Learning
At The RedBarn Studio, anything is possible! Together, we can discover what excites you.
Private 1:1
Groups
Recording
Choose your own adventure!
A particular instrument? Singing?
Writing your own songs? Recording?
Whatever your learning journey, get ready to have fun in the process!
Hourly ($80), Half-Hourly ($40), with Group Rates + Classes Available
Here are a few stories and examples from students' experiences:
Paulette K.
Age 62
Started With:
Over Time:
Level coming in:
Time at RedBarn:
Banjo
Many banjo styles, music and chord theory, vocal harmonization, examining banjo repertoire and styles
Beginner
7+ years
Though Paulette's day job is as a professor of philosophy and head of her department at a major university--music has been a big part of life for her and her husband since their teen years.
Paul plays guitar and they have always enjoyed singing together as they married and raised a family. Paulette sang with the choir at the university but wanted to have an instrument to play as well and was attracted to the banjo as folk music was her favorite.
Paulette quickly picked up techniques, and RedBarn sessions became a combination of working on various technical points while running through numerous books of Americana, bluegrass, country, as well as traditional and modern folk collections. To mix it up, we adapted countless pop and rock tunes for the banjo.
"My sessions with Edd at the RedBarn are a highlight of my week. Our lessons are always fun, inspiring, and instructive. Edd has a deep understanding and love of music and a great sense of what students are ready to tackle next for their growth as musicians.
I would add that when we moved our lessons to Zoom in recent months, we have continued to have enjoyable and productive sessions.
Harry S.
Age 11
Started With:
Over Time:
Level coming in:
Time at RedBarn:
Drums
Drums, vocals, piano, synthesizer, bass guitar, horns, strings, music and chord theory, harmonization, digital recording and production
Beginner
5+ years
A seventh grader with a quick mind, eclectic interests, a fascination with all things technical, Harry also has a whip-like sense of humor.
Harry was exposed to a lot of music at home—particularly listening and singing along with dad’s classic rock favorites in the car.
Harry came to the RedBarn as a first grader who wanted to play the drums. He was a natural and picked up the basics right away! It was also remarkably clear that he had an amazing sense of pitch and interval relationships, and was not at all shy in singing!
When an attempt at playing "Let's Go to the Hop" fell flat, we used the tune to write new lyrics about one of Harry’s great passions—high tech cars, and in particular the new Tesla Model X. This led to many wildly imaginative sound and word collages, built upon the vast array of sounds possible from a music synthesizer.
Around the start of fifth grade, Harry discovered the re-release of the Beatles’ "White Album"—a favorite of his father’s. Over the next two years, Harry recorded a number of covers ranging from the Beatles to Weird Al Yankovich—singing and playing all the instruments on the multi-tracked projects.
He reached new heights when he performed live for his fifth grade school talent show.
When playing a band instrument became a sixth grade requirement at his school, we took up the trumpet.
Harry continues to grow and unfold as a smart and creative young musician.
The
Alleyway
Kids
Ages 9-11
Started With:
Over Time:
Clarinet, Saxophone, Drums, Singing
A Holiday CD Project!
A 5-song EP for relatives and family friends
"The Alleyway Kids" are two sets of siblings—two third graders and two fifth graders—that live in the neighborhood. A grass alleyway connects their homes to the gate to The RedBarn Studio. The kids have known one another since their earliest years, and all have a strong love of music thanks to their families' support—though their tastes in music differ noticeably.
In regular lessons together, it became obvious that the kids had a real spark. When their moms asked about a project for the four of them over the Thanksgiving holiday week, we launched a Holiday CD project.
The older siblings played clarinet and saxophone, and the younger kids were interested in anything involving the drum set. They all enjoyed singing.
After settling on a mix of songs that would capture as much attention as possible, we launched into it! The result was a 5-song EP for the relatives and family friends.
As 2020 came with all its surprises, and online learning became the rule—we've continued online lessons. Virtual time together has been fun and successful with new levels of learning every week.
Erik R.
Age 14
Kristine R.
Age 40
Emily R.
Age 10
Started With:
Over Time:
Time at RedBarn:
Piano, Guitar
Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Recording
3+ years
Erik was a middle schooler who came to the RedBarn to study voice. Somewhat shy and not sure if music was going to be a major part of his life, he was willing to give it a try. He became interested over time in piano and guitar—even bass and drums for a bit—and dug in to see what he could discover.
Erik came from a music-loving family and his mom, Kristine, was eager for him to find a musical path of his own.
Over the course of a few months as Erik continued to explore and grow, Kristine—a highly respected oncologist—revealed she had a secret desire to learn guitar and work on the music of "Heart"—one of her all-time favorite groups. So began Kristine’s time at the RedBarn.
Kristine brought in YouTube videos, recordings or notations that would guide us on our explorations.
Kristine's younger daughter, Emily, also got steered to the RedBarn for a few pointers on her pathway to music. She was just beginning to use her remarkable gifts musically.
The family continued to visit the RedBarn for the next three years and became some of our favorite visitors. We shared a love of dogs, the garden, and cooking— which Kristine and Edd's wife, Theresa, explored at every opportunity.
The crowning events of our time together have been the creation of three Holiday CDs recorded at the studio and which have become an archival family treasure.
"There is no place like the RedBarn. Edd is an incredible musician with the patience to help nurture a love of music and provide an environment for kids and adults to grow and develop their skills.
My hope for my kids is that they would grow up to love something about music they could take forward into life. My daughter went from being too shy to sing by herself to an accomplished student of jazz vocals and singing in an acapella group in college. My son went on to sing in the concert choir at Gonzaga. My husband went on to join a jazz vocal group in Seattle. My love of music has sustained and grown, and am a little less afraid to take risks. We made family CDs together which I still cherish.
