Music Lessons in Ramah, CO

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet

For beginning improvisers, I rely solely on my own materials and exercises, which emphasize the bebop scale and short ii-V licks and help develop understanding of key centers and 7-3 resolutions. For intermediate students as well, these concepts are essential to development as an improviser. For saxophonists, I begin with scalar studies and stress the importance of tone developing exercises such as overtones and long tones, but quickly introduce manageable repetoire. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

I've been playing bass for 13yrs and guitar for about 9yrs. I started out learning to play bass in the church and took lessons from the Pastor's son for a few months. Eventually became self-taught and learned from bassists that I admired and formed my own style of playing. I went on to teach friends, family, and church folk what I know about bass and music. I have played in a few church bands as well as rock and punk bands in the Southern California area. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin

I love hearing a student improve in their music. I love not only hearing them play but seeing them grow as a person. Music is an incredible powerful gift that can be used in so many different ways. I believe in learning a musical instrument students can be benefited as a person by learning self discipline/patience/perseverance. It's a great way to set goals and see goals met. There is no way for learning an instrument to be a quick process but little by little it can progress to a great accomplishment. Read More

Instruments: Piano

For the past 30 years, I have been teaching students of all ages in my home and in their homes. I have had funny twin boys, serious adults who don't really care much for theory and teenage girls. I even was lucky enough to have as a student a young lady who was crowned Miss Colorado. When I began teaching, students always came to my home. There was a time I was teaching 50 students and had to have two separate recitals-it was great! Read More

Instruments: Piano

My lessons are usually 30 minutes long for beginners. On top of learning from a piano series, I like to incorporate songs and styles that the student is insterested in learning. Theory and technique are also very important aspects of the lesson. Most importantly, I want the student to find their lesson time enjoyable, and make them excited to learn more. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone

For beginning students, I always start with the Essential Elements book 1. I have found that the combination of foundational teaching and songs that accompany what was just discussed helps students feel like they are applying what they have learned to something the can show off to people to people around them. Once they move past that, I try to introduce solo repertoire that is appropriate for their level. This helps prepare them for future solo recitals. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums Synthesizer Piccolo Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Oboe Bassoon English Horn Keyboard

I'm actually very flexible with the methods or books for all of the instruments I teach. Generally, for the band instruments, the director picks the method book. Most of the modern ones are pretty good to get students started, so I'm fine sticking to the director's method of choice and gleaning all the musical gems we can from it. Similarly with piano, there are several great method books out there, and you can learn a lot about piano from any of them. Read More