April 2024 Newsletter

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Things Are Warming Up

May is here and we are celebrating by sharing with you our favorite warm up techniques for you and your instrument. This month on our site as well as on Facebook and Youtube, we’ll be sharing with you free tips on how to properly warmup before playing. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/MkeLessons.

Student of the Month

Our student of the month is Kyle. Kyle is a guitar player and has been taking lessons here for about a year. Kyle was chosen as the student of the month for his dedication to a particularly tough song. There were frustrations and times where it seemed we might move on to a new song before we finished this one. But Kyle stuck through it and after a grueling six weeks, his hard work paid off and we were able iron out the wrinkles and complete this tune. I think that the problems he overcame will help him a lot going forward and will be well worth the hard work he put in.

Name: Kyle Rasmussen

Instrument: Electric/Acoustic Guitar

Time Playing: 8 Years

Favorite Song We’ve Learned So Far: Peace of Mind – Boston

Dream Song To Learn: Famous Last Words – My Chemical Romance

Favorite Activity Outside of Music: Going to the Indianapolis 500

A Huge Congratulations

Sometimes someone accomplishes something so cool that I just have to give them a shout out. One of our students Alex (not to be confused with me) is going off to medical school starting this summer. Not only did he get in, but after weeks of hard work he managed to get himself a full ride scholarship through all four years of medical school! That is a huge accomplishment and we wish him all the best as he continues down the tough and challenging road that is medical school. He’s already off to a great start so I’m sure he will do amazing!

We also have a wedding at the end of the month. One of our newer students Samantha just got married. A big congratulations to her and her partner. We wish you all the success in your marriage going forward!

Alex’s Cool Music Gear of the Month

 Tama Iron Cobra Kick Pedal

When I was first starting to drum, the double kick was sort of this mythical creature to me. When I would hear drummers use it, it would absolutely blow my mind. But if I ever tried one at a store, it was like starting over day one on a drums set. I didn’t know it right away, but some of my troubles came from using bad equipment. I was a broke high school student with not a lot of money to spend. I couldn’t afford the top tier $500+ items. Then I came across the Iron Cobra.

I got one used at a local music store for around $120 at the time and it just blew me away. Many people swear by them. They aren’t the most expensive kick pedals you’ll find on the market. But for the money, they are an absolute steal when it comes to the overall quality and feel of a kick drum pedal. You’ll feel an instant increased connection and responsiveness with your kick drum. Whether you’re interested in a double kick or even just a single, this can be a great upgrade from whatever default kick pedal comes with your drum set.

Upcoming Music Gigs

This section promotes not just teacher music shows but also student shows as well!

5/4 – The Station @ Foxtown – Sons of Sconnie

5/11 – Maloney’s @ Kaukauana – Broken Arrow Band

5/12 – Phil’s Philling Station @ Townsend – Broken Arrow Band

5/17 – Nuthaus @ Kaukauana – Broken Arrow Band

5/24 – The Bridge Bar @ Freemont – Hold’em High

5/25 – Phil’s Philling Station @ Townsend – Broken Arrow Band

6/1 – 18 Hands Ale Haus @ Fond Du Lac – Hold’em High

How Bout Dem Packers?

It’s been a crazy offseason so far in the NFL. The packers let go of Aaron Jones, resigned AJ Dillon, and acquired Josh Jacobs at running back. The Packers also have a three way kicking competition for kicker happening right now. Unfortunately (although not surprisingly) we released veteran lineman David Bakhtiari. We resigned a lot of defensive players and also added Xavier McKinney which was a huge play! We continue to be the youngest team in the NFL.

Then we got to the NFL draft. The Packers entered into the 2024 draft with 11 total picks including 5 within the top 100 picks. For their first pick they grabbed Jordan Morgan, an offensive lineman from Arizona. While it’s not a flashy pick, I think it’s the right one. We’re invested in Jordan Love as our new QB and protecting him should be a priority. Four of our next five picks when to bulking up our defense. We have a new defensive coordinator who is switching up our defensive scheme so I’m glad we’re giving him the tools he needs to be effective. The only other pick as of the writing of this newsletter went to another RB. While Josh Jacobs has signed a 4 year deal, it seems the packers want a backup option should he not prove to be a good fit.

Overall, I think the Packers front office is making some great moves this offseason and I’ll be excited to see how things turn out come the new season.

Welcome To Our New Students!

Evelyn

Jacob

Paige

Alexander

Ashe

Anna

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"...It’s wonderful that my son has found such a great mentor."

“We’ve been with Alex for almost a year now. Our 11yr old son has loved his weekly guitar lessons and has improved so much in this time. He and Alex have established a really solid bond and it’s wonderful that my son has found such a great mentor. Alex is a talented and enthusiastic teacher, and we whole-heartedly recommend him. Thank you Alex!”

