Guitar Lessons in Hodgkins, IL

Instruments: Guitar

Lesson materials are customized based on each student's individual goals. I use a combination of tried and true books along with materials that I have created over my 16 years of teaching. Here is a quick list of some of the books I use: General Guitar Skills - Progressive Guitar Method, A Modern Method for Guitar, Melodic Rhythms for Guitar Jazz Guitar - Jazz Harmony on the Guitar, Approaching the Guitar, Jazz Conception for Guitar, The Brazilian Guitar Book Classical Guitar - Pumping Nylon, 100 Graded Classical Guitar Studies, The Library of Guitar Classics, The Solo Lute Works of J.S. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Voice Bass Guitar Double Bass Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Though I have taught on and off for the last fifteen years, my most formative experience as a teacher was my time teaching at School of Rock in 2015. I taught bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals, and ensemble musicianship to students ranging in age from 6 to 60. I enjoyed using the music they loved in order to teach the fundamentals of music, just as I learned the fundamentals from the music I love. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar

I currently play drums for the hit Broadway musical (non-union version) of Rock of Ages and when I'm not on the road; I'm teaching. I’m an avid columnist for Modern Drummer Magazine and I sing/play guitar for one of Chicago's best Nirvana tributes called Smells Like Nirvana. I studied at Berklee College of Music and I have a huge passion for teaching. I offer the option for students to get their lessons recorded via audio/video so they have a reference to stay on task for their next lesson. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Ukulele Mandolin Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

In my curriculum, students start off by learning the basics of the guitar. This includes understanding the various parts, accessories and so forth. Along with those basics we work on tuning and pitch so that the student is comfortable with all aspects.As we move on students  learn how to build and maintain a rhythm. Learning how to play chords is essential, and we begin to go through chord progressions, as well as how to recognize and memorize the various chords.I then show students how to read tabs and write music. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

I taught my first private lesson during my first year at Berklee. I immediately knew it was something I wanted to keep doing from that point forward. Alas, private teaching was not enough teaching to satiate me, so I quickly found a summer job that would enable me to get as many hours teaching as possible. That job was teaching full length courses in Rock Performance, Composition, and Songwriting classes for a summer program located on Yale's campus. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Nothing is more rewarding than seeing one of my students develop a passion for music! Therefore, it's important that each student progresses at his or her own pace. I encourage this by setting realistic goals for my students at each lesson. Acknowledging accomplishments helps fuel student's desire to progress, and makes students eager to learn more. By trying to find out what inspires the student, I can successfully tailor my instruction to their wants and needs. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

I first picked up a guitar when I was 13 years old. I played and took lessons from a great teacher all through high school, but didn't think it was a viable career option, so I went to college for physics. Eventually, I got very serious about my guitar playing, and ended up moving to Boston to study jazz performance at Berklee. While I was studying physics, I always had a part time job teaching guitar lessons, and really developed a passion for it. Read More