Piano Lessons in Kailua, HI

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Practicing is about progress, not perfection. I aspire to be the best at my craft and so concerning myself with perfection is not half as effective as reducing my chance of imperfection when I perform. I have learned to minimize distractions and be intentional on what I expect to accomplish. If you’re new, take your time and break sessions up into bite size pieces, if you're a bit more seasoned, approach it very much the same way as you ad tools like reading tablature and understanding theory enough to piece concepts together. Above all, have fun.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
This a great question. Exposure has a great deal to do with it. As exploration is encouraged, little things like matching pitch when singing, ability to keep time clapping and moving freely to the beat, even something as silly as showing promise with air guitar are good signs that passion for music is there. A love for music gets inside you; you’ll know when the time is right.

When will I start to see results?
Results may vary. We hear that all the time, but in this case it is very true. When exploration and encouragement are cornerstones, then a desire to improve takes over. Practice becomes something to look forward to. In order to achieve desired results work is required. When students put in the work and find joy in the process, results will come.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
I am a product of a musical family, one in which my grandfather had mastered any number of woodwind instruments. He would practice in the bathroom where he said the acoustics were at their best as I sat by the door loving every note that began to resonate in my very being. From the moment I first heard him to the day he passed, it was just the encouraging connection I needed to never give up striving to improve on this gift. I have studied, practiced, and performed since the age of eight. First the accordion, then the baritone horn through high school, the tenor and tympani drums in the Navy, and guitar through much of that same time. It all came fairly easy to me though I must attribute a great deal of my early growth to a handful of wonderful musicians along the way. In my mid-twenties I met my lifelong musical mentor and friend. He is currently the director of the Digital Arts Recording Academy at my alma mater. His influence not only opened my eyes to a teaching style that brought to life everything you ever wanted to know about music on one sheet of paper (theory that is), he also is the finest guitar player and Christ like man I have ever had the privilege to know. Though I remain a true fan to many genres, he opened up a door that has brought with it the joy of leading and participating in worship for the last twenty-five years. This exposure for me also opened up a whole new door teaching guitar, bass, and music fundamentals.

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