Taking Northern Colorado Guitar to the Next Level

The Next Level

I became very inspired after watching the business owners at Spotlight Music in Windsor and Boomer Music in Fort Collins run their companies.  They work non-stop for 10 to 15 hours a day and are involved in every area of their business. With so much technology and resources out there, that inspiration has motivated me to do more to take Northern Colorado Guitar to the next level.

Constantly trying to improve the students’ experiences with new technology and equipment is so important. I could not imagine teaching today like we all did when I first began back in the 90’s, it seems like teaching was still in the stone ages.

I was grateful for Spotlight Music since they gave me the freedom to try out new technology and create ambience in the studio. My students still comment on it, they really loved it.

The days of the original 7′ x 8′ studio with the big piano in the middle really should be left in the past. I remember trying to navigate a good seating arrangement before teaching at Spotlight, this proved almost impossible when parents came in. These studios were not meant for inspiration, but simply academia.

Taking Ambiance to the Next Level

Today, additional lighting arrives for the Greeley studio. What a difference it makes when there is an atmosphere that reflects the mood of the song the student is learning. Amazon sells colored LED lights that have a remote control which splash a lot of color into the room. The LED lights are equivalent to 400 watts of the regular bulbs and can put out a ton of light. There have been times I have forgotten to turn on some of the lights and the students comment about it. Just a few of these lights really add warmth and depth to the studio. For anyone putting together a music studio, this is one area that can help make your studio stand out.

Sound 

Next on the agenda is to fill the studio with sound. Not volume, but saturation. Rather than using little laptop or desktop speakers to hear the song, having nice punchy bass and good sound disbursement is paramount. This will put the students into the music. This has to be the best way to listen and play along. There is nothing like hearing and feeling your favorite song all around you in stereo.

Sessions 

I have been testing the waters at the Greeley Studio. At the end of the lesson, I have been accompanying some of the students on drums. They have really liked it. This is a perfect way to feel what it is like to play with instruments other than guitar, bass, or ukulele. By running the songs through the powered 1000-watt floor monitors, we can play along with the song at a level that makes the music come alive. The electronic drum set sounds amazing and they are always surprised when they hear them. This is something that is really helping inspire the students.

Taking the Jam to the Next Level

Finally, I am putting together a band. In the past, I have invited students up on stage and they have performed with the band during an actual show. We have even had my students open the night for us, which is something that would be so much fun to do again. They can then get a feel for what playing live is like. This will be in addition to the jam sessions we have currently.

I think this is going to be a great year!!

Please contact me if you are interested in an amazing musical experience.