Music Lessons in Athol, MA

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Very laid back open approach to helping you achieve your own goals. I believe we will accomplish this best by staying with a song based approach as you will learn complete pieces of music and will grow musically and have much more fun and the ability to entertain if you wish. My main goal is for you to love the guitar as much as I do an hopefully the importance and joy it brings in my life will enhance your feeling that you already have or shed new light on a love you didn't know existed. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Because I have gained so much in terms of amazing experiences from playing, writing, recording and performing music, I want to pass that passion on to those who are interested in learning music, and an instrument, themselves. I am very plan-oriented, knowing that students learn differently and progress at their own pace. In following the structure of a plan for learning, I build in some opportunities for students to experiment with what has been learned, in a way that other students have found to be fun, so that a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of the instrument, and musical structure, are gained by the student. Read More

Instruments: Guitar

Most lessons will be fairly laid back with alot of talk and examples, but not so much of a focus on playing styles. I won't be practicing a song with you over and over again, top to bottom. That's your job at home. When you and I are together we'll be doing a bit of jamming, and alot of analyzing. We're going to learn notes, chords, keys, scales, modes, harmony, melody, improvisation & composition. Read More

Instruments: Voice Drums

My lessons for vocalists are divided into two sections: technique and repertoire. For singers, breath management skills are of primary importance as this directly affects intonation. I like to begin with Anne Peckham's The Contemporary Singer. My students can choose any songs they would like to sing while we work on musicianship skills including expression and lyrical phrasing. Singers who want to study jazz and improvisation use one or more of my pedagogical texts on scat singing. Read More

Instruments: Piano Violin Viola

For my string students I teach music theory only if requested, as many don't have access to pianos/keyboards at home so they can understand harmony, chord progressions etc. Without a keyboard understanding harmonic progressions can be very challenging. Experience has taught me that the joy of music comes only to those who get a solid foundation and knowledge. Many students begin with great enthusiasm, only to get frustrated after a while when they find themselves stuck year after year with beginner level music. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

The lesson concludes with an assignment. What will they focus on until next time. My students do exceptionally well! I give them a few items or techniques to practice. This could be tempo, theory, or a new piece of music to learn. Every session has a period of learning new music and practicing old music. My style of teaching is performance oriented to help the student to play the music that they desire to be able to play. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet

I was recently hired by Pearson to create a series of instructional videos to accompany their new textbook. In them, I teach students about different words one uses to write about music (timbre, tempo, etc). The publisher has called me "a natural, with a colloquial style that is very engaging and easy to understand." While I am otherwise new to teaching music, I have taught sailing for the past 9 summers of my life. Read More