throne is the only part of the entire kit that is used ALL THE TIME. When shopping for the throne, find a sturdy seat that is easy to move up and down. This will likely be harder to find for a beginner than you may think. Many beginner thrones are a pain in the … butt…to move up and down, so people end up just leaving them at one height, which can be uncomfortable and non-ergonomic and lead to back injuries and poor playing posture.You can’t make a final decision on the throne until you pair it with the drum kit.
So which sets should you consider? While our professional rock drummers didn’t agree on brands or set ups, they did all agree that it’s best to forego any set that is marketed as a “beginner set.” They just don’t last long enough to be worth the investment. For a little bit more you’re better off buying a mid-level set up. The sound created by a beginner set doesn’t sound like “real drums” and kids often mistake that for their own playing deficiency. When you invest in the mid-level set you’ll get a truer sound, a more durable set which will last longer and perform better. All of the top name brands have a mid-level set. Consider DW, Gretsch, Yamaha, Pearl, Tama, Mapex or Ludwig and you won’t go wrong. For a mid-level, five-piece kit with no cymbals, you’re looking at $700 – $1,000.
All of these brands will deliver on quality wood, good construction, etc. so it often comes down to look and the image your rocker wants to project about himself or herself. However, there are a few things to check on whichever set you settle on. Check the hardware carefully to make sure it is sturdy. Look at the stands. Are they double-braced? How’s the bass drum pedal? If it feels flimsy, move on to your next choice. Are there boom arms on the cymbal stands for better cymbal placement?
Speaking of cymbals, a beginner should start out with a hi hat, a crash and a ride. These can be bought in packs. They’ll probably want more but this is all they need to get started. The brands the professionals recommended were Zildjian ZBT Rock pack; Sabian B8 Rock pack, and Paiste PST rock pack. It’s just personal preference.
Finally, your young rocker will need drum heads. Remo is the best known and most widely used brand. They are the standard for pros and beginners alike because they are known to last longer than other brands.With this information in hand, you’re armed to go shopping for your child’s first drum set. You may be inclined to go to a Best Buy or Guitar Center because they are big brands. Or your neighborhood specialty shop. You’ll likely have better luck at a shop in between those extremes; a mom and pop local shop. Your Sam Ash or Guitar Center is going to have the cheapest sets both cost-wise and quality. Your specialty shop may have a mid-level set or two, but the selection won’t be too vast. If you don’t have a mom and pop music shop in your town then go to the specialty store and tell them you want a mid-level set.
If they don’t have one on hand they may be willing to bring one in for you to check out. If you must go to Guitar Center or Sam Ash, inspect the drum set very well. Their products are primarily machine manufactured so the sound can be very different even between two of the same brand and model.Unless you have someone with you who really knows their drum sets, stay away from CraigsList or individual sellers.On your way out the door, be sure to pick up a few 5B drum sticks. There’s an entire selection of drum sticks for all different styles of playing and types of music but most beginners begin with 5Bs.
When music students ask how to prepare for a show I always tell them the same things, practice your material right before you go to bed and get plenty of sleep. When a vocal student asks the same question the list gets a little bit longer. For those who have not studied the voice as an instrument it may come as a shock how careful one must be with it.
Mark Erwin, professional singer, graduate of the Institute of Production and Recording and currently Manager of the St. Paul, MN branch of the Paul Green School of Rock Music in St. Paul, shared these tips for vocalists who want to front for a rock band.
One of the most important things to remember is that we don’t ever want to over stress our instrument. We all know that the fastest way to lose our voice is to yell or scream- as we often do when we go see our rock heroes. There is a time to be a fan and there is a time to be a vocalist. The day before your show is not the time to be a screaming fan!
But there are many less obvious ways to strain your instrument that vocalists need to remember. When we get a tickle or feel phlegm in our throat our first thought is to clear it. The classic “eh hem” is one of the most damaging things you can do to your voice and yet it is the most common reaction. Instead, vocalists should drink water and swallow a couple of times to clear the irritation. Another common misconception is that we should protect our voice by whispering. Did you know that our vocal chords work twice as hard when we whisper? This brings me to my last point on common ways we strain our voice without knowing it- voice placement. Many of us speak in a vocal range far lower than we are meant to, causing continual strain on our vocal chords. Yawn out loud for a moment. Notice how high your voice is. Well my friend- that is your natural vocal range!
