Schedule a Lesson
MUSICAL CHAIRS is an educational service provided to the Big Island in Hilo, Hawaii and surrounding area codes. Wago Howard has been playing and teaching music for two decades. Every lesson is catered to the individual. He wants to share the wonder of music with you! Wago has worked at music stores across the nation. Midwest, west coast, and here on islands!
Currently serving east Hawaii renting space at :
Akaka Falls Trading Post
188 Kamehameha Hilo, Hi 96720
He provides a multitude of stringed instruments like the ukulele, guitar, and mandolin as well as select woodwinds and percussion concepts.
An individual a lesson plan with a unique personalized syllabus is established. Each week goals to meet each level of students needs.
A YouTube video recap is sent after each session to reinforce the previous lesson and to give a visual reminder till next lesson. Q and A via the comment section or email.
Wago’s enthusiasm and enjoyment of music show when teaching or entertaining.
Musical Chairs creation is based on need for a musical education program for all ages! Grow with us!Pick an instrument and learn music theory!!! Hopes to expand the teaching methodologies to others!
G U I T A R S
Wago is awesome and his music lessons are da bomb!
Wago rocks – I love him sooooo much!
Offering 6-String Electric / 6-String Classical / 12-String
SYLLABUS
-How To Tune A Guitar
-Holding The Guitar And Basic Tone
-How to Read Chords And Tab
-Song chord Diagrams, and Charts
-Notes on Guitar (CAGED)
-Reading Scale Diagrams
RHYTHM GUITAR
• Beat Basics
• Beat Basics ii
• Whole-tone and semi-tone note exercises
• Quarter note an eighth note exercises
• 16th note Exercises
• Triplet Exercises
• Beginner guitar chords and the 1-4-5 (I -iv-V) Progression
• Beginner strumming patterns
• Common Chord Recognition
• Barre chords (CAGED)
• Dominant Sevenths
• 12 Bar Blues
TECHNIQUE
• Muting Techniques
• How To Play Pull-off
• How To Play Hammer-ons
• How To Play Slides
• How To Use Dynamics
• How To Use Alternate Picking/Strumming/Chord Voicings
THEORY
• How To Play Scales
• How To Play Modes
• How To Practice
• How To Advance
NEXT STEPS
• How To Play With Others
• What To Practices And Why
• Start Teaching
( Take as little or as long as needed depending on the speed of muscle
Memory and light memorization .
General lessons are 30 minutes from 4 to 8 weeks).
As a result of this series of lessons, you will be able to:
Understand the parts and anatomy of your instrument.
Know how to engage in picking of both open strings and single fretted
notes.
Know how to use a tuner to tune your guitar to a standard E – A – D – G – B – E tuning.
Identify different types of guitars (acoustic, electric. Etc.).
Know the notes for the first 12 frets on all six strings or at least the high E, low E and A string.
Play single notes with a pick moving from string to string and/or fret to fret.
Be able to play basic chord shapes and the common open chords from the CAGED
system.
Know and be able to use basic minor, major, power and barre chords.
Memorization and utilization of basic major, melodic minor and pentatonic guitar scales moving toward modal
concepts
Understand and put into practice basic soloing technique including bends, vibrato, sliding and
alternate picking.
Play through and be comfortable with simple chord progressions that allow you to play through
full songs.
Intermediate Lessons
We practically explain what guitar theory is and why it’s useful to all notable players. How it helps set the stage for the lessons to follow.
Guitar music theory is a branch of study that includes many different methods for analyzing classifying and composing music to put in more practical terms. This will be the study of music at your level and all the different components that correlate.
Scales and chords and thier special applications with specific examples for guitar theory is absolutely necessary for those who want to develop a quick and solid command of theory elements in “real time”. Fundamentally understanding the inner workings of music You should be completely able to apply it regardless of the song, feel, key, tempo, etc.
This is why learning guitar theory is so important!
