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School of Rock in Portland, Oregon is proud to offer music classes to help teach Portland and surrounding communities how to play instruments with skill and confidence. Students can learn everything from drums, guitar, keyboard, and more in a supportive and encouraging environment. Portland has a thriving music scene with many great indie artists coming from here including Elliott Smith, Sleater-Kinney, The Shins, Yob, Red Fang, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Pavement, Stephen Malkmus, The Decemberists, Nu Shooz, Dandy Warhols, Blitzen Trapper, The Chromatics, Everclear, and Portugal the Man. This makes it a great spot for emerging artists to showcase your skills at many popular live music venues in the area.
At School of Rock Portland, our music program for children with no previous musical experience (typically ages 6 to 7-years-old) is called Rookies. Rookies students have one weekly group music lesson where they learn fundamentals like chords, rhythm and song structure. Kids get to learn and experiment with multiple instruments so they can later decide which one they ultimately want to continue pursuing in Rock 101.
All of our music programs are designed to inspire students to learn and develop a strong musical proficiency. At School of Rock Portland, younger students who are not ready for a more comprehensive program like Rock 101 can start in Rookies. Additionally, students who have completed the Little Wing program will progress into the Rookies music program. No prior musical experience is needed for Rookies. Once your child is ready for private music lessons (typically older than first or second graders), they will graduate into our Rock 101 program.
Rock 101 is one of School of Rock Portland's top programs for kids and beginners. Students have one weekly group rehearsal where they learn to play classic rock songs that have been simplified for beginner musicians. Additionally, Rock 101 students in Portland have a weekly private music lesson with an instructor who helps them learn the concepts and skills behind their performance songs.
Our music programs for kids in Portland are designed to get students on stage performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency. Younger students at School of Rock Portland who have participated in the Rookies program can move to our Rock 101 music program once they’re ready. Additionally, students (typically ages 8 to 13-years-old) can begin Rock 101 without any prior experience. The goal of this rock program is to quickly develop a basic competence on students’ chosen instruments before moving on to our famous Performance Program.
The Performance Program at School of Rock Portland is our hallmark music program, where tens of thousands of students enroll each year. It consists of a weekly group rehearsal where kids and teens learn by playing rock music's most iconic songs with a band composed of their peers. Students are assigned songs and parts that are tailored to them based on their age, experience and ability to learn new skills and concepts. Students then work through their parts in weekly private music lessons, refining the skills and concepts that those songs introduce. The goal of this curriculum is to prepare kids and teens for live performances. Every few months, School of Rock Portland Performance Program students take the stage and play at local Portland music venues in front of a live audience.
School of Rock Portland's music programs for kids and teens are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing. All of our other music education programs focus on readying students for our famous Performance Program. This is where students develop incredible musical skills. Performance Program students have often gone through our Rock 101 program first or have some previous basic music experience. These young musicians will have custom development plans outlined by their instructors with key concepts reinforced during private lessons and group rehearsals, all with the goal of performing live at a Portland music venue.
Our Songwriting program for kids and teens teaches the fundamentals of songwriting, arrangement and music theory, and helps students compose original works. At School of Rock Portland, songwriting students receive one weekly private lesson where they learn concepts, technique and theory on an instrument of their choice. These principles are then applied in a weekly group lesson where students work together on songwriting exercises and lyrical workshops. Every few months, Songwriting students take the stage to perform or band together to record their original songs.
Our Songwriting program for kids and teens in Portland is designed to create musical proficiency through the creation of original music. Students at School of Rock Portland who have completed our Rock 101 program can move to our Songwriting program once they’re ready. Additionally, new students who have prior experience with and basic knowledge of an instrument can also begin Songwriting. The program culminates with a live showcase where students perform their original compositions in bands at a local music venue. Students taking the Songwriting Program online will remotely record their original songs to produce a demo of the class's music.
All of our music programs for kids, teens, and adults are designed to help students gain amazing musical proficiency. School of Rock’s online music lesson program is no exception. Online guitar lessons, online piano lessons, online drum lessons, online singing lessons and online bass guitar lessons are all offered through the School of Rock Remote online program.
School of Rock Portland's Adult Program is for students over 18 years old who are looking to either improve their musical proficiency or pick up an instrument with no prior musical experience. As with most School of Rock music programs, the Adult Program uses a performance-based music education approach. This means the curriculum focuses on learning music concepts and applying them in a live performance setting. Our Adult Music Program includes one weekly private music lesson and a weekly group rehearsal. Every student at School of Rock Portland is placed in a band of fellow adults and then assigned specific songs as a way of learning key music concepts and skills. Adult students then take the stage to play at a live show in Portland.
