408-389-3524
Musika Quick Stats
25 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
- Have questions? Check out our
- FAQ
- CONTACT US
-
![call-icon]()
408-389-3524
Lesson Special - Up to 20% OFF! Get Started Now with a Risk-Free Trial!
Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Saxophone lessons in San Jose . 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 Guitar Saxophone Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Organ Synthesizer Ukulele Mandolin Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
I am a classically trained clarinet player who learned every Rock instrument along the way and some other instruments. I'm currently in multiple bands including a Classic Rock cover band and a Latin band (Rock, Funk, Reggae, Ska, Cumbia). I write music in a variety of styles as well, such as singer/songwriter, Rock, EDM/trance, and even wrote a piece for the Diablo Valley College Philharmonic Orchestra. I'm also a big music theory geek which adds to my teaching ability. Read More
Instruments: Piano Saxophone Clarinet
I was educated from age 7 in Clarinet, reaching the highest award offered by The Associated Board of the Royal School of Music at age 12. I was graded A* for my school music exam (GCSE) a year early, and also gained and A Grade in my college (A Level). Seeking to go to music college I then took ABRSM Grade 6 piano. I played in the Birmingham Schools Wind Orchestra (Principal Clarinet) and the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra (1st Alto Saxophone). Read More
Instruments: Piano Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Music Keyboard
The first lesson is always a trial lesson, in it I attempt to access where the student is musically. I also use the time to find out what the student's musical goals are . We look at things like reading, theory, dexterity on the instrument. If the student plays a wind instrument we look at things like embouchure and breathing. Once I have gotten a good idea as to the student's skill level and have spoken to the student about their musical goals and interests. Read More
Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet
I try to get my students to develop a passion for music. My style and curriculum tend to have my students progressing quickly, but attention to detail is very important to me as well as a great sound on the instrument. For me the sound is number 1, then working on time is number 2. The notes will come. I try to make realistic goals for my students. We can achieve anything as long as we put the effort in. Read More
Instruments: Saxophone Flute Clarinet Recorder Piccolo
I think the best way to teach is to start with what my students are interested in and embed music concepts and theory throughout our lessons. Additionally, I have a library of method books, lesson plans, literature, and curricula that I like to follow. Read More
Instruments: Saxophone
I'm a lifelong musician with a strong passion for the saxophone. I began my life in music with the clarinet, later picking up alto and tenor saxophone as well as piano. I graduated from School of the Arts High School in 2009 and brought my tenor to UCLA, where I played in every band that I could. I've been trained in classical music, jazz, Latin jazz, funk, soul, and rock. I love performing, recording, composing, and now I'm excited to teach. Read More
Instruments: Violin Cello Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Recorder Euphonium Music
I have worked with students at a variety of levels and will meet the their needs accordingly. I ask my students what their goals are and then build an individualized lesson plan based on their needs. We can work on music for performances or for personal growth. I want to help my students reach their musical goals. I usually teach students out of method books to begin with, and while we work through these I ask the students to help select pieces for fun that they might also want to learn for perfomance. Read More
Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Always set goals for your practicing. I find that without set goals or milestones, practicing can often turn into a "noodle-fest"; which I have been guilty of as well. For example, if you want to learn how to play like Hendrix, find a solo of his that you enjoy and set out to learn it. Use every resource you have available; learn it by ear and transcribe it, check it against other tabs, play it along with the recording, play it alone and record yourself, etc. Using a variety of techniques like this improves your self-discipline and makes it easier to stay focused on the goal.
How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
I find that if that after their first lesson, the child still wants to learn and is enthusiastic, then they're ready for regular lessons. Guitar can be such a tricky instrument to play physically, especially for smaller hands, that sometimes a child will be thrown off by the challenge of playing it. However, if they're still excited by the idea of playing the guitar after that, this won't bother them. It's all about teaching the student things that will keep them engaged and enthusiastic about the instrument.
When will I start to see results?
In all honesty, guitar has a pretty steep learning curve in the very beginning. I tell all my beginner students that if will be a little uncomfortable, awkward, and mildly painful for the first couple weeks. While it's very easy to get frustrated and give up during this stage, I always encourage everyone to stick it out, because once you get over that hump, it becomes exponentially better as you go. Your hands and fingers just need to adjust to this weird new things you're doing by playing the guitar, that's all.
Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
My first music teacher Gretchen Rueckheim, who taught me piano and alto saxophone. Despite my occasional waning enthusiasm in those instruments, she always kept me motivated and inspired to tackle a new piece of music or a new technique, and it's because of her I developed a strong foundation in music that would help me immensely when I discovered the guitar. My first guitar teacher, Chris Theriault, always encouraged me to bring in songs I enjoyed, and would teach me concepts from those songs, which stuck with me. I took notice of how he could listen to a guitar solo and learn it by ear right there on the spot, which motivated me to learn how to do the same.
What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
For beginners, it's just the basic physicality of playing guitar. Right off the bat, to play one note, one has to do a lot of hand-eye coordination between both hands. There's also the matter of pressing down the strings themselves, which can be frustrating for the beginner. Besides that, I think one specific thing that I struggled with was keeping my left hand pinky under control. Teaching your fingers to stay close to the fretboard takes a lot of time, practice, and patience, but it does pay off in a big way if you're interested in playing fast.
What does a normal practice session look like for you?
I always try to start with a warm-up session consisting of drilling different scales, arpeggios, techniques, chords, etc. For one, this gets my hands warmed up and ready to play, but it also prepares me mentally for a practice session, and helps me focus on whatever goal I have for that particular session. After that I try to divide my practice between songs I'm teaching to students, repertoire for performance, and things I want to learn on my own. I always try to include some form of ear-training/transcribing into my practice sessions, because I feel that it's one of the most import aspects of being a musician.
25 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 San Jose to students of all ages and abilities.
We'll then reach out to the teachers for you.
Schedule the risk-free trial lesson directly with the teacher.
Continue with that teacher or try someone else.
