The Understanding of Music Seminars™

For format and information of seminars in Germany and Austria please scroll down to: About The Understanding of Music Seminars™ in Germany and Austria.

For information about the new Singing Seminar please scroll down to: Understanding the Basics of Singing Seminar™.

Why do the Seminar?

The seminar explains where the following incorrect ideas about music come from:

•Music is complex and difficult to learn.

•Music is a "serious" subject.

•Music takes years to learn.

•Music education is expensive.

•Music requires at least some natural ability and talent.

•Music is not for everyone.

What is contained in The Understanding of Music Seminar™?

• Learning all the note names on the keyboard and guitar from memory and how to
   work out the note names on other types of Western musical instruments.

•How to play all the scales and modes (a special type of scale) on both keyboard
  and guitar. Dozens of scales are easily memorized during the seminar.

•How to play every chord on both keyboard and guitar. Dozens of chords are
  easily memorized during the seminar.

•How simply the physics of sound and the history of music can be explained.

•New breakthrough easy exercises to teach you to coordinate hands and fingers.

•How to start reading music for keyboard and guitar in minutes not hours (even
  professional musicians are amazed by this revolutionary new system).

•How to do a simple 10 minute daily practice schedule that really works.

•How to read chord books and chord charts so that you can begin to learn how to
  accompany yourself on a keyboard or guitar while singing songs.

•To start reading and playing music by Bach, hands together on the keyboard by
  the end of the Seminar.

•A course of 100 lessons designed for a daily practice schedule which on
  completion ensures each graduate maximizes the full potential of the seminar.

•No claim is made that graduates are playing like Elton John or Eric Clapton in
  only one weekend but beginners understand how to read and play music by the
  end of the weekend and professional musicians reach new creative heights.

How can all this happen in one weekend?

      By using an advanced system of easy steps developed by Duncan Lorien that ensures everyone in the Seminar fully understands and is able to apply each step before the next step is started. All the Seminar information is included in an easy to read manual with simple diagrams. The attendee interacts with the manual throughout the Seminar and continues at home with the daily practice schedule. The Seminar manual is included in the cost of the Seminar.

What is the graduation rate?

      100 %. This graduation rate explains the huge expansion of this "grass-roots" movement around the world as graduates tell family, friends and collegues about their success from doing the Seminar.


What instruments are required?

      Duncan Lorien recommends the keyboard as the fastest instrument to learn music on and if you have your own portable keyboard please bring it with you as this helps to ensure everyone has access to a keyboard. You are welcome to bring an acoustic guitar as the Seminar information is immediately applied to guitar as well. Although the information is fully applicable to other instruments such as brass, woodwind, percussion or voice only keyboards or acoustic guitars should be brought to the Seminar.

Who should come to this Seminar?

      Absolute beginners in music, professionals in all styles of music, college graduates with music degrees, music teachers and even music college instructors have all attended and testified to the incredible success they have experienced with the Seminar. The youngest graduate is only 6 years old and the oldest is 91. The youngest recommended age is 13 years old (depending on study ability). Younger children will be considered on written application.

What is the Seminar schedule?

English speaking countries:
   Friday      6:30 pm - 10:00 pm
   Saturday  9:30 am - 7:00 pm (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm lunch break)
   Sunday    9:30 am - 7:00 pm (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm lunch break)


What is the Seminar attendance fee?

      $495.00 (US dollars). There are no discounted rates. The full deposit of $200.00 secures the place of a student on the Seminar and due to the demand for strictly limited places the earlier a deposit is made the greater the chance someone has of being awarded a place at the Seminar.
     The fee includes the Seminar manual, 100 lessons for either the keyboard or guitar and the opportunity to do the Seminar again for only 20% of the full cost. Repeating the seminar is strongly encouraged as those people who have repeated can attest as it ensures that the concepts and actions are totally mastered to the satisfaction of each individual. It also includes an option to consult by letter, e-mail, fax or phone with the Understanding of Music Company™ on any aspect of the Seminar information at no extra charge.
  

Is the Seminar expensive?