Guitar theory will explain what something is and what it does. As an example/ a new chord might be seen as an extension of a common barre chord. So wherever this common bar chord is played the new shape can be substituted for a new sound. Provided a scale pattern might fit together with a specific chord progression. These specific arrangements of those progressions are used as scale tones in and surrounding melodies, harmonies in an attempt to effect the songs overall emotional feel choosing the right combination on the right chord progression will convey a song as many different outcomes and feeling. Yo accurately describe what your feeling you can learn the multitude of extensions that will achieve just that!
We will study notation techniques, rhythms, Scales, Modes, “Core” chord construction, and such to play rhythms, melodies, riffs, solos, and walking baselines. Our study of these essential musical elements is the core of our time together. The goal is to further your understanding of the vocabulary and give you the tools for further fretboard exploration.
Advanced lesson programs are available upon request!
U K U L E L E S
-How To Tune An uke
-Holding The Instrument And Basic Tone
-How to Read Chords And Tab
-Song chord Diagrams, and Charts
-Notes on Fretboard (CAGED)
-Reading Scale Diagrams
RHYTHM
• Beat Basics
• Beat Basics ii
• Whole-tone and semi-tone note exercises
• Quarter note an eighth note exercises
• 16th note Exercises
• Triplet Exercises
• Beginner uke chords and the 1-4-5 (I -iv-V) Progression
• Beginner strumming patterns
• Common Chord Recognition
• Barre chords (CAGED)
• Dominant Sevenths
• 12 Bar Blues
TECHNIQUE
• Muting Techniques
• How To Play Pull-off
• How To Play Hammer-ons
• How To Play Slides
• How To Use Dynamics
• How To Use Alternate Picking/Strumming/Chord Voicings
THEORY
• How To Play Scales
• How To Play Modes
• How To Practice
• How To Advance
NEXT STEPS
• How To Play With Others
• What To Practices And Why
• Start Teaching
( Take as little or as long as needed depending on the speed of muscle
Memory and light memorization .
General lessons are 30 minutes from 4 to 8 weeks).
INTERMEDIATE UKULELE
We practically explain what ukulele theory is and why it’s useful to all notable players. How it helps set the stage for the lessons to follow.
Ukulele music theory is a branch of study that includes many different methods for analyzing classifying and composing music to put in more practical terms. This will be the study of music at your level and all the different components that correlate.
Scales and chords and thier special applications with specific examples for guitar theory is absolutely necessary for those who want to develop a quick and solid command of theory elements in “real time”. Fundamentally understanding the inner workings of music You should be completely able to apply it regardless of the song, feel, key, tempo, etc.
This is why learning theory is so important!
Fretboard theory will explain what something is and what it does. As an example/ a new chord might be seen as an extension of a common barre chord. So wherever this common bar chord is played the new shape can be substituted for a new sound. Provided a scale pattern might fit together with a specific chord progression. These specific arrangements of those progressions are used as scale tones in and surrounding melodies, harmonies in an attempt to effect the songs overall emotional feel choosing the right combination on the right chord progression will convey a song as many different outcomes and feeling. Yo accurately describe what your feeling you can learn the multitude of extensions that will achieve just that!
We will study notation techniques, rhythms, Scales, Modes, “Core” chord construction, and such to play rhythms, melodies, riffs, solos, and walking baselines. Our study of these essential musical elements is the core of our time together. The goal is to further your understanding of the vocabulary and give you the tools for further fretboard exploration.
Advanced lesson programs are available upon request!
etc.
Wago is awesome and his music lessons are da bomb!
Wago rocks – I love him sooooo much!
W O O D W I N D
The saxophone mouthpiece
The saxophone reed
Your embouchure
Tongue placement
Breathing
Tone
Fingering
The major scales
Introducing the C minor scale
Introducing the G diminished scale
Developing technique
Articulation
Introducing the Augmented scale
Awesome modal scale exercise
Awesome half-step tonal exercise
All the major scales (Using Sus notes)
How to improve your tone with phrasing
Vibrato
Play notes from sheet Music
Play by ear
⁃ Working from jazz book and a syllabus that is created to challenge the student to shift reading and playing with emotion!
