Bands
that have consulted with Michael
Sarah Young
(keyboardist/composer/co-founder of "The Derivatives")
Just wanted to say Thank You for your professional support and guidance in bringing our band, "The Derivatives", to a new level of competence. Your insight in reorganizing our rehearsal structure helped immensely in cementing our music sets. We also had a lot of fun with your ideas during our photo shoot which led to a much more professional CD jacket. And one of your chord exercises actually helped us to create a new song — it was a great inspiration to us all!
Spencer T.
(pro guitarist/songwriter/bandleader)
Michael is an impressive musician who I have been lucky enough to work with for about six months. He helped me work through issues relating to band leading and working with a group, something I had never really thought about. I have been in multiple bands, and the dynamics and chemistry can be tough to navigate. No one had ever given me any tools to work through that part of my music before.
Conrad Seto
(pro Gypsy jazz guitarist/bandleader)
Michael applies the right pieces of knowledge to my specific situation. It's been an eye-and-ear-opening experience. His coaching on bandleading, client relationships, and performing have been key to my feeling more confident in the gigging world.
Mark Rickey
(pro pianist/arranger/bandleader)
Thank you for all the great tips you've shared with me about bandleading. Your real-life experience in this area is just invaluable. How to negotiate with clients and club owners, hiring appropriate musicians and setting expectations with them, working out good set lists, along with promotion and marketing have all been excellent. No other teacher has covered this type of material in such detail in lessons or classes in my 15 years of study.
Thomas Wihlbiller
(keyboardist/composer)
Michael did an excellent job addressing both the practical details and the interpersonal side of band leading, with real-world advice from a veteran performer. Complex topics were illuminated and I left each session feeling far less overwhelmed . . . We touched on everything from setting up for indoor vs. outdoor venues and the importance of having backup equipment, to creating a realistic timeline for set-up and sound check so we could get the mix that we needed on stage.
One highlight was learning how to structure a 45-minute set — choosing a compelling opening and closing piece, pacing the songs in between, using different instrumental colors, how to include improvised solos, and the advantages of piecing together a two or three song suite without breaks to maintain audience energy. Most surprising were our talks about my motivations for each performance (both the costs and the benefits) as well as how does each date fit into the timing for my band. This lead to looking at the quality of communication (a big issue for our band) during our rehearsals and how to keep the energy clear and creative.