Jordan S  
Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Drums, Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Classical, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Musical Theater, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Flamenco, Reggae, New Age, Soul, Punk

I have been teaching music since I was 16 years old and I want to share the same experiences I had as a student. Many teachers won't admit it, but a student's musical future depends almost entirely on who is teaching them. If a teacher is fun to get along with and understands how the student communicates then this can ensure longevity in a student's playing career (even if the student only plays for fun). Music is an avant garde, yet practical way to explain and communicate the natural work around you, and for this reason I often find more gratification in teaching than I do working on the projects for big companies.

When teaching beginners, especially kids, I find it easiest to have them learn songs that they already enjoy. This often involves learning the chords within the songs and allows us to start focusing on a strum pattern as well. If this seems daunting, sometimes we learn only the abridged or quick version of a song. I always like to start entry level students with the intro to "Come As You Are" by Nirvana. Its a great jumping off point to work on finger placement, rhythm and picking; all the while we get to learn a song, too! My intermediate students have focus heavily on musicianship. With these types of students I often play (or jam) with them during lessons. This gives them the chance to start really listening and to use their skills to function as a musician. I find students who miss out on this can often play lots of songs but sometimes are missing solid rhythm and finger placement work. Playing with the student is an easy way to build their confidence, too. If they find themselves playing simultaneously with their instructor it will let them know that they are actually better than they even know and are well on their way to becoming the proficient players they sought out to be!