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Music For The Ages
About
My teaching approach:
My desire is to help each student achieve their goals by making music fun & applicable to their needs and situation, directing them towards proficiency and self-sufficiency. I taught private guitar lessons and in many music stores for over 40 years, guitar courses in college for 6 years, in a performing arts charter high school for 4 years, and in elementary/middle school for 8 years.
My influences are:
Too many to mention, but you can start with the folksingers from the 50's to the 60's, the rock.pop, and blues players from the 50's to today. Chet Atkins, Pete Seeger, Peter Yarrow, Noel Paul Stookey, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Rory Gallagher to name a few.
My guitar lessons take place in:
The teacher's studio or the student's home
Guitar Lessons with me take place in the following areas:
I teach in the Metro Phoenix area including Anthem, Surprise, Mesa/Tempe, Chandler, and Ahwatukee
Guitar Techniques:
Guidance In Equipment Selection, Recording and Production, Song Writing, Music Theory, Scales and Exercises, Reading Music, Jamming Skills, Improvisation, Performance, Vocal Accompaniment, Slide Guitar, Fingerstyle, Open tuning, Rhythm guitar, Lead guitar
Your first guitar lesson with me might include the following:
In the first lesson you can expect me to make you very comfortable with what we both want to accomplish with these lessons. I evaluate your (or your parent's) goals for the lessons and outline ways we can get there.
A guitar lesson with me might entail the following:
I customize my lessons to the student and write all my own material, helping the student to accomplish his or her own goals while having fun learning songs and building skills.
The qualities I look for in an ideal guitar student might include the following:
The ideal guitar student is simply someone who wants to learn how to play and understands that it takes effort to get there.
Specialties
Instrument(s)
Experience level
Students age
Interest(s)
Lesson length
No reviews (yet)
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
The first thing I do is get to know the student's personal musical goals and then help to get them there. I make sure their instrument is playing at its best by adjusting it and changing strings if necessary. Then it's off we go!
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have been playing guitar since 1962 and have played all styles of music as a solo artist and with many groups. I started teaching in Jr High when friends and classmates wanted me to show them how to play. Since then I have taught guitar and music in college, high school, and currently elementary school where I love getting kids excited about playing music.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Lessons are usually paid by the month, but I work with each student to accommodate their budget and needs.
How did you get started teaching?
See education question above.
What types of students have you worked with?
All kinds, all ages, all levels, including special needs.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
Too many to mention. When I see my students get over that first hump and really start enjoying what thy do.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
The first and most important thing is to remember that YOU are hiring someone to do YOU a service. Only accept what they want to teach you if it makes sense to you.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
1. The time they have to reach their goals, including availability for lessons and time to practice.
2. The style of music they want to learn.
3. The experience and flexibility of the instructor in both time and methods.