CARLOS LOPEZ-REAL

So so important, but so lacking in most educational contexts!
Very important for all instrumentalists, singers and composers.

General topics include:
Developing a strong internal 'clock' and pulse.
Balanced time-keeping.
Good sight-reading of rhythms.
Playing in different time-signatures.
Syncopation.
Swing versus Straight.
Cross-rhythms.
Creating rhythmic interest in improvising / composing.

Advanced topics:
Odd-time signature improvising.
Polyrhythms.
Metric Modulation.
Groupings.

Available to dedicated composers or to other instrumentalists wanting to learn some compositional techniques.

Melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, structural and textural approaches to composing are all taught, together with arranging / orchestration and how to get the best out of whatever ensemble you're composing for.

Note to classical composers: This is ideal if you want to extend your compositional palate to techniques and approaches not traditionally taught on compositional course. We won't, however, be covering traditional structures (sonata form etc), as these are adequately covered already by many other teachers.

Absolutely crucial for learning how to improvise, but also extremely useful for all playing.

I will enable you to make a very strong connection between what you play and what you hear, so that the instrument becomes 'at one' with you.

We will explore harmony in depth, from basic triads through to complex structures, from simple chord progressions through to extended contemporary sequences. You will gain a complete knowledge of functional and modal harmony.

Additional explorations of intervallic and chromatic harmony available for advanced students.

Learning how to improvise fluently is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have - it's such fun!!

I teach you to improvise through 2 basic approaches:

1. Transcription: We study the improvised solos of the masters of the art, absorbing their language, incorporating it into our solos and learning how to vary it.

2. Building Blocks: Learning the 'ABC' or 'nuts and bolts' of the music, ie the chords, scales, rhythms etc, and learning how to create coherent phrases out of these basic building blocks.

If you're a beginner you can be sure that I will give you a start that is second to none. You won't develop any bad habits that can take years to undo later.

If you're an intermediate student I'll give your technique a complete overhaul to make sure you're playing to the very best of your ability.

If you're an advanced student or already playing professionally I'll help you achieve your goals and to get to the next level. We'll study extended techniques in depth and focus on developing a truly personal and unique saxophone sound.