There are also certain foods and beverages that should not be consumed the day of a show. Though you may not think you have any food allergies, it is very common to have an extremely mild allergy to dairy products, wheat products and nuts. Your body’s natural reaction to the allergen is to create phlegm in the throat. Not only can phlegm alter the tone of your voice, it will make you want to clear it- bringing us back to my earlier point. Vocalists also want to stay away from food and beverage products that contain caffeine or high levels of acidity. Both caffeine and citric acid will dry out your vocal chords, again causing unneeded strain on your instrument. In addition, products with a high level of acidity like fruits and some vegetables can cause acid reflux- which in some cases may result in the loss of your voice all together.
Being aware of your voice and the things that can damage it are the first step. We may not have to plug into a tuner, change broken strings, or cart around heavy kick drums, but we do have an instrument to care for. For more insight in becoming a rock singer, visit a School of Rock Music near you.
If you’ve never bought a guitar before you may be a bit overwhelmed by all the choices, the options and the price points. Before you go shopping for your child’s first guitar, here’s some advice from a musician’s mom and music school owner on what to look for.
Most guitarists have a brand preference and the two most purchased brands are Fender and Gibson. If your son or daughter has been researching guitars they are most likely looking at the Fender Strat or the Gibson Les Paul. Both are fabulous guitars but you don’t need to spend that much money to get started. I would, however, encourage you to buy a brand carried in authentic music stores like Guitar Center. I’d suggest you plan to spend $400-$500 on your first guitar. You can certainly get them cheaper but cheaper guitars tend to fall out tune more frequently and they just don’t give you a true sound. If I were buying a first guitar for someone today I personally would select between Epiphone Les Paul 100, Fender Standard Telecaster Ash or the Gibson Melody Maker. Price and brand seem to be the most obvious considerations but here are a couple other features to factor in your selection.
1. Guitars come in many shapes and a lot of kids think the odd shaped guitars are cool. The challenge with the odd shapes is that it is difficult to rest the guitar on your leg while you’re sitting down so you have to always stand up to play.
2. The thickness of the neck of the guitar is also important. Every guitar is different so be sure your rocker can reach around the neck to easily finger EVERY string.
Now you have the guitar figured out, you need to select an amp. There are two types of amp. Tube amp and Solid State. Big time rockers use tube amps but they also have techs that travel with them. You do not want to buy your beginner guitarist a tube amp. They are high maintenance, finicky and expensive.
You want to go with a solid state amp with about 15 watts. I recommend the brand “Line 6″ and the model “Spider 3″ practice amp. It’s loud enough to practice with and has a lot of effects beginning guitarists will enjoy playing with. Now you have the guitar and the amp, but you aren’t finished shopping yet! There are six more “must haves” for your rocker.
1. You need a tuner. I recommend a Korg tuner. It’s about $20 and lasts forever.
2. You’ll also need guitar cables. Monster cables are the best. They have a lifetime guarantee so if you do get one that quits working, you just take it back to Guitar Center – or wherever you purchased it – and they replace it; no questions, no hassles.
3. You’ll need a pack of picks too. There are many shapes and thicknesses of picks. Start your rocker with .88 millimeter Dunlop picks and then let them experiment from there.
4. Straps are more difficult to select than you would imagine. You definitely want your son or daughter to try the strap on the guitar at the store. In terms of length, the top string of the guitar should be at the level of his or her belly button. It should also feel comfortable both over the shoulder and across the chest. Straps come in different materials which have different weights so be sure to get something that is comfortable. The strap is NOT just for looks.
5. The guitar will come with strings but you’ll need to buy replacement strings. When strings no longer hold their tune, it’s time to replace them. Like straps and picks, strings come in a lot of different brands and sizes. I recommend you start off with 9 gauge D’Addario strings. Anything heavier will be difficult to play until the muscles in the fingers strengthen and the finger tips toughen up.
6. Finally you need a guitar case to protect your investment. You can choose between a soft shell, a semi hard shell or a hard shell. I don’t like the soft shell because all it protects from is dust and scratches. I love the semi hard case because of its lighter weight combined with its rigidity for protection of the guitar. The most protection will come from the hard shell case but they are heavy for kids to carry.
Once you have the guitar, the next step is learning to play.
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Never to young to own a guitar!
No matter how old your child is, if they tell you they want to take beginner drum lessons there are two simple tests for you to conduct before spending hundreds of dollars on a drum set for them. One test is for you. The other is for your want-to-be-drummer. If your child doesn’t have a little bit of innate rhythm they will be very frustrated with beginner drum lessons and may give up on music all together. Conversely, just a little bit of rhythm will get them started with what could become a lifelong hobby – or even a career.
