Music Lessons in Middle City West, PA

Instruments: Guitar Voice

My teaching style is a non pressure , have fun while learning approach. I try to show the therapy music can provide if you stick with it. We will enjoy watching amazing progress together and go with the students taste in music as a good place to go with song choices. Helping students play there favorites while learning the art of guitar or voice gives me the best reward! Please , Let me be the teacher to take you or your child where you would like to go musically!! Read More

Instruments: Guitar Banjo Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

With banjo I usually begin with The Janet Davis banjo book-it has proved to be a great stepping stone into the more valuable Scruggs Books. We begin by learning some key fundamental rolls and then use to play some easy songs. Then we move to the more complex Slides, Pull-offs and hammer-ons and how to blend into the rolls. Every student I've ever taught graduates to the Earl Scruggs looks! Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Flute

For beginning piano students, I usually employ the Faber or Alfred Series books. They are intuitive and the various books (Lesson, Theory, Technique, Performance, etc) complement each other well! They also have an "older beginner" series that is great for teens and adults that are new to piano. I also encourage my students to try composition, even if it is very simple melodies. This is usually after they have established a good grasp on beginning music theory concepts.  For beginning voice, we begin half with the essential signing technique as well as the beginning musical concepts such as pitch, rhythm, etc. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet

For beginners I will typically start out of a book called Essential Elements. Once the students have a grasp of that book it is essential we get in to Arbans Conservatory Method for Trumpet. From there we can go in any direction the student wants. Be it Jazz or Classical. Read More

Instruments: Voice

I want to get a sense of why my student is interested in singing. Do they want to sing in a choir? Be the next pop star? Once I have an idea of what their goals are we start working with their voice and figuring out what styles work best for them. We always start off with warm-ups. They're a very important part of the singing process. They can also help students when they are on their own. Read More

Instruments: Trumpet

My passion for the trumpet has come from developing my skills through a disciplined focus on mechanics and fundamentals. In middle school most of my development came through trial and error with a transition to private lessons my junior year of high school. I have found that a majority of young trumpet players approach the instrument in a fashion that hinders their progress. By training a student to shift from a "pressure" to a " compression" mindset they are able to use the air stream to reach their range, power and flexibility goals. Read More

Instruments: Bass Guitar Double Bass Acoustic Guitar

For beginners, I like to make an introduction about the instrument and its particularly parts, then I start teaching scales and how they work on the instrument and on the paper. I teach how to read music, rhythm, musical figures, analyses of scales etc. Improvisation using scales and creating melodies. Harmonization, play chords, chords inversion. Playing songs with melody and harmony at the same time, creating an arrangement solo about a favorite student's song. Read More