Guitar Lessons in Schuylerville, NY

Instruments: Guitar Violin Fiddle Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

As a teacher I like to be very encouraging, gentle, and supportive. I make sure to encourage with positive reinforcement. When a child gets something right, I praise the accomplishment. If they fall short, I compliment them on something that well, and then add something along the lines of, "That was amazing, let's do that same thing only this time ______". I also encourage any students, young and old, to do some searching for material on their own to practice learning new skills. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Viola Ukulele

I typically start violinists with the Suzuki method books and I start my piano and guitar students with the Alfred and Essential Elements books. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp on fundamentals, I will begin to introduce solo repertoire appropriate for their first performance. However, if a student isn't learning effectively from the book they were originally given, I either change the method book or compose my own exercises that I think the student would benefit from. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Accordion Banjo Ukulele Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Voice: I focus on strengthening vocal consistency with healthy vocal practices. I also want to strengthen the musicianship of singers by developing initial sight-reading and other aural skills. A lesson typically would consist of a third of vocalizing/warmups, and two-thirds of working on one to two songs to train the voice and build repertoire material. With zoom, i can act as the accompanist or we can find a solution with tracks depending on the scenario. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Conga Latin Percussion

I use a variety of method books depending upon the needs, interests, and the age of the student. My vast collection of method books is an endless resource of proven pedagogical approaches that I employ in my practice. In recent years, Ive began using play along CDs that are combined with tempo controlling software so that students can slow musical excerpts down and hear themselves playing along with professional musicians. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

In high school I played in the New Jersey Youth Symphony Jazz Orchestra, my high school big band, various gigs as a lounge musician, as well as numerous rock groups with my friends and classmates. I've taken lessons with greats like Vic Juris and played alongside Paul Shaffer. I have also given lessons as a guitar instructor myself for students of all ages, and like to bring my own youth and excitement into my style of teaching. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Double Bass Music Keyboard

It is very important to set a high standard of playing and technique, so that learning is constantly happening. That said, that standard should be approached with compassion and humor, casting the lifelong pursuit of virtuosity an exciting challenge even when it's frustrating. Especially with youth, cultivating a positive attitude and discipline is a key to success. This can be done through musical study. It is important to me to keep the student engaged, and be clear about their motivations for studying: their parents and their own unique drive. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Saxophone Ukulele Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I love to spend time with my students listening to some of their personal playlists and picking out songs from there for them to work on. Once I understand a student's taste, I love to show them other artists they may like and help expose them to new music. I try to balance the lessons with this type of work and more structured technical skill development. Music should be fun, exciting, and stimulating. Read More