US School of Commercial Music
Narrated by Professor John Amaral:
description:
PERFECT PITCH BOOTCAMP™ is an intense, two-week adventure! It's fun, exhaustive, immersive and musical. Much of it is one-on-one; with daily routines, lectures and training methods that blend the latest academic research with strategic US School of Commercial Music materials, paced by high- and low-tech devices to help you become a professional-level music recognition practitioner. Note: when we say "intense," we are quite sincere; intensity assists the brain to rapidly 'wire' the thousands of new neuron connections necessary for ear training success.
who is it for?:
It's for musicians, players and listeners.
It's for musicians with Relative Pitch (that's most of us) who want Absolute Pitch and musicians with Perfect Pitch who need Relative Pitch.
It's for current and future music industry professionals who want to have a lifetime edge with multi-dimensional hearing.
It's also for musicians who have had difficulties with ear training but who wholeheartedly enjoy music and want a music career.
Some previous eartraining is desirable but not absolutely required.
how does it work?:
While everyone embarks from their own level, we can speed up the learning process and 'teach old dogs (our listening strategies) new tricks'. We do this by encouraging the body to facilitate the brain's neuro-plasticity through intense drilling with carefully designed and sequenced arcade software which targets important musical skills faster than the brain can typically react, coupled with innovative music learning techniques involving specially prepared real music. Because ear training must be partly self-guided, a full description of principle methods is taught to you beginning with the first day of classes, with additional methods added throughout the program as you progress.
how is it different?:
The USSCM system is the only complete system which operates subliminally. Also, we are unaware of any other ear training system which trains recognition strategically in the context of real music in real time. Logically, this is what practical ear training should do.
representations/guarantee/testing:
During the training you will experience perfect pitch and strengthen relative pitch to the extent of your current native abilities and our understanding of musical relationships. You will learn techniques and be loaned equipment to continue training on your own after the program is 'over'. Actually, the program continues for an indefinite time: your future progress is automatically monitored over the internet during and after the program for up to two years after your program. Testing occurs twice a day during the program and continues automatically, so effort versus progress is scientifically recorded.
As with a physical gymnasium, your progress and maintenance is directly dependent on the amount of the continued exercise you do, as well as your genetics and conditioning, nutrition, and musical training. With time and the intense application of the USSCM techniques, permanent advancements can be made by healthy individuals. No other representations are made or implied.
followups:
The special software generates a log of each participant's continued at-home training. Graduates of the program may also make application to attend a future bootcamp within one year as a refresher for half the current tuition; available software and materials updates and hardware update, if necessary, will be supplied at that time.
special advice for music college students:
As you know, college ear training is difficult. It's a class you can't fake or kid yourself about! Either you get the assignments at tempo or you don't. Music students very often are good instrumental readers but it's all mechanical; they don't actually hear what they're doing until after the fact. Is that you? Consequently, unlike the old-school European conservatories, which trained their students to compete in sight-singing contests using "fixed DO solfege," modern music schools typically cater to the lowest common denominator and require only "movable do solfege," which just partially trains us. That was a big problem until the USSCM program, which uses high-tech tools.
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14day bootcamp daily schedule (testing is twice a day throughout the program):
7AM relaxation exercises (optional)
8AM morning stretching exercises (mandatory)
8:30 breakfast (supplied - best not to skip it!)
9AM testing and warm-ups (mandatory)
10AM lecture (mandatory)
11AM supervised training (mandatory)
1PM half-hour light lunch (supplied - best not to skip it!)
2PM-6PM supervised training (mandatory)
6PM dinner (on your own near Davis Square, see list of recommendations*)
7PM lecture (mandatory)
8PM-10PM movies/videos/commentaries/analysis [The Music Man, The Wizard of Oz, Oklahoma, Damn Yankees, Ray, Chicago, etc.
10PM supervised training and testing (mandatory)
12AM lights out!
daily training: 11AM-6PM 10PM-12AM
daily lecture topics (14 days, 28 morning & evening lectures):
WEEK ONE (Perfect Pitch and Absolute Pitch - pitches out of context):
learning strategies/motivation
highlights of effective eartraining software
color vision, color hearing, synaesthesia, disabilities and benefits
survey of Absolute and Perfect Pitch research
genetic predisposition, brain research and introduction to brain plasticity
brain plasticity and practices which stimulate it
abstract pitches versus instrumental context
the function of biofeedback devices in ear-training
testing philosophy, psychology and conditions
survey and application of historical eartraining methods; USSCM method
genetic personality type, musical preferences and ability
conditioning methods (physical, energetic, emotional, intellectual)
modulation
modulation continued
your personal archetypal reference music
WEEK TWO (Perfect Pitch and Relative Pitch combined):
The Berklee College of Music Eartraining Program
The US School of Commercial Music Eartraining Program
perfect pitch in the context of relative pitch
the necessary change of attitude for cooperative AP/RP
solfege and absfege
Atonal Eartraining
tonalities/keys (melodic, harmonic)
foods and their digestion
use of the three functional brains in music development
pitches in harmonies (intervals, chords)
hypnosis and musical training
birdcalls and sounds of the environment
There you have the opportunity. When you make the decision to UPGRADE YOUR EAR, follow the instructions below to apply.
