Ben R
5.0
(11)
Instruments: Guitar, Drums, Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Conga, Music, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Hip Hop, Showtunes, Latin Jazz, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Punk
Ben R
5.0
(11)
Instruments: Guitar, Drums, Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Conga, Music, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles:
Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Hip Hop, Showtunes, Latin Jazz, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Punk
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 8-65
2021 - Berklee College of Music Thrive Scholarship
I am a singer/songwriter who has a deep love for music and harmony and I am keen to sharpen my skills as a private instructor. I graduated Berklee College of Music in 2022 with studies in guitar and a degree in Composition, after becoming an alumni of the Future Music Project youth ensemble at New York's famed Carnegie Hall in 2017. I have been playing guitar for 10 years and have recorded vocals, guitar and bass with a number of my musical contemporaries. My passion for songwriting and skill for the craft also makes me a great fit as a songwriting teacher.
Having graduated college only less than a year ago, my field teaching experience is minimal, but I did teach/tutor occasionally during my formal education. At Carnegie Hall I worked in part as a bandleader and arranger for my youth ensemble and acquired basic arrangement and collaboration skills. At Berklee I worked briefly as a music theory tutor and helped fellow students more cohesively grasp basic principals of harmony. As a guitar teacher, I try to incorporate the elements that I love most about playing and not only cover basics but also unlock a love for the instrument in my students.
Having studied guitar formally for 4 years at Berklee, I pull from materials that I found most helpful to me during my own education. These include scales, chords, modes, picking patterns and even solos. Aside from fundamentals and exercises, my favorite method of teaching is asking a student what they want to learn, a song they enjoy for example, and doing my best to teach the student how to play it and why it works from a harmonic perspective. For younger children and beginners I teach the essential basics using resources like the "Guitar Grimoire" series by Carl Fischer, for advanced beginners and intermediate players, I explore repertoire of guitarists they may enjoy or want to emulate, and revisit solos that I found helped my vocabulary on the instrument.
My teaching style is all about the growth of the student and doing what I can to spur their progress. Being new to private instruction, I am eager to discover what teaching methods work most effectively for each student I interact with, and even strengthen my own guitar skills in the process. In teaching, I aim to help make music feel like fun as opposed to a chore or obligation and pass on what I have found most effective and helpful in my journey thus far. I also look forward to helping students prepare for recitals, exams and live performances.
Matthew Herman
From the moment you meet Ben, his passion for music is unmistakable. He maintains a balance of punctuality, preparedness and adaptability, creating a structured yet flexible learning environment tailored to each student's needs. Ben recognizes that enjoyment is a crucial component of effective learning, teaching students about approaches to what they specifically enjoy most. This unique teaching style makes lessons with Ben not only informative and educational, but fun and meaningful!
Michael Ferrara
Ben was very professional and articulate. He had an answer for everything I asked and went beyond to give me the tools I needed to take what he taught and apply it creatively. Coming from a metal background it was extremely refreshing and rewarding to get a deeper understanding of how Ben approaches selecting chords and writing progressions. I'll definitely be going back to him for more lessons.
Matthew
Ben is a phenomenal music teacher who embodies the perfect blend of musicality, comprehensive knowledge of music theory, professionalism, and a wonderfully contagious sense of fun. From the moment you meet Ben, his passion for music is unmistakable. Whether he’s demonstrating simple chords on the guitar or breaking down the subtleties of improvisation, Ben radiates a deep understanding and love for his craft. His proficiency isn’t limited to just performanc; Ben's grasp of music theory is of the highest caliber. He has an exceptional way of demystifying the most intricate theories, making them accessible to students of all levels. In terms of professionalism, Ben is in a league of his own. He maintains a balance of punctuality, preparedness, and adaptability, creating a structured yet flexible learning environment tailored to each student's needs. However, it's the fun that he incorporates into his teaching that truly sets him apart. Ben recognizes that enjoyment is a crucial component of effective learning. He can turn a scale exercise into an amusing game, and the dreaded music theory feels like a fascinating puzzle to solve with his guidance. It's this unique ability to blend seriousness with playfulness that makes lessons with Ben not just educational, but also incredibly enjoyable. Overall, Ben is more than just a music teacher; he is a mentor and a motivator. His impact goes beyond just imparting knowledge; he instills confidence and a lifelong love for music in his students, making him an extraordinary educator.
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