SMA

Hi, guitar players! We want you to achieve your musical goals in 2017, so let’s do this! We’re Scottsdale’s leading music academy for beginning and intermediate musicians, and we want to help you get better on your chosen instrument. Our talented music instructors work with you and your schedule and budget, to help you move […]

Today’s acoustic guitar tutorial from Scottsdale Music Academy founder John Davis has him mastering the acoustic pickings, bends, and hammer-ons for the big 1998 Everlast hit “What It’s Like”. “What It’s Like” hit the #1 spot on several Billboard Rock music charts that year, and reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as well.

It was with much sadness when we learned that Chuck Berry, rock n roll guitarist, singer, duck walker and writer, passed away from natural causes this past weekend. Chuck was 90 years old, and was living about 45 miles west of his hometown of St. Louis, MO. Chuck Berry meant EVERYTHING to rock ‘n roll

AC DC Guitar Intro One of the coolest things about learning guitar at Scottsdale Music Academy is the ability to see guitar tutorials on how to play your favorite rock ‘n roll guitar songs.   In the clip below, John shows you how to rock the intro of AC/DC’s classic rocker “Rock n Roll Ain’t

The Rock the District finals are THIS Saturday night March 4th in Cave Creek, AZ. This *is* the biggest music competition for young musical talent in the Valley. Scottsdale Music Academy are thrilled that two of our band coaching groups – Last Man Standing and Grand Entrance – are performing in the finals of the

No matter what you thought of the Meghan Trainor-Kevin Kadish hit song from 2015 “All About That Bass”, the songwriters nailed the intent behind the song. It *is* all about that bass. A pumping bass guitar line is the engine behind any good song, a mood enhancer, a liberating force. Think of classic 80s songs

Drummers, listen up!  One of the most overlooked elements of drumming is having a properly tuned drum kit.  No matter how many drum lessons you take here at Scottsdale Music Academy or how steady you can keep a beat, if your drum kit is out of tune then nothing else matters. The reality is an

One of the big breakout groups in the past few years is The Chainsmokers, a duo made up of two East Coast guys – Alex Pall and Andrew Taggart (from New York and Maine, respectively) who met in New York and shared similar interests in EDM, DJing and indie rock.   After getting together, they

The 2017 Bon Jovi tour started this week – catch up on all the dates at the band’s website – https://www.bonjovi.com/. And if you’re in a local band, there’s still time to submit your band’s video to get a shot at opening up a Bon Jovi show in the city in which you play most

Many musicians starting in their career will play a dive bar or two at some point. The experience is twofold – the musician gets used to playing with people right in front of them at eye level, and the audience gets a close, intimate look and feel of an up-and-coming player. Lady Gaga, star of