Guitar Lessons in Tara Hills, CA

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Double Bass

I have for the past twenty-two years been working as a Music Educator, Administrator, Jazz composer and performer. The last eleven of those years have been in the San Francisco Bay area at Oakland School for the Arts, teaching and leading large jazz ensembles, orchestra, small groups and music theory classes for grades 6-12. As Chairman of the Instrumental Music Department, I was responsible for teaching and developing music curricula, developing new programs, recruiting and auditioning new students, presenting and speaking with incoming parent groups, writing and developing the school A-G requirements, and meeting with community schools and faculty to create meaningful collaborations. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Ukulele Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

My teaching experience dates back to my college days, and have been consistently teaching students ant homes and in my home studio in Antioch for the past 3 years. Encouraging regular practice on a consistent schedule is one of the key points I like to emphasize for younger students, as it tends to help the student progress and gain a passion for the instrument. I've also found that a combination of classical and modern music can go a long way in helping students enjoy the piano and motivate them to practice and continue to learn. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Organ

I'm a lover of music and want those who pursue music to be as well! I am passionately motivated as a musician, minister of music, and singer. I have performed throughout this nation as a guest musician and in my own backyard as a vocalist and musician. Even though my college was not specifically a school of music but of biblical academics, I as highly involved in anything that music was apart of eventually graduating and becoming the schools minister of worship. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginning students I prefer to use Mathew Hinsley's method "Guitar for Young People". All of the peers that I grew to admire growing up with guitar used this method and became very good very quickly. Once the student has outgrown this method of introducing guitar I like to dive into what interests them, any style of music, and anything that will push their passion for learning guitar. The first and foremost thing for students is allowing them to grow with the guitar, and anything that might help with that is something I'll do. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For the last thirty-plus years my passion has been music. I read magazine articles and books on music theory. I compile lessons from various sources, to create personalized lesson material for each individual student. Im currently taking advanced lessons myself, and teaching 2-5 students weekly. I have been writing, recording, studying, and performing music consistently, for over twenty years. I have intermittently taught private guitar lessons over the same time period. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I developed a very good relative pitch. Luckily, my old teacher had taught me how to read music. While in college I fell under the spell of flamenco music and studied briefly with a blind Spanish guitarist in Manhattan. I performed in rock and pop groups throughout college. When I moved to California I studied with Jon Harris, a classical guitarist who had studied under Segovia. I began to compose my own music and to continue a grueling practice schedule. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Voice

For voice, I like to start with making sure the placement is good and that the tone begin produced is nice and full. After that working on moving smoothly though notes while keeping the voice aligned, handling vowels and consonants, and gradually extending range. Repertoire is used to help support the lessons and gradually increases with the ability of the student. For guitar, in either the styles that use a flatpick or the finger-styles, I like to build a library of chords and progressions linked to an understanding of keys and scales (music theory). Read More