      Hundreds of expensive music lessons and many years of study are normally spent trying to understand, read and play music. So, this weekend Seminar that delivers exactly what it promises to deliver actually saves both money and time! Graduates have said they would have paid ten times the fee for this Seminar and that they have "gained the freedom to communicate using the language of music." What price would you place on gaining that freedom?
      There is a 100% money back guarantee for anyone who feels the Seminar does not deliver exactly what it promises to deliver!

Are there any Seminar rules?

• No drugs or alcohol may be consumed during the weekend on which the
  Seminar is being held (attendees receiving prescription drugs under medical
  supervision are requested to advise the Seminar Organizer what drugs are being
  prescribed).

•Any attendee with a reading or hearing problem or who is physically challenged
  is requested to advise the Seminar Organizer so the best efforts can be made to
  accomodate that attendee.

•No smoking will be allowed during the Seminar but sufficient meal and rest
  breaks should ensure this is not a problem.

•Any attendee who is unable to adhere to the full schedule and maintain
  punctuality creates a disruption to the rest of the attendees and will be refunded
  and asked to leave the Seminar.

•Tape recording is not permitted as it creates a distraction. Taking notes are
  welcomed but not essential as all information is in the Seminar manual.

•Each attendee undertakes to make the Seminar Presenter immediately aware of
  any confusion or difficulty so that it can be fully handled at that time.

About The Understanding of Music Seminars™
(in Germany and Austria)

Special new format for all seminars in Germany and Austria

    For the last two years an extremely successful pilot program has been run in Austria which addresses specific problems found exclusively within the German music theory system.
    The incredible amount of information contained in the Understanding of Music Seminar™ can be overwhelming for some attendees. Owing to time restraints, the intensity of the seminar sometimes reduced the enjoyment and ability to assimilate easily. In addition, many hundreds of people wanting to attend seminars could not commit to a full three-day schedule including Friday. Rising costs in Europe also meant either increasing the seminar fee or working out another solution.
    Therefore, as from January 2008, this pilot program for the Understanding of Music Seminars™ has now officially become the new format for all German speaking countries and handles all the above problems.
    The new seminar format for Germany and Austria is as follows:

1. The Understanding of Music Seminar™ has been split into two separate
    seminars: The first seminar is called The Understanding of Music Seminar™
    and the second seminar is called The Understanding of Reading and Playing
    Music Seminar™.

2. The Understanding of Music Seminar™ and The Understanding of
    Reading and Playing Music Seminar™ now have the following schedule:
    Friday      6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
    Saturday  9:00 am - 6:30 pm (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm lunch break)
    Sunday    9:00 am - 7:00 pm (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm lunch break)

3. The Understanding of Music Seminar™ will be delivered once each year in
    Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart and Vienna.
    The Understanding of Reading and Playing Music Seminar™will be
    delivered once each year in Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart and Vienna.
    The Understanding of Songwriting Seminar™will be delivered once each
    year in in Vienna (but with a full three day schedule).
    See Seminar Schedule for details of Seminar dates.

4. The cost of each seminar will be 400 Euros plus tax including all materials.

5. The 100 lessons accompanying The Understanding of Music Seminar™
    and The Understanding of Reading and Playing Music Seminar™  have         now been reformatted into two sets of 100 lessons.  Each seminar now includes     100 free lessons instead of costing an extra 100 Euros. At the end of each
    seminar attendees can select EITHER 100 lessons for the keyboard or 100
    lessons for the guitar. If an attendee would like to purchase 100 lessons for the
    keyboard AND 100 lessons for the guitar the cost of the EXTRA 100 lessons
    for EACH seminar will be 50 Euros.

Why do the Seminars?

The seminars explain where the following incorrect ideas about music come from:

•Music is complex and difficult to learn.

•Music is a "serious" subject.

•Music takes years to learn.

•Music education is expensive.

•Music requires at least some natural ability and talent.

•Music is not for everyone.

What is contained in The Understanding of Music Seminar™?

• Learning all the note names on the keyboard and guitar from memory and how to
  work out the note names on other types of Western musical instruments.

•How to play all the scales and modes (a special type of scale) on both keyboard
  and guitar. Dozens of scales are easily memorized during the seminar.

•How to play every chord on both keyboard and guitar. Dozens of chords are
  easily memorized during the seminar.

