Guitar Lessons in Lansdale, PA

Instruments: Guitar Lute Music Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My Teaching Methods (or those which I employ) are based on the needs of the particular student. Each student is different, and hence, my method is essentially pick and choose depending on the talents, needs, and advancement of the student. For complete beginners, I use a selection of publications from Gendai Guitar (Japanese method book), Frederick Noad (Classical Guitar Playing Volumes 1 2; his three volumes based of historical periods: Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical respectively); tried-and-true Historical Methods (Carcassi, Aguado, Padovec, etc.). Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Flute Clarinet Synthesizer Piccolo Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Oboe Bassoon English Horn Acoustic Guitar

I love the learning process and to see students progress through the stages of learning an instrument. I taught myself to play the piano before I started formal lessons. I began playing the saxophone at the same time I took up the piano. I entered my undergraduate program in 1992, majoring in music education with the saxophone and piano as my principle instruments. During my studies at the University of South Alabama, a new program was started in MIDI and I attended an extra year to master digital audio. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

The number one question I asked my students is "what have you been listening to lately?" I find it very important to incorporate a students musical taste into the instruction. If we can gain the same musical progress working on a song they've never heard of, vs.something from one oftheir favorite bands...well, we are going to play the songthey like. Every lesson will end with a new andrealistic goal, and ultimately we will be working on givingthe studentthe tools to befacilitate theirown advancement. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I find teaching only to be effective if the student is intrinsically motivated to learn more: I like to find a groove or pace that the student feels confident and motivated to practice, and I tailor the lessons to address any problem areas without losing their attention. I find short excerpts of lesson material to be the best way to teach. Short and sweet! For example, for a 30-minute class, three 10-minute exercises made up of: a lesson or two from Mel Bay; 1 new chord; and a pop song that combines the two. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Banjo Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

: Nothing is more rewarding than seeing one of my students develop a passion for music! Therefore, it's important that each student progresses at his or her own pace. I encourage this by setting realistic goals for my students at each lesson. Acknowledging accomplishments helps fuel a students desire to progress, and makes students eager to learn more. By trying to find out what inspires the student, I can successfully tailor my instruction to their wants and needs. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Synthesizer Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I try to provide a good balance between working on theory, technique, and repertoire, and working on aspects that might be more fun like a students favorite song. This allows the student to make progress while also keeping motivated, which is really important for long term goals. For children, the balance has to lean more towards the more entertaining aspect, because of the reduced attention span. I actively work towards getting the younger students to increase their tolerance towards difficult challenges so that they can make more overall progress. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Synthesizer Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Over the years I have taught at many schools including School of Rock. I've taught students the basics of technique and music theory on guitar, I've taught students vocal technique and health, and I've even taught songwriting, composition, and electronic music production. When teaching, I've always found it helpful to have a variety of styles and approaches. Students can learn just as much from a rock song as they can from a jazz tune, an EDM track, or even classical music. Read More