Rick M
Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Voice, Bass Guitar, Keyboard, Electric Guitar
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Funk, Showtunes, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Bossa Nova, Soul
Rick M
Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Voice, Bass Guitar, Keyboard, Electric Guitar
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Funk, Showtunes, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Bossa Nova, Soul
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 5-80
Associate Degree in Music, Delgado College
I have been teaching music for over 20 years, and I love what I do !!! Bringing the joy of music into the lives of other people brings much joy into my own life. I take great pride in being a very good instructor. I put forth a lot of effort to help my students make meaningful progress in their lessons. I feel that anyone can enjoy playing music, if they put forth the effort and have an insightful instructor who can help make the lessons a positive and fun experience. Playing music is an activity that everyone should have the pleasure of experiencing.
I started teaching music at Werlein's for Music, which if are from New Orleans, and of a certain age, you will remember as being the premier music store in the Greater New Orleans area. I taught at Werlein's up until they closed their doors when they finally went out of business. However, when Bitsie Werlein opened the "Bitsie Werlein Piano Store" in Metairie, she chose me of all the instructors that taught at Werleins, to be the one and only Piano Instructor at her new store. When Bitsie closed her store after Katrina, I moved to Zeagler's Music, and later I began teaching at Guitar Center.
For Piano, I use several method books, including the Thompson Method, Shaum, Alfred, and Bastien. For Guitar I use Hal Leanard, Mel Bay, and several others. I also use interactive software of various kinds. And for Jazz, Blues and Rock improvisation, I use Band in a Box to provide backing tracks for the purpose of practicing improv over chord progressions. Band in a Box allows the student to simulate the experience of playing with a band in various styles and genres, with the possibility of change the chord progression and also changing the key and tempo. I have found this to be an invaluable tool.
One thing I have learned over many years of teaching, is that everyone is different, and therefore there is no definitive method of teaching that will work for everyone. Some people learn more using their eyes, .... others learn better using their ears. Which I suppose is a way of saying that some people will be better at sightreading, and others will be better at playing by ear. I myself was not a very good sight reader when I was young ... I have gotten better, ... but to this day, I am always more comfortable when playing by ear or by memory. I today's world, I don't see that as a problem, and I try to not force sightreading on a student who seems to not have an inclination towards that skill. I emphasize that sheetmusic is like the recipe for a great meal ... it is just a piece of paper ... and sheetmusic in not the MUSIC itself, anymore than a recipe is the actual meal. Sheetmusic is simply suggested instruction on how one might go about making music ... if you read slowly ... or not at all ... it doesn't mean you can't make some beautiful music of your own ... and I can show a student how to do that.
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