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BAND COACH
NAME:
IN THIS BOOK
Mission, Vision, Values & Our HERstory.......................................................................................3
Rock Camp Teaching Philosophy..................................................................................................4
Establishing a Safe Environment................................................................................................4-5
Principles, Practices, Interactions Between Interns & Volunteers
Understanding Youth & Young Adults........................................................................................6-7
Developmental Phases, Keeping Relationships Healthy and Respectful
Internet/Electronic Privacy Policy..................................................................................................7
Cultivating a Productive Environment......................................................................................8-11
Strategies to Foster Cooperation & Collaboration, Participation Challenges,
Conflict Resolution Strategies, Bullying, Disclosures or Observations of Abuse/Neglect,
Mental Health Resources
Rock Camp Roles..........................................................................................................................11
Volunteer Rules & Guidelines.................................................................................................12-13
Volunteer Interactions, Visitor & Friend Policy, Emergency & Medical Resources,
Press Policy, Food & Breaks
What to Expect On Day One...................................................................................................14-15
Talking with Youth, Wrangling, Band Formation
Gear, Equipment & Maintenance Needs......................................................................................15
Band Coaching 101.................................................................................................................16-17
Role of the Band Coach, Band Practice Basics
Preparing to Coach...................................................................................................................17-31
Daily Targets, Questions to help with Prep/Reflection, Mindfulness & Setting Band Norms,
Other Warm-Up Ideas
Tips & Ideas...............................................................................................................................32-33
First Band Meeting, More ROCK, True Beginners, Lyric Writing
FAQ’s..........................................................................................................................................34-36
Guided Imagery Exercises.......................................................................................................37-41
RCRC Camp Song Lyrics (+Video Link).......................................................................................42
Pedal Power (Effects Resource Page)..........................................................................................43
Practice Pages & Notes...........................................................................................................44-47
General Schedule & Information.............................................................................................48-50
The content in this book is the property of Rain Cty Rock Camp for Girls, Copyright 2018.
OUR MISSION
Rain City Rock Camp empowers girls, women, and gender non-conforming individuals to engage their
creative potential through music, champion equity, and thrive in a community of allies and activists.
OUR VISION
We envision an equitable world that celebrates creativity, embraces authenticity, and values all voices.
OUR VALUES
We value…
OUR HERSTORY
In 2000, Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls was founded in Portland and has since become an overwhelming
success, serving 300+ girls a year. As a result, similar programs have emerged across the country and
overseas as part of the Girls Rock Camp Alliance (GRCA), a program of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls,
created to provide accreditation, resources and networking opportunities for it’s members. In 2009, Rain City
Rock Camp for Girls was be added to this growing coalition of like-minded organizations that embody the core
values of the GRCA.
In its tenth year, Rain City Rock Camp for Girls is run by Natalie Walker, full-time Executive Director; Sue
Spang, full-time Program Director; Michelle O’Connor, Director of Community Engagement; Jordani Sarreal,
Admininstrative Coordinator; and a dedicated volunteer force. RCRC runs two week-long Summer Camp
programs, which is the flagship program. In 2016, we expanded our programming with South Sound Rocks!,
a program operating in Kent, plus we have a one week-long summer program for musically experienced teens
called Advanced Music Program (AMP), which is hosted at MoPOP. RCRC has provided school programming
at various schools including Scriber Lake High School and Totem Middle School, and Amplified Teen Voices
(ATV), RCRC’s youth outreach committee, has completed its second year of amazing work.
In addition to these youth programs, RCRC also runs adult programs during the year: typically two sessions of
Ladies Rock Camp, one session of “Rock-Away” camp, and weekend RockShops throughout the year.
Rain City Rock Camp for Girls makes a long-term commitment to each camper’s involvement with music,
nurturing and supporting their individual development both at camp and outside camp, hopefully over the
course of many years.
Anyone who has experienced oppression due to their gender can come to our camps or serve in a leadership
role at camp. Leadership roles are defined as any of the following: Camp Counselor, Band Coach, Instrument
Instructor, Workshop Instructor, Intern, or Lead Team member. Because of the fluidity of gender and our
desire to be sensitive to everyone who is a part of RCRC, we are striving to use the word “campers” when
referring to participants rather than any terms that are gender-specific. Language helps shape our world; it is
important to us that what we say reflects the reality of our camper and volunteer population.
Summer Camp Band Coach Guide 3
ROCK CAMP TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Our goals as instructors, camp counselors, band coaches, mentors and allies are:
PRINCIPLES
Number one fact: You are an adult. The campers are kids. It doesn’t matter if you’re 40 and the Camper is
10 or if you’re 19 and the camper is 17. At camp, you are the adult, and, the camper is a kid under our care.
Remember this at all times.
Boundaries are physical, relating to touch and personal space, as well as emotional, knowing how to have
rewarding interactions and relationships with campers that respect the personal space and safety of both the
camper and staff member.
We are responsible as a group for setting and maintaining appropriate boundaries. You are responsible as an
individual for setting and maintaining appropriate boundaries.
Our boundaries are only as strong as the weakest individual’s. In order to keep Rock Camp a safer and
comfortable space for all staff and campers, every volunteer must be conscientious. One person’s error in
judgment can have serious consequences for all.
Boundaries go beyond the walls of Rock Camp. As a volunteer, you are a representative of Rain City Rock
Camp for Girls. This is a source of great pride for our volunteers and for the camp—our volunteers are
amazing, and all deserve to be proud of their individual contributions to the organization. It also brings with it
some responsibilities. Think about all the ways campers interact with you outside of camp site: we come into
contact with campers at shows, on social networks, on the street, via e-mail…and sometimes we discover
them in places we don’t expect to, like at shows and house parties. In these contexts and spaces where we
interact with campers, think about what the most responsible behavior, language and presentation is.