Workbooks:
Hal Leonard Rubank Methods for Saxophone –
Four Books – Four levels
Elementary
Intermediate
Advanced Volume 1
Advanced Volume 2
Alternatively:
The Saxophonist’s Workbook by Larry Teal
Wago is awesome and his music lessons are da bomb!
Wago rocks – I love him sooooo much!
B A S S
Stand Upright 3/4 Bass
By the end of this course you will have skill level of an experienced bass player and be able to perform in various genres, construct your own bass lines, play in slap and pop style, tapping style and have many other techniques as a result of practicing and repetitions.
BEGINNER BASS
Bass Essentials
Muting
TECHNIQUE
How to string the bass
Technique Exercise I
Technique Exercise II
Technique Exercise III
Left Hand Technique
Right Hand Technique
String Mobility Workout I
String Mobility Workout II
THEORY
Interval Bass I
Arpeggios I
Arpeggios II (Extended)
Major / Minor Scales
MODAL Movements 101
Harmonized Chords
BASS LINE CONSTRUCTION
Root Notes I
Music Styles I
Music Styles II
Playing The 6th/Avoiding The 3rd
Line Building Technique
Triads I, II, III
Diminished Triads
Walking Bass I
Basic Grooves (Further Style explorations)
Reggae
Funk
Jazz
Soul
ROCK
Rap (Hip-Hop)
Classical
Country
Fusion
Eastern/ Western I
GENRE STUDY
Blues
12 Bar
Basic Blues Filler I
Basic Blues I
Basic Blues II
Walking Bass II
Finding The Groove I
Making The Groove I
SLAP AND POP
Slap 101
Slap Exercise I
Slap Exercise II
Slap Exercise III
Slap Exercise IV
Thump I
Thump II
Hammer Slap and Tapping I
Notable Players I
After these techniques have been practiced, along with song and concept memorization, the student should be profoundly proficient in the bass and minor theory concepts!
Wago is awesome and his music lessons are da bomb!
Wago rocks – I love him sooooo much!
M A N D O L I N
For those of you looking to play the violin, the mandolin is a wonderful stringed instrument that doesn’t require bowing to get a grasp of scales and scale familiarity. Mandolin and violin use the fingering same patterns. The mandolin has eight strings rather than the four. Mandolin is fretted and the violin is not. The switch will be easy and you will get to understand the methodology and patterns that are consistent for both!
When we learn mandolin we will learn basic Scales, Chords, and Songs that will follow a syllabus to get you to where you want to be. All styles and all skill levels welcome!
Come and learn a bluegrass instrument today!
Wago is awesome and his music lessons are da bomb!
Wago rocks – I love him sooooo much!
V O I C E
VOICE LESSONS-
A vocal coach, also known as a voice coach, is a music teacher, usually a piano accompanist, who helps singers prepare for a performance, often also helping them to improve their singing technique and take care of and develop their voice, but is not the same as a singing teacher.
If you have a vocal recital or just want to strengthen your pipes try a few lessons from one of our local voice/coach teachers!
• Interval Training
• Harmonization
• STAB Do’s and Don’ts
• Arrangement For Vocal Lines
• History of Music (upon request)
• Singing in Different Modes (Scales for vocal training)
Wago is awesome and his music lessons are da bomb!
Wago rocks – I love him sooooo much!
P I A N O
PIANO LESSONS, XYLOPHONES, WOOD MALLETS, VIBRAPHONES, ETC.
Individual music lessons are one-on-one with an experienced instructor face to face. The teaching methods involve a combination of traditional and contemporary music theory. Students will learn:
• Note reading – Grand Stave
• Rhythm- Standard Beats 101
• Music Theory – Theory 101
• Ear training- Internal Trainer
• Sight reading- Bass and Treble
• Traditional and contemporary songs (Upon Request)
Each student will have a basic understanding of music theory and have a single song recital to show operational coordination of left and right hands if requested by student or guardian. This will exhibit paced rhythms with scale rudiments and concepts of interval relationships.
