Peter King Guitar Lessons

My teaching approach:

I earned an M.A. in guitar performance from Duquesne University in 1994. I perform frequently, and I have recorded two CDs. I have taught children, ages 7 and up, and adults for many years. My strengths are blues, folk and jazz fingerpicking; rock, blues and jazz improvisation, songwriting, theory and harmony. I am particularly good (patient) with children and teens.

My influences are:

Tommy Emmanuel, James Taylor, B.B. King, Joao Gilberto, Larry Carlton, Steely Dan, Allman Brothers, Wes Montgomery, Michael Hedges, Joni Mitchell, Robert Johnson, Robert Cray, Ralph Towner, David Russell and many more.

My guitar lessons take place in:

The teacher's studio or the student's home

Guitar Lessons with me take place in the following areas:

I teach in my studio in Aspinwall or in students' homes in the City of Pittsburgh and its suburbs.

Guitar Techniques:

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

Your first guitar lesson with me might include the following:

My students are all individuals, who differ in age, experience, interest, ability and temperament. I find out as much as I can about their background before our first lesson. When we meet, I assess their ability and potential, including their aptitude for repeating rhythms and recognizing pitches. Then I try to meet the student half-way, with material that will be of interest and will also advance technique.

A guitar lesson with me might entail the following:

Depending on the student's age, interest, ability and style of learning, we could be working on right-hand finger independence, scales and modes, or composing songs or instrumentals. We work in tablature, standard notation or both. I use a mix of instruction books and my own handouts. Often, students record video and/or sound and use it to practice. Applying technique to a particular song the student likes is always a good idea.

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

My ideal student is one who realizes his or her potential. It is my job to make the lessons fun and informative, and to keep the student passionately engaged -- enough so that he or she will have the necessary discipline to practice.