Bass Lessons in Portola Valley, CA

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I developed a very good relative pitch. Luckily, my old teacher had taught me how to read music. While in college I fell under the spell of flamenco music and studied briefly with a blind Spanish guitarist in Manhattan. I performed in rock and pop groups throughout college. When I moved to California I studied with Jon Harris, a classical guitarist who had studied under Segovia. I began to compose my own music and to continue a grueling practice schedule. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Cello Viola Bass Guitar Organ Ukulele Electric Violin Music Keyboard Electric Guitar

Each student learns at their own pace and it's important to understand that not everybody learns the same. Setting both short and long term goals with the student helps me understand what they want out of lessons. This makes it easier for me to engage with them and bring it back to something relevant to them at the end of the day. For example, no child understands advanced rhythm unless you disguise it in familiar terms e.g. using the phrase "run po-ny run" to describe two eighth notes sandwiched in between to quarter notes. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Organ

I'm a lover of music and want those who pursue music to be as well! I am passionately motivated as a musician, minister of music, and singer. I have performed throughout this nation as a guest musician and in my own backyard as a vocalist and musician. Even though my college was not specifically a school of music but of biblical academics, I as highly involved in anything that music was apart of eventually graduating and becoming the schools minister of worship. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My teaching experience began 2 years ago when I started teaching a few neighborhood kids that my family knew. By word of mouth I gained 3 more but then I moved to Santa Cruz so I could attend Cabrillo College. These were private lessons all in the homes of the students. But now that I have my own studio, I have been inviting students over to study in my studio. I have been playing guitar for 10 years beginning with professional lessons, electric bass for 7, and drums for 5. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Double Bass

I try to cater my lesson style to the individual students desire and needs. I like to always incorporate the fundamentals of music and technique while exploring the material at hand.  Some key points I try to incorporate into my teaching are an understanding of:  rhythm, technique, playing from ear, improvisation, theory, and most importantly making music! I usually encourage my students to seek out music they like and specific songs they want to learn. Read More

Instruments: Bass Guitar Double Bass

For beginning students, children or adults, the first thing is to work on body position: the hands, arms, wrist and shoulder to avoid having the wrong positions of the body which could lead to physical problems in the future. Then it is important to learn the basic music skills: scales, arpeggios, basic harmony, and finger techniques. Once the students have progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals we can follow two parallel lines, studying advanced techniques and varied bass repertoire and at the same time focusing on what the student is interested in. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

I mix theory, ear training, and intrumental technique into each lesson. I believe it is important for a student to not only be able to play a song, but to understand, and hear it on a high level as well. I teach my students how to listen to themselves while they are playing, which is the difference between and OK musician and a great musician. Read More