presenter John Amaral's credentials:
See http://www.usschoolofmusic.com/catalog/bulletin8.html
BS Electrical Engineering (University of Southern California)
BM (Berklee College of Music)
PD (Berklee School of Music)
MS Finance (Boston College)
Instructor, Berklee College of Music (16 years)
Director, US School of Commercial Music
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requirements:
Following the principle of “mens sana in corpore sano (“a sound mind in a sound body”), applicants must be physically and mentally healthy and able to do light physical exercise as a daily warm-up. Activities are mandatory and part of the program, except as noted in the schedule. Singing is required occasionally during training but not criticized. There is no age requirement, but younger students may achieve results more quickly; older students must work more intensively to achieve similar results.
equipment:
Each participant is leased/assigned an iOS device valued at $1000 containing a proprietary training software system compilation for use during the bootcamp program and after it at home (see "terms"). On day three, this equipment is individually linked to each student. Each participant is supplied a special library of music for use with training alongside their archetypal music library. IMPORTANT: Accepted students must supply a disk containing mp3 files of music recordings they were repeatedly exposed to before the age of 8.
terms:
Software, hardware and materials supplied to you are provided for educational purposes only and may not be transferred, sold, copied or shared. Equipment leased remains the sole property of US School of Commercial Music; it contains proprietary software and is on loan only; permission to use may be revoked for sufficient cause at the sole discretion of USSCM. If permission to use is revoked, participant agrees to return it promptly.
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admission/timing:
Offered bi-monthly. Each fourteen-day session begins on the third Monday of a given month and ends on a Sunday, 14 days later; please specify your preference for month when you apply and we will do our best to accommodate you. Due to the nature of the program, seating is very limited. To apply for admission, 1) describe your goals and experience in an email to director@usschoolofmusic.com. 2) Send a $50 application review fee to macmidi2@aol.com via PayPal.com and we will contact you. (If accepted, this fee is applied to tuition.)
Application (via email):
Please describe 1) your name/age/location 2) musical experience 3) prior eartraining studies 4) why you are interested in acquiring AP or RP 5) career goals 6) phone number
tuition:
$9,997 Covers instruction, lectures, materials, two-year software lease, two-year hardware lease, post-program tracking, breakfast/lunch. A deposit of half the tuition is due upon acceptance, with the balance due via PayPal, bank transfer or direct deposit before classes start. RESERVE NOW
refunds:
Participants may make written application stating reasons, return all materials/equipment and drop the program after day one or two and receive a full refund minus 10%. There are no refunds given after day two.
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simple guest accommodation (shared/optional):
ages 19 - 30 Women's dorm (futons) bring sleeping bag
ages 19 - 30 Men's dorm (futons) bring sleeping bag
Participants over 30 are expected to find local accommodation, such as a b&b (Morrison House, etc.). Other students may also find local accommodation. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who preferably takes and helps them with the program. Parent + child tuition discount is 150% of the current tuition for both.
No smoking: There is no smoking, drug use, disruptive or offensive behavior allowed. USSCM Management reserves the right to terminate a student for cause at it's sole discretion without refund.
what to bring: Flexible clothing, warm enough for the season; there is a laundry nearby.
Meals: breakfast (supplied) light lunch (supplied) dinner (on your own in Davis Square)
*quick dinner bites (please be back in time for the 7PM lecture; you won't want to miss it!):
BlueShirt Cafe (chicken burrito), Snappy Sushi, Chipotle, much more.
more substantial dinner for non-attendees:
While it is recommended that you yourself eat lightly during the program, friends and family will appreciate that Davis Square has many fine restaurants: Seafood, Indian, Tibetan, Persian, wifi coffee-shops, etc.
location/directions:
From Boston Logan Airport, take the Silver Line bus to South Station and the Red Line train past MIT and Harvard stops to Davis Square, which, due to its collegiate nature, is regarded as a safe area. Classroom and accommodations are a short walk from the square.
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CALL TO ACTION: How important is a very good trained ear to you? When you make the decision to UPGRADE YOUR EAR, follow the instructions above to apply.
We are aware of many other ear training systems, possibly beginning with Pythagoras and the Egyptians or the Italian monk, Guido of Arrezo. One question we like to ask about such programs is "Where is their music?"
In this regard, we offer the following link to a recent project we did with a second-year USSCM student: Rui plays piano, bass, guitar, tuba, bg vocal, lead vocal on 52 tunes arranged as about 150 visual versions. Rui Zhong's playlists