The Ann Arbor Music Center staffs and directs several camps every summer. We give kids a rockin' alternative to traditional band camps. We'll be offering camps here at the AAMC, through Ann Arbor Public Schools (Rec and Ed) and elsewhere.

Call us for registration info - 734-665-0375

Rock Band Boot Camp
Summer 2008 is our fifth year and it just keeps getting better!

Ann Arbor Rec and Ed - 734-994-2300
aareced.recware.com

July 7-11 and July 14-18
Grades 6-12. 9:30-3:30, Monday-Friday.

The Rock Band Boot Camp is a great experience for students of guitar, bass and drums. Every day campers focus on improving their instrumental skill in a class specific to their instrument. Students will be placed in bands according to their level of skill and experience. Campers will study song writing, performance techniques and learn how to set up and produce a rock show. Campers will learn fine points of rock performance and technology in a daily clinic. Each band will be assigned to write two songs under the direction of a rock-n-roll drill sergeant. At the end of the week campers will put on a show to display their bands, songs and skills.

*New*
Rock and Roll High School

Rock -n- Roll High School
(Grades 6-12) June 23-27, 9:30-4:00
Ann Arbor Rec and Ed - 734-994-2300
Check out the Rec and Ed Website

School was never like this. Can you imagine a school where all the classes are in Rock Music? Students at Rock -n- Roll High will spend their days learning everything there is to know about rock music. We'll have instrumental classes in guitar, bass and drums. The school band at this institution is a Rock Band and everyone passes the audition. Our history classes teach the evolution of Rock -n- Roll from the start 'til today. Business Ed deals with the marketing and promotion of a Rock Band from the look to the sound to the art work on the album covers and posters. Students should bring their instrument and pack a lunch. If you don't want to pack a lunch our cafeteria is open every day and pizza is always on the menu.

Guitar and Bass - This class will instruct students in the fundamentals of electric guitar and bass. The main focus will be on preparation for playing in a band. Students in this class will be grouped by instrument and skill level. Each group will work with different teacher.

Drums and percussion - Here's where you will learn to be a drummer in every sense of the word. Get down with the beats, fills and rhythm techniques that make a real drummer. We'll also work with hand percussion and how to add percussion layers to a song.

Business Education - The music business is vast and ever-changing. We'll learn the structure of it and how to work with and around the biz. One goal will be to prepare the image of a band from their attire to logo to cover art.

Rock History - Rock and Roll is more than 50 years old. One way to understand where it's going is to know where it came from. We'll listen to songs and look at video to put things into perspective. Beyond passive listening we'll take apart the great songs from the last 40 years to discover what made them great.

Physical Education - A musician must be in great shape to endure the stresses of performance and touring. We're going to play the most Rock and Roll sport of all - Frisbee. We'll also cover health and nutrition as it relates to the rock band. In our cooking section we're going to learn how to feed a whole band for $10 or less. We'll also talk about ways of steering clear of the pressures that many young musicians face.

School Band - Every aspect of rock performance will be covered. Students will learn how to rehearse, read and write charts, communicate in the language of music and to create original songs.

Guitar Camp

Section 1 Grades 6-12. 12:00-3:00, Monday-Friday
June 16-20. Ann Arbor Rec and Ed 734-994-2300

Section 2 Grades 6-12. 5:00-8:00, Monday-Friday
July 28 through August 1. Washtenaw Community College

In one week you can improve your guitar skills. Guitar Camp is open to anyone who has started learning guitar but wants to take it to the next level. Students will learn about notes, chords, charts, scales, improvisation and song writing. We'll examine a wide range of musical styles from blues to rock to heavy metal.

Rock Survival Training Camp

Ages 12-17. 9:30 - 3:30, Monday - Friday
August dates to be determined.

This week of camp is intensive survival training for young musicians. Survival Camp will teach what every working musician needs to know; to survive in the follwing areas -

Musical Survival - Success as a musician requires some luck but the more skill you have the less luck you need. We'll learn what it takes to be a truly excellent musician.

Technical Survival - Rock music is driven by a world of machines. Guitars, drums, amps, PA systems, etc all need to be setup, maintained repaired and used to their potential. We'll spend some time learning all about these things and how to be their masters.

Social Survival - Networking, marketing, promotion, diplomacy and just getting along with others are all essential skills required to succeed in music. Survival campers will learn techniques for getting along in a band and with everyone in the business. We'll also learn strategies for self promotion that will make the long road a little shorter.

Physical Survival - How can you feed a whole band for $10? Campers will learn how to live in the Rock world. We'll examine cooking for broke musicians and basic nutrition for the working band. We'll also discuss methods of steering clear of the many pitfalls that rock musicians often face. The message is clear - Keep it clean, take care of yourself and work hard on your craft. Needless to say these techniques are practical for anyone, not just musicians.