Guitar Lessons in Munseypark Thomaston, NY

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Synthesizer Harmonica Ukulele Recorder Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I believe that creativity is important and I use Alfred and Hal Leonard books as well as theory books to help with the lessons. For adults, I try to find out what the student is interested in, and guide my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. I also try to teach music theory, chord progressions and all the musical scales in the major keys. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Organ Synthesizer Recorder Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

Positive reinforcement is key. I never learned from the mean or the overly strict teachers. In fact those teachers pushed me in the opposite direction of wanting to pursue music professionally. By going at the pace that is comfortable to the student, and praising them at every hurdle they encounter, the progress made can be exponentially greater than if the student is rushed to prepare a piece of music they don't truly care for in the first place. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My goal as a teacher is to avoid any type of dogmatic "one size fits all" curriculum.  I always want to know what music the student enjoys and build my lesson plans based on their tastes.  Chords can be physically challenging for beginners so I like to work with single-note melodies early on so that the student isn't quickly discouraged.  Learning chords becomes the medium-term goal.  As for the long-term, I will then use specific songs as examples for how music theory works in the context of their favorite bands. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My teaching experience dates back to my college days, and I have been routinely teaching students in my home studio and online for the previous eight years. One of the major elements I want to emphasize for younger students is encouraging frequent practice on a consistent schedule, as it assists the student advance and developing a passion for the instrument. I've also discovered that combining classical and modern music can help pupils appreciate the piano and drive them to practice and learn more. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Orchestral Percussion

I focus on nurturing a students natural curiosity, while helping them find the tools to pursue their own musical interests. Many of my younger students prefer to use technology to connect with music (learning how songs are recorded, and the theory behind songwriting), but I also work with more serious students to prepare for college auditions, state/regional jazz band, etc. My methods differ depending on a student's own goals, but they generally all will start with a technical exercise, an exercise designed to get the student thinking critically, and an application of the concepts we're learning. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Voice Bass Guitar

Having taught well over 300 students over the last 10 years, Jason does not subscribe to any one particular method of teaching, no matter if it's guitar, voice or bass. The pursuit of music and creativity is unique to each individual and, therefore, each individual needs to be taught differently to help them discover and maximize their own abilities.Jason is a highly accomplished musician who believes that learning to read music and understand music theory is vastly important, but doesn't use the same approach, resources, books, etc. for each student. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

With all students I put a lot of emphasis on leaning how to learn. I believe that by, for instance, teaching students how to make good use of their practice time (being productively self-critical) and processing information in an intuitive way, drastically expedites musical development and profoundly affect brain development. Much of this intuitive practice has to do with internalizing information such as music theory or recordings to the point that they become second nature much like a language. Read More