About
If you match most or all of these things listed below, then I'm the perfect guitar teacher for you:
-You are interested in playing "rock" based styles of music. This includes blues, acoustic singer songwriter-y type stuff, classic rock, alternative, grunge, hard rock, and metal. I do not teach jazz or classical.
-You want a guitar teacher who teaches you based on your goals and challenges.
I don't teach from a "method book" where every student gets the EXACT same lessons in the same order. Learning guitar doesn't work that way. Every student has different interests and challenges & their lesson plan needs to be specific and unique to them.
-You want a teacher that truly understands your goals.
If you just want to play guitar for fun and are not trying to be a super high level player, you need a teacher that is not going to overwhelm you. Conversely, if you want to get really good, you need a teacher that will push you and challenge you. The difference between those two types of students is something that I understand extremely well and I adjust my teaching approach based on YOUR objectives.
-You want a teacher who is patient.
I will not lie to you. Guitar is a hard and frustrating instrument to learn. But ANYONE can learn it. There's only one "secret" to learning guitar and that is simply to just never give up. I understand that completely, which is why I don't care if it takes you 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, or 1 year to be able to play something that I teach you. I care that you give your best effort and I care that you get there...and getting there requires patience. There's no one universal way to learning guitar. The best way for Person 1 is sometimes the worst way for Person 2. Because I'm open to changing my approach when as student doesn't understand something, which makes patience one of my best qualities.
-You have a real PASSION for music and you (or your child) really want to be able to play guitar.
I don't care how old you are. I don't care if you are brand new to guitar or if you have years of experience. What I do care about is that you really LOVE music. I like to say that I could teach you songs, chords, scales, strumming, theory, solos, etc all day long...but I could never teach you how to WANT to play guitar.
If that sounds like you, then I think we should talk because I we would be a great fit.
When I started playing guitar, I was primarily self-taught. So when I see students do things and play things at 3 months, 6 months, 12 months into learning that I couldn't do after YEARS of learning by myself, I feel really proud of them!
Highlights
Specialties
Musical styles
Guitar style
Has instrument
Years experience
Able to read music
Lesson length
Student's age
Photos and videos
Reviews
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Step 1: contact me if you think we would be a good fit based on what type of music you want to play. Step 2: We'll have a quick 5 minute phone call to talk about your playing experience, what music you want to play, any challenges, and of course scheduling. Step 3: If we think we're a good fit for one another and the schedules line up, we'll sign you up for my 5 Week Introductory Period, which is weekly 30 minute private lessons (and costs just $99). Step 4: The first lesson will be very much a "get to know you" type of lesson. I can't teach anybody without first seeing what they can or can't do. So, if you have some experience, I'll just ask you what you know. I'll ask to demonstrate any chords or scales you know, or any songs you might have learned. I need to ascertain what you think your biggest challenges are AND what I think your biggest challenges are. If you are brand new to guitar, we will go over the basics of how to hold the guitar/pick, parts of the guitar, how to tune, and you will leave the 1st lesson being able to play one of the most iconic guitar riffs of all time. Step 5: Over the rest of the intro period, we will go over the top 3-5 top things that you need to practice to improve your guitar scales in the short term. The exact lesson plan is different for everyone. Step 6: After the intro period is over, we will have a simple conversation as to whether you want to continue on full time and what format you want to stick with. By this time, I have a really good understanding of what your practice habits are like and how much new content you could handle at a time. That means I can create a much more detailed lesson plan custom to you.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
The best education is experience and I have 10 years of experience teaching thousands of guitar players of a variety of ages and skill levels.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I have many different programs and packages available and the end cost is really dependent on so many factors that it's pretty tricky to quote anyone without getting more information first. With that said, what I do is this. I offer a 5 week package consisting of a 30 min private lesson each week for just $99. It's a great way for me to get to know you as a new student, see how you learn best, what your goals are, what your challenges are, how you practice from week to week, etc At the end of that 5 lesson intro period, we'll have a conversation about where we go from here. I'll give you my recommendation of what format or formats would work best for you and give you a whole host of different billing options.
How did you get started teaching?
I love music. I love playing guitar and singing. I love helping people. It was pretty natural.
What types of students have you worked with?
I help students enjoy the process of learning how to learn their instrument and help them their goals. Whether the student is completely new or has been playing for awhile, I have a program that will suit their needs, their budget, and their schedule.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
It's something I see a lot of...When I started playing guitar, I was primarily self-taught. So when I see students do things and play things at 3 months, 6 months, 12 months into learning that I couldn't do after YEARS of learning by myself, I feel really proud of them!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
If you are looking for a music teacher, there are a few things you should be aware of. 1) Define what style you want to learn and find a teacher who specializes in that style. Be very cautious of teachers who claim that they can "teach any (or every) style." 2) Ask how they teach their lessons. This is a trick question. If a teacher tries to answer this question without knowing anything about the student, he's either lying to that student or he doesn't know what he is doing. There is no way a teacher could know how to teach a specific student without getting more information from them first. 3) Don't judge whether a teacher is right for you based off of their price, location, music school credentials, or "rock star" popularity. Finding the right teacher is about finding the person who's ideology is most in line with your goals, has multiple effective teaching strategies, and has a proven track record of getting results.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
-Am I committed to doing this?
-Will I make the time to put the work in?
-Imagine yourself already playing the guitar how you want to...and hold on to that vision and revisit in every day