Jason Lee Smiley Guitar Lessons

Jason Lee Smiley Guitar Lessons

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About

My teaching approach:

I like to find out first what a student is interested in learning. I then try to formulate a plan for getting them to their end goal in the most direct way possible. I don't have any agenda going in. I let the student dictate the direction of the lessons. I play a dobro hula blues resonator guitar. I like to teach fingerstyle blues and ragtime. Music in the style of Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Boy Fuller, etc. is my strongest area. I have played professionally in blues and honkytonk bands. I have played many venues around the state of Texas, and I even played once on the Opre.

My influences are:

Mississippi John Hurt, Hubert Sumlin, Blind Boy Fuller, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Blake, Blind Lemon Jefferson, all the blind guys, Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry, Little Walter, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Nick Drake, Neil Young, Steve Earle, Dwight Yoakam, Dale Watson, Wayne "The Train" Hancock, Merle Haggard, Charlie Patton, Charlie Christian, Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Willie Nelson, Lefty Frizzell, Jack White, Johnny Marr, Peter Buck, Big Bill Broonzy, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, George Harrison, KK Downing, Joe Perry, Slash, Mick Mars, Freddie King, Jimi, Stevie Ray, Izzy Stradlin

My guitar lessons take place in:

The teacher's studio or the student's home

Guitar lessons typically take place on these days and hours:

I'm pretty flexible with my schedule. I currently can do most afternoons or evenings with the exception of Wednesday and Saturday. Saturday I will consistently be unavailable both in the afternoon and the evening. Wednesday afternoon could work but Saturday evening is also full.

Guitar Techniques:

Lead guitar, Rhythm guitar, Open tuning, Fingerstyle, Performance, Scales and Exercises, Song Writing, Guidance In Equipment Selection

Your first guitar lesson with me might include the following:

In the introductory lesson I like to have the student play a bit for me to see where their ability is at. I assess that by observing technique, rhythm, and phrasing. This helps me to determine what kind of technical exercises we should work on to most efficiently benefit the student. It also gives me a chance to hear what kind of music they like. If I know their taste in music I can incorporate more material into the lesson that I know they will like and have fun with. I think it makes what they are learning in the lesson much more relevant to them.

A guitar lesson with me might entail the following:

I like to spend a little time at the beginning of the lesson working on technique. This could involve some technical exercises or perhaps scale work. I then like to spend some time going over a piece that incorporates some of our technical exercises or scale work so the student may see how those things are applied in a real piece of music. I then like to spend the last part of the lesson working on a musical piece of the student's choice. This way I can ensure we are covering some material they really feel passionate about. It also keeps it fun in my opinion.

The qualities I look for in an ideal guitar student might include the following:

My ideal guitar student is one who has a passion for the type of music they are trying to learn. My ideal student is also one who really enjoys playing the guitar. When a person enjoys playing the guitar and they realize it to be the true medicine that it is, practice becomes a natural consequence of their passion and progress generally is made rapidly. My ideal student would also be a patient person. Progress on the guitar can be a process. But the process is indeed an enjoyable one.


Highlights

Serves U.S. Air Force Academy , CO

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Services offered

Guitar