Guitar Lessons in Silver Creek Valley, CA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

My teaching style is one of deep listening to the student in their musical process, and from this creating the conditions for them to expand into new dimensions of musicality. I am an expert in creative process, and love working with students especially on songwriting, composition, electronic music production, and other such creative domains. In addition, my professional work is focused on a leading edge of musical education that is just emerging and beginning to be understood: developing the listening faculty as a pathway to musical excellence; for as the perceptual foci is polished, so does the sensori-motor engagement discover new possibilities. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

For beginning students who are children, I typically start with some basic chords and scales. 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: Piano Guitar Voice Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

For voice, I will typically start with technique and breath. The first lesson is heavy in feeling the anatomy of the body to cultivate a coordinated breath for the most optimal and healthy singing. From there, we move into warm-ups, and will adjust vowels to find resonant spaces. Generally, with the voice, after the initial work with anatomy there is an improvisatory style of teaching that I develop, catered to the individual. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginners, I use handwritten tablature, online tablature, and Hal Leonard Instructional Books. For those interested in classical guitar, I use selected pieces from the Christopher Parkening Method Books. If you are wanting to learn for casual enjoyment, I will teach you basic chords, popular riffs and selected songs from classic rock, the blues, pop, folk or modern rock. I am a patient, passionate, devoted teacher. I always make my students understand the content of what I'm teaching by asking questions and slowly going over given material. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Cello Viola Bass Guitar Organ Ukulele Electric Violin Music Keyboard Electric Guitar

I always start a lesson with a new student by assessing their current skill level. If the student already has a certain curriculum they are working on, I usually have them pick up from where they left off so I can see where we're at. Taking things into consideration like intonation, posture, dynamics, form etc., I either assign a new curriculum or continue on. My lessons usually consist of 3 books: a scale book, an etude book, and a leveled song book like the Suzuki method. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin

These books are designed to have students start off with easier pieces and gets harder as we move on. It is up to the students to practice in order for them to get better! From here, the next part is to find songs that students want to learn. Many people prefer teaching students classical music, because it is rigorous, well respected, and will allow them to excel. However, I am a person that prefers a student to pick songs that they enjoy or a songs that they are motivated to practice! Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar

I have been teaching privately since undergraduate college days. In addition to private lessons on guitar and piano, I have facilitated group workshops, directed ensembles, and tutored reading comprehension in some Oakland public schools. It's a profound joy to see young children have their first musical experiences as well as to see the fire of music be rekindled in those who have put an instrument down and have decided to pick it up once again. Read More