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Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Saxophone lessons in Los Angeles . Whether you are looking for beginner guitar lessons for your kids, or are an adult wanting to improve your skills, the instructors in our network are ready to help you now!
Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute
For beginners, I like to use affordable books such as "Standard of Excellence" or "Essential Elements." For intermediate and advanced students, I will present materials based off of the student's interests. Read More
Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet
I am a professional musician in the Southern California area who has been blessed to be able to do what I love to do for all these years. My main instrument is saxophone with flute and clarinet being my primary doubles. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Della Reese, Ralph Carmichael, Johnny Mathis, Mitch Miller, The Four Freshmen,The Cab Calloway Band, Vicki Carr, Rita Moreno, Barbara Morrison, John Stephens, Gerald Wilson, Lucy Woodward, Little Willie G, Bob Wilson, Bud Nuanez, Freddie Ravel, Rick Drexler, Tommy Walker, Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Johnson, Alex Acuna, Rique Pantoja, Justo Almario, Abe Laboriel, Andre Crouch, Leon Patillo, Kirk Whalum, Phil Driscoll, Norman Brown, Brian Simpson, Rayford Griffin, Ricky Lawson, Alex Al, Julio Figueroa, Jon Gibson as well as played and written for cartoons such as "Ren and Stimpy", "Angry Beavers", "Jimmy Neutron", "Sitting Ducks", and children's projects for Disney and Sesame Street and movie projects as a performer/actor with Danny Devito, Jim Carrey, Paul Giamatti. 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: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Accordion Ukulele Conga Latin Percussion Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar
My methods are the ones that works more for the student. For some reason some methods work better with certain people. One method can be tedious for a student and easy and fun for another. Hal Leonard's can be a good tool. I can use to many different books. Also I can write down specific exercises special for the student. Some times a student can learn faster without a book. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Saxophone Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar
For all students I access what your musical background is and what may be lacking from your knowledge and playing. I also ask what your particular goals and things you would like to learn are. From there then we will start to tailor the lesson as both us see fit. In general I like a student to be able to play three simple melodies before moving on to chords, rhythms, and music theory. Read More
Instruments: Guitar Saxophone Electric Guitar Djembe Acoustic Guitar
I began teaching guitar lessons back in 2008 and have been doing so for almost 10 years. After my bachelors I was then hired by the Community Arts Partnership through CalArts and have been teaching/facilitating workshops throughout Los Angeles teaching West African drumming, singing and dance. I have taught all ages from kindergarten to adults. I have also had the privilege to teach in the Juvenile Justice System, The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and other community based centers throughout Los Angeles. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Trumpet Saxophone Drums Mallet Percussion
I'm a firm believer in self motivation. Having a good teacher is important but having a great student is paramount. I love to develop concepts that work for the individual student whom I'm relaying ideas to. Whether it is theory or academia or the idea of honest expression, all these facets of teaching have always been inspiring to me. I can mock up many different playing situations to accommodate any level of player. Read More
Instruments: Saxophone Flute
If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
If I weren't a musician I would most likely be doing computer science. I love coding on computers as a hobby. However, that would never happen because I love being a musician. I want to have a free schedule, and I want to study and practice something that I know I'll love doing for my entire life. I don't want to be stuck in an office all day on a computer, or a cubicle working on things that I don't want to. I'd rather be homeless, working hard to make a buck off the street playing my beloved saxophone than to be stuck in an office for the rest of my life loathing my job. That is very much how far I would go to be a musician.
When will I start to see results?
Results begin to show right away! However, the one important thing that is crucial to the learning process of a child is to be consistent, and to practice as often as they can. Teaching a child information can be lost as easily as it can be retained. However, this can easily be avoided if a child remains practicing as much as they can. Parents can and should help their child as much as they can to also build discipline for the child to be consistent with practice. I will also help and guide students as much as possible!
Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
Yes my mentor Quincy Cavers. He was the last student of Clark Terry a few years before he died. Quincy lived with Clark for a few years until the day of his death. Clark gave him lessons every day and he spent a lot of time learning from Clark. He was also in his movie Keep on Keepin' On. Quincy inspired me with the way that he played the saxophone and with all of his life lessons and the way he talked about Clark and what he showed him. He taught me a lot of things and prepared me the way Clark tried to prepare Quincy. He inspired me to want to teach other people and pass on the same information to the maybe next Clark Terry.
What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
I strongly believe having a planned schedule of when and what to practice will work very efficiently to help you improve and practice what you need. These practice sessions need to be planned throughout the entire day. If they are more than 2 hours of practice, make sure to take at least 10-15 minute breaks in between. Trying to practice mistakes and being extremely exhausted, tired or annoyed of what you're practicing won't help anyone. Distract yourself for a little while on your break to get your mind off of what you practiced. Don't worry, once you go back to it, you're brain is already refreshed and you'll play it better. I learned this from experience. Also, have early morning practices are great because you wake up well-rested, and your brain is reset for the day. This will definitely help you retain more information of what you practiced throughout the day.
How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
I believe that any child form the ages 5+ are already able enough to start lessons. Children's brains at that age begin to absorb a lot of information that gets retained the most. Especially in music a child at that age will be ready to start lessons and will actually drastically improve over a short amount of time (1-3 years) and will indefinitely become as well as they are taught and practice their instruments. Children are exactly like human sponges and will definitely be able to start at a young age and so on if they continue with their instrument.
What does a normal practice session look like for you?
A normal practice session for me is about 6-8 hours a day. However, I take 15 minute breaks in between every hour. I sit down, place a metronome, and I begin to practice my basic scales. Major, Dominant, Minor scales are what I begin with at 130bpm 16th notes to the highest and lowest range of my instrument. Then I start working on arpeggios, triads etc. Then I begin to work on more complicated scales like diminished, half-diminished, whole tone, bebop scales, etc. I also work on transcribing different players and their solos by ear with records and youtube recordings.
24 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
Trusted as the industry leader, for over 21 years the teachers in our network have been providing Saxophone lessons in Los Angeles to students of all ages and abilities.
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