MORE MUSIC WORKSHOP INFORMATION

    Patrick Bolen is a resident of  Rolling Hills Estates for the last 16 years.  He is married for 26 years with 2 children, both attending Peninsula High School.   Patrick has been working with youth rock bands for 6 years finding an effective way of teaching young teenagers to learn their instrument of choice and, in most cases, to become singers as well.  In the pop/rock world of teenage music, reading music, is usually not a priority, and by not having the pressure to learn to read each note, gives beginners to advanced students a lot more freedom to explore their own musical expressions.  This is why Patrick can keep students interested and engaged by emphasizing a more natural, ‘learn-by-ear’ approach, which is immediately more fun and easy for them.  For the more advanced groups, Patrick is able to offer an in-depth recording facility, in which he is the producer and sound engineer, as well as vocal coach and arranger.  By having the recording studio as well as a rehearsal studio, it provides more motivation for students to write and record their own songs as they get better and better.

    Students are usually grouped together with other players of the same age or amount of experience, with the same tastes of rock music, making it easier for them to share ‘common ground’.  Emphasis is placed on learning all the necessary parts for each song the students decide that they want to play.  Learning to play their instruments in the right ‘groove’ (staying precisely in beat with each other) is another vital goal to strive for.  Memorizing the arrangement of each song is important, so that each musician goes to the same section of the song at the right time.  As they get better at their instruments, vocals are the next hurdle, and Patrick can show each student a way of using his or her voice in the right way for the song they’re learning, as well as how to harmonize with the lead singer.  Rehearsal and studio etiquette is covered as well, showing each player when to turn their volume down when others are trying to talk and work the songs out.  The main goal, however, will always be to have fun, learning more as they are jamming with new friends who want to do the same thing as them.  By the end of each week, students will be proud to show how far they have progressed in a short time, adding more songs to their repertoire and performing them. 

    At the Music Workshop, we are able to provide all the instruments, though guitarists and bassists are welcome to bring their own instruments.  We have a variety of guitar and bass amplifiers, a professional drum kit, and P.A. system for vocals, with microphones and stands.  There is also a keyboard/synthesizer available.