Doc's Online Music Lessons: Kevin McKinney, DMA

09/03/2025

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05/08/2025

Looking to up your musical skills this summer?

Planning my summer teaching schedule now. Message me!

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12/10/2024

12-bar blues in F #, from Tracy Chapman. A textbook example--here, without the textbook.

Tracy Chapman - Give Me One Reason (Official Music Video)

11/14/2024

Brilliant playing (and talking!) from bassist extraordinaire Victor Wooten.
https://youtu.be/EwvbrCZn4NQ?si=yk0ev4l7JKCnVFjv
In praise of freedom--and of mistakes (yes!)

More videos like this Hartke Bass Clinic 👉 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlczpwSXEOyYZHr6NXjM7XVQAFFTb4evB Shop Hartke products at Sweetwater 👉 h...

08/26/2024

A PSA, since I'm getting deluged with ads in the format of:

"[Large company X] is giving away [blemished/surplus/last-gen] [product Y]--claim yours by answering 3 simple questions in the next two minutes."

Yes, you guessed it--these ads, too, like so much else, are scams. Apparently, they will sign you up for valueless subscriptions which are nearly impossible to cancel, and the promised freebies never shows up. Anyway, so saith the internet.

I'm sure you are *shocked.*

08/05/2024

Hard at work this morning on "Mercury Rising," which will be the title track of the new album. Posted a video of its bridge Saturday--or a standalone version of it, anyway!--which I'll also link here ICYMI. But here are the lyrics for the complete song:

Mercury Rising

Verse 1
Salt in the roots of the corn and potatoes;
Oaks lie in flinders, a maze on the ground.
Sun glares like brass, or a knuckle in your vision,
Spoiled food and water are all that we found.

Verse 2
So we took what we could, and we just started walking–
Climbing the ridges, and picking our ways.
Drinking from creeks, and hushing the babies,
Begging for handouts, and counting the days.

Chorus 1
Mercury rising, water in the air.
Calories fading, no-one says it’s fair.
Waiting for one slightest chance to make a break.
We are the heirs of survivors.
Mercury rising, smoke is in your eyes.
Music is droning, symphonies of flies.
Waiting for one slightest chance to make a break.
Raise up your hand if you think you can say you’re all right.

Verse 3
Pitying eyes quickly shift to the distance;
Fear in the eyes of the men with the guns;
We just keep walking as long as we’re able–
They won’t let us stop, and it’s useless to run.

Bridge
“Drill, baby, drill!” There’s money for the taking.
“Drill, baby, drill!” There’s palms to be greased.
“Drill, baby, drill!” There’s heads as soft as pudding.
“Drill, baby, drill!” There’s fools who want peace.
“Drill, baby, drill!” Don’t cry about the science.
“Drill, baby, drill!” Don’t worry your head.
“Drill, baby, drill!” There’s peace within the boardroom.
“Drill, baby, drill!” And there’s peace for the dead.

Chorus 2
Mercury rising, faces still as stone.
Just a blank horizon, nothing on the phone.
Waiting for one slightest chance to make a break.
We are the heirs of survivors.
Mercury rising, like this heart of rage,
Heedless of the rhythm forced within this cage.
Waiting for one slightest chance to make a break.
Raise up your hand if you think you can say you’re all right.

A self-contained cut from the title track of Doc's new album, in production now!The policy is on the ballot for November 2024, folks...

07/11/2024

Ah, yes! Seeing Lake Street Dive at the Senate club in Columbia 6 years ago. Their new album, "Good Together," is just out. It also features some of the Late Night with Stephen Colbert crew too!

06/21/2024

The final double chorus and outro from 2.0, from my upcoming album.

06/20/2024

Working on my audio engineering with a "Mixing Challenge." This snippet is from a song I plan to put on the upcoming album; it's called "Calculating Self," and this is the first verse.

Homework project for Owsinski Mixing Challenge Day 1, based on Doc Snow's "Calculating Self."

06/20/2024

For today's homework on the Mixing Challenge, I used another song, "2.0". Here are the final double chorus and outro. Once again, this is slated for the upcoming album.

The final double chorus and outro from 2.0, from my upcoming album.

05/03/2024

Summer is almost here, and I'm looking at summer scheduling. So if you'd like to take lessons this summer, reach out! Contact me directly for virtual lessons via Zoom or Skype, or call the Arts Center of Kershaw County at 803-425-7676 for in-studio options.

Call now to connect with business.

01/18/2024

Hey, everybody! It's a New Year, which means new lesson schedules! So it's a great time to jump back in to music. Reach out to see if I can be of assistance!