All of our music programs are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency along the way. The School of Rock Portland Adult Program is open to all experience levels and each student will follow a customized learning plan developed by their instructor. Adult students will work together during rehearsal to prepare for a live performance at a real rock venue in Portland.
The School of Rock Portland House Band music program gives students under 18 the opportunity to join a gigging band composed of fellow musicians from their school. These students perform additional live shows throughout the year. All students in the Performance Program have the opportunity to audition for a spot in School of Rock Portland's House Band. Once selected, House Band members become leaders in their School of Rock community and perform live shows at OR rock venues throughout the year.
Performance is the core of School of Rock's educational approach. Therefore, we create additional opportunities for students to perform on stages throughout Portland and the rest of OR. The House Band music program allows each school's most talented students the opportunity to join a band and play routinely in front of live audiences. Once a member, students will gain real music experience associated with gigging musicians and will become leaders and mentors inside the School of Rock community.
The School of Rock AllStars Tour takes the very best students from around the world and sends them on a nationwide summer tour across the United States. Less than 1% of School of Rock students are selected each year to represent School of Rock as an AllStar. All Performance Program students are eligible to audition for this prestigious program. The intensive audition process starts off with video submissions followed by live auditions. Once selected, AllStar students will have an authentic touring experience including traveling on a tour bus, doing tour publicity and starring in nightly performances at famous venues and festivals during a two-week tour.
Becoming an AllStar is the highest level of achievement for a School of Rock student. They play on legendary stages large and small, including The Knitting Factory, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Troubadour and Lollapalooza. AllStar students often go on to have accomplished careers in the music industry. Former AllStars have gone on to become touring artists, star in Broadway musicals, get signed to record deals, become finalists on talent competitions like "The Voice" and "American Idol" and have other notable roles in the music industry.
At School of Rock Portland, we offer beginner guitar lessons for kids. Our expert guitar instructors guide your child from start to finish with private instruction and weekly group band rehearsals. Every instructor at School of Rock Portland is an experienced musician, and they emphasize foundational music theory and technique when teaching guitar lessons to kids. Unlike other Portland guitar lessons and programs, School of Rock is designed to get students performing in a band.
It’s never too late to learn to play the guitar. Similar to our kids guitar lessons, School of Rock Portland's beginner guitar lessons for adults utilizes a performance-based curriculum. Our experienced instructors teach adult students through popular rock songs, and teach students to play guitar in a way that’s challenging and fun. We believe the best way to learn is by doing, which is why we combine weekly private guitar lessons with group band rehearsals. At School of Rock Portland, we teach beginner guitar lessons for adults in our Adult Program. This program gets students performing onstage at a local Portland venue.
Technique
Solos
Chords
TheoryAs students gain skills and experience, we move them along to more challenging programs at higher skill levels. Intermediate and advanced students take the skills they learned in beginner guitar lessons, and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. School of Rock Portland offers advanced guitar lessons for kids and adults that teach by playing challenging classic rock songs and emphasize playing the guitar in a real music venue. Our Portland guitar teachers will work with each student to develop a custom learning plan.
School of Rock Portland is the best option for anyone looking to learn the drums. Our beginner drum lessons get kids behind the drum kit and on their way to taking the stage. That’s why at School of Rock Portland we combine private drum lessons for beginners with weekly band rehearsals—it prepares students to perform live. With years of experience teaching drums in Portland, our drum instructors teach beginner drum students core techniques, including how to groove, play rudiments and more.
Our drum lessons for adults are designed to accommodate all skill levels. At School of Rock Portland, our beginner drum lessons for adults are built for musicians with little to no experience. We teach adults using the same core performance-based education philosophy as our drum lessons for kids—performing with a band accelerates the learning process. Adult students will perform live at a venue in Portland. Unlike other Portland drum lessons for beginners, School of Rock combines private drum lessons with weekly band rehearsals so students are ready to play in front of real, live audiences.
RUDIMENTS
TIME SIGNATURES
TECHNIQUE
GROOVEMore experienced to advanced drum students need a drum lesson curriculum that builds upon foundational skills and continues to grow musical proficiency. That’s why at School of Rock Portland, our drum lessons are customized for each student and his or her goals. Our Portland drum instructors integrate more complex techniques and concepts—intermediary grooves, shifts, meters and more—into a student's individual lessons and group band rehearsal, and will also select more difficult songs for his or her live performances.
School of Rock Portland offers beginner singing lessons for kids. Our unique, performance-based approach develops students' musical proficiency by preparing them to perform live. At School of Rock Portland, our vocal coaches are practicing musicians who integrate key music fundamentals—breathing, posture and more—into a curriculum based on performing with a band. Each week, beginner singing students participate in a private singing lesson and a band rehearsal.