•How simply the physics of sound and the history of music can be explained.

•New breakthrough easy exercises to teach you to coordinate hands and fingers.

•How to read chord books and chord charts so that you can begin to learn how to
  accompany yourself on a keyboard or guitar while singing songs by the Beatles
  or Elton John or even Christmas carols.

•How to do a simple 10 minute daily practice schedule that really works.

•A course of 100 lessons designed for a daily practice schedule which on
  completion ensures each graduate maximizes the full potential of the seminar.

What is contained in The Understanding of Reading and Playing Music Seminar™?

• Learning all the note names on the keyboard and guitar from memory and how to
  work out the note names on other types of Western musical instruments.

•How to start reading music for keyboard and guitar in minutes not hours (even
  professional musicians are amazed by this revolutionary new system).

•To understand everything that is often confusing for musicians who try to read
  music such as reading notes that are very high or low on a page of music, how to
  read music on the staffs or in tablature, key signatures, the circle of fifths, beat,
  measure and meter, how different rhythmic styles are created, how to count
  rhythm correctly and how to read and play with both hands at the same time.

•To start getting your fingers under your control and develop coordination.

•To start reading and playing music by Bach, hands together on the keyboard by
  the end of the Seminar.

•To learn many simple basics on the subject of singing such as breathing control,
  how to maintain pitch while singing and how to start sight-singing music.

•How to do a simple 10 minute daily practice schedule that really works.

•A course of 100 lessons designed for a daily practice schedule which on
  completion ensures each graduate maximizes the full potential of the seminar.

What is the Seminar schedule?

    The Understanding of Music Seminar™ and The Understanding of
    Reading and Playing Music Seminar™ now have the following schedule:
    Friday      6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
    Saturday  9:00 am - 6:30 pm (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm lunch break)
    Sunday    9:00 am - 7:00 pm (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm lunch break)

What is the Seminar attendance fee?

      400 Euros plus tax. There are no discounted rates. The full deposit of 200 Euros secures the place of a student on either Seminar and due to the demand for strictly limited places the earlier this deposit is made the greater the chance someone has of being awarded a place at a Seminar.
     The fee includes the Seminar manual, 100 lessons for either the keyboard or guitar and the opportunity to do the same Seminar again for only 20% of the full cost. Repeating each seminar is strongly encouraged as those people who have repeated can attest as it ensures that the concepts and actions are totally mastered to the satisfaction of each individual. It also includes an option to consult by letter, e-mail, fax or phone with the Understanding of Music Company™ on any aspect of the information contained in the Seminars at no extra charge. 

Are the Seminars expensive?

      Hundreds of expensive music lessons and many years of study are normally spent trying to understand, read and play music. So, two weekend Seminars that deliver exactly what they promise to deliver actually will save you both money and time! Graduates have said they would have paid ten times the fee for the information contained in the Seminars and that they have "gained the freedom to communicate using the language of music." What price would you place on gaining that freedom?
      There is a 100% money back guarantee for anyone who feels that a Seminar does not deliver exactly what it promises to deliver!

Are there any rules at a Seminar?

• No drugs or alcohol may be consumed during the weekend on which the
  Seminar is being held (attendees receiving prescription drugs under medical
  supervision are requested to advise the Seminar Organizer what drugs are being
  prescribed).

•Any attendee with a reading or hearing problem or who is physically challenged
  is requested to advise the Seminar Organizer so the best efforts can be made to
  accomodate that attendee.

•No smoking will be allowed during the Seminar but sufficient meal and rest
  breaks should ensure this is not a problem.

•Any attendee who is unable to adhere to the full schedule and maintain
  punctuality creates a disruption to the rest of the attendees and will be refunded
  and asked to leave the Seminar.

•Tape recording is not permitted as it creates a distraction. Taking notes are
  welcomed but not essential as all information is in the Seminar manual.

•Each attendee undertakes to make the Seminar Presenter immediately aware of
  any confusion or difficulty so that it can be fully handled at that time.

About Understanding the Basics of Singing Seminar™

Why do the Understanding the Basics of Singing Seminar™?

