Bass Lessons in Glen Ridge, NJ

Instruments: Guitar Voice Bass Guitar Conga Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Having studied guitar formally for 4 years at Berklee, I pull from materials that I found most helpful to me during my own education. These include scales, chords, modes, picking patterns and even solos. Aside from fundamentals and exercises, my favorite method of teaching is asking a student what they want to learn, a song they enjoy for example, and doing my best to teach the student how to play it and why it works from a harmonic perspective. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

I was taught primarily in the William Leavitt method, and use these resources to introduce students to the basics of sight-reading, theory, and technique. My personal preference is not to adhere too strictly to any one method however, instead focusing on the application of theory within a more active musical context. Improvisation is extremely important to developing a working understanding of music in my opinion, and much of my lessons are based in actively performing progressions with students, focusing on both comping and soloing. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe Acoustic Guitar

I am an intuitive teacher: I have learned how to observe my students, their moods, their energy levels, and adjust my lesson plan on the fly. For instance, one student has ADHD, which I manage by injecting exciting new rhythms for him to mimic when I see his attention wander. I then harness that renewed focus towards the original goal of the lesson, whether it’s learning a new time signature or a complex cross-rhythm. Read More

Instruments: Bass Guitar Double Bass

The student is the leader, i’m just a guide. “There are no bad students, only bad teachers”. There’s no point in teaching something the student is not interested in. We work together towards the accomplishment of the student’s ’ goals and interests. Teaching is a blessing because i get to give back everything i have learned throughout my career. Coming from a Latin background, i often have a multicultural approach and i always look for the bridge and/or the link(s) that connects our cultures.... Read More

Instruments: Piano Trumpet Saxophone Flute Clarinet Bass Guitar Recorder Double Bass Music

It is important to adopt a teaching style that is tailored to the individual needs of each student, especially because each student learns at their own pace. Setting goals is one of the first topics I discuss with my students, and then indicate some of the steps they need to take to achieve the goals that they set for themselves. Keeping track of a student's hours of practice and their musical achievements is beneficial for me to determine what new material and concepts to work on, and also allows the student to stay organized and motivated.  Read More

Instruments: Piano Bass Guitar Double Bass

My ultimate goal is to help each student of mine have a musical connection that they can take anywhere with them in life. It reminds me of a wonderful quote I hears a couple of years ago "everyone should have a little bit of music in their life: and that has been something that's stuck with me through my teaching every week. I love seeing my students light up over learning their favorite songs and getting little aha moments that change how they see music as a whole. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Many people remember music lessons in their youth as a time consuming source of frustration, built upon outdated music with no connection to the student's day to day life. This is why I like to divide lessons between fundamentals such as reading and theory, and apply those practices to the students' favorite songs. The greatest thing is to be able to see a student perform the music they love, so the real goal is for the student to build a repertoire of favorite songs to perform for family, friends, on-line or onstage. Read More