Guitar Lessons in Santa Clarita, CA

Instruments: Guitar Ukulele Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
Not Applicable

What is your dream piece to perform and why?
My dream piece is always the next good or great song that I will create. My own piece is always better to perform than another's (though I often do cover songs) because when it's my own, I never have to worry about someone coming after me for recording or playing their music (if they wanted to).

Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
Yes it does. My older brother is a bassist. When I was a little boy, I saw my half-sister with an acoustic guitar. I was told my one of my cousins, whose dad is a bassist in a salsa or Latin rock style band (I forget which), that my paternal grandmother was a pianist and violinist. I also learned from my parents or one of my other relatives that a set of my ancestors (I can't recall if they were my grandparents or ones further back generally) were a travelling musical duo in old Mexico, the man being a singer and his wife being the violinist).

If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
I had a 'work wife' at Fedex (not a real wife, just a young lady I worked with every night, but we were friends). We were unloading ukuleles one night. She said, "I want to learn to play the ukulele". I told her, "I will teach you how." However, I didn't know how to play a ukulele, nor did I have one." So I bought one on Amazon, and took to it quickly. I told her the truth, that I didn't know how to play the ukulele, but that I would learn and teach her whatever I happened to be learning. So, the love a woman lead me to it!

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
I suppose that I decided recently. I recently ran into a friend and former band member after many years. So we decided to start jamming recently. We were the featured artists at a local open mic session, and the response of the audience was very good, so I saw that were was potential to keep the musical endeavor going and improving. I've always known that I had the talent to go professional. However, when I was a young man, sincere but doubting voices (others) in my life cast doubt on my musical ambition, causing me to self-doubt in that regard. Now is a good a time as any to make my dreams come true.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
I like graphic art, like drawing, so probably that. I'm athletic by nature, so my time would probably go more towards that too.

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
By experience perhaps it would be reggae music, because, when I'm playing live, I'm in full control of myself. I can observe the audience and my band members with no problem. I'm in harmony with the soundman and just about everybody else around me. It provides 'wiggle room' in the sense that the band gives me time to jam, or 'solo'. The guitar is usually integral to the song. Therefore I'm playing almost throughout the whole song.

What does a normal practice session look like for you?
I feel like I must improvise guitar playing to some extent for two reasons, because I love to and because the best guitarists in the world do the same in my opinion. That could sound like 'soloing' or that might like a chord progression nobody has ever heard before. Sometimes I like to revisit the past and play familiar songs for whatever reason. Sometimes I write new songs. Oftentimes I make new guitar instrumentals. I don't really consult my old books of scales and chords anymore (unless I need to look up a chord for some reason or am trying to jog my memory as to the name of a chord). I play what I want to hear, which sometimes is my own singing.

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