Eidsp - Info Pack 09 V2

Email Subject: RE: Mark Bunney’s Elite Instruction Distance Saxophone Programme Hello Kevin, Thanks for your enquiry regarding lessons with Mark Bunney, hopefully the information below should answer all your questions. Please read it through and get back to me at your earliest convenience. But first… tell me, can you relate to any of these experiences......... • Have you ever wished you had a straightforward, step-by-step approach to achieving your dream in becoming a great saxophonist or flutist? • Have you experienced the frustration of knowing how you’d like to sound, but just not having a clue of how to get there? • Ever listened to a great player and thought, how do I get from point A, where I am, to point B, where they are? And still have a life!! • Have you felt at a loss at where to start, or what to practice, with the plethora of books, CDs and instruction manuals out there, each one telling you to practice this or that?! • Have you experienced the frustration of buying many music books, hoping each time you’ve found the Holy Grail, only to have it join its permanent place on the crowded dusty bookshelf after a week or two of minimal use?! • Have you had one or more teachers, hoping each time that they were going to be the one to make you Kenny G?! Or how about some of these... • Have you struggled with staying focussed or been unable to stick with something long enough to learn it? • Have you found yourself practicing alone but you’re not sure if what you’re playing is right or sounds right? Or you’ve not been sure how to organise your practice time? • Have you ever practiced or been told to practice scales or pieces but you don’t know…… A) How many times you should practice it/them? B) How long should you practice it/them? C) How fast of slow you should be playing them? D) Why you’re even doing them in the first place?

Have you ever dared to think, how does playing these scales with this boring metronome or reading these notes relate to playing REAL music?! • Have you ever felt somewhat aimless in your musical pursuits, not having clear and achievable goals for today’s practice session, or for this month, let alone the next 5 years? • Have you beat yourself up and told yourself any of the following: I sound terrible, I don’t have the talent, I’ll never be as good as such and such, I’m not gifted enough, it’s too hard, I don’t have the time it takes etc and as a result of such talk, been tempted to auction your instrument on EBay, but instead just left it to gather dust in the back cupboard? • In fact, has your instrument been sitting in that cupboard, in the case, month after month, whilst your conscience keeps badgering you, whispering that you MUST pick it up and start again and make your dream a reality?! Or perhaps, •

you’re considering starting to play for the very first time and would like to find out how to avoid all the common pitfalls and mistakes that most people embarking on the journey of music make. Whatever your situation or own personal circumstances are, if you’d like to find out how you can maximise your time, effort and potential and take the scenic route straight to point B, where only the select few make it, then keep reading! If you can relate to any of these experiences, welcome to my world! These are just a few of the common issues and frustrations that I have had and seen during my 17 years of playing. I’ve been familiar with each one and trust me when I say, if you’ve experienced it, I know exactly how you feel! On the one hand I have been blessed with the unique opportunity to become a professional saxophonist/recording artist and during this ongoing process I was

able to find or create unique, exciting and musical ways to overcome all of these above frustrations, more of which I’ll share later. On the other hand I have always remained connected with these challenges at the root level, having continuously taught many, many students of all levels over the past 12 years. During this period as performer and teacher I have continuously searched for the most effective methods in gaining the best results in the shortest time. During this time I’ve found there are many issues, musical and psychological, that prevent most people fulfilling their rightful musical destiny but today I am excited and happy to share with you that I have discovered, created and packaged together a truly unique approach that addresses all of the common issues that have been hindrances to myself and to my students. I have called this method the: Elite Instruction Distance Saxophone Programme (EIDSP) The Elite Instruction Distance Saxophone Programme is the first correspondence course of its kind to systematically assist you step by step in the journey from being a complete beginner (or wherever you’re starting) to becoming a world-class professional saxophonist. Most would agree that a feat of this magnitude would naturally take many, many years to accomplish and rightly so. However, what it has taken many professionals a lifetime to achieve, the aim of the EIDS programme is to help you achieve these same heights in a 7-10 year period. It is the first course of its kind that combines the best of preexisting resources whilst incorporating many newly created materials to assist you every step of the way as you embark on perhaps the most exhilarating, challenging, exciting and ultimately one of the most fulfilling experiences you’re ever likely to have! The ultimate goal is the freedom to express yourself through music in a way that will bless and lift the hearts and souls of all who hear the sound of your beautiful music. Sounds incredible? It is! But with your commitment and daily effort combined with the EIDSP it is not only possible, but a reality waiting to happen. The purpose of this course is to hold your hand through the whole process, connecting all the many, many links that it takes to really know the instrument and to understand music. The programme offers you the following: •

Monthly audio lessons in MP3 format or, if you prefer, on a CD mailed to you, that provides you with clear audio instruction whilst also playing each exercise with you, constantly modelling how you should sound. For 30 days you practice each exercise in your lesson, growing more competent daily until you receive your new lesson. Each new lesson commences on the 1st of each month.

