Thank you for visiting our Rock Band Academy website!  Right now we have 2 courses that we are running.  Please scroll down to read about our RBA Session Courses and RBA Band Management Courses.

RBA Session Courses

Overview:

RBA Session Courses are built for the beginning musician in mind.  We take students of approximately the same ability level and age then put them together in a band.  At the end of the session students play a show at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Prerequisites:

Students joining Rock Band Academy must have some playing experience on their instruments.  Guitarists and bassists should know basic chords, vocalists must be able to match pitch, and all musicians should be able to keep time.

New participants will need to attend a placement evaluation with an instructor before they can be placed in a band.  Please call the store nearest you and set up an appointment for an evaluation time prior to the registration deadline.

Cost:

Tuition for Rock Band Academy is $200.00 for five two-hour lessons plus a show at the Hard Rock Cafe.  Tuition is due at the time of registration and can be paid for by cash, money order, personal check, or Backstage Guitars-accepted credit cards.    Certain circumstances may arise where not every student can be placed in a band.  In this situation your money will be refunded.  However, if you have committed to the band and time slot, the tuition is non-refundable after the first day of the session has started.

Scheduling:

RBA Sessions are scheduled periodically throughout the year.  One is offered in the New Year (January), Spring (March), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).  Each Session is dependent upon student participation.

RBA Band Management Courses

Overview:

RBA Band Management Courses are built for existing bands.  The Program can also help experienced musicians find other experienced musicians to form a band with.  Each band decides their own goals, from writing original material and recording a demo to finding local gigs.  Instructors tailor lessons based on the band’s goals.  The start and end dates depend on each band’s desires.  Think of RBA Band Management Courses as instrument lessons for the entire band.

Prerequisites:

Students participating in RBA Band Management Courses must have some playing experience on their instruments. Guitarists and bassists should know basic chords, vocalists must be able to match pitch, and all musicians should be able to keep time.
For the RBA Band Management Course, students must have the basic elements of a band, which includes, but is not limited to, one guitarist, one bassist, and one drummer.  Backstage Guitars can assist a band in finding additional members if necessary.  Please e-mail Carey or contact the store for more information about finding additional band members.

Cost:

Tuition for the RBA Band Management Course is $60.00 per hour for the entire band.  Students must log a minimum of 4 hours of in-store lessons over a 4-week period.  Based on band goals, additional hours may be required.  A contract will be written up to determine the total cost per student for the amount of time desired with an instructor.  Tuition is due at the time of registration and can only be paid for by a cash, money order, personal check, or Backstage Guitars-accepted credit cards.  Please be aware that once the contract is signed and registration is paid for, the tuition fee is nonrefundable.

Scheduling:

RBA Band Management Courses are scheduled with flexibility in mind.  They are dependent upon band member, lesson space, and instructor availability.  In most cases a scheduled day and time each week can be chosen for hourly lessons.  If a 2-hour block every 2 weeks works out better, that can also be managed.  With Band Management there is no start or end date beyond what is written up in the contract.

Both Courses

Materials:

Students are required to bring their own instruments and accessories (Guitars, picks, cords, tuners, drum sticks, etc.). Backstage Guitars will provide a full drum set, guitar and bass amplifiers, a P.A. system for vocals, and lesson space.  Students should also be prepared on the first lesson by reviewing and completing the tasks in the Take Home Packet provided at registration.

Instructors:

All Instructors are musically trained and/or have been certified to teach in the state of Pennsylvania.  Each instructor has an extensive history of playing with nationally touring bands, recording, and marketing/promoting their bands.

Curriculum:

Instructors will follow a curriculum framework designed by an educator that has experience in Public Education.  The curriculum is modified to fit into real-world application, and the entire course is hands-on and lab-oriented.  The majority of time will be spent rehearsing songs that are agreed upon by the students in the band.  Some time will be spent on discussing etiquette, promotion and marketing of the band.  The curriculum during Band Management courses will vary from band to band and week to week depending on the band’s goals and desires.

To see the entire curriculum framework and program objectives stop by a Backstage Guitars location.  To request a digital copy, you can e-mail Carey Davenport at carey@backstageguitars.com.

While the program is intense and demanding, it’s also extremely rewarding.  The most important part of the Rock Band Academy is to have fun!