Bass Lessons in Phoenixville, PA

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

I began teaching as soon as I felt I had a comfortable grasp on my instrument(s) as a teenager in high school. While in college I briefly stopped teaching but resumed before graduating, and have been teaching in home lessons again since completion. For new students, nothing will help you progress as a musician more than consistent practice; there is no shortcut. But with that consistent practice will come a sense of pride and motivation at what has been accomplished and the desire to continue. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

It's also important, with all students, to make sure we can work in some music that they want to learn, whether it be Beatles, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, Chili Peppers, Charlie Parker, etc. I think that's the best way to motivate a student, give them something they REALLY want to get under their fingers. I want to add that one of my strongest assets as a teacher is my very comprehensive knowledge of jazz language/theory and the role of the guitar player in jazz music. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

For absolute beginners I make sure that they know the guitar strings and make sure they get to know the fretboard by learning the pentatonic scales and basic chord shapes. First we will learn what an octave is and where they are on the fretboard. After we learn octaves we learn the scales and the notes on the high and low E string. After that we start with our sharps and flats. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Orchestral Percussion Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginning piano students, I often get them started with the Faber piano series, then incorporate music theory along with their song requests. For beginning fretted string students (guitar/bass/ukelele), I like to start with the Hal Leonard method book to get started with reading notation, so that we cover more than just tabs and chords. For drum/percussion students, I'll have them start with a combination of Syncopation by Ted Reed and Peter Erksine's Drumset Essentials Volume 1. Read More

Instruments: Bass Guitar Double Bass

I began teaching music at the age of sixteen, teaching students not much younger than me about a wide variety of subjects like music theory, rock electric bass, composition, classical upright bass, and jazz improvisation. While still in high school I was the assistant conductor for my schools string orchestra and ran a small jazz ensemble at the Richmond Youth Jazz Guild. Since coming to college I have continued to teach students in Philadelphia as well as in Amsterdam for a brief time, giving lessons on avant-garde improvisation and double bass technique. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Trumpet Bass Guitar

Each student approaches music differently, and I tailor my teaching to fit that approach. I will ask a student what they're aiming to accomplish, then set short and long term goals in order to acheive them. I believe a strong technical foundation leads to freer ease of artistic expression. My students recieve a wholistic approach to music on whatever instrument of their choice. Read More

Instruments: Bass Guitar

I've been teaching for about 7 years at all skill levels and truly enjoy connecting with students through lessons. I have taught a wide variety of styles from Hip-Hop to Jazz to Rock to Funk and the list goes on and on. While I think that being very thorough in technique and skill in reading notation is an important part of getting better at playing an instrument, it can still seem like you're all by yourself in the process unless you have someone to connect with and that's what I like to bring to your lessons. Read More