Music and creativity go hand in hand. Without one, the other’s hard to come by. To be more than just an average, run-of-the-mill musician, you’ll need to tap into your creative powers, which, let’s face it, can sometimes be easier said than done. While many view creativity as an elusive, random occurrence, in reality, creativity

One of the cool teaching areas we provide at Scottsdale Music Academy is in band coaching. All of our instructors are also active members of working music bands, so we know something about what goes into running an active, gigging band. Taking band coaching at SMA gets you involved in the basics of stage performance,

Anyone who has met our staff at Scottsdale Music Academy knows that we’re a fun, active and engaged group of musicians. We love playing AND teaching music. And we’re part of that community of people where music has a very strong effect on our mood. We want to give you the best music lessons in

It’s what every practicing musician hopes for at some point – being able to play a cool underground club to a packed room of adoring fans. Underground clubs have an illicit charm and a subterranean vibe that makes the experience of playing music much more exciting. It’s the dark spaces in which you connect the

Everyone who has learned to play a musical instrument knows that it’s quite the challenge to wrap your head around music notes, finger positions, tempo, rhythm and melody. But guess what? After you’ve gotten all that into your system, and are successfully playing music on your first chosen instrument, learning of a second instrument becomes

If you’re learning how to play guitar in Scottsdale, then you should probably attend some live concerts to see music in action! Now that summer is fading away, it’s a great time to see music in the greater Phoenix metro area. After Labor Day in the Phoenix./Scottsdale Valley of the Sun, the autumn concert calendar

When a person starts to take guitar lessons, the instructors usually start teaching with standard tuning. That’s the standard E-A-D-G-B-E (large to small strings) tuning for the six strings on a guitar. Many guitarists are quite happy to stick with standard tuning for the rest of their playing days. However, other guitarists are more inquisitive

Take a glance at the Musicians ads at Craigslist for Phoenix and Scottsdale. What you’re likely to see is a lot of classified ads for band members needed for cover bands in the Valley.  You’ll find ads looking for band members to play different instruments for a band, whether it’s bass, drums, keys, guitars or

Summer may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean your vacation paradise is over. Break out your hula skirt and lei because Scottsdale Music Academy is excited to announce the newest addition to our list of  ever-popular music lessons — introducing ukulele lessons based right here in Scottsdale, no plane trip required! Our new ukulele

The great thing about being a new Scottsdale Music Academy student is that you get to practice your passion every day! You might meet with us only once or twice a week, but on your own time, you can get as much practice in at home, the garage, the basement or elsewhere! If you’re taking

Schools are back in session! In the next few weeks here in Scottsdale, Arizona, kids are returning to classes in elementary, middle and high schools. And with that change in schedule, parents are looking for new after-school activities for their kids. Maybe it’s time for music lessons!  Learning how to play guitar, bass, drums, and