Guitar Lessons in Fort Washington, PA

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I usually teach from Alfred’s Basic Guitar Method for preteens and young teens at a beginner level. These instruction books are structured from Book 1 to Book 6. As for older teens, young adults and adults, I usually teach from the acclaimed method book: Hal Leonard’s Music Guitar Method. These books are structured from Volume 1 through Volume 3. Although I use these books, it is not the end all be all. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

For children I tend to teach songs by The Beatles as standard curriculum, as well as learning to read music proficiently. The things tend to be non-negotiable unless the parent informs me otherwise. For teens and pre-teens reading music is optional as well as the types of songs you wish to learn or the theory you wish to learn. That's just a general overview, along the way we learn all types of riffs, vamps, chords, scales, etc., to which we follow my standard development method, but never neglecting your own personal interests in music. 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: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Lute Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I don't think there is any one method book or instructional DVD that will give you everything you need. Even if an educational resource is extremely well done, it will still need to be tailored and digested in a certain way for each student. I generally use Mel Bay's Guitar 1 - expanded edition. While working with this book, there are additional materials such as exercises, concepts, and musical ideas often inserted at key moments. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

For beginner students I use the Hal Leonard method to teach reading and positioning. Chords I teach at the pace the student is learning to play them cleanly (and this varies tremendously), starting with the easier open chords and moving on to progressively more difficult voicings. There are certainly some good beginner pieces in the hal leonard books and sometimes I pull recital material out of the William Leavit book. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Keyboard Djembe Acoustic Guitar

As a singer who has already experienced some of the traumatic effects of misuse and overuse of singing, I believe that health comes first. Anyone can learn to sing but there are so many significant factors that most teachers forget to include in their training. I believe that any one can have or learn to have talent, but the singer who has the awarness and understanding of taking care of that talent will benefit more than they can imagine. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Organ Double Bass Keyboard

Therefore, strong emphasis is placed on being able to become calm, relaxed yet thoughtful and imaginative when playing. I also believe that a lesson serves four purposes. 1) Learning 2) Modeling 3) Experimenting and 4) motivating. True learning; however, occurs between lessons, so the most important thing is to motivate students to want to practice between lessons. This is the most important challenge -- for this reason, no matter how intense the lesson gets, it is important that students leave the lesson feeling confident and good about themselves NO MATTER WHAT. Read More