Music Lessons in NYC New York

Instruments: Guitar Trumpet Drums Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
Discipline and consistency. There's always something more to learn and finding ways to show up for our instrument as consistently as possible is maybe the most valuable lesson that learning an instrument can teach. It takes time and there's no shortcuts. It's just being able to stay committed to the process of learning and getting better little by little that pays off in dividends.

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
Becoming a professional musician was always a dream of mine. Throughout my early adult years I was solidly a semi-professional, having other jobs as well as doing music. Since 2022 I've gone full time and I've never looked back. It's a real privilege to be able to do this professionally and I don't take it lightly.

Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
We've got a family band! There's not a Sherman family occasion that goes by without us playing a set or two. My cousins play and my brother also plays a bunch of instruments, so its always a joy to get together. We'll play anything from classic rock from the 60's & 70's, Motown, current top 40 and everything in between.

If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
My family is also musical. My older brother was the drummer in a band when he was in high school and his band would practice at our house. Because of that, there were always tons of instruments around. My curiosity led me first to the bass that hung out on our couch, and then as I got older and was able to see some amazing musicians perform, I felt like I had to figure out how to play like them. That impulse led me to learn drums and then guitar in college. Once I got a basic proficiency on those, it became more a method of self-knowledge. Music always felt like a safe place to go, with the added benefit that at the end of the day you can take all the things you learned and get on stage and perform!

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
At first, we're looking for a spark. It could be wonder or amazement while watching or listening to music, it could be the ability to focus on something musical for an extended period of time. It could be your child asking you every day if you can get them that guitar. At that point, it's worth a try. Lessons may not be the best fit for every child, but if your child is expressing interest in music it's a great place to start.

When will I start to see results?
This will depend on me, you, and your child (if you're booking lessons for your child) all doing our respective jobs. My job is to set out clear exercises and goals and make practicing exciting and fun. Your child's (or you, if you're looking for lessons for yourself) job is to find a way to be consistent in their practice. A little every day is better than a lot every now and then. If you're a parent, your job is to encourage your child's budding relationship with their instrument, and with music in general. Reminding them to practice, renting an instrument, and buying into their musical journey can go miles and miles for a child's musical development.

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
Playing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado was a huge bucket list moment. I had the opportunity to perform there in July 2024 with by band Snacktime, along with our big siblings Portugal The Man. Being the house band for Jason Kelce's late night talk show "They Call it Late Night" on ESPN was also really cool. I've also really enjoyed recording music and producing it all myself and watching it all come together piece by piece. It's something I would wish for any student of music, especially nowadays when it's so easy to start to begin to record yourself.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
I love this question. It reminds me of a quote attributed to Abe Lincoln: "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening my axe". In other words, it's important to be clear with ourselves what our goals of a given session of practice will be. Are we working on flexibility? Are we working on intonation? Are we working on a specific piece of music? With that in mind, I've found it's well worth the time to spend even a couple minutes thinking and planning out how we want to use the time practicing, which would then dictate what exercises we might practice, or how much time we want to spend on specific aspects of our instrument.

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