The Method

THE ANDREW HERTZ MUSIC COLLEGE PREP METHOD

 

HOW WE WILL WORK TOGETHER

  • CONSULTATION:
    • You and your parent, guardian, etc., and I, will discuss for an hour and a half what you want to get out of THE ANDREW HERTZ MUSIC COLLEGE PREP METHOD.  What is it that you ultimately wish to pursue?  What are some college options that you’ve considered?  Where you think you are in your singing process?  (We will continue these conversations while working together).  I will ask you to bring a few songs, and perform them for me.  We can assess together the best way to proceed from there, and I will build a customized plan for your needs, that will start at that moment, and through your accepting an offer from a college.  We will be working at least once a week towards your goal.  And of course, we will also go over the fee chart.
  • FIRST PRIVATE LESSON
    • We will talk about YOU!  I am interested in what you hope to get out of my studio, and answer any questions you may have.  (I will be giving you an information form to fill out at the end of our consultation, and ask you to bring it back for this lesson.  We will be able to discuss this now).
    • We will figure out what vocal part you are.  As I had heard you sing, I will be able to have an idea of what voice part you fall in, however, I would prefer if you could bring in a song or two and sing again.  I will however already be pulling new music for you to try out.
    • On a very simple level, I will go over my five-step method of vocal coaching (see below).
    • At the end of the lesson, I will ask YOU how you felt about the lesson!
    • I will send you off with your old material and some new material, and ask you to apply my very simple 5-step method on these pieces:

MY FIVE-STEP METHOD

1. Analysis of the song: What is the song about?
2. To whom are you singing?
3. What do you want from him/her?
4. What is he/she doing that is stopping you from getting what you want?
5. What are you going to do to convince him/her, or overcome his/her prevention of getting what you want, and ultimately reach your goal?

  • WEEKLY LESSONS
    • Once we have figured out your voice part and vocal range, we have to determine your “type,” to some extent, or what songs fit your personality.  I will start with about 10 new songs for us to go over each week, and keep the ones that seem to work best, and throw away the ones that don’t.  If we have to go through a couple hundred songs, we will.  Why shouldn’t you want the perfect material?
    • Once we have finally whittled down your music book significantly, we can seriously work on each song.  Simultaneously, we will be discussing colleges, investigating music and theatre departments, faculty, opportunities, if there are specific demo requirements or not, auditions, student run groups, and the beginnings of connecting with the school.  While this may sound premature for some, I’ll reiterate that each of my students will receive a completely different experience, based on their needs.
  • RECORDING, MEDIA, DUPLICATION
    • Once we have mastered our acting and performance, we will start to work on recording.  I find that going to a recording studio is absolutely daunting, and nearly ruins everything you’ve been working on.  That is why I have the same top-of-the-line equipment in my studio, right where we have been working this whole time.  You won’t feel out of place or uncomfortable.  I am the pianist, and the sound engineer, and we go at your pace.  We can record the same thing 400 times if you want to.
    • As I am a sound editor, mixer, and will produce a final master of your recording, using the same equipment as a professional studio, AND let you work with me to do it, you don’t have to worry about how you will sound as you wait between that recording studio recording, which nearly anyone says that they “hate and sound terrible on.”  The recording that you will hear in the end, won’t be left in the hands of a random sound editor.  It will be from me.  We can still rerecord the entire demo if you are unhappy.  I promise you will be happy with your final product!
    • As we will be discussing college choices along the way, we can assess what songs we want to use (if we record 6, we will have plenty to choose from).  You will let me know how many copies you want, what media we on which we want to record (CD has almost become outdated at this point, and often causes problems in many players).  Flash drives are perhaps the way to go.   I will take care of all personalized labeling to be printed directly on the flash drive (or show you a variety of other options), and let you pick out how you want it labeled.  If you do want CDs, there are endless colors, styles, sizes, cases, and ways to order them, should that be the best option for you.  I will provide you with all necessary information about media, labeling, duplication, and pricing, so that you do not have to worry about anything but continuing to hone your craft.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, I GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL ENJOY YOURSELF WHILE LEARNING, AND DISCOVER THE LOVE THAT ONLY MUSIC AND ART CAN BRING TO YOU.

JUST SO YOU KNOW…

Throughout my years of vocal coaching, I have developed a method of vocal coaching that I believe is the most beneficial to get the greatest performance out of my students.  However, I am an educator, and without my students, even if my method were 100% foolproof, it’s simply not going to work for everyone.  Unless I adjust my teaching of the method to all of my different students, as they have different levels of sensitivity (welcome to the arts!), personalities, needs and abilities (musical or not).  I quickly figure out the best way to communicate with each individual I educate, and vice versa.  I do not have a blanket method of dealing with anyone I meet, and while we are all in this working towards the same goal, the paths of reaching that goal have to be tailored-made to each of my students, or I risk committing the single biggest crime that I inevitably find out from each of my students, generally the ones who are more timid at first: frustrating a student to the point of disliking music.

All of you self-labeled “non-singers” (who I can make singers), think back, and you will remember a person who at one point in your life said to you, “you can’t sing,” or “you are a bad singer.”  That hurts much worse than the generic insult, because it is something people seem not to forget, although they generally laugh it off.  Yet, it is an attack on your genetics.  It is an attack on putting yourself out in public to strive for the highest goals in life.  Sometimes it comes from a music teacher that says “don’t sing.”  Usually it’s a playful jab from a friend or family member.  I’ve hardly met anyone from those groups that have any musical training whatsoever, nor much to offer in the way of musical talent either.  It’s like listening to a “backseat driver” who never got his driver’s license, but still drives, and has gotten into numerous car accidents.

I WANT YOU TO MAKE MISTAKES…

Most people say they only sing in the shower.  Imagine the power it takes to go to a voice lesson.  I applaud that effort, and know, in the end, that music is to bring joy and happiness – to sooth and calm, in good times and bad times.  I will not take that luxury away from someone.  And here is where I will make a declaration that I never hear from anyone:

I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE IS SUCH A THING AS TONE DEAFNESS.

I WILL PROVE IT TO YOU IN YOUR LESSON. 

My studio is a safe zone, where I encourage mistakes, taking risks, and thinking outside-of-the-box, without any fear of reprimand.  That is the way an artist explores and finds him/herself.  Mistakes lead to growth, growth to discovery, discovery to self-worth, self-worth to happiness, happiness to love.
The love I spread is that of music.
And therein lies the joy of why I do what I do. 

SAMPLE COACHING VIDEOS COMING SOON.

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