Guitar Lessons in Yardley, PA

Instruments: Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I will encourage all my students, regardless of age or skill level, to perform at a recital or open mic; some type of live performance, as this builds confidence which is hugely important for an aspiring musician. For my drum students, I will begin with basic snare drum technique and essential rudiments, while teaching them the fundamentals of reading drum notation. The next step is a basic drum beat with the kick and snare, and we move forward from there. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I have been performing and teaching music privately in the Philadelphia area since I graduated with a Music education degree in 1991. I have performed on my instruments in a variety of venues (such as television, cruise ships, clubs, musical theater, and outdoor concerts) and styles. Over my career, I have successfully taught students at the elementary, middle and high school level, as well as adults. I've created the curriculum for guitar programs in various school districts and have given seminars to teachers in how to build their own programs. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Trumpet Trombone Harmonica Ukulele Euphonium Tuba Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginning students who are children, I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements, especially for brass instruments. I also tend to mix in some fun songs that are more well known using my own arrangements. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce solo repertoire appropriate for their first recital performance. For adults, I try to find out what the student is interested in, and guide my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My teaching experience started back in 2008. Before I even went to college for music. I learned a lot of theory on my own but I went to college to further my knowledge. I have studied orchestra arrangement, Serialism, as well as Classical, Jazz and Rock music. I am most experiences in Rock / Metal music. I've been playing Metal since I was about 13 and I started to look at more complex music when I was about 16. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

When I am one on one with a student I feel that it is good practice to tailor my lesson plan around the student and their skill set. If my student were to tell me that they want to work on something specific or would like to learn a song that they are into then that is what I will focus on. The most important part of guitar lessons is to have fun and be in the moment. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Student Favorites (for both piano and guitar): Pop Rock, Folk partial list samples: Star Wars themes Somewhere over the Rainbow (ukulele too) We Are the Champions Mission Impossible Classical Gas Star Spangled Banner (National Anthem; Jimi Hendrix electric guitar with distortion) The Entertainer (Ragtime) Taylor Swift Series Classical and Flamenco partial list samples: Malaguena Leyenda, Albeniz Spanish Romance J.S. Bach: Air on a G String Bouree, from Lute Suite No 1, Carl Fischer Prelude from Cello Suite #1 Minuet Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring Sleepers Awake Beethoven: Fur Elise Fifth Symphony Moonlight Sonata Ode to Joy Djorak: Largo (New World Symphony) Study in Am Carcassi Hall of the Mountain King, Edvard Grieg Christmas Carols and Hymns, e.g., Silent Night, Carol of the Bells GUITARS: Classical Acoustic Steel Electric Ukelele PIANO Guitar Techniques and Skills: Posture Sight-reading Standard Notation Treble Clef; note values, dotted notes, rests, syncopation Tablature Names of Strings and names of notes of entire fretboard Open Chords vocabulary and fingering Chord Vocabulary: Minor, Major, Diminished, Augmented, 6th, Seventh, Maj7, 2nds, 9ths, Flat5, Flat9, 11th, 13th Arpeggios Octaves, Fifths, all Intervals Barred Chords (Full, Half, Two-Thirds, One-Third Bar vocabulary and Left Hand Fingering (All Keys) Cross-over fingering Finger per fret rule Finger per string rule Ladder Principle (Left Hand fingering) Positions (1-10): Strumming patterns for 2/4, , 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8 Time Signatures Fingerpicking patterns for 2/4, , 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8 Time Signatures Right Hand 3 and 4 finger simultaneous chord strike Rest strokes Free Strokes Flamenco Strumming variations Rasgueado Flat and plastic fingerpicking Harmonics, false harmonic, ping harmonics Tambora Snare sound Bongo effects String bending Left Hand damping Vibrato Tremolo Palm muting String snapping Left hand chord muting Righthand fretboard slapping percussion effects Glissando Hammer-ons, Pull-offs (Slurs) Power chords (Rock) Major, Minor, Pentatonic Scales, sharps, flats, accidentals Pizzicato Vocal accompaniment Chord progressions, deceptive cadence Improvisation Music Theory Songwriting Producing Concert/Recital Performance Presentation Skills/Mike Techniques Pro Tools Recording Software. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I have worked with many students on different levels. I teach beginners how to hold and tune guitars and then how to play basic melodies. I believe that it is important to jump right in and start playing, that was how I learned. Students at this beginner level will learn how to play melodies on 1 string. Later as they progress I start to show them basic chords. For the intermediate level students they learn how to play scales and chords based on the CAGED method. Read More