So let’s see how you, as the parent, do on your test before even discussing the child’s test. Step One For You: Get in your car, turn your radio on, tune it to your local rock music station, and turn the bass to its fullest setting and turn it up until the car begins to vibrate. If this doesn’t bother you, you will be a good drummer’s parent. If this bothers you, there is one other option you have in order to not go crazy and that is to buy a portable sound booth. If that’s not an option then you must steer your child away from beginner drum lessons or you’ll be arguing about when he can practice, where he can practice and your nerves will be on edge.
If you passed Step One, let’s move on to Step Two: Answer this question honestly. Do you have enough room in your home to accommodate the drum set, a guitar amp, a bass amp and at least three people?
If you said “yes” to Step Two, let’s move on to Step Three. Would you be willing to have a band come and practice at your house every week? Would you be willing to have a band practice at your house several times a week? If you have a child who is only 8 or 9 years old you may not think this would be a big deal. But remember, if your child stays with the drum lessons, he or she will become a 14 year old, then a 15 year old and the band members will also be teenagers. Band rehearsal is always at the drummer’s house because the drum set is too cumbersome to haul. The guitarist and bass player only have their guitars, amps and perhaps a couple of pedals. (That’s why we covered Steps Two and Three.)
Did you pass Step Three? Let’s move on to the final step, Step Four. Is your house one of those homes where every kids helps themselves to the sodas in the fridge or the snacks in the cupboard or do you expect your children’s friends to wait until they are offered a refreshment? This isn’t like baseball where the moms take turns bringing snacks. The other band moms don’t even know their kids are helping themselves at your house. But your child is most likely telling the others it’s OK.
If you’re still onboard, then you’re the perfect drummer’s mom or dad.
Now let’s see if Junior has the very basic rhythm needed to get started with beginner drum lessons. The drums are the most difficult instrument to learn. Unlike guitar or keyboard or a wind instrument, drums require the ability to simultaneously do something different with each hand and each foot. This is what causes beginner drum lessons to be incredibly frustrating to some kids.
Remember when we were kids and we tried to rub our head with one hand and pat our stomach with the other? That’s how you’re going to test your child to see if beginner drums lessons are worth exploring. Have your child sit on a chair with her feet on the floor and rub her head with her left hand and pat her stomach with her right hand. While doing that count out loud, “1 -2 -3 – 4, 1 -2 -3 – 4″ at varying tempos and ask her to tap her left foot on the odd numbers and right foot on the even numbers. Partway through ask her to switch her feet to tapping the left on “1 – 2″ and the right on “3-4.” Then, while continuing to tap her feet, have her switch her hands so the left hand is patting her stomach and her right hand is rubbing her head without missing a beat. Finally go back to switching feet to the left tapping on odd numbers and the right tapping on even numbers and change the hand motions so that the left hand is now rubbing her stomach and the right hand is now patting her head.
How’d she do? If this was very difficult or she got very frustrated at an inability to do it, forget beginner drum lessons and suggest she play a bass or keyboards. If she laughed at how easy this was or if she wanted to keep trying it so that she could accomplish it, head straight to the music store and get a starter drum kit and sign her up for those beginner drum lessons.
First it was Trocaderos. Closed without notice. Last night there was a posting on Twitter that the 400 Bar is closed. Now I’m reading the Pioneer Press and it says that Denny Hecker – you know the car guy with $767 million in DEBT, has connections to The Myth.
It’s complex but according to the Pioneer Press, Hecker owns a company called Myth Financial. In 2007 Myth Financial loaned the Myth Nightclub’s owner $250,000. He, the Myth Nightclub owner, used a house he owns in Scottsdale Arizona as collateral. Coincidentally Hecker also sold him that house. The Pioneer Press article reports that since the loan the owner of the Myth Nightclub has borrowed money elsewhere to pay off the Hecker loan.
Let’s hope so!
The Twin Cities is a great music community – even in a time when the national music community is trying to reinvent itself. We need to support our music venues to keep the vibe alive – especially during a tough economic time! The last thing we need is for The Myth Nightclub to get tangled up in Hecker’s bankruptcy proceedings.
Taste of MN is going on this weekend, with great rock music acts. I’ll be there tonight.
How about the all ages School of Rock All Star Tour which will be in St. Paul July 19 at O’Gara’s Garage?
