Guitar Lessons in Pimmit, VA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Cello Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Ukulele Mandolin Recorder Lute Double Bass Mallet Percussion Conga Latin Percussion

I started out at the age of nine playing the trumpet, and continued this for two years before switching to piano. Ultimately, I found my love in playing the guitar, and took lessons for two years. As time went on, I advanced as a guitarist and actually expanded into new musical instruments. I began playing in local rock and r&b bands at the age of 15. These were some of my most influential experiences, as they expanded my musical tastes into jazz fusion, swing, standards and Latin Jazz. After graduating high school, I attended community college and then went to New York to study jazz theory, where I played a few sets with Sweetback in 2000 that led up to being asked to play with the band. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginner students who have never held an instrument or don't know anything about music we'll go over basic guitar fundamentals we'll talk about different types of guitars, how to hold the guitar in classical and folk style positions, how to press your fingers on the strings (because there is a way), body parts of the guitar, basic music concepts such as beat and rhythm, how to read music both standard and tabs, basic guitar exercises, and a few fun songs once the fundamentals have been practiced enough. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar

The student is the most important piece of the puzzle. If the student is not happy, then practice and lessons will not be a positive interaction. My goal is to make music as fun as possible. I have done the work of teaching myself and I have the hindsight of mistakes I made along the way; slight areas of wasting time, plateaus, you name it. Therefore, I have the answers to how to avoid some of the same mistakes I made! Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

If I could spend the rest of my life just playing, writing, and performing, I'd want for nothing else. I believe that to share the joy of understanding and creating music with another is the greatest gift I can give them. Teaching is how I give back what I feel to be an enormous karmic debt I owe the world for allowing me the delights of acting as a vessel for music. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

My background in piano playing and composition development is synopsized on my website www.ivorytunes.com as follows: "Enlighten yourself to contemporary new piano music with a jazzy, movie theme flair that emboldens variety, flair and a fresh change to the choices in the current market. The Ivory Tunes website of Vint Hill, VA showcases original piano songs composed by Mike Ryon. His ambition is to add variety and pizzas to your current listening and playing repertoire as well as inspire developing performance musicians to venture down the path of original song composition through inward inspiration and creative enjoyment. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Saxophone Flute Clarinet Acoustic Guitar

For beginning students who are children, I begin with method books to teach the fundamentals and establish good practice routines. Once a good foundation is established, I like to move into solo and ensemble repertoire to develop lyricism and expression. For adults, I find out what the students are interested in, and direct my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun regardless of ability level. I have rigorous practice routines for all ability and commitment levels. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

With beginner students I like to start off learning to read music (it's not that hard!) I like to use the Mel Bay Method 1 book as a teaching tool. This book has two strong points, it explains the fundamentals of music very well and is easy to understand, while starting off playing songs right away. Once we have enough of the basics down then I start working on guitar techniques and learning songs that focus on those skills. Read More