About
Teaching professionally since 1972. All popular styles of American music for Guitar, Bass Guitar, Voice and Piano, Keyboards and Studio recording and production. I helped produced an co-wrote for Shaun Hopper's "Lower Case Letters" CD. Production for Nicole DesRoisiers obtained an artist management contract with Sony Records 2006.
I am Music director at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Pinellas Park. The Lifeteen Band at Espiritu Santo, Safety Harbor and the Deacon Blues Band.
I have a teaching Certificate in Evangelization studies from The University Of Stuebenville, Ohio. I have performed with Della Reese, John Lamb, Mary McPartland, Al Downing, Mike Scaglioni, Louis Bellson. Many gigs on video with Shaun Hopper/Michael Marth on YouTube.com.
I am the former President of the Tampa Bay Fingerstyle Guitar Guild. Some of my students have gone on to music professionally. Including Joe Porter( Jazz Bassist Maynard Ferguson, Players School of Music) David Mara, All County Bass and Guitar, The three Charo's Brothers, Ruth Eckerd Jazz band, Gibb for the performing arts. The Galbraith's , Josh and Ashley.
Helping people, at any age, cut to the chase and develop their talents to the fullest. I have taught as young a 3 year olds to 80 year olds who have never had a lesson before. People with disabilities that Doctors and other professionals gave little hope for. It is a great joy to see people make that next step from where ever they might be on the learning curve. The very least percentage of my students want to be professionals. However everyone of them has enjoyed getting to that next step on the musical ladder.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Start where they are. Find out what music they enjoy and teach them those songs connected to basic technique. So they are learning the basics through songs they enjoy.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Though I am a college teaching cerificate holder, the majority of my training was touring, recording, workshops, clinics and concerts with some of the finest musicians in the world. For a period of six years in Chicago, the music store I worked for as teacher and assistant manager worked with every major touring act of the time. I got to meet them, hang out and jam with them. Heart, Journey, Styx, Albert King, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, Rick Derringer, Peter Frampton, Cab Callaway, Hermans Hermits and many more including Buddy Rich and Frank Sinatra.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Lessons are $25 per half hour. Haven't raised my prices in 10 years. Since many people are struggling out there still.
How did you get started teaching?
Ladies from our neighborhood asked me to teach their children in 1972. I was only playing guitar one year. In a month I had six students. In a year I had 15 students. The next year I was asked to take over lessons for a teacher who wanted to retire. He gave me 35 students. The next year I had 97 private music lessons per week at Palos Music on 119th and Harlem in the southwest suberbs of Chicago. Five miles from my home in Orland Park. I continued to teach until managing and teaching got to be too much. I hired two teachers from among my students to take some of the lesson load and cut back to 50-60 lessons per week. I was 15 years old then.
What types of students have you worked with?
Every kind. 3 1/2 to 80 yearsold, Beginners to professionals and everywhere in between. Classical, Jazz, Country/Bluegrass, Rock, Blues, funk, Island, ethnic types, Asian, Greek, Italian, Polish, African, Indian and a few I never heard of before.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
Performing guitar and voice for the 5th grade of Espiritu Santo Catholic School. The children were wonderful and many were very musically talented. Pryor to that would have to be performing at Shaun Hoppers' debut at The Capital Theatre.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Find a teacher who will teach you music you are interested in. Make sure that person has a good reputation and will also teach music fundamentals. Scales, Chords and note reading. If they can not teach all those three basics, keep looking. If they were to study with me I would teach them Scales, Chords, Note reading, ear training and improvisation. How to pick up music from listening to it. And if they study with me long enough, how to transcribe it. Write out music from just listening to it. Of course, by that time they ought to have some students of their own.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Am I willing to give up at least one half hour a day for my instrument? If not, wait until you can commit to that.
The most important question is, "do I have a dream?" What if I had the ability to be come the very best on the planet on my instrument?
The second is, " What songs would I play if I could do anything?"
Who whould I perform for? Where would I travel? Who would be in my band?
One of my students dreams was to play with Ozzy Ozborne. I told him if you practice what I tell you, you will have a fair chance. He studied for 2 1/2 years and auditioned with Ozzy. Zack Wilde beat him out. He was runner-up out of 50,000 applicants for audition from all over the world. He showed me the letter from Ozzy. That same year his wife had their first child. He said he was grateful he missed the Ozzy gig. If he had won he would have been on the road when his baby was born. Never under estimate a dream.