Erika Middleton-Sharpe

Hoi! Ik ben Erika, en ik geven muziekles voor zangen, guitar, bas, en piano. Ik heb gegeven muziekles voor kinderen en volwassenen voor 5 yaars, en op de muziek universitite in Phoenix, Arizona. Nu woon ik en Nederlands en ben ik Nederlands aan het leren. In 2022 heb ik 60 muziekstudenten. Ik geef les in jazz, rock, folk, and pop music. 

I have professional experience as a vocalist, guitarist, electric and upright bassist. I have experience teaching voice, guitar, piano, electric and upright bass to students from age 5 to 65+. 

I am now a multi-instrumental musician and educator, with experience teaching in person and online, one-on-one lessons, and classes of up to 24 students at a time. I have experience performing and recording jazz, rock, indie and folk music in recording studios, as well as small and large music venues. I studied Upright Bass performance in New York at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary music, and I taught the Electric Bass studio at Arizona State University in Phoenix, Arizona. My passion for music is fueled by a constant pursuit of self-realization, honesty, and communication through performance. I have been a musician for most of my life. From a young age, I loved to sing and listen to music. My first performances happened at home, in moments of inspiration - I would sing from the top of the staircase in my childhood home, "The Colors of The Wind" from the Disney movie Pocahontas or "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid. I was constantly making dance choreography with my sister, cousins and neighbors to songs by Destiny's Child, Christina Aguilera and NSync. I connected with music and movement in an emotional way from early on, and this is still what tethers me to music today.

I began taking private piano lessons at the age of 7, and then learned to play the flute at age 12 in my school's band program. This is when my interest in music grew into a passion. I started listening to jazz music, specifically Ella Fitzgerald, Thelonious Monk, Count Basie and Charles Mingus, and began playing the electric bass in the school jazz band. From that point forward, bass became my primary instrument and interest. At 14, I started playing the Upright Bass and joined my high school's jazz big band.  I attended jazz camps in the summers and I took private lessons on electric and upright bass. Once I entered high school, I knew that I wanted to pursue music as my career. I played in jazz combos, youth orchestra, and community college big bands throughout high school. This prepared me to study Upright Bass performance at The New School in New York City, where I explored playing jazz, funk, soul, and began performing professionally as a bassist and a vocalist. 

I am eager to teach students the principles that will allow them to play music with confidence. Students will develop their sound through technique and strength. Students will learn to "use their ears" to understand harmony, learn songs, and improvise in various styles. Students will also learn how to navigate obstacles to their improvement, gaining tools to better sit with discomfort, methods for staying focused on one concept at a time, and how to cultivate patience while working towards progress.

Students who want to learn bass guitar will develop an understanding of the instrument, it's role in a band, and how to bring two essential musical elements together: harmony and rhythm. The bass is the "glue" in an ensemble, providing support for the other instruments, as well as it's own distinct melody and groove. While the bass can often be overlooked in a band, it is an essential instrument in jazz, rock, hip hop, and pop music groups. 

Students will learn to play the bass by reading music, learning scales and chords, practicing rhythms with a metronome, and learning songs by ear. Students will learn how to sit and stand while playing the bass, as well as specific left and right hand techniques that provide more variety and style to a given genre of music. Students must purchase their own materials for lessons, including sheet music, instruments and accessories.

Students who wish to play the guitar will develop an understanding of the flexible role of the instrument in pop music, jazz, rock, folk, and related styles. The guitar is perhaps the most commonly played instrument in the world, therefore a guitar student must develop a sense of discipline and commitment to learn strong technique, music theory and harmony, and how to distinguish one's unqiue voice on the instrument. While the guitar can play a lead role in a band, it is also provides structure and depth to music as a supporting instrument in the rhythm section. 

Students will learn to play the guitar by reading music, learning scales and chords, practicing rhythms with a metronome, and learning songs by ear. Students will learn how to sit and stand properly with the guitar, and how the right and left hand work in synch to create a variety of styles and techniques. Students must purchase their own materials for lessons, including sheet music, instrument and accessories.

Students who wish to study the guitar must have their own instrument in order to begin lessons, acoustic guitar is preferred. Students do not need to have any previous musical experience. Students must have an orderly space in their home where bass lessons and practice will take place. During music lessons and music practice, students need a quiet and calm environment. Noise and distraction from family members, TV, and/or cell phones is not acceptable during a lesson or practice session. Students are expected to practice their instrument every day during the week, Monday through Friday. Students will determine the amount of time they can practice with focus with the support of the instructor.

