About
“We study the nature of music to nurture a lifetime of creativity.”
McMusic Lessons & Performances strives to inspire a deeper understanding of music within the beginner. Lessons focus on theoretical studies and application to practice, technique, and creativity. The instructors teach a spatial awareness in concept and play, to reach more tangible understandings of abstract musical concepts. The music lessons develop a musical awareness that provokes exploration, experimentation, and discovery designed for all ages. Music lessons are available on a pay as you go basis with options to prepay for discounted rates.
Hi, my name is Kevin McClain of McMusic Lessons & Performances. Teaching music allows me to share music on a different level from performing. I love seeing the light bulb turn on in the minds of my students during the learning process. As an educated composer and music theorist with studies and music theory and cognition, I provide music lessons on the acoustic guitar, electric guitar, classical guitar, bass guitar, piano, and ukulele. Lessons can be taken in our studio in Palos Hills, IL. or online via live video chat. Pay as you go or prepay for discounted rates that range from $50 a lesson to as low as $30 with qualifying enrollment. Different levels of enrollment offer different features such as detailed lesson reviews and step by step practice outlines. Online music lessons are available to any location and include live video chat followed by custom video examples of songs and exercises. The additional features ensure progress from week to week. Students and parents receive online student profiles to help manage schedules, payments, homework, and more. The service includes free make up lessons that never expire, flexile scheduling, and online resources to access sheet music and exercises. Contact us to discuss musical goals and availability. Try out a single month of enrollment before committing to extended periods of prepaid enrollment for additional savings and discounts.
1. Single pay as you go music lessons $45/0.5 HR
2. Monthly pay as you go enrollment $40/0.5 hr/wk for period of one month. Payment is due at the time of scheduling.
3. Monthly prepaid discounted enrollment $35 / 0.5 hr/wk for a period of one month prepaid one month in advance.
4. Quarterly prepaid discounted enrollment $30 / 0.5 hr/wk for a period of 3 months prepaid one month in advance
Prepaid discounts are provided for any lessons that have been prepaid a minimum of one month in advance. An additional month will be added to any lesson plan of choice. This begins a prepaid cycle and qualifies the prepaid lessons for the prepaid discounted rates. The first month of any lesson plan is prorated since the lessons will not have been prepaid a month in advance. Following payments are due on the 1st of the month concluding your prepaid enrollment to continue the prepaid cycle and qualify each month for the prepaid discounted rates associated with your lesson plan of choice.
Specialties
Musical styles
Guitar style
Has instrument
Years experience
Able to read music
Lesson length
Student's age
Photos and videos
Reviews
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Students must register. No payment information is required to register. This simply provides an official time and date of contact to prioritize requests in the order they are received. Availability is provided in order of registration. Trial lessons are subject to availability at the time of request. Customers will receive a phone call as time slots become available. Customers will be contacted within 24 hours of registration to discuss musical goals, enrollment options, and availability before purchase. Customers receive an invoiced quote with options to make payment and book the availability discussed.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
The instructor at McMusic Lessons & Performances is classically trained, but also has extensive experience playing, writing, and teaching in all styles. As a music theorist, majoring in musical composition, the teacher actively studies, writes, and performs jazz, blues, funk, rock, fusion, bluegrass, folk, country, reggae, alternative and more...
Kevin McClain received his associates of arts at Moraine Valley Community College and was recommended to DePaul university's School of Music in 2009. "My degree was left unfinished to take an opertuninty to teach in Fort Bragg, NC, being that my wife was going to be stationed there in 2012. We returned to the Chicagoland area to continue pursuing a musical education in 2018". Kevin majors in theory and composition and takes instrumental classes on jazz guitar, piano, flute, violin and more.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
How did you get started teaching?
McMusic Lessons & Performances was established by musician, composer, and teacher, Kevin McClain in 2008. "I've been playing music ever since I can remember. Playing by ear in my earlier years and growing up on the music of Frank Zappa, Led Zepplin, and the Doors, I started to love sharing my discoveries with friends and family. As I matured musically, I played music in various amateur bands all through grade school and High School and began expanding my interests to jazz, classical, bluegrass, folk, and just about any new style I could find. By the time I was ready for college, I was fascinated with theory and composition. I Majored in composition, while I focused on techniques of the classical guitar, jazz guitar, piano, violin, and flute. I moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina in 2012 to support my wife and her commitment to the US Military. I began providing music lessons to my students in Chicago and all of the United States with remote learning on Skype and other various applications. I moved back to Chicago in 2018, residing in Palos Hills. I recently relocated McMusic Lessons & Performances to Crestwood, Illinois in 2021. McMusic Lessons & Performances now provides guitar and piano lessons to any location with in-studio, house call, or online music lessons.
What types of students have you worked with?
Most of my students are beginning level children but I have had experience teaching all ages as young as 3 and as old as 95. I have tutored college level students in theory I - IV. As a composer, I am well versed in analyzing any style of music. I have experience teaching and performing rock, alternative, classical, jazz, jam-band, improvisation, country, bluegrass, and folk.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I love performing. Most recent performance required a classical guitar performance at a wedding and classic rock cover band performance at the reception. I've also performed in bluegrass, rock, alternative, classical, reggae, jam band music and more.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Theory is just as, and sometimes more, important than pattern recognition. Pattern recognition is only one skill among many. Be sure to focus on ear training, spatial orientation, and thinking intervalically in addition to pattern recognition and memorization.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Time and effort produces results. Make sure you have both to experience progress. Be patient with exercises and songs. Rushing only creates bad habits that will impede progress.