• Sheet music, starting at beginners level, accompanies each short exercise, so you can see what you’re hearing. Once you get going, you’ll

quickly find that reading the sheet music assists you to gravitate to what you are hearing and amazingly what you are hearing will assists you in reading! • A systematic approach that takes you on a musical journey, building on a framework of musical stepping stones that month by month takes you from being a complete beginner to becoming an accomplished professional within a 7-10 year timescale. • The Elimination of all guesswork from the equation by minimising the many variables that impact on the learning process. • Clear and logical instructions and advice as if you were receiving one-toone tuition each time you practice. • Exercises that are role modelled by your very own “practice partner” who constantly demonstrates, challenges and sets the standard for you to naturally gravitate towards greatness. This feature alone will enable you to learn from the very best players! • An automated practice regime that is designed to last for the daily allotment of time that you have chosen to invest in the process. • Exercises that contain target goals, in reference to sound production, speed and general musicality. The successful execution of all the exercises in each month’s lesson serves as your target goal for that month. • Monthly instruction on how to develop a successful musical mindset. This is crucial as one of the most common reason people fail to reach their true potential is due to negative or incorrect thinking. By embarking on this course you are partnering with your facilitator Mark Bunney, who is committed to your long-term growth and success as a musician. As part of the programme, Mark will always be on hand via phone, email, instant messenger and where possible, in person, to assist and guide you where necessary on this musical journey. Mark appreciates the importance and necessity for ongoing check-in and evaluation with his students. To ensure maximum growth and satisfaction this element is a vital part of the programme. How do I know if the programme is right for me? The Concept behind the Elite Instruction Distance Saxophone Programme The programme assumes you are starting with an average musical ability regardless of whether you have played an instrument before. How do we

define average? Here are some questions you can answer right now. Can you do one or more of the following? • • • •

hum, whistle or sing along with a tune (any tune)? sing Do Ray Me Fa So La Ti Do? Sing Happy Birthday or any nursery rhyme? Have you had any musical experience in your life, for example had music lessons, sung in a choir, etc.

If you can do any of the above (and you don’t have to do any of them perfectly), chances are you are at least of average musical ability. That’s great! This is where I also started. Now all you need is specialised training that will target and develop specific musical skills and this is what the EIDSP is designed to provide for you. However, if you honestly struggled with any of the above list, you may have a varying degree of tone deafness. If this is the case, don’t worry. All it means is that you need a preliminary course of tonal ear training that doesn’t involve the instrument. In my experience it’s best not to start with the sax at this point, until you’ve had some tone training as you would be starting with a very shaky foundation that could lead to frustration if not addressed. If you think you fall into this category or you are unsure, please call or email me. Prerequisites to starting this programme • Obviously, you need your own Saxophone! If you are a beginner, I recommend a student model Alto Saxophone. I can help you find a suitable instrument. •

You need to decide a realistic time commitment to this programme. Your ability to commit time provides the foundation for your growth. Each monthly lesson builds on the previous material so it as absolutely key for you to be able to invest the amount of time suggested below to see continued growth and to avoid frustration. The successful student is one who decides on a daily allotted time and makes it a part of his or her daily routine.

Level of Proficiency Beginner Intermediates Advanced levels 1 to 8

Year Year 1 Year 2 Years 3 to 10

Daily Time Commitment Necessary for Continued Growth ~ 6 days per week 30 mins to an hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 4 hours

• You will need a set location to practice. This is crucial and is often taken for granted but a specific practice location provides the best consistency and stability needed for you to grow.

• As part of the tools necessary for the programme, you will need to work in one of the following two ways: Method 1 1. A laptop or desktop with good quality speakers so you can hear the lesson clearly 2. Access to the Internet so you can download the MP3 lesson files from the link I will provide you with 3. Microsoft Word and a printer to print out the sheet music that accompanies the audio MP3 files If that is too technical and complicated for you, then you can choose method 2: Method 2 1. A CD player with good speakers so you can hear the lesson clearly 2. An address where you can receive CDs and sheet music Other things or attributes you will need: A music stand for your sheet music. A good work ethic, this will be hard work! Accept the fact, embrace it and get used to it! • Plenty of patience, it’s a process, don’t expect to get everything the first day or even the first month • Trust in the method, you have to be willing to trust the way I recommend you proceed, even when it flies in the face of convention! The methods I will suggest to you are ones that I currently use in my own practice after having tried and rejected just about everything else! • A positive attitude, we’ll develop this more in the course but your attitude towards your development will determine how fast you grow and how far you go. • •

