Guitar Lessons in Fox Valley, IL

Instruments: Guitar Voice Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Notebooks! I'm a big believer in writing things down so before your lesson, don't only bring your guitar but also a notebook to write down what we learned, and what you should practice before our next lesson. It is vital that students have a physical reminder of our lessons and the techniques we covered, because in my experience, I've found this really helps with not only learning but retaining the information we go over. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I try to give each student an idea whats coming next, every few lessons or so, while practicing what their on currently. This idea is not for every student so it is a selective process I use with the brightest ones, or fast learners and good practicers.When I see a student really start to play well I gain confidence in my teaching style...but when needed I can dial it back a notch or two. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My methods vary depending on the background and interests of the student. Typically I shy away from tabs since I read music notation. I do recommend learning the basics of reading music for anyone who is thinking of self study in their short or long-term commitment to any instrument. I usually suggest to the parent or student, that they research method books for guitar basics. Many times, a family member or friend will have a method book that will be more than suffice if it is a standard method book. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

When I first sit down with a student, my number one goal is to figure out what they are excited about. I personally never spent much time practicing music that I wasn't excited about, so I don't expect my students to either. Whether it ends up being rock, classical, jazz, folk, or maybe a specific band or artist, I feel that students learn best when they are excited about the music they are learning. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

I think my job as a teacher is to help my students find ways to make their day better through music. Music is a language. And in any language, the right words can make anybody smile! With the overwhelming amount of music that the world has to offer; becoming fluent can become a daunting task. By helping students reach realistic goals, exposing them to music they otherwise wouldn't discover, and encouraging them to find ways to practice that they enjoy; Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Trumpet Trombone Bass Guitar Recorder Euphonium French Horn Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

I start my students with a single lesson where I gain a knowledge about the student's musical abilities and personality. I don't generally start with a single method book, because I believe that in individual lessons, the methods used should be tailored to fit the student. I will pull from Essential Elements, Accent on Achievement, and Standard of Excellence, as well as writing and devising my own warm ups and methods. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

Lesson materials are customized based on each student's individual goals. I use a combination of tried and true books along with materials that I have created over my 16 years of teaching. Here is a quick list of some of the books I use: General Guitar Skills - Progressive Guitar Method, A Modern Method for Guitar, Melodic Rhythms for Guitar Jazz Guitar - Jazz Harmony on the Guitar, Approaching the Guitar, Jazz Conception for Guitar, The Brazilian Guitar Book Classical Guitar - Pumping Nylon, 100 Graded Classical Guitar Studies, The Library of Guitar Classics, The Solo Lute Works of J.S. Read More