The Understanding of Music Seminar ™ – The Understanding of Music

UMS-oz

The Understanding of Music Seminar™ is delivered online live with live interaction and drilling. A typical schedule:

Friday 2:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am - 6:30 pm (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm lunch break)

See our Schedule page for specific details of Seminar dates and time zones.
The cost of the seminar is $750 including all materials.
There are 110 daily lessons that accompany The Understanding of Music Seminar™ and seminar attendees can select EITHER the 110 lessons for the keyboard or 110 lessons for the guitar. If you would like to purchase both lessons for the keyboard AND for the guitar you may do so for an EXTRA fee.
Shipping and Handling is added for your manual and lesson books to be shipped to you in advance of the seminar.

What is contained in The Understanding of Music Seminar™?

Learn all the note names on the keyboard and guitar from memory and how to work out the note names on all other 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 song 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 110 lessons designed for a daily practice schedule which ensures each graduate maximizes the full potential of the seminar.
A downloadable link to a video presentation of the exercises as given in the Seminar demonstrated on both keyboard and guitar.

Where incorrect ideas about music have come from such as:

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.

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.

Seminar Price

$750 (USD) plus shipping and handling for manual and lesson book. There is an early registration discount. There are no other discounted rates. The full deposit of $200 secures the place of a student in the Seminar.

The fee includes the Seminar manual, 110 lessons for either the keyboard or guitar and the opportunity to do the same Seminar again for a 30% graduate rate. Repeating the seminar is strongly encouraged. Those who have attended again, agree that the concepts and actions are mastered to an even higher level. It also includes an option to consult by letter, e-mail or phone with the Understanding of Music Company™ on any aspect of the information contained in the Seminars at no extra charge.

How can all this happen in one weekend?

Duncan Lorien developed an advanced system of easy steps that ensures everyone in the Seminar fully understands and is able to apply each step before the next step is started. All Seminar information is included in an easy to read manual with simple diagrams. The attendee interacts with the Seminar manual while following easy to understand diagrams on a power point presentation, observing the keyboard from an overhead camera and watching close-ups of those same concepts on guitar. Each concept is fully drilled before the next concept is introduced. The seminar graduate continues at home with the daily practice schedule for a further 110 days. The Seminar manual, daily practice manual and all other materials are included in the cost of the Seminar.

What is the graduation rate?

What instruments are required?

Duncan Lorien recommends the keyboard as the fastest instrument to learn music on and it is ideal if you have your own portable keyboard in front of you and access to a guitar. If you do not yet possess or cannot borrow both of these instruments then an actual to scale paper keyboard diagram and guitar fretboards are provided for download which will enable each drill to be practiced throughout the seminar. Although the information is fully applicable to other instruments such as strings, brass and woodwind, and you will understand how to apply it to these other instruments, keyboard and acoustic guitar are focused on during the Seminar as they are the instruments most used and best for composition.

What are the other important details I need to know?

There are some basic rules you are asked to adhere to while attending a Seminar delivered by Duncan Lorien in order for you to gain the maximum out of the 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 accommodate that attendee.
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.
Recording the presentation is not permitted as it creates a distraction and all materials are internationally copyrighted. Taking notes are welcomed but not essential as all information is in the Seminar materials provided.
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.

Seminar Success

Here is a sample of success stories from the Understanding of Music Seminar:

"Thanks Duncan for opening the door, erasing the myths and taking this message and method to the world!" - L.S.
"I'm so grateful. I feel released from a prison of boring piano lessons where I didn't understand what or even why I was learning. When you told us that we were learning to play scales in order to create I really cried with joy and the relief from frustration. Thank you!" - C.P.
"Thank you for opening the doors and windows to a whole new dimension in music for me - I can't believe I was able to play on keyboard with both hands!!! I am amazed at your energy; your teaching methods and communication skills are excellent!" - A.D.
"Not only have I gained a complete understanding of music, I have also gained self-belief and the inspiration to be a better person. I can't thank you enough!" - E.K.
"Thanks Duncan. I'll play my way up to pub then bar then concert hall!! You have shown the way!" - E.T.
"Duncan strips away the mysteries and difficulties surrounding the art of playing music and brings the to do both to the masses. You've opened up the possibilities to a degree I would never have thought possible!" -A.R.
"Thank you so much for an enlightening seminar. Having studied piano and theory from the age of 6 years I never understood or had explained to me many of the things contained in this seminar." - K.C.
"Brilliant seminar. Can't express how priceless a gift this is. Thank you Duncan." - N.B.
"I was so enthralled and enthusiastic after the first 2 hours that I immediately registered for the songwriting seminar, bought an extra guitar and even bought an electric piano! Thank you so much - this is life-changing in more ways than just musically - you are a star!" - S.H.
"There are no words to express my gratitude - this means much more to me than being able to access music; it means coming back to life! Really!! Thank you!" - R.S.
"It took me a whole year studying music theory to cover what you taught everyone in one weekend!" - N.F.
"Even as a music teacher I still doubted myself and my ability. Now I feel like there is NO limit as to what I can achieve!" - D.D.
"This seminar has opened me up to the beauty a simplicity of something that has been pretty much a mystery to me for my whole life. Brilliant!" - S.D.