   This seminar is the long-awaited full release of my researches on singing and 40 years experience working as a professional musician, recording artist, composer,  producer, director and teacher of improvisation to drama students. As a music educator I have taught thousands of musicians to understand music theory, to play and read music and to compose music in my Understanding of Music Seminars™ and Understanding of Songwriting Seminars™ as well as in private tuition.
    This seminar on the basics of singing is not a substitute for traditional coaching of singing but it cuts through all the confusion on the subject by explaining what works and what does not work when it comes to learning how to sing well enough to enjoy performing for an audience.

 What is learned in Understanding the Basics of Singing Seminar™?

• Finding out what "to sing" originally meant; almost no-one teaches this
  information today and it immediately changes even the way a professional sings!

•How to train being relaxed in front of any audience.

•What is the meaning of the phrase "to sing in pitch" and how can it be trained?

•Learn to improve your breath control with simple drills.

•Discover the way the voice box really works.

•How to visualize a sound before you sing it.

•Adding interesting effects to your vocal repetoire.

•Training your voice to sing any syllable while maintaining the pitch of the sound.

•Mastering intervals by using special references to well-known pieces of music.

•Handling what are called vocal breaks or transitions in the singing voice.

•Increasing the range of your singing voice.

•Projecting your singing voice and improving the tonal quality.

•Learn to sight-sing so you can look at music and know how to sing it.

•Specially designed vocal warm-up and cool-down exercises for the voice.

•How to do a simple daily practice schedule that really works.

•Each attendee is given a manual containing all the information and drills.

•Each attendee is given a DVD containing demonstrations of all the drills.

What is the Seminar schedule?

    The seminar is about 10 - 11 hours long and the schedule varies according to
different countries. The seminar is sometimes held on one evening plus one full
day during the week and sometimes is held for 5 - 5.5 hours on two consecutive weekdays. For details on the exact schedule of Understanding the Basics of Singing Seminar™ in your area please contact the Organizer of the seminar using the direct link on the Seminar Schedule page on this website.

What is the Seminar attendance fee?

      $250 (U.S. dollars) or 200 Euros plus tax. There are no discounted rates. The full deposit of $125 (U.S. dollars) or 100 Euros secures the place of a student on  the Seminar and due to the demand for strictly limited places the earlier this deposit is made the greater the chance someone has of being awarded a place at a Seminar.
     The fee includes the Seminar manual and DVD and the opportunity to do the same Seminar again for only 50% of the full cost. Repeating the seminar is strongly encouraged as it ensures that the concepts and actions are totally mastered to the satisfaction of each individual. It also includes an option to consult by letter, e-mail, fax or phone with the Understanding of Music Company™ on any aspect of the information contained in the Seminars at no extra charge.  

Is the Seminar expensive?

      Lots of expensive singing lessons and many years of study are normally spent trying to understand the basics of learning how to sing. So taking an intensive seminar with a realistic practice schedule containing simple drills that deliver most
of the same information actually can save you both money and time! Graduates have said they would have paid ten times the fee for the information contained in the Understanding of Music Seminars™ and that the information contained in Understanding the Basics of Singing™ is just as valuable.
      There is a 100% money back guarantee for anyone who feels that a Seminar does not deliver exactly what it promises to deliver!

Are there any rules at a Seminar?

• No drugs or alcohol may be consumed during the days on which the Seminar is
  being held (attendees receiving prescription drugs under medical supervision are
  requested to advise the Seminar Organizer what drugs are being prescribed).

•Any attendee with a reading or hearing problem or who is physically challenged
  is requested to advise the Seminar Organizer so the best efforts can be made to
  accomodate that attendee.

•No smoking will be allowed during the Seminar but sufficient meal and rest
  breaks should ensure this is not a problem.

•Any attendee who is unable to adhere to the full schedule and maintain
  punctuality creates a disruption to the rest of the attendees and will be refunded
  and asked to leave the Seminar.

•Tape recording is not permitted as it creates a distraction. Taking notes are
  welcomed but not essential as all information is in the Seminar manual and DVD.

•Each attendee undertakes to make the Seminar Presenter immediately aware of
  any confusion or difficulty so that it can be fully handled at that time.