PRACTICES
Setting Appropriate Physical Boundaries
Keep physical interactions appropriate at all times. Some campers are “touchy feely.” Younger campers may
want to crawl in your lap or hang on you like a little monkey; older campers might hug you or sling their arms
around you. You don’t need to prohibit this type of camper-initiated behavior, but keep this kind of physical
contact brief and neutral. No full-body contact. High fives, shaking hands, and “sideways hugs” are more ap-
propriate ways to interact with a camper.
Illegal Substances
Under no circumstances should you ever share (or purchase) cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, medications, or any
other controlled substance with (or for) a camper.
Because interns are minors, volunteers should adhere to the code of conduct that they apply to campers when
interacting with them. This is an issue of legality as well as preserving the interns’ comfort level and personal
space and safety.
Finally, let the interns know how much you respect and appreciate them! They are truly awesome and do a lot
of the hard grunt work that keeps Rain City Rock Camp running. They represent the future of Rock Camp!
DEVELOPMENTAL PHASES
Ages 8 through 10
• Are learning the skills of leaving home and parents.
• Have a short attention span.
• Want to share and desire acceptance from own age group.
• Enjoy close friendships with playmates and express selves freely in art and play.
• Enjoy competition related to their standing in the group.
• Like group games and activities but want everyone to obey stated rules and regulations. Identify
strongly with their gender and age group.
• Need rest periods.
• Respond affectionately to staff members who look after their needs.
• Consider what the staff member is able to “do” as very important. Enjoy staff members who have a
sense of humor and play with them.
Ages 10 through 12
• Want to be together in peer groups, like their bands.
• Have longer attention spans and patience to work for short-term goals.
• Form cliques and friendships within own age groups.
• Define status through excellence in skills and knowledge of grown-up things.
• Are concerned with physical size and appearance — watch what you say.
• Youth at upper age level may be newly aware of romantic attractions.
• Respond to volunteers who effectively channel their tremendous energy.
• Tend to idolize volunteers who measure up to their expectations — be careful here.
Ages 12 through 15
• Tend to view their world fairly idealistically; are uncomfortable with “gray” situations.
• Peer group rather than adult opinion is their source of wisdom.
• Want subtle reassurance of adult supervision.
• Value conformity; find it difficult to stand as an individual.
• Hormone adjustments trigger intense feelings and emotions.
• Influenced by popular adults and teen idols (the hero worship and crush stage).
• Long interest span and increased capacity for self-discipline.
• Often prefer competition outside the group rather than with friends in own group
• Idealistic about the world at large.
• Are seriously concerned with personal appearance, frequently self-conscious.
• Romantic relationships emerge as awareness of sexuality develops.
• Need volunteers who genuinely listen to them.
If a volunteer chooses to identify themselves as affiliated with Rain City Rock Camp for Girls on the internet
via Facebook, blogs, or other social networking sites, readers of those websites may view the volunteer as a
representative or spokesperson of the camp. In light of this possibility, we ask that volunteers think carefully
about the content of their profile or blog. Volunteers must present themselves appropriately on their profile
pages, if they wish to keep their pages public (available for anyone to see). Explicit content or content that
references substance use/abuse is not acceptable for campers to see. This applies not only to your profile, but
to the nature of the comments that you publish from other friends, the bulletins you post, the surveys you fill
out, etc.
Only campers should initiate friend requests. We strongly suggest that volunteers do not accept friend
requests from campers. Volunteers should not request to be friends with campers. If you choose to accept a
friend request from a camper, please be sure that your profile activity could be characterized as consistently
appropriate for the eyes of a 13-year-old (minimum age for most sites) AND commit to keeping it that way in
the future (or ”un-friend” any campers before you make any changes that would affect the appropriateness of
content).
Volunteers may share photos from the RCRC website and Facebook page, but they may not post their own
pictures of campers on a website (including social networking sites) unless the photos do not show the
campers’ faces.
• Most importantly, plan fun things for your group to do! Develop in-jokes you can share, come up with
activities you can do, make a group cheer!
PARTICIPATION CHALLENGES
A camper’s reluctance to take part or continue in an activity may be a clue that something is wrong. Some
things that could be causing disengagement are:
• Sickness.
• Boredom.
• Lack of confidence.
• Fear of failure
• Dislike of another participant in the activity, or of the adult in charge.
• Minor physical impairment.
• Upbringing or cultural/religious beliefs.
Six Steps for Responding to Conflict (adapted from the Youth Program Quality Reframing Conflict guide)
1. Approach Calmly.
Don’t make things worse by adding your worry to the conflict. Model calm behavior -- that’s what
you want the youth to do. Keep an open mind and approach conflicts matter-of-factly, instead of
emotionally. Ideally, you model the acceptance of conflict as a healthy and normal part of social
interaction. If more than one youth is involved, you may need to negotiate time between them.
2. Acknowledge Feelings.
It is difficult for young people to think about solutions when they are filled with strong emotions; help
them express those emotions until they are brought back into balance. Time and space can hep a
camper get into the correct state of mind for problem solving. Try to be non-judgemental and don’t
make comparisons. Avoid statements like “Don’t feel that way” and “That’s no big deal.”
BULLYING
Bullying of any kind will not be tolerated. If you suspect bullying is happening tell a staff member immediately.
If it does not stop after a warning is given the camper will be expelled from camp for breaching the code of
conduct.
