Marshall B  
Instruments: Guitar, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Funk, Hip Hop, Soul, Punk

I've been teaching private lessons for approximately 15 years. I've worked with all ages and skill levels across many genres. I would say my speciality is working with teenagers and adults who are just starting to figure out more specific directions they want to move in, and helping them dial in their goals and musical vocabulary. I love a mixed approach using songs my students listen to, ear training to be able to play by ear more accurately/faster, practical applied theory so that students can take the concepts of songs they love and use them on their own terms, and understanding what it is to be a rhythm section instrument because everyone who makes music is responsible for rhythm. Not just drums and bass.

For students who already have a few lessons under their belt or have some self taught experience, usually my first step is to identify what conceptual gaps in their fundamental knowledge they might have so that they can very quickly explore the guitar more intentionally on their own in-between lessons. We often start with a song they've been listening to, and begin to break down what make chords and chord progressions sound the way that they do, so it's very easy to apply them in other situations. Anyone can look up tutorials or guitar tabs on where to put your fingers to play a particular song, but most people don't know how to understand the underlying relationships so as to manipulate those sounds in your own way. That's the basis for songwriting, composition, learning new songs quickly and improvisation. This process truly demystifies music no matter what instruments you'd like to play. I also employ ear training via the solfege system (moveable Do) to help folks who want to be able to identify things by ear and improvise more fluently. My other focus with all students regardless of interest is rhythm. I think that in a lot of guitar education there is lack of investment in this topic. All musicians regardless of instrument are responsible for having a solid sense of time, especially if you ever care to play with other musicians. It's the difference between putting a listener at ease and having an audience be constantly on edge, hoping you won't make a mistake. It's the difference between playing a song correctly on paper vs. making it a deeply enjoyable experience for everyone involved.