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Distance learning programs at US School of Commercial Music Learn guitar and bass at a professional level through a distance learning program at US School of Commercial Music.
Earn a profesionnal diploma in commercial music

Some USSCM Students and Their Careers

      

Mari Leonel, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Brazil

Gerson Kornin, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Brazil

Dan Keller Bueren an der Aare, Switzerland

Will Vogtman, Maryland, United States

Dustin Shiozaki, Utah, United States

 
Dan Keller Dan Keller on CD cover Dan Keller on CD cover

 

"I wanted to FILL SOME GAPS in my music theory knowledge, to see and hear new ideas. Jazz became more interesting, and I simply wanted to show that I 'graduated' from a music school.

I searched the internet for "distance learning", and I found many schools, most of them cheap in price and cheap concerning quality of material. Finally I found USSCM, and (USSCM Director) John Amaral sent me the phone number of another student from Switzerland. I met him, and he showed me some good material, so I subscribed.

I couldn't imagine that I could inhale such an amount of material, which is very good in sum. It's like I was (and still am) traveling an other world, inhaling what I see and hear.

This is a good microsemester, with mainly one new aspect: jazz-blues. I was surprised that I hear nice melodies in my head in that style, and I'm able to play them. Thanks to all these eartraining lessons. Now I can feel and hear bebop melodies in my head, at least over II-V-I or similar progressions."
 

Location: Bueren an der Aare, Switzerland

Major: Performance

Principle instrument: Guitar

CD: Sultan of String, "Electric Storm" 2002
Dan became "Artist of the Month" at Guitar9.com in 2001,
with the single pre-release for this album.
CD available:
http://www.guitar9.com/electricstormdk.html

Website: www.SultanofString.com
Sound clips, from "Electric Storm" and elsewhere, are on the site. It's not quite all metal.

From the website:
"Dan takes you on a trip to his musical world. How does it sound? Massive guitar riffs meet Eastern & Oriental music elements, haunting melodies, exotic vibes . . . In short: Exotic Metal!"

"It's not something new since Marty Friedman and Jason Becker developed this style before, but to be honest, Dan is the most competent guitarist since them."
Undermetal Web-Zine

For the Jason Becker Tribute Album, released by Lion Music in 2002, Dan performed the song "Dweller in the Cellar" by Jason Becker.
 
Dan: I couldn't imagine that I could inhale such an amount of material, which is very good in sum. It's like I was (and still am) traveling another world, inhaling what I see and hear.

This is a good microsemester, with mainly one new aspect: jazz-blues. I was surprised that I hear nice melodies in my head in that style, and I'm able to play them. Thanks to all these eartraining lessons. Now I can feel and hear bebop melodies in my head, at least over ii-v-I(m7) progressions.

After getting my 2nd package, I was totally beat by the amount of material I got! I had to learn how to apply "divide and conquer" in this case. Also I wasn't aware of the flexibility of the program. Because it's absolutely impossible to study (in about 20-25 hours per week) the whole material presented. I've found my way through the stuff, and Professor John Amaral agreed with my approach. And I guess that I've chosen the right things, mostly.

All in all a very good program! When I look back and see my progress and improvements, my new knowledge and concepts, some new techniques (Fingerstyle! Speed picking!), I'm more than satisfied. I'd recommend this school to everyone who can work this way, at a distance.

I've filled many known and unknown gaps, e.g. methods (reharmonization...), techniques (fingerpicking...), scales (Melodic Minor...), improv concepts (a lot!)...

Playing music using the Melodic Minor scale in a jazz context opened my ears for the use of Melodic Minor in Classical Music. That's a big enrichment in listening and for composition too. Today I find myself improvising also in a Classical style while using and enjoying this scale.

Very important: John helped me to develop my style further. More precisely, it's a fusion of styles, for me, where I'm able to write music and to perform on a high level. I'll try this out, soon.

Fans asked me about "my" style so I posted information about my influences at
http://www.sultanofstring.com/lessons/lessons-influences.htm
and
http://www.sultanofstring.com/lessons/lessons-thougths.htm

The most exiting thing in the last years was to be part of the Jason Becker tribute album about 3 years ago, although my song appeared only on the japanese triple-cd package. I like Jason Becker's playing very much and I learned a lot from him (especially my whammy bar play) by listening and watching videos.