What’s the difference between “normal” peer conflict & bullying? The following information is from the book
Bully-Proofing Your School, published by Sopris West.
Recognize that girls bully as much as boys. Girl bullies tend to use social alienation and verbal aggression
more than boy bullies, who tend to prefer physical aggression and intimidation. Notice the words “tend to.”
Summer Camp Band Coach Guide 9
DISCLOSURES OR OBSERVATIONS OF ABUSE/NEGLECT
On occasion a camper may reveal something about their home life that is a cause for concern. If this happens,
please remember that all information is to be kept confidential. This type of information is to be discussed only
with appropriate senior camp staff, i.e., Dani, Sue, Natalie, Michelle, or Jordani.
Child abuse and neglect are unlawful acts. Washington laws require staff to report incidents of suspected
abuse or neglect to the Department of Social and Health Services, Child Protective Services (CPS) or to the
local law enforcement agencies. RCRC staff who become aware of a suspected case of child abuse involving
any child participating in RCRC activities or events, are guided by RCRC staff policies, procedures and
Washington State Law.
As a volunteer you must report any suspected incident of child neglect or abuse to one of the senior camp
staff (Dani, Sue, Natalie, Michelle, or Jordani), who will assist you in getting in touch with the Department of
Social and Health Services (DSHS). Members of the Mental Health Crew are also available to support you in
making a report or in having the camper repeat herself to them and then making the report themselves. Any
person making a good faith report concerning suspected child abuse or neglect is provided civil and criminal
immunity by Washington State statute RCW 26.44.060. DSHS may require further information from you
directly. However, reports to DSHS may be made anonymously. For volunteers’ responsibilities in this regard,
see below.
Abuse and neglect include but are not limited to the following:
Although RCRC may terminate a volunteer at any time for any reason, abuse and neglect is unlawful and will
not be tolerated. As a result, RCRC reserves the right to:
• Suspend from her/his volunteer position any volunteer during investigation of allegations of abuse
or neglect. This includes instances where the volunteer was aware of potential abuse or neglect by
another and did not report it to staff, CPS or local law enforcement officials.
• Refuse membership endorsement or re-appointment to any volunteer accused of, arrested for, or
convicted of child abuse or child neglect, or is a registered sex offender.
• Dismiss or exclude from affiliation with RCRC any volunteer who has been accused of, arrested for, or
convicted of child abuse or neglect or is a registered sex offender
Band Coaches are mentors who have experience writing, practicing, & performing original songs with their
band(s). In most cases, each band will have a Band Coach and a Camp Counselor who work together to help
campers prepare for the Showcase. More on how to Band Coach is available in this handbook under Band
Coaching 101.
Instrument Instructors are mentors responsible for teaching their assigned instrument to their students who
will vary in age and ability. The main goal of instruction is to meet each camper at their skill level and help
them prepare for the Showcase.
The Roadie (Co-)Manager(s) is responsible for directing and managing the Intern/Roadie team throughout
the camp week. They are also the Stage Manager at the Showcase Run through and at the Showcase itself,
manage the intern crew, making sure that gear is in the right place at the right time.
Interns typically have two years of previous camper experience, and Interns are approximately 15-17 years
old at time of camp. Interns are the main camp and Showcase roadie crew. They must be able to lift heavy
equipment (or make arrangements for exceptions prior to the start of camp), to follow the directions of their
Roadie Co-Managers, and be willing to learn how to set up each practice space and move equipment safely
and efficiently.
There is a primary, full-time Front Desk Lead, however, and that person serves as the supervisor for all other
Support Crew volunteers, including Runners and other Support Crew members. The Front Desk helps with
first day registration, checking campers in and out, monitoring visitors, handling phone calls, giving directions,
answering questions, and selling Showcase tickets and merch. Other duties may be assigned as needed. All
of the resources needed for these tasks will be provided at the Front Desk post or upon request. At no time
should the front desk be left unattended.
Food Crew provides morning & afternoon snacks to campers as well as lunch to volunteers and interns.
There is a Food Crew Lead who has worked with staff to determine each day’s menus, and this volunteer will
direct the Food Crew members in their tasks. Food Crew also performs set up before and clean up after meal
times.
Support Crew can be called upon to help with daily morning set up, camper check in/out, serving lunch to
volunteers, merch sales, volunteer break room maintenance, moving gear, picking up donations, camper
lunch supervision/presence, general clean up including sweeping, taking out trash, bathroom clean-up, and
other tasks that help everyone have a great day at Summer Camp. This position is created based on the
theory “many hands make light work.”
Workshop Leaders have expertise/highly relevant experience in the area in which they are presenting as well
as how gender and other systemic factors intersect with their topic.
VOLUNTEER INTERACTIONS
You are the number one model for behavior for the kids. How you interact with each other will affect how they
interact with you and each other. Keep the campers in mind in all your interactions.
• Help each other out, and recognize when someone needs a hand.
• Step up and make your voice heard, but don’t dominate—make sure everyone has a chance to lead.
• Go beyond first impressions and step outside your “friend circle” and comfort zone.
• Always respect people’s personal space. Some people are naturally physically expressive, while some
are averse to all touch, and many fall somewhere in between; be sensitive to body language.
• Physical contact between volunteers should be G-rated at all times.
• Ethnic, sexual, or religious slurs are not cool. Watch out for common offensive slang phrases that have
tongue-in-cheek popularity in some circles, like “don’t be retarded,” “Why are you being so lame?” and
“that is so gay.” Be thoughtful and polite.