*Student must have an instrument at home for practice
Wago is awesome and his music lessons are da bomb!
Wago rocks – I love him sooooo much!
B A N J O
Beginner Lessons
• How to Tune
• Easy Chords
• How To Read Notes
• Right Hand Roll
• Simple Roll Exercises
• Slides
• Beginning Rhythms
• Hammer on and Pull Offs
• Chokes
• C tuning and D tuning
As most new instruments take time, we go thru the process of understanding how to play and what to practice!
Beginner lessons are available! Schedule Today!
Wago is awesome and his music lessons are da bomb!
Wago rocks – I love him sooooo much!
G U I T A R S
T H E O R Y 1 0 1
Lesson 1
Rhythm Part I
Lesson 2
Rhythm Part II
Lesson 3
Pitch Notation
Lesson 4
Major Scales
Lesson 5
Minor Scales
Lesson 6
Intervals
Lesson 7
Chords I: Triads
Lesson 8
Triad Inversions
Lesson 9
Chords II: Basic Seventh Chords
Lesson 10
Inversions and Voice Leading of Seventh Chords
Lesson 11
Using the Lead Sheet
Lesson 12
Melody Writing
*Must have basic understanding of music notation
Intermediate Syllabus
Focuses on the foundational elements of music theory reviewed above. The course will cover clef reading, pitch and rhythmic notation, intervals, scales, key signatures, triads and diatonic chords, and an introduction to ear training and sight singing. The course will help beginning music students, including those who have limited background reading music notation and understanding the fundamentals of music theory.
Wago is awesome and his music lessons are da bomb!
Wago rocks – I love him sooooo much!
P E R F O R M A N C E 1 0 1
Performance
What yo do on and off stage is sometime hard to know unless you’ve played “live”
Confronting The; “what can go wrong next”; the “unexpected”
Helping to prepare for a performance
Improve on and off stage technique
Taking care of equipment
Developing methods for load in and load out
How to communicate with prospective gigs/event/clients
If you have a show, gig, recital, or just want to strengthen your stage performance, try a few lessons and make each stage performance special for you and the audience!
• Stage set up for audio results
• How does everything work (PA, Speakers, cables, etc)
• On stage Do’s and Don’ts
• Arrangement For Pay and How To Gain A Following
• Helping to Lead The Way For Others
*As you can see many subjects covered are for what you don’t know if you’ve never experience the “SOUND GUY ISSUE” or “THE PAID FOR BY PIZZA” excuse. Come learn some of the ins and outs of stage performance!
Wago is awesome and his music lessons are da bomb!
Wago rocks – I love him sooooo much!
N O T A T I O N 1 0 1
Notation 101 description
Written by the MasterClass staff
Last updated: Nov 8, 2020 • 6 min read
Printing music on a page allows a composer to convey information to a musician who will ultimately perform that composer’s work. The more detailed the musical notation, the more precise a performer will be. In this sense, musical notation is no different from printed text.
When a stage actor reads a script, it gives her all sorts of information: her lines, undoubtedly, but perhaps also certain instructions for inflection, her blocking, and information about the scene around her. Musical notation gives the same information to a musical performer: it tells her what notes to play, how fast or slow to play them, and perhaps instructions about dynamics or timbre. Both the theatrical script and the musical score are, at their core, forms of communication.
What is musical notation?
How did musical notation originate?
What are types of Bar lines?
What are the Musical Clef’s?
What are notes?
What are accidentals?
What is tempo?
What are dynamics?
What is are the names of notes on the music stave?
What Is Musical Notation?
In theory, musical notation is a series of names symbols and markings that inform musicians how to perform a composition. It can take a number of shapes;
- Standard notation on 5-line musical staves
- Lead sheets with a melody written on a 5-line staff and chords written using a letter-and-number-based notation
- Guitar tablature
- Bar-based MIDI notation (Software for computers)
- Graphic notation that sometimes blends standard notation with illustrations
The classical music notation, standard notation on 5-line staves is by far the most common form of musical notation. Graphic notation became fashionable among avant-garde twentieth-century composers.
