Piano Lessons in Los Angeles, CA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Mallet Percussion

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
It's really all I've ever done. I've been teaching, touring, or recording for the last 20 years and if one of those things isn't too busy, one of the other things usually is.

Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
Music was always played in my house growing up. My brother and I both started on piano before switching to more Rock centric instruments. Incidentally, this is the same story of the brothers that grew up to form Van Halen.

If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
My brother played guitar growing up so there was always a guitar laying around. I watched A LOT of television growing up and eventually I just started noodling on the guitar while watching TV and it became something that I eventually learned for real.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
In an imaginary world where ability doesn't come into play, I would be a basketball player. In reality, I guess I'd be an architect or a mechanic. Something where I can build things.

Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
I trained a Disney actor who went on to do some very large TV shows. I'm very proud to have played a small part in her achieving her dreams.

What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
I don't know that "Mastering" an instrument means. I know people who cannot play a drum roll that are successful enough to buy a house and I know some of the most technically skilled players on the planet who also work day jobs. I guess the real challenge is to have the ability to play the ideas in your head so skill and concept are close to even.

What does a normal practice session look like for you?
I warm up always. This could be 5 to 10 to 60 minutes. Then, depending on what I have to learn for sessions or performances, I tackle those, hardest to easiest. I always try to enjoy playing something once I've gotten able to play it, not just moving on to something else. It's important to let things work their way into one's playing organically, over time. Rushing it is foolish. A plant will always grow with nourishment, one cannot force it to grow faster, but can keep it healthy.

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
Most recently, the band I drum for signed a deal with legendary Indie rock label Sub Pop, home of Nirvana, Soundgarden and many more. Past accomplishments include writing a song for a film called The Florida Project, performing at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and touring Brazil.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
The goal, I always say, is to try and get a little better each day. Additionally, I always say that practice makes permanent, not perfect. Poor practice habits lead to sloppy playing. It's better to have a short focused practice than a lengthy haphazard session.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
If your child is showing interest in music or you want to expose the world of music to them, it's never too early to start playing music at home and sharing things you like with them. Regarding lessons, I think anything before five years old is too early.

When will I start to see results?
Music is similar to a language in that the more you speak, regardless of fluidity, the easier it becomes. Speaking, or in the case of music, playing, is central to improvement. Just playing the instrument will yield results. Expectations are often the nemesis of growth in that results that may actually be present in our playing, but we only see what we're NOT doing. Notice the things you're doing correctly and focus on expanding those until the mistakes are fading away.

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