• Always address each other with respect, particularly in front of campers
• Keep in mind that not everyone is comfortable with raunchiness or cursing.
The Front Desk has a list of all volunteers who are First Aid and/or CPR certified. Also, if you are certified
please notify the Volunteer Coordinator.
PRESS POLICY
All Press has been pre-approved prior to Camp and should be listed on the “Visitor Check-in” form. If they are
not on the list, they will need to speak to Michelle before being allowed on campus. All visitors and pre-ap-
proved Press should be given the appropriate lanyard that must be worn while on campus. Any Camper with
a star on their lanyard may not be interviewed or photographed for outside press.
MEDIA RELEASE
It is very helpful, but not required, for you to sign the Permissions for Rain City Rock Camp for Girls and for
Press Outlets form. This allows Rain City Rock Camp for Girls to use photographs, recordings, and other im-
ages with your likeness on our website, in the press, and for other purposes that help promote and support
our organization. Please review the form carefully to determine whether you would like to sign it.
RCRC provides lunch for all volunteers working each day. We will do our best to accommodate most dietary
restrictions, but if you are in doubt, please bring your own lunch. Please make sure you are well fed and hy-
drated all week, and take breaks after instruction, at lunch, and other times your campers are occupied. Volun-
teers can use the volunteer sanctuary to relax, check email, take a nap, or just step away from camp activity.
Camp is also only a block from Greenlake, so feel free to take a walk or hang out in the park.
WRANGLING
We have over 85 campers at camp each session. Here are some tips for organizing and moving around the
building.
Tell your campers what’s going on––if you’re moving to a new room for practice, or going somewhere for a
workshop, or getting ready to watch a performance, let them know! This will help campers transition to the
new activity with you.
Need to get a large group of campers to listen? One of our most beloved methods: the hand clap. Clap your
hands once and say “If you can hear me now, clap once!” A smattering of campers will catch on and clap.
Then, you can continue: “If you can hear me now, clap twice!” You can keep on in this pattern until all the
campers are clapping and listening—ta da!
In group discussions, have a “talking marker” (or something similar). If a camper is holding the talking marker,
they have the floor and should not be interrupted. Your job as the adult is to make sure that each camper has
equal time holding the talking marker.
• Handle all guitars & basses with care & carry only by the neck. Make sure they are always secure on a
guitar stand when not in use. Do not lean or lay them down.
• Unplug all cords from amps and instruments after using them.
• Know the difference between an instrument cable and a speaker cable. Speaker cables carry an
electrical current and should never be used to plug an instrument into an amp. Writing on the cable
usually can identify these, but if you are not sure, ask the Roadie Co-Managers and they can assist
you.
• Respect the PAs and amps. Make sure after instrument instruction and band practice that all amps
and PAs are off.
• Remove the kick pedal before moving the kick drum of a drum set through a door.
• Report all broken and damaged equipment to the Roadie Co-Managers ASAP.
This can mean something different for each camper, but it often takes shape from something they didn’t think
they could do when they arrived at camp that they nail by the end of the week. In the end, it doesn’t matter
how the song sounds, we’ve succeeded if each camper feels great about what the band created together.
Your job is to work with what you have at the time, not focus on building new skills within band practice.
Take note of when the campers are blocked, and step in as needed. If struggle lasts more than a few minutes,
it might be time to offer guidance. It is ok to offer multiple suggestions and let the campers choose their
favorite!
• Lay down a set of ground rules or “norms” for how the campers will collaborate and communicate
with each other. Establishing these up front and posting them on the wall can help you discuss
challenges that may arise later in the week.
• Get the band making noise as quickly as possible. It is common for the group (or a few individuals) to
want to talk through everything in advance—like band names, lyrics, costumes, even chord structures—
before starting to play their instruments. Talking is easy, taking risks with an instrument is much harder, so
exploring ideas through the music is important to get going quickly.
• Foster a democratic environment where each camper feels they are contributing to the song. This
plays out in different ways, depending on the group dynamic. It can be as simple as asking the opinion of
someone who has been quiet in the corner or checking in with each member (within the group or one-on-
one) to see how they feel about their part and if they want to work on anything specific. Always give the
opportunity to come back to an idea or discussion for the campers that need time to process their ideas.
• Keep an eye on the general goals for each day. Each band will arrive at their song from different angles
and time frames (some have lyrics the first day, some won’t pull it all together until Thursday afternoon),
so do not fret about staying “on schedule,” but the daily goals can be a helpful guide.
• Be flexible and keep it simple! Remember, it ALWAYS comes together in the end. If something isn’t
working for your campers, try a new approach or pull in another band coach, instrument instructor, or
intern to help change things up. It’s ok to have a song without a bridge, lyrics with only a few words, etc.
• Partner with co-coaches/instrument instructors to work on individual needs and document decisions.
• Encourage campers to work through the process and use tools from their workshops. Your
band will see you as an authority and will ask you how things sound. Of course, you can give positive
feedback, but it is not about them pleasing you and your rock sensibility, it’s about pleasing themselves.
There is no wrong in rock n’ roll!
PREPARING TO COACH
RCRC is always striving to provide relevant, engaging and high quality instruction and mentoring for our
youth. We are constantly working to find even more ways to invite youth voice into the learning and creative
processes. We are also trying to offer more opportunities for our campers to build their leadership skills.
While there is a magical quality about what happens at Rock Camp, we know that doing the hard work of
deconstructing systems that uphold inequity, and intentional inclusion and valuing of our campers’ strengths
and ideas is what unleashes the magical power within the music.
