This article is in collaboration with JazzEdge.
Music lessons are important to many homeschool families but can be a difficult subject to add to an already busy schedule. With multiple children, just trying to get them all to their various lessons can be the reason it is left to the wayside. Finding a way to attain this experience at home is a long time request from many homeschooling families.
Enter JazzEdge.
JazzEdge was created by Berklee College of Music graduate, Willie Myette. He wanted a place to put all of his jazz education and performance ventures to make them easily accessible. It was later expanded to include piano lessons, drum lessons, and experiments in jazz, funk, Latin, rock, gospel, and blues. Lessons for homeschool families were later integrated.
Recently, members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew were given the opportunity to try out three different JazzEdge products: Easy Piano Basics, PianoWithWillie and DrumsWithWillie.
Easy Piano Basics – This program is great for any age of piano beginner. From basic reading music to understanding rhythms. Easy Piano Basics give your student everything they need to learn piano from home. Lessons are presented in streamed video and work with a computer and other electronic devices, such as tablet and smartphone, allowing easy access to lessons from anywhere on any device. For this program, students need access to a piano or keyboard.
PianoWithWillie – This program is NOT for the beginning piano player but students that would like to work on developing his or her skills, learn more about composition, or hone a style to their piano playing. There are several levels from Beginner to Advanced available in this program. This program requires access to a full piano or 61-key keyboard and is also delivered via streaming video accessible from any device.
DrumsWithWillie – This program is for all levels of drummers, from beginning to advanced. With 3 levels of lessons available, students will not only learn the basics of the drum and how to read music, but also work toward composing their own music. Rhythm, technique, improvisation and music style are just some of what is covered over the 3 levels. A basic drum set with a kick drum, snare drum, hi-hat, at least one cymbal and one pair of sticks is necessary. This is a streaming program as well, available on computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Selected members of the TOS Crew reviewed each of these three programs. You can read more about these programs in the reviews below. Be sure to connect with JazzEdge via social media:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PianoWithWillie
Twitter: http://twitter.com/PianoWithWillie
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/PianoWithWillie/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/JazzEDge
Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/jazzedge
A big thank you to Tawnee at Adventures in Homeschooling for writing this introductory post.
Without question the very best program or curriculum available for online learning.
The instructor, while an exceptional talent, has n clearly does enjoy teaching over all other aspects of his work .
Teachers tend to follow a general template for all students. Mr. Myette’s realizes n accommodates the different ways some students learn making it fun. While students n Mr. Myette often comments in the importance of making learning fun the underlying study is quite serious as will be apparent thru your improvement.
I’d recommend that you learn n practice some of the most basic theory n actual hands on music prior to enrollment. I’m speaking of learning notes n some scales n chords. It will provide you with an important step so as to take full advantage of the beginning phase quicker than someone who is completely new to music n playing. Don’t misunderstand me. Mr. Myette will help you regardless of where you begin but it would behave you to have simply entry type level information when you begin