The Contrabas has many names which also include Double Bass, Stand-Up Bass, and Upright Bass. Students who want to learn Upright Bass will develop the physical strength and mental stamina required to play the instrument with a full and beautiful sound, with rhythmic accuracy, and with awareness of the physical demands of the instrument. Students under the age of 12 may not posess the strength required to play this instrument comfortably. In this case, it is advised for them to begin with Electric Bass, Guitar or Piano. Additionally, this instrument requires that the student stand during lessons, practice and performance. It is important that Upright Bass students recieve the support they need to develop on this instrument, which includes plenty of food before and after lessons, time for exercise and stretching, and assistance in transporting and storing their instrument safely.

The Upright Bass can be heard in classical music and jazz, as well as in other folk and pop settings. The Upright Bass is an essential instrument in the jazz rhythm section, providing harmonic and rhythmic support through walking bass lines, and bringing another dimension of melody through improvisation and as a lead instrument.

The Upright Bass is a member of the string family, so students will learn to play the instrument arco with bow, as well as pizzicato with the right hand. Students will learn to stand, to balance the bass properly, and how to determine the proper height of the instrument for their own body. Students will learn to play the Upright Bass by reading music, learning scales and chords, practicing rhythms with a metronome, and learning songs by ear. Students must purchase their own materials for lessons, including sheet music, instrument, music stand and accessories.

Students who wish to study the Upright Bass must have their own instrument and bow in order to begin lessons. Students do not need to have any previous musical experience. Students must have an orderly space in their home where bass lessons and practice will take place. During music lessons and music practice, students need a quiet and calm environment. Noise and distraction from family members, TV, and/or cell phones is not acceptable during a lesson or practice session. Students are expected to practice their instrument every day during the week, Monday through Friday. Students will determine the amount of time they can practice with focus with the support of the instructor.

Songwriting allows students to explore their musical ideas, express thoughts and emotions through lyric writing, and to develop an internal sense of harmony, rhythm, and meaning in original music that they create. Students who want to study songwriting must have at least 3 years of experience playing any instrument, and be comfortable singing. Songwriting students must have access to a guitar or piano which they can create and practice songs with. 

Students will learn how to create melodies and chord progressions, instrument "parts" and develop an understanding of song form. Students will learn how to change the emotional intention and meaning of a song by adjusting the harmony, melody, tempo, and structure of the song. Students will develop confidence in lyric writing by writing from personal experience, exploring language and it's layers of meaning, and manipulating the sound of words through vowels. 

Students will begin writing songs immediately in this course, and will work on developing confidence in their original ideas.

Students must have an orderly space in their home where songwriting lessons and practice will take place. During music lessons and music practice, students need a quiet and calm environment. Noise and distraction from family members, TV, and/or cell phones is not acceptable during a lesson or practice session. Students are expected to practice songwriting every day during the week, Monday through Friday. Students will determine the amount of time they can practice with focus with the support of the instructor.

Everyone has a voice, which means that everyone can sing. However, many people struggle to sing with a beautiful and clear sound. By connecting with our senses of hearing and feeling, we can learn to sing with our own distinct voice in a way that is empowering, beautiful, and honest. By embracing the vulnerable act of singing, we learn more about ourselves, our bodies, and the power of sharing our voice with the world. When we sing, we tell a story that unites music and the human experience, which is why learning to sing is a challenging and brave endeavor for every student. 

Students will learn how to breathe, how to listen, how to sing, and how to speak. Through visualization of the vocal system, students will develop mind-muscle connection to the jaw, tongue, vocal chords, diaphragm, and lungs. Students will learn to hear themselves clearly, to sing in tune and with a full sound. Students will also learn how to pronounce words, shape vowels, and breath in a way that supports the meaning and intention of a song. 

Students must have a comfortable space in their home where singing lessons and practice will take place. During singing lessons and singing practice, students need a quiet, calm, and supportive environment. Noise and distraction from family members, TV, and/or cell phones is not acceptable during a lesson or practice session. Students are expected to practice singing every day during the week, Monday through Friday. Students will determine the amount of time they can practice with focus with the support of the instructor.