I have taught thousands of private lessons.
I have met with students as infrequently as once a year.
I have met with students quarterly.
I have met with students once a month.
I have met with students once a week.
This traditional lesson model was designed for bygone times, and many, many musicians with great potential have been frustrated as a result of this hackneyed system!
We live in the 21st century;
an exciting time filled with new possibilities that can be facilitated by new technology.
Have you ever felt like...
....you completely understood a concept or practice method during your lesson,
but when you went home you realized you didn’t know how to incorporate what you learned into your practice sessions?
Then had to wait a week or more to meet with your teacher for the explanation, and you went home and had the same problem again?
Have you ever thought you were practicing something correctly for a week or more only to be told by your teacher that you had missed something and your progress was foiled?
Have you ever been so overwhelmed with all the material you wanted to master and work on that you ended up putting your instrument down in frustration and fear?
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Have you ever wished you could have someone to guide you through your daily practice routine?
Have you ever wished you could have daily access to your teacher?
If YOU HAVE experienced these problems
if you want to internalize concepts of jazz improvisation
if you want to master your instrument
if you want to unlock your creative potential
if you want to feel happy, joyful
and excited to play music
if you want to discover
your true musical potential
YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE!
I will be with you
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
every day
showing you what to practice
and how to practice it
with no missed days
no weeks of waiting for
questions to be answered
no doubts about your progress
no wasted hours in the practice room
We will practice together
you will have access to recordings of our sessions every day
I will check in with you regularly
I will help you
accelerate your musical growth
at a pace that will
SHOCK YOU
YOU CAN DO THIS
​
you can be a great jazz improviser
​
you can brighten your days with a command of the music you love
you can be a part of this great American art form
Let's go on this journey together!
How The Stepping Stones Program Works
The program is an online-group training, segmented into master topics, including:
Scale Practice
I’m a paragraph. Double click me or click Edit Text, it's easy.
Incorporating and Assimilating
Jazz Vocabulary
Transcription
Internalizing Chord Changes
Here's what you get:
1.
Workshops meet live in Zoom each week for 90 minutes.
2.
A private social media group where you can connect with your peers, share ideas, ask questions, and receive daily support from me and your cohort.
3.
The confidence and knowledge that will get you improvising on any song, for any occasion, at any gig!
Look Inside What I Teach
published on saxmagazine.online
I'm READY
Maybe you've thought about signing up for some lessons... but you’ve done that before and how much better did you really sound?
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Finding motivation is not a pre-requisite!
You will just do what I tell you and realize it’s working from day one!
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If you're ready to take the leap into elevating your musicianship and making great things happen, what have you got to lose?
TESTIMONIALS
Doug's teaching style and his patience with the group and with each individual have far surpassed any class or individual instruction I've ever experienced. Doug's love of jazz (listening, playing and teaching) is apparent throughout every minute of every class session. I fully believe that Doug has the knowledge, patience and ability to teach anyone willing to do the necessary work, to become a better player of jazz improvisation. Doug says it best, "TRUST THE PROCESS".
Jeff Chatelain, part-time musician
Learning jazz improvisation is not just about learning random patterns and transcribing your favorite jazz solos. Stepping Stones aims develop the whole musician. It stresses the importance of learning vocabulary (scales and licks) in the context and tradition of learning the music (tunes and solos). Doug helps you hone in to the most important aspects of learning jazz in a focused, structured and disciplined way.
Alan Tirre, Assistant Principal, Rochester City School of the Arts
If you are serious about becoming a better improviser, and are willing to put in the effort, you can't help but improve if you follow the instructions and suggestions Doug provides!
Randy Stone, retired teacher
The Zoom environment really felt like a community. There is a distinct group atmosphere from playing with other people. My practice and its outcomes have become much more consistent. This program has a friendly atmosphere and will improve your practicing and its effectiveness regardless of your level.
Sam Griffin, high school student