Mike R
Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Music, Electric Guitar, Classical Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, R&B, Gospel, Latin, Funk, Flamenco, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul
Mike R
Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Music, Electric Guitar, Classical Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, R&B, Gospel, Latin, Funk, Flamenco, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 10-80
Master Degree: Indiana University
2020 Wilson Center International Guitar Competition Finalist
Published "Reflections" a book of solo guitar compositions
Associate Instructor of Guitar at IU for past 5 years
Played with members of the Ohio Players and Opened for Rik Emmit
I love music and have been playing for over 20 years now as well as teaching for the past 10. I have played in almost any kind of musical situation and style over the years from orchestras to jazz bands to solo guitar, etc. Many of my students have gone on to get accepted into universities and get scholarships. I've been very lucky to have so much support and help over the years and I want to pass that on to my students. Some of my other hobbies include reading, exercising and listening to podcasts.
I started teaching lessons when I was 18 at a music business and taught there between 3 to 5 hours a week for about 5 years. For the past 5 years I have been teaching at IU. I have taught many different styles from classical to jazz to rock, etc. and have also watched many great teachers and tried to learn from their methods. I am currently working on a book to teach the notes and fretboard of the guitar that will hopefully be able to help students of any age or experience. Feel free to ask any other questions!
I have made a lot of sheets/handouts that I have collected over the years and give these out to my students for free, this has worked well for most students. I try to adapt my teaching style to fit any student and help them achieve their goals and believe the best teachers are able to break down complex ideas or difficult concepts into simple steps that any student can follow. I also believe in progressive learning that is slow and emphasizes the basics of music which can be applied to pretty much any style.
Similar to what is written above I prefer an approach that is rooted in the fundamentals. It is my belief that learning these well can serve a student later on when the music starts to become more difficult. Most students I have that have learned in this way tend to not get overwhelmed and are able to transition to higher levels of playing more easily. One of my favorite quotes is "The advanced level is mastery of the basics" which I have found to be true. I also try to give the student opportunities to learn music they want to learn as long as they are ready for it.
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