Guitar Lessons in Middle City East, PA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Ukulele

For beginning students on instruments, I begin with a method book, usually Hal Leonard Essential Elements for Guitar and Ukulele, and Piano Discoveries for young beginning pianists, and Piano Adventures for older beginning pianists. From there, I follow my students' interests. For voice, we begin with breathing techniques and vocalizing, and then follow the student's interests from there. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginner students, I usually start off with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements. Once they start to progress. I will move them on to some songs / tab books by their favorite artist. For Intermediate students, I will move them to Guitar Fretboard Workbook by Hal Leonard, as well as Arpeggios for the Modern Guitarist, and a signature Lick book. Once they started to become Advance. I will start them on something by Ear Training using online methods as well as, A Modern Method for Guitar by Berklee Press for Sight Reading. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Trumpet Bass Guitar

It is equally important to learn music from method books and through sonic exploration; I have personally learned a lot from books and while "noodling."When teaching trumpet (all skill levels), I use books including Arban's Complete Conservatory Method, Clarke's Technical Studies, and Schlossber's Daily Drills and Technical Studies.For guitar and bass guitar (beginner through intermediate), I start with Hal Leonard's Play Bass Today series. I teach beginner piano with the Bastien series and Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course.I also have a library of alternate method books and additional materials including excerpts, solos, duets, and play-alongs. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar

I began teaching as soon as I felt I had a comfortable grasp on my instrument(s) as a teenager in high school. While in college I briefly stopped teaching but resumed before graduating, and have been teaching in home lessons again since completion. For new students, nothing will help you progress as a musician more than consistent practice; there is no shortcut. But with that consistent practice will come a sense of pride and motivation at what has been accomplished and the desire to continue. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Mandolin Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Sessions include breathing/relaxation/meditation, John Cage jamming (where we listen to each other very attentively and make sounds on random objects for long periods of time), groove practice, spoken-word poetry, songwriting, and more conventional rock band stuff. I encourage students (and myself) to live their everyday lives musically, listening aesthetically to the world around them and paying attention to their own inner soundtracks (imagination). After-School Jam Session serves as a laboratory for me to develop teaching practices that emphasize creativity, empathy, cooperation, and awareness of beauty. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

Regardless of the subject, students learn best when they are relaxed and enjoying themselves. I like to incorporate humor into my teaching and I always focus on the idea that the student is learning because they want to enjoy themselves. Music is one of the most enjoyable experiences we have and learning music should be fun. Because Motivation plays an important role in any learning situation, I always focus on the student's interests. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Saxophone Flute Clarinet Synthesizer Piccolo Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Oboe Bassoon English Horn Acoustic Guitar

For my beginning piano students, I emphasize the twelve major and minor scales with proper fingering, first one octave and then two octaves. These exercises strengthens fingers and create more familiarity with the keyboard. I use the book, Level 1 The Older Beginner Piano Course by James Bastien and the companion book, Musicianship for the Older Beginner. I have seen results when these books are used in tandem. The student increases in technique and start to master music theory simultaneously. Read More