Music Lessons in Diamond, CA

Instruments: Piano Flute Music Keyboard

Aim for 5 to 6 days of practice EVERY week. Consistency is key, even if it is only for 15 minutes! Whatever you do, make sure you practice right after your lesson AND the day following - retention will be 90%! When practicing, aim 3 times in a row flawlessly. For longer and more challenging pieces, be sure you are practicing in small sections. A fun way to do this is through the Penny Game or cards and counters ask me how! Read More

Instruments: Bass Guitar Double Bass

I typically start off by assessing if the student is a beginner, intermediate or advanced. Once the student's skill level has been assessed, a lesson plan will be formulated to best fit their needs. However, for students around beginner level, there is certain mandatory curriculum I teach in order for the student to have a solid fundamental understanding both on the instrument and for music in general. We will mostly focus on technique and theory, performance, as well as more creative and abstract musical aspects. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Cello Viola Bass Guitar Double Bass Music Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I know everyone learns  at different speeds so making sure they are comfortable yet challenging is important to me.Being able to know when the student is enjoying and not making it a chore is a key to helping and encouraging a student learn. Watching them progress in their insturment is rewarding in of itself and nothing is more satisfying. As the student starts to see him or herself accomplish each lesson I like to praise, push and encourage to keep on. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Drums Ukulele

I am a passionate musician and actor and I want to share my joy of the arts with the world through performance, education, and collaboration. I am originally from Denver, CO where my music journey began. At the age of 5, I began taking piano lessons. A few years later, I began to branch out into drums, inspired by my dad who is also a drummer. This led to many ensemble settings for two decades, including jazz band, symphonic percussion, marching percussion, and rock bands. Read More

Instruments: Trombone

The lessons are structured and built around the needs of each individual student. We begin by exploring strengths and weaknesses, and then customize materials and methods based on this. At the center of my pedagogical philosophy is a style of learning built on positive reinforcement, using methods that are supported by research on brain development and learning. For older students that are more driven, we also spend more time on developing effective strategies for individual practice, and together we set clear developmental goals. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Cello Viola Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Organ Synthesizer Harp Accordion Harmonica Lap Steel Guitar Banjo Ukulele Mandolin Recorder Lute Electric Violin Fiddle Double Bass Euphonium French Horn Tuba Piccolo Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Shakuhachi Oboe Bassoon English Horn Conga Latin Percussion Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Derek is a Grammy-nominated trombonist based in Los Angeles, California. Derek completed a BM in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas in 2016 and an MM in Studio Music and Jazz Trombone at the University of Miamis Frost School of Music in 2018. As a freelance musician in Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas, he has been regarded as a first-call musician in many styles of music for the past 5 years. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

Whatever the student is interested in, that is the direction we go in, whether specific or not.. we start with your interests.. beginners, we learn songs, intermediates.. scales, and soloing, advanced.. reading, theory, and composition. I am very song oriented, and we choose based upon the students taste, the songs to learn.. Then we do a lot on practice habits, repetition, metronome use, timing, right hand relaxation, posture, left hand correction. Read More