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25 Years
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41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
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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: Guitar Bass Guitar
I am a passionate and driven teacher whose focus is always on my students' musical goals and development. I focus on roots American styles: the blues, early rock, bluegrass, country, folk, and jazz. I graduated with a degree in Guitar Performance from Lewis Clark College, where I studied performance under renowned Portlandguitarist Dan Balmer and music theory under Portland pianist Susan Smith. Authentic and time-honored musical styles are my emphasis and serve as the foundations upon which my performances and lessons are based. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele
I generally split lessons into three sections, 1/3 with chords, 1/3 scales, 1/3 with songs, but every student is different, for example, If your goal is to strictly learn chords to sing folks songs over, I will emphasize more chord reading and learning time. If you want to play leads, I will spend more time emphasizing scales to help you learn how to improvise. There are also other excercises we can do like rhythm reading (just with clapping, no instrument) transcription/listening, and harmonic analysis. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Ukulele
Overall my work is focused on discovering music with the students and facing hurdles as we go. For voice I often let the student dictate the repertoire and support them with good technical basis. My students love a variety of singing, soft jazzy or loud and belty. For piano i prefer to use the Faber methods. I have been teaching students up to level 3. For guitar I can use hal leonard or Alfreds but the Alfreds seems to move faster. 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: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele
I've been playing music since the age of 4, first studying violin and then playing in a symphony orchestra at the age of 12 (Peter Meremblum-Hollywood Calif.) as well as doing TV work on violin. At the age of 15 I began playing guitar, and then worked my way through college playing gigs, traveled Europe with my own band, and joined the Beach Boys as a bassist and guitarist. I traveled the world, performing and recording with them for over 20 years as well as doing session work in L.A. and performing with local artists. 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 Voice Violin Cello Viola Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Harmonica Ukulele Recorder Electric Violin Fiddle Double Bass Euphonium French Horn Tuba Piccolo Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Oboe Bassoon English Horn Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
What is your dream piece to perform and why?
Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz. This piece of music is one of the most popular programmatic pieces due to it's wild story about the artist. I love how it has been brassy sections in the march and dances as well as singing motives in the ball dances.
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 an Music Degree in Music Education. This means I learned how to teach others how to play instruments, even ones that aren't the trombone. I chose this degree because I wanted to share the ability to create music with others rather than expect others to listen to my music. Music expresses emotions that are beyond words and pictures, and no one should be restricted from that expression.
Why did you choose your primary instrument?
I chose the trombone in fourth grade because I thought it was a funny looking instrument and was simple because it did't have any valves or keys. I also chose it because I love how beautifully it can be played, almost like it was singing. On the other hand, it is a lot of fun to play it loud and booming, like in Star Wars' Imperial March.
When will I start to see results?
When learning music, set a goal with many steps in between. This way you can track your own progress. You could make this goal a one-year goal or a weekend goal, the important part is staying committed to the steps it takes to get there. Another option would be to record yourself playing your instrument the day you set your goal and to record yourself throughout the time period and once the goal has been achieved. The trick here is to not listen to the recordings until you are all done.
How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
Any student is able to start lessons. If you are concerned that they are unable to start lessons, sit in on the lesson(s) with them. Some students need their parent to be their while they transition to learning something new with a new teacher. Any student of any age can learn anything, so long as they have the tools given to them and someone to guide them.
What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Make practicing enjoyable. Make a clear schedule or set of goals for your practicing. This could be a two-month goal leading up to a concert or just a 30-minute goal for daily practice. Then write down steps on how to achieve that goal on a sheet of paper. Once you have a good list of steps, try adding in additional steps in between. This way, you take more steps to achieve a goal, but each step is a little easier. If these steps become boring and you feel like practicing is becoming boring or feels like a chore, set your instrument down and take a short five-minute break. It is good to stay positive while practicing. Keeping yourself in check with your list to achieve your goal will help you practice effectively.
25 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.
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