Guitar Lessons in Plymouth Valley, PA

Instruments: Guitar

For any student that I teach, I always start by finding out the student's primary motivation and interests and then I develop the teaching style appropriate to their needs. Often times, beginning adult learners are simply interested in learning some songs so beginning with chord progressions to build up confidence and have them playing something recognizable within a few short lessons. For beginner students that are interested in theory, I typically start with the Major, Minor and Pentatonic Scales and then go into Chord Progressions in various Keys. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

I teach reading to all of my younger and beginner students but I like to balance that with material that is a little more enjoyable for them. I like to work with the student to settle on something from their own music collection that is at an appropriate level for them to learn. I can learn guitar parts by ear very quickly so it's easy to jump right in to whatever a student may suggest, but I also have a collection of tunes at different levels that I have had success with in the past. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Bass Guitar Synthesizer Ukulele Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

My teaching style consists of setting realistic short term and long term goals for my students. I always make sure my students understand the material I am showing them. I encourage them to challenge themselves to achieve their goals they never thought they could achieve. 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: Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I have found the last few years very rewarding as students become musicians. Since my first student I taught in 2004, through the days I taught at a music school, up right on to the present moment, I love passing the music onward as it was passed to me. Being a multi generational musician, it's important to me to teach this great artform and pass it down through generations. I also like to let my students know that "music lasts a lifetime." Because, if my students practice the material five days a week, for a minimum of 30 minutes, their skills as well as confidence will grow. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Trumpet

I always start with what type of music the learner is interested in. This helps engage the learner so that the student comes from a comfortable place, and then we use the lessons from that music to apply and expand to other genres. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Trumpet Drums Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Fundamentals! For those who are just beginning, we'll cover the basics of the instrument, posture, form, and start to dig into bits of music notation and theory. For those who have spent some time on their instrument already, we'll work together to come up with a direction and some musical goals to work towards. It's important that we're focusing on learning technique and building capacity on our instrument, and it's also equally as important to make sure we're applying those techniques to music that the student wants to learn and play. Read More

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

For my beginning piano students, I emphasize the twelve major and minor scales with proper fingering, first one octave and then two octaves. These exercises strengthens fingers and create more familiarity with the keyboard. I use the book, Level 1 The Older Beginner Piano Course by James Bastien and the companion book, Musicianship for the Older Beginner. I have seen results when these books are used in tandem. The student increases in technique and start to master music theory simultaneously. Read More