Guitar Lessons in Gardena, CA

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

I like to work based on what each student needs. I encourage the student to take his or her own interests into account on a regular basis. I also use a basic foundation to determine what the student needs to attack first, such as technique, harmony, ear trinning and scales. Of course, finger, pick, and slap styles are included. All kind of styles & genres are welcome, from the more basic to the more complex genres. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

I have been teaching with Musika since 2005, and have been doing private instruction since 1987. I am on the active artist's roster for Cirque de Soleil. I have performed in just about every music venue and university in the Los Angeles area, done a variety of Ivy League tours with Bali and Beyond gamelan ensemble. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Ukulele Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

One of the first questions I ask a new student is what music they are currently listening to and what piece they would like to learn. Sometimes they are shy and I don't really get an answer out of them but after they become comfortable with me I get an idea of what they want to learn. To my shocking surprise many kids from this modern era have no clue who John Lennon or Bob Dylan are and it is essential for me to expose them to all sorts of music from Bach to The Beatles to Chopin and The Cure! Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Trombone Drums Synthesizer Ukulele Orchestral Percussion Latin Percussion Music Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

After I first received my Bachelor's Degree from CSU Fullerton, I opted to showcase my original music through distinct outlets. One of the resulting projects, themattsmithneujazztrio, has recorded three full-length records; my other project, JUICEBOX, has recorded two. I gained a masters of music in jazz drum set from California Institute of the Arts, where I was honored to record my own composition for the CalArts, 30th Annual Jazz CD at Capitol Records. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My goal towards the end of the class is to keep the student engaged in the material and repertoire (According to their level and preferences). I also encourage them to find friends whom they can form a band and rock together! When it comes to teaching advanced students, my approach is very technical and focused on their interests. Because they are more professionally dedicated and oriented musicians that may be live performing; my classes would focus on technical sessions, reading sessions and improvisation sessions. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Is always good for beginners to have a book that includes a basic outline of the guitar parts, string names, and general terminology. This includes but is not limited to Hal Leonard's Essential Elements or Guitar for Absolute Beginners by Daniel Emeri. After we passed the fundamentals, the class will be customized to each student's needs. Say for instance, if the student is interested in blues guitar playing, a big part of the lesson will involve transcribing some of the greatest blues players and we will focus on the bend and vibrato technique. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Ukulele Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginning students, I usually like to start off teaching basic guitar fundamentals. We would go over guitar methods such as fingerstyle exercises, left hand exercises, chords, and basic sight-reading. After the student has considerably grasped basic fundamentals, I would start introducing repertoire appropriate for their reading level. For more advanced students, we would work on more advanced musical concepts such as phrasing, articulation, and tone control. I also try to keep my lessons relaxed and comfortable. Read More