LIL WYTE is headlining at The Rock on August 1st. (18+ show).
This year marks the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock and there are at least two Tribute Concerts that I know of. Plan to attend one of them…or both.
August 13 at the Harriett Band Shell
http://butchrbaker.com/Upcoming_Events.html
August 15 at Minnehaha Park Band Shell
http://www.woodstockrerocked.com
Get out at least a couple times a month and Keep The Vibe Alive – Support Your Local Music Venues
 Dragonfly Nighclub, Hollywood CA I remember his first words. I remember his first day of school. I remember his first car – and his first ticket!
I remember his first love and his first heartbreak.
I remember his piano recital at 7, the school marching band at 14 and the All Star Tour at 17; all musical “firsts.” And now I’m going to experience another musical first for him. A first he’s dreamed of for years.
My son…my baby…is performing his first professional gig as a musician. You know, the kind where they actually get paid money at the end of the night. How much money? He doesn’t know. He didn’t think to ask when he was called to play with this new band. I’m told real musicians play for the love of the music, not the money. Guess this is evidence that my son is a real musician!
When he moved to Los Angeles nine months ago I figured he’d meet people his own age, form a band, play in small, obscure clubs in small obscure towns in Southern California as he developed a fan base. Towns we in Minnesota never heard of. Nope. Not my son. He’s never been one to do things the conventional way so why start now.
My son is making his debut professional performance in Hollywood! He’s not on the Sunset Strip – YET – but he’s not far away. Like one block over and a couple miles down.
Santa Monica Blvd. Hollywood CA. Dragonfly Nightclub.
Monday June 15 2009 11pm
Here’s the write up on the Dragonfly.
Dragonfly is a 21 and over nightclub in Hollywood, California. For the last 13 years, Dragonfly has been at the forefront of live entertainment and dancing, bringing such acts as The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stone Temple Pilots, Sublime, L7, Rage Against the Machine, Alanis Morissette, Social Distortion, Porno for Pyros, No Doubt and many many other acts, as well as a constant open door for new artists. Our weekly promotions range from live bands to dancing and everything in between.
I flew to L.A. yesterday so that I could get a full day’s work in today (albeit remote) before watching my son in his first professional performance. Over lunch I drove by the club – just to be sure I could find it. Good thing. There’s no sign on the building! It’s an L.A. thing. Businesses don’t put their name on the building. You have to know where they are!
Now I know where I’m going. My work is finished. So excuse me while I get ready for the GREATEST concert of my life…. So far.
I’m all about places and ways parents and kids can enjoy each other through music. And Rock Music is my genre of choice.
This year’s Taste of Minnesota appears to be a classic rocker’s dream! Judas Priest. Adler’s Appetite. Brett Michaels. White Snake. Of course there’s more. But these are the ones that caught my eye.
Another great aspect of Taste of Minnesota this year is that they are charging an admission fee. Yep. New ownership has brought new rules. But before you get bent out of shape this new rule will only keep out the folks that have, in recent years, brought a negative influence to Taste of Minnesota. Here’s how it’ll work this year. You pay $10 to get in and you get a voucher for $10 to be used for food or beverage.
I haven’t been to Taste of Minnesota since ‘07, yet I’d been there every year prior. But in ‘07 my son (then 17) and I went to see Alice Cooper. The guy standing in front of us raised his arms. His shirt pulled up and stuffed into his pants we saw a tire iron. Neither my son nor I wanted to hang around to see what might happen next. So though we were disappointed not to see Alice Cooper, it wasn’t worth hanging around to see what this guy in front of us had in mind.
It was that memory that kept both my son and me away from Taste of Minnesota ‘08. It’s sad that you can’t have a free festival that everyone can enjoy. But that seemed to be the case.
Enter new owners of Taste of Minnesota and a new approach to crowd control. Not only that but they are offering reserved areas for watching the concerts for people who want to pay for it while still offering the concerts free for anyone who doesn’t want to pay. The best of both worlds? I think so!
I’ll be back at Taste of Minnesota this year. My son will be home on summer break from college and my cousin’s 17 year old daughter will be visiting from England. The three of us will be on hand for Judas Priest for sure. My son will miss Adler’s Appetite because he has to get back to college but my cousin’s daughter and I might even go back for Adler’s Appetite – depending on how it goes the night of Judas Priest.
Not sure whether we’ll dig into the pockets for the Gold Circle Seating ( a bit pricey at $50 each) but we will definitely be back at Taste of Minnesota.
