Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music:

Stop Practicing… Start Performing

There are times when we all want to learn something new: how to sail a boat, how to fix a car or how to play an instrument. Most of the time, without goals in mind, we leave these blossoming new hobbies and they fade away without ever getting time to grow. Jason Gittinger started the Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music in Royal Oak for this very reason. “Without a reason to do it and knowledgeable professionals helping them, most people quit or falter. At The Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music we choose to do stuff, and the learning takes care of itself,” explains Gittinger.

With a wide range of students (ranging from six-years-old into adulthood) and some 200 people involved in the school — as well as courses such as Songwriting 101, Music Theory and Studio Techniques — every aspiring instrumentalist gets a fair shot at greatness there. | RDW

Detroit School of Rock and Pop Music • Arts, Beats & Eats • US Park Stagecrafters Theatre • 9/3-5, 1 to 4 p.m. • Downtown Royal Oak • artsbeatseats.com • $2 • For more info visitdetroitschoolofrockandpop.com

Road to Success

Jason Gittinger, a professional musician in his own right, has the tools and the knowledge needed in order to break out in the music industry. Listed below are the steps every aspiring musician should take in order to get noticed:

1. Be nice.

2. Get good at your craft.

3. Seek professional advice and opinions about your music (mom doesn’t count).

4. Practice.

5. Surround yourself with others as motivated as yourself.

6. Follow your passion.

7. Constantly continue to expand your knowledge base.

8. Network with other talented musicians (music isn’t a competition!).

9. Give your fans more than they pay for.

10. Always deliver 110 percent, no matter how big the crowd.