There could be a good reason for that! All human cultures throughout the world play music, and science has shown that learning a musical instrument plays an important role in how our brains develop, not only in hearing and eye/hand coordination but also in mathematical skills, overall IQ and academic achievement. There's also evidence to suggest that learning music accelerates the development of language and reading.
At Abbey Street Music, we place emphasis not on the playing and enjoyment of music, but how it actually works. At the heart of music making are systems that can be learnt by anyone, and there’s an instrument that’s right for everyone, at every level. Abbey Street Music has classes for guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and voice, and can structure a personalised lesson plan to suit you.
The guitar has been around for over 800 years, and for good reason - it's portable, sounds great and you can start to make music quickly. Whether you're a gentle strummer or want to shred with the best, I can get your journey underway - you'll be picking out a melody and strumming a chord in the first lesson.
Although related to the guitar, bass takes a different approach, providing a rhythmic and melodic bridge between guitar and drums. At Abbey Street Music I can give you the low-down on bass and how to find both great grooves and surprising melodic qualities from this versatile instrument.
Drums are perhaps the most primal instrument of all and a sense of rhythm is innate to humans - our hearts beat in time and our feet step out a steady one-two rhythm every day. Abbey Street can show you how to get your limbs co-ordinating and get that groove-a-happening - you'll be surprised how quickly you'll be playing.
The modern keyboard we know today has developed over hundreds of years, the culmination of an approach to harmony developed since the days of Bach. The beauty of any keyboard is that notes are already laid out in front of you. Abbey Street provides the fundamentals for any keyboard instrument with a step by step approach introducing notes, chords and melodies.
To sing is to be human: we've done it since the dawn of time, in caves and bathrooms throughout the world! Singing expresses the inner self and to sing with others the connection with your fellow human. Abbey Street can give you insight into how to develop and get the most out of your voice, and importantly learn how to harmonise and blend with others.
All instrumental lessons are taught in conjunction with music theory, so you'll never be in the dark about the notes you're playing and how they work. Western functional harmony is fundamental to our instrumental teaching, but we also address the use of modes, blues notes and jazz fundamentals.
Peter Long is a performing musician and vocalist, sound engineer, graphic designer and music academic and started Abbey Street Music in 2015. Peter holds a Bachelor in Music (Honours) and Doctor in Philosophy (PhD) from Western Sydney University. and has album credits as a performer, singer, composer, engineer and graphic designer. He organises and promotes music events in regional NSW, including a monthly Open Mic & Jam night at Rouseabout in Inverell. He performs regularly as vocalist and guitarist with bands Sixfold, The Winstons and Paper Sun, and teaches guitar, bass guitar, drums, voice and beginners piano. For more info on Peter go to http://www.peterlong.com.au/