For the past year, we have been participating in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) cohort of
girl-serving organizations including FIERCE partners like: Reel Grrrls, Powerful Voices, Young Women
Empowered (Y-WE), Girls on the Run, Native Girls Code, and others; supported by the Women’s Funding
Alliance. Part of this organizational development includes the Youth Quality Program Initiative (YPQI)
assessments and trainings.
Using our grassroots ROCK philosophy and wisdom gained from the collective experiences and knowledge
of the Girls Rock Camp Alliance (GRCA), we have designed a tool that we ask you to use in daily
preparation for your role as a Band Coach.
The following pages are an outline of the daily goals in band practice. For each day, the tool is integrated
in to preparation for each day; observations of behaviors/group dynamics/youth responses; and finally,
reflections to assist in prepping for the next day!
MONDAY TARGETS
• Establish “band norms” as a foundation for communication, collaboration and behavior throughout the
week..
• Share the learnings from instrument instruction.
• Experiment combining what campers have learned by jamming.
• Explore common musical preferences/artists and decide on a genre or style as a starting point
(it’s ok if the song doesn’t end up sounding like they originally intended).
• Start experimenting with chord progressions or notes for either the verse or chorus, or both.
• Begin thinking about possible topics for lyrics. Choose something the singer can play around with as
the other instruments work on ideas (can be a nursery rhyme, gibberish, alphabet, etc.). Stress that this
doesn’t have to be the final song topic!
• Begin discussion of band name, but do not let this dominate the first day.
After camper introductions and norms are out of the way, there are endless ways for a band to start to bond and
begin the process of creating a new song. One way to get things rolling is with a warm up exercise.
Warm ups can help get everyone playing without the pressure of inventing something new, just yet. The first
warm up is an excellent opportunity to get a read on skill level, willingness to try new things, insecurities, etc.
1. Start by asking the guitarist what chords they know. The guitar can be the most challenging instrument for a
beginner, so building from what chords the guitarist knows can be a helpful guide. As a band, choose one of
the chords as the note for the first warm up.
2. Ask the bassist to share any patterns or notes they know. If they claim they don’t know any, have them play
the open strings (4 notes right there). Then, identify which bass note they will play with the guitar chord for
the warm up.
4. Ask the drummer to share something they learned that first day. Then, have the drummer play a steady
rhythm and layer in the other instruments until everyone is playing together.
This helps get the band making decisions together and listening to each other without the pressure of coming
up with a part, etc. And, it gets everyone involved right out of the gate.
You can build from this by adding chord changes, or asking someone else to start instead of drums, or having
everyone switch instruments for one round.
1 2 3 4
E A B A
G
D
A 00 00 00 00 22 22 22 22 00 00 00 00
E 00 00 00 00
PICK A TOPIC (AS A BAND!):
Listen to your band playing together and then choose a topic to “riff” (improvise) on. Vocalists can
use the topic to try out sentences that fit into the beat. Each person should REALLY listen to one
another and try to match the style that your bandmates are playing with (ex. hard, soft, punchy,
smooth, loud, quiet).
ANOTHER OPTION. . .
Here is another rhythm and progression your band can try:
1 2 & 3 4 &
G C D C
G
D 0 00 0 00
A 3 33 3 33 3 33 3 33
E 3 33 3 33
What kind of statements are youth using to evaluate their own or bandmates playing?
MONDAY REFLECTION
What were the accomplishments?
TUESDAY TARGETS
• Strive to have the basic progression for a verse and chorus identified.
• Circle back to the Songwriting (and Shape Your Sound if they have had it). Have them share what they
learned and what they might want to try to incorporate in their song.
• Dedicate some time to working on lyrics.
• Explore melody ideas as a group, if helpful.
• Try to have a band name determined today.
TUESDAY REFLECTION
What were the accomplishments?
WEDNESDAY TARGETS
• Determine the overall structure of the song.
• Try to have an initial draft of the lyrics. (Make sure the lead singer is singing something, even if repeating
incomplete lyrics, nursery rhymes, poems, or gibberish. Remember too, that “using their voice” might mean
using sounds and expressions rather than lyrics.)
• Also, begin to solidify the form of the song - how many verses, repetitions of the chorus/hook, instrumental
breaks, or if there will be a bridge or other transition section.
• Experiment with effects, arranging (staggered entrances, etc), tempo and dynamics.
WEDNESDAY REFLECTION
What were the accomplishments?
THURSDAY TARGETS
• Finalize the structure (all parts identified) and the lyrics. Lyrics are due at the end of the day!
• Try to decide if there will be any effects pedals involved.
• Consider performance antics (in terms of what persona they want to project, how to cover/recover from
mistakes, any rock n’ roll “moves” they want to try).
What is the opportunity for youth leadership in preparing for the Showcase runthru?
THURSDAY REFLECTION
What were the accomplishments?
FRIDAY TARGETS
• All bands do a showcase run through in the morning instead of instrument instruction.
• Talk about the how the run through went and what they want to work on to make them feel comfortable and
ready for the final performance on Saturday. Try to demystify the showcase!
• Run through the song as many times as is helpful to iron out the wrinkles and gain confidence.
• Consider “visiting” another band to see their song and invite others to come by to see your band (instrument
instructors, other bands, roadies, interns, other volunteers).
What is the opportunity for youth leadership in doing final Showcase preparation?
How have you (the coach) contributed to (more) equitable contributions amongst the campers?
How have the youth contributed to (more) equitable contributions amongst the amongst themselves?
How did using non-evaluative languge affect (or not) the creative process?
.
• Consider discussing each member’s role in the band and ask how the lead singer feels about
backing vocals up front.
