Natalie Sparks
About
My entire life has revolved around the arts! I've been playing piano for 20 years in a variety of genres and settings. I've also been playing french horn/mellophone for 11 years and was a member of the Kennesaw State University Band, Wind Symphony, and Marching Band. My skills with songwriting and DAW systems are a combination of what I learned there and what I studied on my own. I've been freelance teaching for 5 years, and I have taught in a studio setting for 1 year.
Drawing is another skill I took interest in early on, but started to give much more focus to in 2012. In 2014, I began exploring digital art as well, mostly using Clip Studio Paint. I studied digital animation at Kennesaw State, where I learned to use a variety of industry-standard software (such as the Adobe creative apps).
Teaching Style
In every subject I teach, my expertise comes from several different sources - whether through university studies, private lessons, or on my own - so I believe that there's no wrong way to learn. I understand that some people thrive in a more school-like environment, whereas others feel constricted by it! It is my responsibility, as your teacher, to find what method works best for you. My goal is your goal, and I want to make reaching it as enjoyable a process as possible. All I will ever ask is that you do your best. :)
Curriculum
I strongly advise booking a trial with me first so I can personalize my recommendations, but these are the resources I typically use/recommend:
PIANO
For beginner-intermediate piano students: Faber Piano Adventures series + teacher resources
For intermediate-advanced piano students: bring materials you used to use and new material you want to learn, we can discuss.
For composition/songwriting students: I will provide custom resources.
HORN
If you participate in band at school/university, bring any materials/parts you were provided with. If you are learning on your own, I recommend the Essential Elements books for beginners. Beyond that, I will provide resources.
ELECTRONIC
I use Bandlab for Education or Garageband (Mac only)for beginners. Both are free to use. Cakewalk is also a free, quality software for more advanced levels, but it is Windows exclusive as of now.
DRAWING
For digital art students: You can work with any software, but I highly recommend Clip Studio Paint Pro (CSPP). You will need a drawing tablet, with or without a screen is fine. Smart tablets are acceptable as long as you have a compatible, pressure-sensitive stylus. If you don't have a tablet, Wacom Intuos comes in budget-friendly models and includes a 2-year CSPP license.
For Adobe students: Please wait for my green light before purchasing any materials, as they are not cheap and you may not need them depending on your goals!
For tradional art students: I will provide custom resources.
Credentials & Affiliations
I had a hard time picking between music, digital art, or something else entirely as my program of choice at Kennesaw State. So, while I have a full 4 years of university under my belt, I don't have a degree...yet! Once I am able, it is my intention to transfer to Berklee College of Music Online to get my degree in Interdisciplinary Music Studies. In the meantime, if there are any questions you have that are beyond me, I still know where to get answers for you!