Robert I
Instruments: Guitar, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Funk, Punk, Avant-garde
Robert I
Instruments: Guitar, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles:
Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Funk, Punk, Avant-garde
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 12-70
other: Berklee College of Music
Music for me has always been a potent and even spiritual form of expression and communication. I try to share my passion with the students I instruct. After picking up my first guitar in the year 2001, I knew I had found my life path. I learned early on to integrate theory and jazz concepts into what I was playing - namely psychedelic/progressive rock, jam music, and funk. It is also worth noting that I have experience playing cello and upright bass in orchestras during my high school years. Performing at venues of all kinds has been essential to my growth and vitality as a musician since the age of twelve, and continues to be. I also attended Berklee College of Music between 2015 and 2017, where I expanded upon my knowledge and forged new connections.
I began teaching electric guitar and bass in high school. My approached involved a degree of a musical philosophy. Sometimes we would go outside and listen to the sounds of the train going by, the wind, the birds, cars etc in an almost meditative approach to learn to appreciate that music is all around us. We catch the musical wind with the sails of our instruments when we improvise. I also taught beginner's upright bass at a music camp. I also teach guitar to musicians with skills on other instruments to expand their understanding to the fretboard and find their voice on the guitar.
Every student is unique, and every student deserves a unique curriculum. That said, I usually start my absolute beginners off with open position chords and, when they're ready, open position scales - pentatonic and diatonic. We explore repertoire, often partially of the student's choosing. When this is established, we will dive into scales in all positions on the fretboard, and the corresponding modes for major, melodic minor, and harmonic minor. Often I will utilize jazz repertoire, i.e The Real Book, to integrate this knowledge.
To me, it's important that my students not only gain an understanding of technique and theory, but also an appreciation for the spirit and philosophy of music-making. Whether this includes conversation about each student's unique aesthetic or vision, or the general principles involving listening, leaving space, and communing with other musicians on an almost spiritual level, I do try to integrate at least a little of this type of discussion in my lessons. On a more concrete level, I approach every student and every lesson differently, getting a feel for each student's personality and character and trying to match their energy so we can really communicate musically.
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