• Discuss what genres of music and artists they like. See if you can find some kind of consensus
on a style they would like to try to play (remember, no covers). This is a great “get to know each
other” exercise as well, to find some kind of common ground.
• It can be helpful to ask who wants to be involved in the lyric-writing process and who has
experience writing lyrics in the past.
• You can start with a beat. This can help you identify the drummer’s proficiency and help the
campers find the “1.” If beginners, have everyone clap the rhythm to establish the beat.
Ask if the guitarist or bassist want to take a stab at adding to the sound (can be a single chord,
single note, complete melody line, etc.). If neither want to jump in, ask them to play an E in
rhythm with the drum beat. It is usually easiest to have the guitarist play first, then layer in the
bass once the notes are establitheyd.
Encourage the singer to sing any phrase/poem or count out the rhythm into the microphone.
• Explore/try a few different ideas (chord patterns) as suggested by the campers. If they find
something they like the sound of, write it on the white paper/white board and then try something
else. Then try to put pieces toget to identify a potential verse/chorus.
• Some bands like to start with the hook. Try a melodic chorus, phrase/word shouted out, and/or
an instrumental melody.
• Find a note the strings can play together (even if a single note instead of a chord), consider having
them try to hit that note on the “1” with 4-beat pattern from the drummer. Try finding another note,
then working on changing back and forth between the two. While they do this, the singer can try
improvising or continue to count things out. More playing will build confidence!
LYRIC WRITING
There will be a songwriting session on the first day, but some bands may end up with their first band
practice before this session, so there are several ways you can help get things started.
• Engage the campers in a discussion on how they want to tackle the lyrics. For example, if
they want to try a few different exercises to get the ideas flowing or if anyone has something they
want to throw to the wolves. Although we encourage that the entire band take part in the writing
process, some campers may be more interested than others in taking the lead to draft ideas. It
can be helpful to establish how much involvement each camper wants to have in this process.
Ultimately, the vocalist has to sing them, so they should feel comfortable with the lyrics and will
often be the key contributor.
• Brainstorm topics or themes. Encourage spontaneous phrases and write them down. See if you
can piece anything together. This can also help guide them to their final theme.
• Have each camper take a few minutes on their own to jot down a few lines or ideas based on
a general theme or story line, then come back together and review.
• Have one camper write a line on the top of a piece of paper, then pass it to the next camper
to add a line, without pressure or judgment. See where it takes you. This can be a way to identify a
story line or theme to the song, even if you don’t keep any of the lyrics.
What if one of the campers comes into practice with a completed song on the first day?
• Try to discourage one band member teaching a completed song to the rest (remember, no covers).
The goal is to create something new as a group that they all “own.”
• It is acceptable, however, to use lyrics brought in by an individual, providing the rest of the band agrees
to them and builds the rest of the song as a collaboration.
• Sometimes they will get confused about how many times their individual “pattern” plays through for a
given part. A “part” for a guitarist might be 1 time through the chord changes, where the bass player
may go 4 times through her pattern. Play a single verse and ask each camper to count how many
times they play their part within that sequence. Repeat for chorus, etc.
• Ask the vocalist to clap or count the rhythm into the microphone to help them find the “1”.
What are the campers learning during instrument instruction and what do I work with?
• Instrument Instruction at Summer Camp is designed to get the campers up on their feet and creating
original music as quickly as possible. They will all be introduced to the basic notes, chords, beats, and
vocal stylings the first day, but due to such a wide range of experience, it is impossible to know what
each camper will take away.
• The best approach is to ask the campers what they’ve learned and to demonstrate. They may have
learned a new chord, but not be able to play it yet. Ask questions about what they feel comfortable with
and what they want to explore for their song. Feel free to show them new chords, notes, ways to play
things if they express interest and aptitude!
• The campers are not held accountable for learning a specific curriculum, but are introduced to ideas,
method, and technique that can help them build a song. Instructors offer basics for beginners and layer
in advanced elements during each lesson for those that have more background or learn more quickly.
• Remind the campers that they can refer to their Tourguides, as they will contain charts and notes they
may take during class. You may need to help a camper remember how to read a note or chord chart,
so if you do not feel comfortable with this, feel free to check in with an instructor or the lead band coach
for a quick review.
• The instrument curriculum is available for instructors and coaches on the ‘How to Be a Rock Camp
Volunteer’ page of the RCRC website.
• Check in with their instrument/vocal instructor to see how they are progressing during class. This
can help you determine if it is a shyness issue or something bigger. The instructor may be able to
swing by your next practice to try to help their figure out a part/melody.
How can I keep the drummer engaged when the guitarists need to work on a part?
• Can practice their part on the carpet or a practice pad (if available).
• Have vocalist envision hitting the wall with their voice. Start with the title of the song, first line, the
chorus, or something short that they can belt out. It can even be a single, unrelated word.
• Have each camper take turns saying something into the mic, so they can hear how everyone sounds
when amplified.
• Offer having a backing vocalist or someone singing dual vocals in a few parts (as long as the
vocalist is still the lead singer and is truly happy with the idea).
• Leave the room and have the campers work on the song a few minutes on their own.
• Check in with the vocal coach and let them know the issue. The instructor can help sleuth out a
solution.
• It can also be really difficult (and intimidating) to find a new melody, especially if the band has trouble
playing the correct notes and/or the timing is slow or off. Consider heading outside with just the
vocalist and an acoustic guitar or recording the basic melody to play around with ideas. If you are not
comfortable with this, see if the vocal instructor or another band coach is available to help.
• Offer a suggestion to simplify a drum part for the moment to help hit the “1”.
• Offer a vocal tip to drop a consonant or suggest they try a synonym to the problem word or phrase to
make it easier to sing.
• Suggest they discuss the part with their instrument/vocal instructor to find a solution.
• Take a break to walk outside for a minute of fresh air can help with the reset button. If the lyrics/
melody are done, you can find a corner or spot on the steps and have them all clap the rhythm and
sing the song together. Or, the younger campers can jump or dance the beat. Try to keep the break
productive, but a quick release of energy and change of environment can do wonders.
• Hold discussions about band name, logo, and costumes as an incentive to focus!
• Have a “60 second wild jam” where everyone plays anything they want as loud as they want for
exactly 1 minute.
• Use the guided meditation exercises on the following pages or one of the fun activities in the
Tourguide.
• If you are not comfortable with a particular instrument, ask the instrument/vocal instructor, lead
band coach, or another band coach or intern with relevant experience to join your practice for a few
minutes.
• Talk to the camper’s instrument/vocal instructor to let them know what they wants to work on.
They may also be able to address it during the next lesson.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
• Do not worry about what the campers are learning, meet them where they are now, in this moment.
• Asking what the campers learned each day can help you understand their experience level and
comfort both expressing their ideas and eagerness to learn.
• Campers are not expected to learn a specific curriculum. Instrument instruction is intended to help
get each camper on their feet and creating something new with their band as quickly as possible,
while providing new ideas, skills, and technique as needed. In essence, to demystify playing the
instrument AND at the same time show them how to make magic on the instrument!
The key for reading the scripts is to be relaxed yourself so take a moment to calm your body,
thoughts, and breathing before you begin. There is a suggested amount of time for each script – you
can use this to see if you’re reading too quickly or too slowly. Take a glance at a clock and time your-
self. You should be about 1⁄2 way through the script at the 4-minute mark, for example. But again, use
your own judgement on the timing as the most important thing is that you feel relatively relaxed as
well. If you have any questions, seek out Sally TerBeck.
General wellness and relaxation via Favorite Place Imagery *Favorite Place Imagery Script by
Belleruth Naparstek (approximately 8 minutes)
Note: Some people spend a lot of time picking a favorite place, which can disrupt the intent for relaxa-
tion. Encourage the campers to pick a spot before they begin and remind them that it doesn’t have to
be perfect.
To begin with, see if you can position yourself as comfortably as you can, shifting your weight so that
you’re allowing your body to be fully supported by your chair or couch or whatever is supporting you.
Try to arrange it so that your head, neck, and spine `are straight.
And taking a deep, full, cleansing breath . . . inhaling as fully as you can . . .and breathing all the way
out ...
And again . . . breathing in . . . and this time, seeing if you can send the warm energy of the breath to
any part of your body that’s tense or sore or tight and breathing out . . .
So you can feel your breath going to all the tight, tense places, loosening and warming and softening
them . . . and then gathering up all the tension and breathing it out . . . so that more and more, you
can feel safe and comfortable, relaxed and easy, watching the cleansing action of the breath ... with
friendly but detached awareness . . .
And any unwelcome thoughts that come to mind, those too can be sent out with the
breath ... released with the exhale . . . so that for just a moment, the mind is empty . . . for just a split
second, it is free and clear space, and you are blessed with stillness . . .
And any emotions that are rocking around in there . . . those, too, can be noted, and acknowledged,
and sent out with the breath . . . like a lake with no ripples . . .
And now, imagining a place where you feel safe and peaceful and easy . . . a place from your past . . .
or somewhere you’ve always wanted to go . . . it doesn’t matter . . . just so it’s a place that feels good
and safe and peaceful to you . . .
And allowing the place to become real to you . . . looking around you . . .taking the place in with your
eyes . . . enjoying the colors . . . the scenery . . .looking over to your right . . . and over to your left . . .
And listening to the sounds of the place . . . whatever they might be . . . wind or water . . . birds or
crickets or multiple layers of sounds . . . just so your ears can become familiar with all of the beautiful
music that your special, safe place offers up to you . . .
And feeling the air on your skin . . . crisp and dry . . . or balmy and wet . . .perhaps you are inside,
feeling the warmth of a cozy fire on your face and hands . . . or maybe you are outdoors, and there’s
just the subtlest caress of a fragrant, gentle breeze . . . so just enjoying the feel of the place on your
skin. ..And smelling its rich fragrance . . . whether it’s the soft, full scent of flowers . .. or sharp, salt
sea air . . . sweet meadow grass . . . or maybe the pungent smell of moss in the forest . . .
So just taking it all in, all the richness of it . . . with all of your senses . . .becoming more and more
attuned to your safe and beautiful special place . . .just feeling thankful and happy to be there . . .And
letting your body soak in the vibrance of the place . . . letting its richness penetrate all the way in . .
.So just letting the beauty of the place nourish you . . . taking it with every full, deep breath . . . all the
way down into your belly . . . all the way down to the tips of your toes . ..
feeling the penetrating warmth and power of the place . . .soaking into your skin . . . down through
muscle and bone . . . all the way to each and every cell . . . reaching down to the peaceful stillness at
your very center . . .
(longer pause)
And so . . . knowing that you can call forth this place . . . whenever you wish . .. once again, feeling
yourself sitting in your chair or lying down . . . just breathing in and out, very rhythmically and easily . .
. and very gently and with soft eyes, letting yourself come back into the room whenever you are ready
. .. knowing in a deep place that you are better for this . . .
