Online vocal jazz clinics
Kerry Marsh and Julia Dollison offer vocal jazz clinics online through this website. We offer the same kind of feedback that you get at jazz festivals and in-person workshops, except that with this system, there can actually be much more attention to detail in our responses, because we can pause the video/audio, watch/listen multiple times, and take our time with our responses.
The process is simple:
1. Record video or audio of your vocal jazz group
2. Sign up for a free account on this website and log in
3. Click on "Clinic Drop Box" and upload your files to our server
4. Click on "Clinic Order Form" and fill out any of the requested info about your ensemble and program, and the nature of the clinic you desire
5. Kerry will send you an invoice right away (and, if you choose to pay by credit card, you'll receive a PayPal payment request), so you can start processing the paperwork.
6. Kerry and Julia will watch your video(s) or listen to your audio recording(s) and prepare video, audio and/or written feedback, depending on your request from the order form. This will be done as quickly as possible, so your feedback is still relevant to your group's stage in the rehearsal process.
7. Your feedback will be sent via YouSendIt.
Here's a sample video posted to YouTube (our website for this service used to be called vocaljazzclinic.com, but we've since decided to fold the service into KerryMarsh.com):
In the order form, you'll be able to choose between video and audio feedback. Audio feedback will be sent as an mp3 file, and will somewhat resemble "tapes" from festivals, although the recording quality will be considerably better, so you'll be able to clearly hear our comments. Video and audio feedback allows for modeling of musical ideas, of course, is highly recommended.
Written feedback will be typed (not hand-written) sent back to you as pdf files (and can also be sent simply as email text), and should amount to about two pages of single-spaced notes per selection, with time-stamps on the notes for easy reference to your recordings. The written feedback will likely go into greater detail.
Pricing:
Our clinic fees for this service are set by the minute of music submitted, so you have the freedom to submit just as much or as little material as you like
Video and written feedback: $50 per minute of music submitted
Audio and written feedback: $35 per minute of music submitted
Written feedback only: $25 per minute of music submitted
Audio feedback only: $20 per minute of music submitted
- Consider the amount of money you spend attending a jazz festival...
- Consider that, for example, audio and written feedback from two experienced vocal jazz professionals on 15 minutes of music (approximately as much as you can present at a festival) will cost your school $525 with our service, and can be ordered at any time of the year.
- Consider it as a supplement to your semester, perhaps...or a last minute detailing to be ordered a week or two before the biggest event of your semester.
- We've got fresh ears for your group, and we'll give you an honest assessment about your group's strengths and weaknesses.
- You can give us as much detail about your program as you like, so we can have some needed perspective when offering advice.
- Give the service a try with just one selection at first, perhaps, to see how it works for you, and send us more later if you find it helpful! We think it'll make a big difference for your students and for you!