Guitar Lessons: Performance, Songwriting, Improv, And Technique
About
I teach very flexibly, catering to both your wants as a student and any problem areas that you may or may not be aware of. Rather than drills and formal theory, I focus on making playing guitar feel like... playing.
If you are a beginner, a typical starting point with my classes is learning an enjoyable new song immediately. Through this, we can discuss the new techniques, chords, and anything else of interest, but the focus is on getting you playing something you like right away. All the theory in the world does you no good if you aren’t motivated to sit down and play.
I teach by Skype, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, and more. If I’m not on your preferred platform yet, I can be.
About me: I am a fingerstyle acoustic guitarist who has played guitar for 18 years. I have been part of bands ranging from indie to blues to prog metal. My first love was my Fender Telecaster, but I switched to acoustic after learning how to use the guitar percussively. Now, I am mostly a solo act. I started teaching guitar in 2014, and have had students ranging from very beginner to high intermediate.
A couple of my performances:
https://youtu.be/JVxr5cGfGVQ
https://youtu.be/HpOPUqIKOKU
Specialties
Musical styles
Guitar style
Has instrument
Years experience
Able to read music
Lesson length
Student's age
Photos and videos
No reviews (yet)
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I will get a feel for your ability level (zero and up) and then we will learn a new enjoyable song immediately. We use the song to explore techniques, chords, scales, improvisation, etc. later, but I want you to want to play. In my experience, first teaching theory or technique causes boredom, confusion, or frustration more often than starting by playing. Those things are important, too, but actually wanting to sit down and practice is the only way to make steady progress unless you have the self discipline of a monk.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
One time lesson:
$25 / half hour
$40 / full hour
$70 / two hours
If you want weekly lessons (purchased 4+ at a time) the rates are:
$20 / half hour
$35 / full hour
$60 / two hours
Anything outside of this is a case-by-case basis.
How did you get started teaching?
I wanted to supplement my income in university with a few lessons a week, and being good at guitar, I thought it would be a good plan. Turns out I liked teaching much better than being a server, so I continued teaching, and have expanded so that now I teach guitar, English, science, and essay writing.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with students from age 4 to about 40, ranging from absolute beginner to high intermediate.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
As an avid cyclist, I had a great time cycling through the mountains of Taiwan with a friend this past September. It was a big challenge, but the view from the top was worth it.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Look for someone who you enjoy learning from and who motivates you to play. That could be me, and it might not- everyone has their own style and ours may or may not mesh. But find someone that makes you look forward to the lesson, not someone who makes you feel like it is foremost an obligation.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
How sure are you that the teacher is not meeting your needs because you are not doing the necessary work? On occasion I will get a frustrated student who feel like they haven’t progressed. Whether due to busy schedule or not making the time, they did not practice but they still expect to improve quickly.
Does your teacher know your needs better than you do? Depending on how guitar-related your need is, the expert might know that to address your needs something else must be addressed first. Case in point- I once had a student who wanted to learn percussion but couldn’t yet strum consistently.