Help with performance anxiety via Peak Performance Imagery *Peak Performance Imagery
Script by Belleruth Naparstek (approximately 8 minutes)
To begin with, see if you can position yourself as comfortably as you can, shifting your
weight so that you’re allowing your body to be fully supported. Try to arrange it so that your
head, neck, and spine are straight . . .
And taking a deep, cleansing breath . . . inhaling as fully as you comfortably can . . . (pause)
and exhaling fully . . . (pause)
And again . . . breathing deep into the belly if you can . . . (pause) . . . and breathing out, as
completely as possible . . . (pause) . . .
And once more . . . breathing in and sending the warm energy of the breath to any part of
your body that’s tense or sore or tight . . . and releasing the tension with the exhale . . . so
you can feel your breath going to all the tight, tense places, loosening and softening them .
. . and the gathering up all the tension and breathing it out . . . so that more and more, you
can feel safe and comfortable, relaxed and easy, watching the cleansing action of the breath
. . .with friendly but detached awareness . . .
And any unwelcome thoughts that come to mind, those, too, can be sent out with the breath
. . . released with the exhale . . . so that for just a moment, the mind is empty . . . for just a
split second, it is free and clear space, and you are blessed with stillness . . .
And any emotions that are rocking around in there . . . those, too, are noted, and acknowl-
edged, and sent out with the breath . . . so that your emotional self can be still and quiet, like
a glassy lake . . .And now, imagining yourself doing something . . . whatever activity you’ve
chosen to work with for now . . . (pause) . . .
And seeing yourself engaged in that activity . . . in all your surroundings . . .noting where
you are . . . looking around you . . . taking in the sights . . . the sounds . . . the smells . . .
there may even be tastes . . . so just letting yourself become aware of your environment
with all of your senses . . . even the feel of your clothes on your body . . . and the air on your
skin . . .
And noticing the way your body feels to you . . . in whatever way it’s positioned . . . (pause) .
. . ..............................or moving . . . with friendly but detached awareness . . .
So just enjoying the perfect harmony of mind and body merging into the doing and being . . .
feeling the grace of being so crisply focused . . . and yet so steady
Enjoying the elegant intelligence o the body . . . knowing what to do without being told . . . .
effortless . . . graceful and easy . . . merging in perfect pitch with its music . . . suspended in
time and space . . . like a beautiful bird, aloft on the back of the wind . . .
Holding this moment . . . breathing it in . . . touched by the joy of being alive . .. and filled with
gratitude for just being . . .
And so whenever you are ready . . . taking another deep, full breath . . . .(pause) . . . and ex-
haling fully . . . (pause) . . . knowing you can come back to this place, and the richness of this
experience, whenever you wish . . .
And so . . . breathing rhythmically and easily . . . whenever you are ready . . .allowing yourself
to come back into the room whenever you are ready . . .knowing in a deep place that you are
better for this . . .
WE ROCK!!!
WE ROCK!!!
WE ROCK!!!
Seattle
https://raincityrockcamp.org/video/rcrc-camp-song
TYPES OF PEDALS:
PITCH-SHIFT PEDALS
TIME-BASED PEDALS Harmonizer, Octave,
Delay, Echo, Looping, Vibrato, Whammy
Reverb
There are many kinds of pedals that are packaged in different shaped metal or plastic cases, called
housing. Some have a very specific function and one, two or three knobs that control the volume,
speed (rate) or depth (intensity) of change. Others have several knobs and some pedals even have
a combination of tricks, like tremelo AND reverb, or octave generators AND fuzz. Pedals can be
connected in a “chain” by short instrument cables so you can layer effects that way, also.
THURSDAY 9:00
TO
MORNING ASSEMBLY
ROCK ROOM
9:30
8:30 CAMPER ARRIVAL
12:30PM SHOWCASE!
GENERAL SCHEDULE & INFORMATION
Session 1
Camp Dates: Monday, July 16-Friday, July 20, 2018. Times: 9am-5pm
Camp Venue: Greenlake Elementary School, 2400 N 65th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Showcase Date: Saturday, July 21, 2018, 12:30 pm
Saturday Showcase Venue: The Crocodile Cafe, Belltown
Session 2
Camp Dates: Monday, July 23-Friday, July 27, 2018. Times: 9am-5pm
Camp Venue: Greenlake Elementary School, 2400 N 65th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Showcase Date: Saturday, July 28, 2018, 12:30 pm
Saturday Showcase Venue: The Crocodile Cafe, Belltown
For a detailed schedule of classes & workshops as well as more general information, see the “How to be a
Rock Camp Volunteer” website. Please do not share this site with anyone outside camp, since it contains
confidential information.
http://raincityrockcamp.org/how-to-be-a-rock-camp-volunteer/
Password: 2018progress!
Phone numbers:
Camp Front Desk (Call or Text, please identify yourself): 206.437.2365
PARKING/ TRANSPORTATION
Carpooling, biking and public transportation is encouraged! There is street parking near the school.
WHAT TO BRING
Please label your belongings!
• A water bottle.
• If you need your caffeine, please bring a coffee mug or thermos to keep the environment
happy. Water, tea and coffee are provided throughout the week!☺
• Earplugs (we do get LOUD during band practice). We will have earplugs at camp, but if
you have special ones that you like to use, bring them with you!
• Layered clothing. You can quickly go from cool to hot once you start rockin’.
• Cash. There will be merch around. You may want a snack that isn’t provided, so you can take a
look around the area for options.
MERCHANDISE
There will lots of great RCRC merch available for purchase at camp. We have a fine selection of RCRC
t-shirts, hoodies, totebags, pins and stickers. We take cash, check, and credit cards!