Upcoming Workshops
This Month’s Workshop:
Music Theory: A Beginners Guide
When: Monday, October 6th
Time: 7-7:45pm
Where: Virtual
Next Month’s Workshop:
Ear Training: Getting Better At Rhythm
When: Monday, November 3rd
Time: 7-7:45pm
Where: Virtual
Student of the Month
Eli was chosen for Septembers student of the month for his quick progress. Despite his young age, he’s shown incredible progress in his first 3 months due to his consistent practice and positive attitude.
Name: Eli
Instrument: Piano
Time Spent With Us: 3 Months
Favorite Song Learned So Far: Bluebird
Dream Song To Play: The Phineas and Ferb Theme Song
Favorite Non Music Activity: He enjoys playing with his dinosaurs
This Months Workshop: Music Theory
Octobers workshop is a walkthrough of basic music theory. Specifically focusing on notes, scales, and chords. This forty five to sixty minute presentation will cover all the basics of notes so that you can start to understand why things are happening.
Music is a language. To learn the language means to understand what you’re saying and how it’s supposed to fit together. We’ll unravel some of those mysteries beginners feel and help you learn faster, retain songs better, and communicate with your teacher and other musicians.
This workshop will be our first ever virtual workshop. We’re excited to try a new method for delivering our monthly free classes. Look out for the invite to our latest event!
Alex's Cool Music Gear of the Month
Keeping time has always been the heartbeat of drumming. But let’s be honest—most drummers don’t love practicing with a standard metronome. That’s where the Soundbrenner Pulse comes in. Instead of hearing the beat, you feel it. This wearable metronome sends vibrations through your arm or leg, giving you a steady pulse to lock into. It’s like having the tempo built right into your body.
Piano Lesson: Playing With Expression
One of the most exciting breakthroughs for newer piano students is realizing that music isn’t just about pressing the right keys — it’s about bringing those notes to life. A simple but powerful way to introduce this idea is through dynamics. Try playing a short tune like Ode to Joy or Mary Had a Little Lamb twice: first with every note at the same volume, then again with variety — soft openings, bold endings, and maybe even a gentle crescendo. The difference is night and day, and students instantly hear how much more engaging the second version sounds.
This shift is often an “aha” moment. Dynamics turn practice from a mechanical task into storytelling on the piano. Even with the simplest songs, students discover that they can shape the emotion of their music — tender, joyful, dramatic, or playful. It’s a small concept, but one that helps beginners feel like real musicians right away, making practice more fun and rewarding.
Student Recital Coming Up!
When: Saturday, November 22nd
Time: 2:00–3:00pm
Where: The Bridge MKE, 3203 S 76th St, Milwaukee
Open to all musicians ages 18 and under, all instruments welcome!
Photographer on site.
Snacks provided.
Sign-Up Deadline: Sunday, October 19th
👉 Sign up online or in-studio to reserve your spot!
Music Theory: Counting 8th and 16th Notes
One of the biggest breakthroughs for new musicians is learning how to feel the beat inside smaller parts. At first, most people only hear the main beat—like the steady thump of a bass drum in a song. But as you grow, you’ll want to break that beat into smaller pieces. That’s where eighth notes and sixteenth notes come in.
Think of the beat as a whole pizza. If you cut it in half, you’ve got eighth notes. We count them as “1-and, 2-and, 3-and, 4-and.” Each “and” is like the slice between the main beats. Now, if you slice the pizza into four smaller pieces instead of two, you’ve got sixteenth notes. These are counted “1-e-and-a, 2-e-and-a, 3-e-and-a, 4-e-and-a.” It might feel like tongue twisters at first, but the system works like clockwork once you get the hang of it.
Here’s a quick way to practice:
- Clap steady quarter notes while saying “1, 2, 3, 4.”
- Switch to eighth notes by saying “1-and, 2-and, 3-and, 4-and.”
- Finally, challenge yourself with sixteenth notes: “1-e-and-a, 2-e-and-a, 3-e-and-a, 4-e-and-a.”
This method makes rhythms less mysterious and way more manageable. Once you master it, you’ll notice your playing sounds tighter, cleaner, and far more confident.
Cancer Benefit
Once a year, Alex Bennett helps perform for a local cancer benefit. This benefit is not run through a particular organization, but is instead a fundraiser for a special person who needs the financial assistance. All the money goes to the person and their family. In years past, we’ve raised tens of thousands of dollars at single events. If you’d like to come and donate during the event, here are the details:
On Saturday, November 15th from 1–6 PM at The Cue Club of Wisconsin, we’re coming together to help Connor with his medical and living expenses. Enjoy a day filled with silent auctions, raffles, and live music while making a real difference in his battle.
The night will feature WAMI award-winning band Backbeat X, plus an opening act (to be announced). Bring your friends, enjoy great music, and help us raise funds for someone who truly needs it. Every ticket, raffle, and bid goes directly toward helping Connor fight brain cancer.
Student Milestones
3 Months
Teresita B.
Yaelly P.
Kyle R.
Emilio C.
Kenny S.
Chris C.
Michael K.
Marty M.
6 Months
Jason L.
Bill C.
Dulay T.
1 Year
Elowen H.
Mara H.
Joelle S.
Aniyah N.
Nolen S.
Kate A.
Abraham B.
Kai J.
Anabelle A.
Garrett R.
18 Months
Evelyn L
Jacob C.
Julia S.
2 Years
Luke H.
Caleb M.
Andrew A.
Jacob M.
Lotti M.
Kadin H
3 Years
Aaron F.
Gavin Y.
Nathaniel N.
More News
Upcoming Workshops This Month’s Workshop: Music Theory: A Beginners GuideWhen: Monday, October 6thTime: 7-7:45pmWhere: Virtual Next Month’s Workshop: Ear Training: Getting Better At RhythmWhen: Monday,
Upcoming Workshops This Month’s Workshop: Guide to ImprovisationWhen: Monday, August 4thTime: 6:30-7:30pmWhere: Bridge MKE Next Month’s Workshop: Songwriting: Guide to Chord PatternsWhen: Monday, September 8thTime: 6:30-7:30pmWhere: Bridge MKE
Upcoming Workshops This Month’s Workshop: Rhythm & Groove TrainingWhen: Monday, July 7thTime: 6:30-7:30pmWhere: Bridge MKE Next Month’s Workshop: Guide to ImprovisationWhen: Monday, August 4thTime: 6:30-7:30pmWhere: