Blues music is unique in that it blends the structure of classical harmony with the expressive, raw tonality of altered melodic scales. Unlike traditional major or minor scales—where the harmony is built directly from the notes of the scale—the blues melody often includes variable third, sixth, and seventh degrees that bend between major and minor. […]
Meet Our Music Together Teachers
Meet Our Music Together TeachersBy Sarah Boyd, Director – Music Together of Grosse Pointe At Grosse Pointe Music Academy, we are proud to offer the internationally recognized Music Together® program led by highly qualified and passionate instructors. All of our teachers undergo comprehensive Music Together training and bring with them a wealth of musical experience, […]
The Value of a Great Music Teacher
When you sign up for music lessons at Grosse Pointe Music Academy, you’ll receive more than just quality information—you’ll gain access to dedicated educators with formal university training in music. Our instructors are not only knowledgeable, but committed to providing the most accurate and up-to-date instruction available. However, while information is important, it’s not the […]
Meet our Music Together Director!
It seems kind of funny to write a blog about myself, but I hope to share my passion and commitment to the Music Together program through what I write. I can remember making music as early as 3 years old, practicing my Suzuki violin lessons while my mom accompanied me on piano. Making music was […]
A MUSICAL CHEST OF DRAWERS
As a teacher myself, I relish those opportunities to talk with parents about what they see to be happening musically in their children. I have a fantastic class where most of the families have been attending the program since we began, for 5 consecutive semesters now. The growth I’ve seen in those continuing children and […]
What’s the buzz?
A guitar can buzz or rattle for many reasons. A large number of repairs that come into my shop are due to complaints of buzzing or rattling when the instrument is played. When these kinds of complaints arise, I like to have the musician play for me and show me what they are hearing themselves […]
MUSIC TOGETHER WELCOMES YOU!
Happy New Year from Grosse Pointe Music Academy!By Sarah Boyd, Director of Music Together As we welcome 2012, I’m thrilled to share that the Music Together program at Grosse Pointe Music Academy is continuing to grow and thrive! In 2011, we expanded from just one class a week in 2010 to seven weekly classes. Last […]
Understanding Intervals on Guitar
It’s common for beginning guitar players to start with a basic chord chart, focusing on essential open-position chords that span 4, 5, or 6 strings. While this is a great entry point into playing, what’s often overlooked is the study of intervals—specifically simple melodic intervals on a single string and harmonic intervals on two adjacent […]
Happy New Year 2012
As we welcome 2012, many of us are taking this opportunity to reflect and reset. The new year often brings a fresh sense of purpose—whether it’s spending more time with family, improving health, reducing stress, or pursuing personal passions. One resolution we frequently hear is the desire to learn a musical instrument or to dedicate […]
Drummers: The Unsung Athletes of the Music World
Drummers: The Unsung Athletes of the Music WorldBy Grosse Pointe Music Academy Staff It’s easy to associate rock musicians with the late nights and high-energy shows, but few people realize the extraordinary physical demands placed on drummers in particular. A recent long-term study has shown that professional drummers operate at fitness levels comparable to elite […]
Matt Watroba and Robert Jones Performing in Grosse Pointe
Modern Folk and Acoustic Blues Concert at Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church The Outreach Committee of Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church is proud to host an evening of modern folk and acoustic blues featuring Matt Watroba and Robert Jones on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 16th at 7:00 PM. The church’s chapel offers an ideal setting […]
Ukulele Christmas
Guitar Players, Piano Players, Violin players, and all instrumentalists have enjoyed picking up the Ukulele and learning to strum simple chord accompaniments. Relatively speaking, Ukulele is an easy instrument with only 4 strings. Everybody thinks that the ukulele came from Hawaii. Well, while it’s true that the word ukulele is a Hawaiian word (it means, […]
The Victory Song of the Detroit Lions
By Henry Bahrou – Guitarist, Music Theorist, Music Academy Director When the Detroit Lions take the field and fans rise to their feet, one tradition remains a staple of the game-day experience: the rousing sound of their team anthem. Sung with pride and enthusiasm, team fight songs like this have long played a role in […]
What should I do about poor rhythm?
By Henry Bahrou – Guitarist, Music Theorist, Music Academy Director The key to understanding rhythm—especially for beginning musicians—is surprisingly simple: slow down. It’s one of the most overlooked but essential principles of learning music. Yet, time and again, students become frustrated, discouraged, or even give up altogether because they try to play too fast, too […]
Music Together Demo Classes in Canton
Grosse Pointe Music Academy in Canton Township is offering free early childhood music demo classes for families with young children. The upcoming sessions will be held on: These free demo classes are designed for children from birth through age five, along with their parents or caregivers. This is a great opportunity to experience the benefits […]
Musical Intervals and their names
Musical intervals can be thought of like basic measurements we learn early in life—such as inches, feet, or yards. In music, intervals refer to the space or distance between two notes. Just as we measure physical distance, musicians measure pitch distance with intervals. In the most fundamental sense, an interval is the distance between two […]
Gift Certificates for Music Lessons
Give the Gift of Music This Holiday Season Music lessons make a thoughtful and lasting gift for anyone with even a spark of musical interest. It’s common to hear people say things like, “I’ve always wanted to learn guitar,” or “I wish I had time to play piano.” The truth is, most people can make […]
The Beatles Complete Chord Songbook
If you’re a guitarist and a Beatles enthusiast, The Beatles Complete Chord Songbook is an indispensable addition to your collection. This comprehensive compilation features chord symbols, guitar chord boxes, and complete lyrics for 194 songs written and performed by The Beatles, all transcribed in their original keys. It’s tailored for strumming guitarists, making it ideal […]
How to write creative music
Creative writing in music can begin in many different ways, depending on the musician’s background and approach. If you’re a singer—or simply someone who comes up with songs and melodies—you might find it helpful to learn guitar or piano to accompany your voice. In this case, the creative process often starts with a melody, with […]
The Theory of Jazz Music
In The Jazz Theory Book, acclaimed jazz pianist and educator Mark Levine delivers a masterclass in understanding the building blocks of jazz harmony and improvisation. Levine famously states that a great jazz solo is “1% magic and 99% stuff that is explainable, analyzable, categorizable, and doable.” This book is all about that 99%. From the […]