Guitar Lessons in North End, MA

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginning students I start out with an introduction to the fretboard and tuning the guitar. We then move on to basic chords, strumming and one-line melodies. Intermediate students will move on to more complex riffs, fingerpicking and arpeggios, as well as learning how to improvise using chord inversions and scales. For me it's important that we work on proper technique and musical concepts, but to do so while learning songs by artists that you like. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Trombone

A principle that I have lived by in the 45 plus years that I have taught, is that I am teaching the STUDENT as an individual with a particular personality, learning style, level of patience, tolerance for making mistakes and openness to trying new things. I do not teach MUSIC; I use it as the vehicle for learning. When a teacher really understands the nature of the student and shows his/her commitment to making every lesson a successful and happy experience for him/her, then the process of learning to play an instrument becomes a mutual and fulfilling experience. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Music Keyboard Acoustic Guitar

From my experiences teaching in classroom settings, I have come to realize the importance of setting short and longer term learning goals for my students and adjusting these goals together with them as we work towards reaching these objectives. Sometimes the goals are very specific, like mastering a particular concept, or practicing towards a specific audition, and some, more general, like developing certain techniques which then need to be further explored and practiced by the student. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

My teaching experience has showed me that there is no one "correct" approach to learning guitar or any musical instrument for that matter. There are certainly valuable techniques that can be adopted by every student to help them progress, however each student presents their unique personality and tastes in music. In order to help bring out the student's musical "voice" on his or her particular instrument, my approach to teaching will vary. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice

As I mentioned, I believe creativity should be encouraged. I am okay with any pace the student goes at, however I will still hold them to a high standard in terms of effort put in. I try and make each lesson fun and enjoyable, as well as a creative experience that still focuses on theory and fundamentals. I generally tend to split the lessons up into warm up techniques, repertoire, sight reading, listening/dictation, discussing music the student likes/wants to learn, and improvisation and songwriting. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I have been a player, performer, and student of the guitar for over 35 years. Growing up in Western Massachusetts, I began learning a solid classic rock/pop base of guitar music (along with the obligatory heavy metal years as a teen, and playing in garage bands), taking lessons in school and privately. I was later exposed to classical and jazz music, through lessons with Berklee alum Robert Ferrier, and went on to study at Holyoke Community College and Westfield State College, earning degrees in Jazz Studies and Performance. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar

I have found, especially for beginner and younger students (I.E. friends and family members I have taught), it is best to first see where they are in ability to play the instrument. From there, we work on correcting bad habits that develop from being self taught, things such as poor picking technique, finger placement, hand placement, minimal understanding of rhythm and basic theory concepts. Then we discuss what the student would like to learn, and after a solid foundation of basic concepts has been developed, I can create more personalized lessons from there! Read More