In jazz music, lead sheets are the norm. Utilization of Roman numerals for nomenclature. So many rock guitar players read a simple form of numerical tablature. Why not learn musical intervals on the grand staff to show a concept or and idea in the language of frequency!
Wago is awesome and his music lessons are da bomb!
Wago rocks – I love him sooooo much!
P O L I C Y
Payments/Student Contract
Pricing :
$35 per single lesson or $120 plus tax 4.7120 total $125.65
(INCLUDES 4 Consecutive Sessions)
Preferred pricing for students purchasing a “booking”. That includes four sessions. Each session last 30 min. There are concepts covered with each personalized lessons that aim to strengthen the playing and learning process!
Having the package purchase upfront ensures the students and teachers are on time and ready for each lesson. These lesson are catered to the student based on that days progress being compounded. Each lesson builds on the previous.
A private YOUTUBE video can be used through out the week as a visual reminder of lesson plans to be worked in for next consecutive lesson date.
24 hr notice of cancellation to avoid being charged. In the event of needing to skip a date, that session rolls over to next date. If an emergency happens please contact when ever, no need to explain… life happens. We can adjust accordingly!
Cancellation
We understand life is busy… stuff comes up!
Please provide a at least a 24 hr notice to avoid being charged for absent lesson.
IF YOU MISS THREE SESSIONS
CONSEQUENTLY tardiness or three absences consecutively ( POLICY FOR ATTENDANCE)
I’m sorry to cancel due to poor attendance but this is to show the importance of punctuality, practice, and respect. Please revisit your schedule and pick a time and date that works for you and maybe we can accommodate.
When time allows and your schedule correlates please, by all means, come back again and find a session time as well as a teacher that works for you! We are here to educate not to just take missed lesson fees! We want you to have a time slot that is fun where we can dedicate time to the enlightenment of music weekly!
Please, if lessons have been received, catch up your received lesson payments before departing. We keep invoices for tax purposes and need them to show completed services rendered! If for any reason you need a refund please contact Mr. Wago Howard at 8088960770. BookingWagohanahou@gmail.com or BigIslandTinyFootprint.com
(Full refund -MINUS $20 cancelation fee) no questions asked.
ZOOM IS OFFERED
ZOOM is a popular platform that is free to use for sessions up to 40 minutes in duration. For longer sessions one will need to purchase a subscription. So a 30 min lesson is perfect. $35.00
The ZOOM with the face-to-face schedule is on the same page as the main calendar page. Once payment has been secured via Square/Paypal/Stripe the calendar will reflect!
What To Expect
5 years old through adult, ranging from beginner to advanced levels on certain instruments. Currently the studio is kept on the small side to maintain the highest possible level of quality and individual attention. If another space is required please ask instructor.
Development (Artistry)
At all levels. Always striving to facilitate the developmental skills of informed expressive artistry. Slowly guiding students to approach every element of music as opportunity to explore something new. A lot of this is accomplished via questions and musical experiments. Artistry is the result of exploration, not obedience.
Development of musical cognition
Being able to “think in the language of music” is the difference between imitation and ownership. Based on the fundamentals of music education, this is a pedagogy of teaching. Using examples we explore sequenced curriculum in tonal solfege and rhythmic solfege. Among other things, these are the skills that allow us then to teach others how to understand a song, theme, score, soundtrack. Etc.
Early childhood side-by-side teaching
Students age 4-7 need parental assistance to practice as taught during the lesson. Therefore, at that age, teaching the parent alongside the student during the lesson (or better yet, have the student teach their parent!), so that the parent can be an effective home practice coach, which is what is necessary for the young student to succeed.
Adjustment based on needs and goals of each student
….a sequenced curriculum of skills in areas such as rhythm, technique, theory, musical cognition, improvisation, ensemble playing, and stylistic knowledge, but ultimately, this is the student’s journey, and my first priority is to adjust to their needs and goals. My mantra here is PRACTICE THE PRACTICE OF PRACTICING- FZ