The Guitar Workshop

I try to learn a students interests and goals, will they be learning guitar as a hobby, to play in a band or preparing themselves to be a professional musician. I want to know the music that the student listens to and what their favorite artists may be.  This helps me to focus on the type of material the student will need to learn in order to accomplish their desired skill set. 

I started studying Classical guitar with renowned Classical guitarist Douglas James in 1972, I was 12. I earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree from Morris College in 1983. While living in San Francisco in 1987, I studied with world renowned Jazz Guitarist Warren Nunes who wrote the Jazz Guitar Bible. While attending University of North Carolina in Asheville, I studied with former Stevie Wonder guitarist Tim Hayden and in 2012 while working on my Masters Degree in Jazz Studies at the University of South Carolina, I studied with Jazz Guitar professor Bert Ligon who has written three books on Jazz Improvisation which are used in Colleges and Universities across the USA.

My guitar lesson rate is $40 per 45 minute lesson or $160 monthly. Abs, as an added convenience, I come to your home and I provide all of the lesson material, thereby, not having the student to buy any books.

While working for NBC Television, I collected guitars and as I played guitars in various music stores, I was always asked by the mahagers if I taught guitar. Chris Vandenburg, owner of Vandenburg Music, asked me in 1991 if I would teach guitar in his store and I accepted. Consequently, I taught at Vandenburg Music for 13 years teaching 50 students per week. 

I have worked with students who have played a variety of music which included Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore, Carlos Santana, Lee Ritehour, George Benson, Eric Gales, Danny Gatton, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. The ages of my students have ranged from 1st grade to 70 years. 

Recently, I performed a concert on Decenber 27, 2020 where I performed a variety of music with a be band with the best musicians in Charlotte, NC. Here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/JazzNSoulMusic/videos/721073501864150/

I believe that student should ask a potential teacher what type of curriculum do they have? Will the teacher teach reading and writing music notation? Will the teacher require the student to buy a book? Has the teacher performed live in concert with a band? And, has the teacher had years of experience teaching?

The student should ask himself/herself will I have the time to practice everyday? How long should I take guitar lessons? Do I need to invest in a name brand guitar? What should I expect to accomplish after a few months of lessons? Can I afford the guitar lessons and can I pay for them on time each month?