– Jess Weber

"My son has come a long way in just a few months."

“My son has been taking guitar lessons with Alex for a few months now and he loves it! He looks forward to going every week. Alex is fun and engaging. He is very student led and lets my son even choose songs that he wants to learn. He also encourages and pushes him in areas that need improvement. My son has come a long way in just a few months. Awesome teacher, highly recommend!”

– Scott Hoff

"I made the decision to learn to play the guitar from an experienced teacher..."

“Alex has the ability to adjust quickly during a lesson to meet a students needs. if I am not grasping a concept he will change wording, demonstrate or find an example in a song from his extensive memory bank. I made the decision to learn to play the guitar from an experienced teacher rather than try to figure things out for myself. I believe this is a good investment of my time and money..”

– Donna Galik

"Highly recommend."

“Alex is a professional both in playing and teaching. He is able to adapt his teaching style to whatever suites your needs, from beginner to advanced. Highly recommend.”

– Kyle Rasmussen

"...He defines a way to do it all intuitively."

“Alex is an amazing and patient teacher! The greatest part about learning guitar from him is that you don’t even realize how fast your progressing as you move from one song to the next. Unlike a traditional approach of learning notes and chords separately, he defines a way to do it all intuitively.”

– Henry Kosarzycki

"We observe demonstrable progress throughout each school year..."

“Our son has been a student for 3 years now and we keep coming back! Alex is thoroughly invested in our student’s success, and he makes such great resources available for practicing during the week. We observe demonstrable progress throughout each school year – a credit to both regular practicing and Alex’s instruction. Thank you so much!”

– Mark Nimmer

"Engaging, thoughtful about curriculum, and flexible throughout...."

My young children began piano lessons with Robin (Robyn?–apologies!) this past summer, and with every session, I’m increasingly impressed with her teaching skills. She’s engaging, thoughtful about curriculum, and flexible throughout, especially when meeting the pedagogical needs of a 7-yo and a 4-yo in the same session. No easy task! I highly recommend her instruction for a welcoming but challenging journey into piano.

– Leslie McAbee

"Our son enjoys practicing and likes that he gets to choose some of the songs he works on."

“Alex has been teaching our 12-year-old drum lessons for almost a year. It has been a great experience for our son. Alex shares his passion for music in a professional way, and works well with kids. Our son enjoys practicing and likes that he gets to choose some of the songs he works on. Alex is a clear communicator, and he is encouraging as well. I’m looking forward to watching our son grow as a musician under Alex’s guidance!”

– Louise Abramowski

"Our Son Looks Forward To His Lesson Each Week."

“Our 8 year old son started drum lessons with Alex about 6 months ago and he absolutely loves it. Alex is so nice, funny, and has a great way of engaging with the kids. He explains things very clearly and our son looks forward to his lesson each week. And he also likes that he gets to play “cool” songs. Thanks Alex!”

– Stacie Hojnacki

"...I look forward to every lesson..."

“I have two sons that are both talented musicians. As they were growing up they had many good teachers throughout the years. They, and I, were fortunate that way. So when I decided to take the challenge of learning to play an instrument myself I had a pretty good idea of what I’d need to succeed and learn.

I found Milwaukee Music Lessons with a Google search, they were close by and had daytime availability which I preferred. I am very happy that I did. I am working with Robyn and she is an absolutely wonderful teacher. She is a patient encouraging person who has taught me so much in such a short time. She takes time to work things out with me at my beginner level, even though she is an accomplished musician. Not every musician has the ability to work with those who are just starting, but Robyn does and I look forward to every lesson I attend with her. She knows how to get the most out of every session and I look forward to continuing my musical journey with her expert assistance.”

– Dave Skowronek

"Could not be a better investment in myself."

“I’ve been taking lessons with Alex for nearly 3 years and it’s been the best! His lessons are very student-led and he will teach me whatever I want to learn, which keeps me motivated, rather than learning from a structured book. Yet he also pushes me when I need it to make sure I’m improving. Not only is he an extremely talented guitarist, but he has an answer for every question, whether it’s about gear or music theory. Could not be a better investment in myself.“

– Sydney Drosen

"Alex Makes Music Fun Again For Me."

“I’m 53 and wanted to expand my music knowledge and better my guitar playing skills. Alex has been able to not only go at a pace that fits my comprehension, but give me lessons to work on at home so I can work on at my own speed. In 1 month of working with Alex, I’ve been able to write a song, understand what key it’s in and come up with a solo that complements the song. It’s mind blowing how simple he makes it to understand. Alex makes music fun again for me.“

– Ken Hanrahan