Guitar Lessons in Richton Park, IL

Instruments: Guitar

I have a very hands-on teaching style. My style is very "goal-oriented," and I will teach students to set short-term goals, medium goals, and then demonstrate to them how reaching the short and medium-term goals leads to accomplishing long-term goals. This system allows students to remain motivated and track their progress as efficiently as possible. As a visual learner, I find it's extremely beneficial to teach shapes and how they can be manipulated to better serve a musical purpose along with the theory behind the shapes themselves. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Ukulele Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

The basis of my teaching style is transparency.  My aim is to be as clear as possible about what I expect from my students, and how they can improve.  I believe great technique is the proper foundation for any musician, and I will always give the students exercises along with songs that will help my students to develop proper technique.  Most of all, I try to make sure that my students have fun.  Music is supposed to be fun, so maintaining a sense of humor is a good thing in my opinion. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

I will typically use the first lesson as an initial assessment of the student's personality and his/her skills. I ask the student what they would like to learn with the understanding that I will provide some of my own technical and theoretical knowledge. I like to create general lesson plans before each meeting so that I have some kind of outline to follow. I try to adhere to the student's progress timeline with the understanding that they need to be pushed a little out of their comfort zone if they want to see improvements. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Synthesizer Lute Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Depending on the personality of each student, I adjust my expectations and decide how tolerant or strict I should be. I truly believe that a teacher needs to view each student as a unique individual with unique needs and abilities, and adjust the teaching methods and ways of communicating the material accordingly. My teaching philosophy incorporates what I would call a “holistic approach” that is based on discovering what each student needs in order to progress and reach the best of his/her abilities. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Over the past 20 years, I have developed a very successful method of getting students up and playing the guitar very quickly focusing primarily on the mechanics of playing the guitar. The guitar is a highly physically demanding instrument and requires very regular practice just to get to the point where sound that can be turned into music can be made. For more intermediate and advanced students, I draw on my extensive performance experience and focus on practical, real world techniques and theory to help them advance their playing. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginning students who are children, I typically start with Hal Leonard's guitar lesson books 1-3. I also have material for younger children. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce songs of artists they would like to learn. For adults, I try to find out what the student is interested in, and guide my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

As a student of acoustic guitar, I was never more excited to learn a new piece of music the day of my lesson. I was very eager to learn. So as a teacher, learning from your students is also very important because their approach has to be handled appropriately. There are many ways to encourage a student. But understanding how to tailor a lesson is crucial to the growth of the student and development of their sound. Read More