School of Rock Portland teaches adults how to sing in our innovative Adult Program. Students develop vocal skills at a challenging pace designed to help you see results with every singing lesson. Adult vocalists learn how to keep tempo, stay on-key and master advanced vocal techniques for a powerful and healthy voice. Our curriculum teaches students how to sing by using popular rock songs that emphasize key concepts. Each week, Adult Program students have a private singing lesson for beginners and group band rehearsal.
TECHNIQUE
HARMONY
POWER
READINGAt School of Rock Portland, our singing lessons for kids and adults are designed to help our students reach a high degree of musical proficiency. Intermediate and advanced singers take skills learned from previous singing lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. Our advanced singing lessons teach students to sing by performing popular rock songs that illustrate a specific vocal concept or technique. We pair weekly private singing lessons with weekly band rehearsals with the goal of getting musicians to perform live in Portland.
School of Rock Portland offers beginner bass guitar lessons for kids that blend weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. This performance-based approach results in a high level of musical proficiency because it engages and inspires students. Every School of Rock bass instructor is a practicing musician in Portland and teaches bass lessons for kids that get great results. Beginners learn to play bass guitar by using popular rock songs that illustrate key concepts and techniques.
Adults looking to learn bass guitar can enroll in School of Rock’s Adult Program. No experience is necessary in our beginner bass guitar lessons for adults. At School of Rock Portland, our experienced, local bass guitar instructors have the patience and skills to help adult students gain musical proficiency. As with all School of Rock music programs, our bass guitar lessons for adults ciriculum is performance-based, and include both weekly private instruction and weekly band rehearsals.
GROOVE
TECHNIQUE
THEORY
TONEOur intermediate to advanced bass guitar lessons teach Portland students the skills they need to become the backbone of a band. Students take skills from previous bass lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. At School of Rock Portland, our bass instructors use popular rock songs as a way of teaching students advanced concepts and techniques. We pair weekly private bass lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.
At School of Rock we teach differently than other music schools in Portland. Our curriculum is performance-based, meaning that we prepare students to perform. Our piano lessons for beginners combine weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock Portland, our beginner keyboard lessons for kids take key concepts and music fundamentals—finger placement, scales, key differentiation and more—and teach them through popular rock songs. This approach inspires and engages students, which results in attaining a high level of musical proficiency. Our piano teachers have years of experience teaching music in the Portland area, and know how to coach and motivate students of any skill level to play the keyboard.
The School of Rock Portland Adult Program puts beginner keyboard students in a band. Adult Program students in the Portland area learn to play piano through a combination of weekly private beginner piano lessons and weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock, our piano lessons give adult students the chance to perform in a band at local Portland music venues, taking them out of the classroom and onto the stage.
TECHNIQUE
TONE
THEORY
READINGAt School of Rock Portland, our keyboard lessons for kids and adults are designed to help students get results. Intermediate and advanced students take skills learned from beginner keyboard lessons and layer on more advanced piano techniques with concepts. Our local keyboard instructors are all practicing musicians in Portland, and use popular rock songs as a way of teaching complex skills. We pair weekly private piano lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.
All of School of Rock Portland’s music teachers are experienced musicians devoted to helping students attain musical proficiency. Our instructors guide students one-on-one to personalize learning, inspire confidence and build social skills.
For over twenty years, our amazing instructors have transformed hundreds of thousands of students across the world into skilled musicians. Become a musician at School of Rock.
School of Rock is amazing! The instructors are not only fantastic teachers and caring people but great musicians. How they so expertly bring together kids of different ages and skill levels to put on such amazing shows is beyond me.
All the people involved with School of Rock make this a fantastic program. The staff, instructors, parents and kids make up a band family. There is a sense of community and an acceptance that is hard to find now.
School of Rock is all-inclusive, has dedicated instructors and staff, a vibrant atmosphere, and most importantly, it's fun! My 8-year-old has grown leaps and bounds in skill and personal confidence in the three years he's been a part of School of Rock.
My kid is on a journey with School Rock and is having the time of his life. The group at the school are very supportive, friendly, talented and enthusiastic. Everyone takes care of each other and they all help one another out both in rehearsals and at shows.
The School of Rock Rocks! At the very last minute, we inquired about lessons and extra curricular activities for my son and they were so flexible with online lessons and registration process. He loves the school and instructors - definitely would recommend to others.
Great, caring instructors. The programs are well-organized and the staff does a good job of communicating with families and students. The structure of the program--with individual lessons and group shows--is very cool.
The SOR team has done a phenomenal job of making this difficult time with Covid a smooth transition for the kids & parents via Zoom.
Diverse musicians and music. Found a way to still make classes work during Covid. I feel safe sending my son there and feel the staff really care about him and supporting his musical passion.