About
Hi, thanks for stopping by.
I want to help you play great sounding guitar, even if you only have a few minutes a day.
The guitar can be tricky because of the way it's organized, but I love helping students quickly understand the guitar, start reading music, and enjoying the process.
I love working with beginners and more advanced students in a variety of genres including: acoustic, rock, pop, jazz, and classical.
I live for those "ah ha" moments with my students that leads to deep personal enjoyment of playing music.
Photos and videos
Reviews
Chris W.
Marawan N.
Jim F.
Julian M.
Randy Z.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
My process for working with a new student is to:
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Evaluate his or her current skill level.
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Learn about the student’s goals in music and guitar.
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Develop a plan to help them achieve their goals.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Bachelor of Arts | Azusa Pacific University
2002 - 2006 B.A. in Commercial Music (Guitar Performance, Music Business)
Master of Arts | Azusa Pacific University
2011 - 2013 M.A. in Guitar Performance
TV Shows
Little Big Shots (NBC)
The Voice T.V. Show (NBC)
Sing Your Face Off (ABC)
Duets (ABC)
Artists/Musicians I've had the honor of working with.
- Kelly Clarkson
- Robin Thicke
- John Legend
- Jennifer Nettles
- Florida Georgia Line
- Giloh Morgan
- Debelah Morgan
- Lee Ritenour
- John Beasley/Monk’estra
- Alex Acuña
- Annekei
- Dave Grusin
- Don Grusin
- Melvin Lee Davis
- Harvey Mason
- Fourplay
- Justo Almario
- Chaka Khan
- George Benson
- Mike Stern
- Guthrie Govan
- Joe Bonamassa
- John Scofield
- Pat Martino
- Patrice Rushen
- Davis Gaines
- Ethan Bortnick
- Teryn Ré
- Jen Oikawa
- Lee Ritenour
- Dave Grusin
- James Taylor
- Steve Lukather
- Andy McKee
- Adam Hawley
- Ryan Skiles
- The Bombshells
- Tommy Walker
- John Beal
- Brittany Glenn
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Monthly Lessons
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Four (4) half-hour lessons - $120
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Four (4) full-hour lessons - $220
“Text Lessons" with GaryLooking for a more affordable way to study guitar?Try "Text Lessons" with Gary - Just $60/Month….How it works:
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Step 1: Complete intake form (so I can learn about your background and goals)
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Step 2: Send an entrance video (so I can get a sense of your skill level)
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Here’s what you get…
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Personalized monthly assignments: I will create personalized monthly assignments specifically for your skill level and goals on guitar. This would include songs to learn, technical exercises, musical concepts, etc.
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Personalized Critique of your playing: Based on video and audio examples you send, I’ll provide personalized feedback and critiques to help you get the most out of your practice time.
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Your questions answered… (anytime!): Struggling with a chord progression? A difficult rhythm. Is something just not making sense? Text me anytime day or night and I’ll reply back within 24-hours with feedback and video demonstrations. Often we can have short text conversations back and forth as well as time allows. Feel free to text as much as you like!
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Easy billing… $60/month, cancel anytime. Feel free to even give it a try for 1 month and see how you like it.
What types of students have you worked with?
I love working with students of all levels. I currently have absolute beginners and also intermediate/advance students that I teach at a university.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
When looking for a teacher, I would recommend trying to find someone who has the "heart of a teacher", meaning, he/she really cares that you are understanding the material and enjoying the process at the same time.
There will always be frustrating moments when learning music or guitar, but having the right teacher can make even the difficult seasons enjoyable and fruitful.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Students should think about what "success" specifically means to them in terms of learning guitar. And this can sometimes be difficult to put into words, but it's important so that both the student and teacher are the same page before working together.