Tar Heel Guitar Instruction

My teaching approach:

My teaching approach is very student-centered- I teach what my students want to learn! Additionally, my teaching is very song-based, in that, I use songs to teach fundamental concepts rather than a bunch of drills and exercises. I believe, especially for beginners, it's critical to keep motivation at a high level, as that is what will ultimately keep beginners from burning out early. Learning guitar is not particularly easy, but I firmly believe anyone with the right guidance and dedication can learn to rock! More about me here: http://www.tarheelguitar.com/my-teaching/teaching-philosophy/

My influences are:

My influences are wide and varied, but those who come to mind first include The Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Van Morrison, Woody Guthrie, and Tommy Emmanuel. As you can see, many of my influences are singer/songwriters, which fits me seeing as how I also write my own music.

My guitar lessons take place in:

The teacher's studio

Guitar Lessons with me take place in the following areas:

Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Pittsboro, and surrounding areas

Guitar Techniques:

Lead guitar, Rhythm guitar, Open tuning, Fingerstyle, Slide Guitar, Vocal Accompaniment, Performance, Improvisation, Jamming Skills, Music Theory, Scales and Exercises, Song Writing, Guidance In Equipment Selection

Your first guitar lesson with me might include the following:

I begin by ascertaining the student's motivation for taking lessons. This will help shape my approach to teaching them. I ask them what they know and then ask them to demonstrate their knowledge for me. I do my best to put my students at ease so as to quell any nerves or reservations they may have about taking lessons. I also invite parents of very young kids to sit in on the lesson.

A guitar lesson with me might entail the following:

I begin with a review of prior material. This allows me to ascertain whether or not the student is ready to absorb new material. If the student is still working on older material, then the lesson will continue to focus on that. Rather, if the student is ready to move on, I'll introduce a new topic or skill then spend the remaining part of the lesson working on that particular skill with the student.

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

My ideal guitar student is anyone with a desire to learn the guitar. I do NOT believe in the traditional view of talent. In other words, I believe most anyone can learn to play the guitar with the right direction, support, encouragement, and dedication. I also believe beginners should learn on an acoustic guitar first. Transitioning from an acoustic to an electric is much easier than transitioning from an electric to an acoustic!