What Can I Expect to Study in this Programme? The first two years of the course are the core foundation; during this time, you will build a strong musical foundation as a platform to operate from. During these years you can expect to get detailed instruction in the following: Fundamental Skills Intonation & Pitch Development Tone Development Range Development Sight Reading Music Theory

Brief Explanation Both of those words just mean we are going to help you play in tune! We want you to have a great sound You will learn to play in the low and high registers whilst maintaining the above two skills You will learn to read music well You will learn to understand how music works

Ear Training

Technical Development (Scales etc)

Song Development

This is the most overlooked skill that all great musicians possess. Could you imaging learning English without your ears! That’s the equivalent of learning music with no ear training To gain command of any instrument requires lots of focused repetition, which is the key to gaining mastery. EIDSP incorporates the most efficient method of providing this focused repetition whilst making it fun and keeping it musical so that the end result is that you can effortlessly play what you enjoy Let’s remember the big picture is MUSIC and the vehicle for music is songs. Throughout the whole EIDSP you will be developing a repertoire of songs you can perform as and when desired

From year 3 onwards, as well as continuing with many of the concepts listed above and other areas not here mentioned, you will be encouraged to develop the path and style of playing you wish to pursue. Whether your preference is toward, jazz, gospel, classical or another style, by studying the key role models of particular styles you will begin to appreciate and embrace the nuances unique to that style. We are all different and have different tastes, styles and preferences. Music is no different and things would be pretty bland if we all came out sounding the same! Elite Instruction Distance Saxophone Programme Price Plan (These prices will be fixed from 2009 to 2011) Payment Options (please select one of the following options) OPTI ON 1

2 3

4

PAYMENT PLAN IN UK £’s (POUNDS)

PAYMENT PLAN IN USA $’s (DOLLARS)

(only for students in the UK)

(for worldwide students outside the UK)

£75 on a “Pay As You Go” monthly basis

$125 on a “Pay As You Go” monthly basis

(cash, cheque, bank deposit, western union, or paypal)

(bank deposit, western union, or paypal only)

£60 per month via Standing Order $100 per month via recurring bill with 3 months cancellation notice payment with 3 months cancellation notice £180 per quarter (every 3 $300 per quarter (every 3 months) with 3 months months) with 3 months cancellation notice (cash, cheque, cancellation notice (USA bank deposit, bank deposit, western union, or paypal)

western union, or paypal only)

£600 yearly rate, paid upfronte (12 months for the price of 10)

$1000 yearly rate, paid upfront (12 months for the price of 10)

(cash, cheque, bank deposit, western union, or paypal)

(bank deposit, western union, or paypal only)

SPECIAL OFFERS FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2009 Make a commitment to start December 1st 2009 or January 1st 2010 and benefit from our end of year special offers, outlined below. OPTI ON 5 6 7

8

PAYMENT PLAN IN UK £’s (POUNDS)

PAYMENT PLAN IN USA $’s (DOLLARS)

(only for students in the UK)

(for worldwide students outside the UK)

£75 £65* on a “Pay As You Go” monthly basis (cash, cheque, bank

$125 $110* 1 on a “Pay As You Go” monthly basis (bank deposit,

deposit, western union, or paypal)

western union, or paypal only)

£60 £ 50* per month via Standing Order with 3 months cancellation notice £180 £ 150* for one quarter (3 months) with 3 months cancellation notice (cash, cheque, bank

$100 $80* per month via recurring bill payment with 3 months cancellation notice $300 $240* per quarter (every 3 months) with 3 months cancellation notice (bank deposit,

deposit, western union, or paypal)

western union, or paypal only)

£600 £550 yearly rate, paid in advance (12 months for the price of 10 with an additional saving of £50) (cash, cheque, bank deposit, western

$1000 $800* yearly rate, paid upfront (12 months for the price of 10 with an additional saving of $200) (bank deposit, western union, or paypal

union, or paypal)

only)

* These discounted rates are for a 3 month period only and then revert back to the normal rate And that’s about it in a nutshell! Please give all the information some thought and consideration and I hope you’ll decide to partner with me and embark on this exciting musical journey where together we will work toward your dream of becoming a great saxophonist or flutist. If you are ready to go, email or telephone and let me know which price option you prefer (1 to 8) and we’ll prepare to begin on your chosen start date. If you have any further questions don’t hesitate to ask. With your firm commitment, consistent effort and the Elite Instruction Distance Saxophone Programme, I am certain that you will become better than you ever thought possible! I look forward to teaching you. Mark Bunney +44(0)7988 640 594 [email protected]