503-728-6584
Musika Quick Stats
23 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
- Have questions? Check out our
- FAQ
- CONTACT US
-
![call-icon]()
503-728-6584
Lesson Special - Up to 20% OFF! Get Started Now with a Risk-Free Trial!
Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Guitar lessons in Portland . Whether you are looking for beginner guitar lessons for your kids, or are an adult wanting to improve your skills, the instructors in our network are ready to help you now!
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Cello Viola Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Clarinet Drums Synthesizer Ukulele Recorder Tuba Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Oboe Bassoon English Horn Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
My philosophy for quality music education has three main parts: appreciation, practice, literacy. I braid all three of these parts into each lesson, with a student focused approach. I strongly believe that anyone at any age and abilities can learn enjoy making music. Fundamentals are important at all skill levels, as well as a mix of solo rep and working on full pieces I have the skills to be able to create any music my students want to do! Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele
I've been teaching on and off for about 10 years, I enjoy helping students obtain their goals, whatever their age or skill level. I think it's important for guitarists to learn some basic music fundementals we can communicate with other improvisers outside of guitar-centric music. I am not against guitar tablature sites altogether, but I do believe that tablature can be more useful if it at least indicates the rhythms. I believe learning how to read and notate rhythms can help enrich and empower students and help them develop as performs, composers and teachers in their own right. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Bass Guitar Ukulele Conga Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe Acoustic Guitar
Once students are past the fundamentals and rudiments of their instrument(s), I introduce large selections of solo repertoire to sight-read in lessons; this process allows students to try out a large number of pieces, and then selecting a few to study forward. For every instrument I teach, I keep a large variety of warmups, games, activities, composition strategies, and improvisational pieces in circulation to keep my lessons fun, engaging, and rewarding for every student. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Bass Guitar
When I teach I enjoy seeing my students express their emotions through their music, and develope a passion for their instrument. That passion is so very magical, and I aim to encourage this with personalized lesson plans hinging off of the musical stylings of a musicians that my student is interested in so they can begin to build a unique and passionate style of their own. Most of all I believe that its important to have fun with music, which is why I consider improvisation an important part of my curriculum. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Saxophone Clarinet Bass Guitar Synthesizer Ukulele Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar
My entire life, I have been dedicated to the study of music. From my early childhood education to present day gigs and songwriting, music has always been a centerpiece of my life. I have performed all around the world and am incredibly grateful for the learning experiences I have been blessed with. Around age 11 was when I first played the saxophone in jazz band, and when we started learning about chord progressions and improvising, that's what really cemented my love and study of music. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Latin Percussion Keyboard Acoustic Guitar
I like to start each student off with the fundamentals. I think the fundamentals are very important for every musician. Once you master the basics, then we can move on the solo repertoire, or start to develop each musicians individual style. I want the lessons to be both fun and engaging. So it’s important to find what kind of music each student is interested in and then develop that interest and passion. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar
I will always prefer to have hour-long lessons with my students. I feel this length of time gives both the student and the teacher the best chance of having a successful lesson each time they meet. Some may say its a high bar to meet for every lesson, every week, but I accept nothing less from myself and hold high expectations for my students in the hopes they meet them. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Banjo Mandolin Fiddle Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
Lately I’ve been really working on my jazz chops. Just can’t get enough of those V7#5’s!
Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
My mom is a pianist/flutist. At one point she taught music but never pressured me to embrace it, myself. There were always plenty of noise-makers around the house though while I was growing up.
If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
I learned guitar and violin in such different contexts that, at the time, it almost didn’t occur to me that I was learning two instruments- one, at home from chord charts and tabs and the other, at school in orchestra class. It wasn’t until I was already in college for music that I discovered the missing links that made both instruments feel more like branches from the same tree. From there, adding mandolin, banjo, even multi-cultural instruments like the Bolivian charango and Thai saw-u has just been a game of finding the various differences between them.
If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
I’d like to be woodworker- specifically a violin maker. I have about 1/2 a fiddle I’ve been building for years out in the garage and it’s already been a spiritual quest just getting it that far.
If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
I have a degree in Violin Performance. I chose that path because, at the time, I felt I needed to develop a rigorous technical approach as a means to an end for expressing my musical ideas. It also ended up being a strategic midway point for being able to communicate with/learn from music industry and education majors.
What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
To successfully pair your instrumental and vocal technique. That doesn’t mean you need to be a great singer (I’m definitely not). What it does mean is- a masterful musician needs to be able to literally speak the music and to be able to shape phrases and ideas based off of natural linguistic cadence. For this to happen, they need to have not only reached a means to end with technique but, also, all of these aspects need to be integrated in such a way that they are literally the same thing (to the performer) as the musical feeing that needs to be produced.
Why did you choose your primary instrument?
Initially for portability (would you believe it?). I remember seeing other kids with cellos getting on the bus and thinking it wasn’t for me. I’ve definitely since come to appreciate all the high notes on my violin though.
Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
I have had many teachers throughout my musical life and each one left a different and important impression on me. One teacher, in high school, made me believe that my music was important and needed to be heard. Another, in college, taught me that discipline is a sign of love for your art and that practice has to be part of your daily routine. I’ve had bandmates as teachers who have taught me when and when not to play and how to make my fiddle sound right in the mix.
When will I start to see results?
Results at first can be tedious, but I believe it’s important to start playing full pieces of music as soon as possible- sometimes that’s a melody or a tune, maybe even just a musical phrase.
How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
There is a definite size/physical developmental component to this and students should be able to be sized for the appropriate instrument in most music shops. Beyond that, how do they gravitate toward music and maybe even sound in general? Do they have an affinity for rhythms? I feel that these things play rather heavily into the question of “at what age a child is ready to start music lessons”. If it holds their attention or sparks their imagination at a young age they may be ready.
What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Don’t let practice become a static thing. Make it like life- different in some way every single day. Even if you’re working on the same old things, explore the nuances in them.
23 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
Trusted as the industry leader, for over 21 years the teachers in our network have been providing Guitar lessons in Portland to students of all ages and abilities.
We'll then reach out to the teachers for you.
Schedule the risk-free trial lesson directly with the teacher.
Continue with that teacher or try someone else.
