Guitar Lessons in Penn Valley, PA

Instruments: Guitar Banjo Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Under the big tent of American music, their repertoire includes electric and acoustic blues, bluegrass and old-time music, and folk, folk rock and jazz. Lewis takes the lead on electric and acoustic guitars, banjo, and vocals. Larry Feldman -- who has played with many luminaries including Lester Chambers -- is on mandolin, fiddle, and lap-steel and electric guitars. Larry Cohen, a founding member of Skyline, the ground-breaking bluegrass band that features world-renowned banjoist Tony Trischka, is on electric bass. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

I have a love for teaching students of all levels and ages. My specialty as a guitarist is in jazz, but I bring that love for improvised music to a number of other styles: blues, rock, funk, acoustic/fingerstyle, country, folk, ska, reggae, RB etc. I graduated from Duquesne University in 2013 with a degree in jazz performance. Pittsburgh is a great jazz town with a fantastic local scene, which was a very fun and nurturing environment for me as a student. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My teaching style will be designed to inspire my students. I am extremely knowledgeable in music theory and all the technical aspects of playing guitar, but I also want it to be a very creative and fun process. There is discipline involved in learning guitar, but I am prepared to teach guitar in way that will motivate students to work hard and be getting better at playing but that is also fun and relaxing. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Synthesizer Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Each student is given a customized lesson plan according to their level, abilities and goals. If they are absolute beginners, I like to give a general layout of the map of the instrument and its parts, how they function, where middle C is, and give them a first piece to learn that encompasses a bit of these ideas, slowly incorporating and building their understanding. Each student has unique goals, strengths and challenges. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

For any new student, I believe the starting point must be why they are choosing to learn the guitar, or what excites them about trying to play. If a student wants to learn to strum chords to folk songs, than that's where we'll start, incorporating along the way the proper finger and hand techniques, as well as the appropriate level of theory knowledge needed to make the guitar an accesible system. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Trumpet Trombone Harmonica Ukulele Euphonium Tuba Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginning students who are children, I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements, especially for brass instruments. I also tend to mix in some fun songs that are more well known using my own arrangements. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce solo repertoire appropriate for their first recital performance. 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. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I work with one of three methods books: Mel Bay, Hal Leonard, or the Berklee Guitar Method. I gauge this based on the age, skill level, and their time available to practice. Mel Bay is the easiest method to begin, whereas Berklee is more advanced and moves at a faster pace. Sometimes I slow Berklee down and combine it with Mel Bay as a teaching strategy (Mel Berklee, perhaps?). I also am not afraid to use alternative teaching methodologies or notational systems, such as tablature and internet resources, as I think these are vital materials that are relevant to how people interact with, consume, share, and learn music today. Read More