Music Lessons in Pleasanton, CA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Synthesizer Ukulele Double Bass

For beggining students and especially children I will start with books such as the Hal Leonard's Essential Elements. Once the student has graped the fundamentals of musical theory and scales , we will begin to introduce a solo repertoire appropriate for skill set and age. For adults I simply try to find what the studenet is interested in, and guide my instruction accordinglu to keep the lessons fun and engaging, no matter their ability level! Read More

Instruments: Drums

A professional performer since age 15, Larry draws from a deep well of musical influence, including gospel, blues, funk, jazz and soul. These various genres have collectively shared his unique sound, his groove brand, which is in full display in his performances and music recordings. Larry's resume reads like a Whos Who list, having toured and recorded with those musicians listed above, as well as THE WHISPERS, MARTHA REEVES, THE MARVALETTES, CHARLES BROWN, BUFFY SAINT-MARIE, RANDY CRAWFORD and many more. Read More

Instruments: Drums

I take each student's personal goal and gear their lessons toward this goal. By giving each student a realistic short term goal that feeds into their ultimate aspiration on the drums, they will get to see the progress they are making and are encouraged to keep practicing and improving. I use a mix of different instructional texts depending on what we are working on, and will sometimesprovide custom made exercises for a student if needed. Read More

Instruments: Drums

Technique: grip, stroke methods, posture, symmetry, breathing, set up. Rudiments: with and without metronome, increasing tempo by 5 bpm, great way to warm up for any lesson. Beats/Rhythms/Styles: rock, pop, jazz, funk, hip hop, reggae, Arab, African + more. Genre/style identifiers and characteristics. Independence: hands and feet exercises for fluidity and freedom of expression. Orchestration and Arrangement: utilizing the variety of percussion instruments available at the studio to demonstrate rhythms and sounds. Read More

Instruments: Violin Viola Electric Violin Fiddle

My biggest hope for my students is that they come away from lessons with a love for music. Every student is a unique player with their own pace, set of hurdles, focus, and interests, and I am committed to tailoring my teaching approach to each individual student. It is important to me that each student progresses at a realistic pace for themselves, tries their best, and has fun with the music they are learning. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Synthesizer Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I think of two things as being central to my teaching style: Fun, and Growth. I think too many music lessons dry out the material, and suck the fun out of something that should be inherently joyful! I try to make every music lesson interesting, and keep my students engaged by giving them material that gets them hyped. Second, I think music is a great chance for people to experience the joy in Growth. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone Clarinet

My teaching experience goes back to 1985 when I got my Masters of Music in Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music. As soon as I got back to California I started teaching privately. I have also been on the faculty of the Notre Dame college in Belmont, Santa Clara University and the Community School of Music and Arts in Mountain View. I also coach in the middle schools and high schools nearby. Read More