Guitar with Abby B.

Abby is a singer/songwriter who blends intricate finger-style guitar and a conversational voice to create catchy, confessional folk songs. Originally from Iowa, she moved to Boston in 2009 to attend Berklee College of Music. She graduated in 2013 with a degree in songwriting and guitar performance, and moved to Chicago, IL to pursue her passion for live performance and teaching. Her music has been featured on Wellesley College Radio (WZLY) and Women of Substance Radio. Past performance venues include The Red Room at Cafe 939, Harvard Square, Faneuil Hall, and the prestigious Berklee Performance Center (BPC). In addition to performing regularly as a singer/songwriter, Abby is involved with other musical projects as a co-writer, guitarist, session player, and teacher. Her 6-song EP, Go All In, was released July 25th, 2013, and she is currently writing for a new release. *** Lesson Details *** As a Berklee College of Music graduate, I teach the same curriculum that was taught to me while in school. While I use lesson books as a guide, I primarily center my lessons exclusively around the individual needs of the student. I am passionate about music and its ability to change the lives of its players and listeners, and I aim to inspire this passion in my students by creating a positive, welcoming environment where students feel comfortable to ask questions and make mistakes, and are encouraged to push themselves to be the best players and writers they can be. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to recognize areas that students can develop more fully, as well as nurture their individual talents. I work with my students to help them reach their own goals as musicians, and act as a friendly, encouraging support system to aid them in their learning process. After a few months of lessons with me, students can expect to have a clear goal in mind about their music, specific, weekly assignments to help them improve in their proficiency of their instrument, and most importantly, a more confident sense of self in their musicianship.  *** Travel Equipment *** I provide one guitar and any necessary books or materials for in-studio lessons. If traveling to the student's home, I require the student to provide their own instrument.  *** Specialties *** I specialize in acoustic guitar, music theory for popular music, songwriting, and music production for the songwriter. I work with students to help develop their individual playing, as well as strengthen areas that are either more difficult or less intriguing for them. For example, if a student loved songwriting but didn't like working on scales on their instrument, I would help them with their writing and also incorporate advantages to practicing scales, such as showing them other methods of writing that are available with a deeper understanding of how intervals work.