If you’ve stayed away in recent years, check out their new website and see if you don’t agree that the changes being made make it worth going again this year.
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The Mayor of St. Paul has sent his Cultural STAR funding recommendations to the City Council, and the news is not good. The Mayor’s recommendation includes $178,000 in funding for the St. Paul Public Library, achieved by cutting all STAR Board-recommended programs by 16%.
The City Council will act on this proposal at their next meeting, Wednesday, May 27.
Rather than reduce the budget to that supports the Childrens Museum, Stepping Stone Theatre, The Landmark Center, MPR, Music In The Park Series (see the entire list at http://www.stpaulculture.com/) in order to INCREASE the budget to the library, If all Board-recommended projects were trimmed by 10%, and the Library received 90% of its last-year grant of $145,000, the total dollars in this round would be roughly the same as they Mayor’s recommendation, or slightly less. We believe that this is a much more equitable solution than cutting recommended projects by 16%, and giving the Library an increase of 23%. If the Library is to be funded by Cultural STAR at all, we believe that the Library should at the very least be treated on a somewhat equal footing with the other STAR grantees.
Please contact the Mayor and your Council member with the following message:
“As a patron of the Saint Paul Arts & Culture community, thank you for recognizing the importance of the Cultural STAR program to all of Saint Paul. As you make final decisions on Cultural STAR funding this round, we understand that funding for the Library will be inserted, and that recommended project funding will be cut. To equalize the impact of these cuts, please consider funding STAR Board-recommended projects at 90% of the recommended amount, and funding the Library’s project at 90% of last year’s grant.“
When you make your calls/emails, please be sure to thank them for their support, and their willingness to make impossible decisions in these tough times. Help them to understand that this is a question of fairness and equal treatment for all St. Paul Arts & Culture organizations–the Library included.
Thank you for your support,
Ross Willits ACP Public Affairs Committee Chair & Rock Mamma
Mayor Chris Coleman-public comment phone: 651-266-8989–Very Receptive to our message. Thank him for his support Contact form is online: http://www.ci.stpaul.mn.us/index.asp?NID=309
Saint Paul City Council
Melvin Carter III, Councilmember (Ward 1) Acooa Lee, Legislative Aide Ph: (651) 266-8610 Fx: (651) 266-8574 ward1@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Dave Thune, Councilmember (Ward 2)
Pat Lindgren, Legislative Aide
Ph: (651) 266-8620 Fx: (651) 266-8574 ward2@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Pat Harris, Councilmember (Ward 3)
Dennis Rosemark, Legislative Aide
Ph: (651) 266-8630 Fx: (651) 266-8574 ward3@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Russ Stark, Councilmember (Ward 4) Samantha Henningson, Legislative Aide Ph: (651) 266-8640 Fx: (651) 266-8574 ward4@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Lee Helgen, Councilmember (Ward 5) Jennifer Dunn, Legislative Aide Ph: (651) 266-8650 Fx: (651) 266-8574 ward5@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Dan Bostrom, Councilmember (Ward 6) Scott Renstrom, Legislative Aide Ph: (651) 266-8660 Fx: (651) 266-8574 ward6@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Kathy Lantry, Council President (Ward 7)
Ellen Biales, Legislative Aide Ph: (651) 266-8670 Fx: (651) 266-8574 ward7@ci.stpaul.mn.us
I stumbled upon this poem over a decade ago. I printed it off and put it in a 3 ½ x 3 ½ acrylic frame which sits beside my computer monitor. I have read this poem every workday for the past 12 years. I love it. It reminds me of what my real job is.
When Corporate America is trying to figure out how to squeeze out another dollar of profit, or just stay afloat. When School of Rock is trying to figure out how to grow the scholarship fund so we don’t have to ever turn a student away because their parents were laid off by Corporate America’s infatuation with profit more than people.
But most importantly, when my son calls me from 1500 miles away to share his victories – and defeats-I read again; Mothers’ Challenge.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Mothers’ Challenge
Mothers must draw a subtle line,
Finer than any thread is fine,
Must firmly hold but never clutch,
Must freely give, but not too much.
Mothers must stand apart, but not too far,
Must heal the wound, but bless the scar.
And falsely speaking, truly tell
And guarding, never guard too well,
And hearing, fail to overhear,
And fearing all things, have no fear,
And loving, love each child the best…
Yet no child better than the rest!
Author Unknown
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