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employment with us.
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Levels: Beginner to Advanced
In-Home Lessons: Yes
In-Studio Lessons: Yes
Ages: 5 & up
Subjects Taught
Guitar, Piano, Singing, Classical Guitar, Flamenco Guitar, Music Performance, Music Theory, Percussion, Songwriting
Education
Musicians institute - GUITAR - 10/02/08 - current
Major in Music AVPA - From Oct-2006 to Jun-2008
Specialties
As a Musician I try and play as many styles and be proficient in as many as possible and therefore can play most. However, in the fields of blues, jazz, funk, flamenco and Latin I excel.
Lesson Details
I'm very disciplined but am also very light hearted. It's important for me to assess things seriously so that one can understand a topic or piece of information; yet, it also important to me for a student to feel comfortable and relaxed when learning and performing so I try and joke and keep things positive.
I generate my lessons based on the individuals needs and therefore draw from various curriculum sources and various other sources and examples such as : MI curriculum for ear training,
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theory, single string technique, reading, rhythm guitar as well as the real book other artist books(Eric Clapton, etc.) the guitar players hand book, Bach pieces and self developed curriculum relative to the topic at hand and students personally goals amongst many others.
-Beginning students within three months of consistent lessons should have the ability to solo and playing chords to songs that they are interested in and songs provided in the lesson along with a basic understanding of the major scale and its relationship to all of the diatonic music.
-intermediate students should have an elevated understanding of scale and chord patters along with the theory that explains modal relationships and use of these concepts.
-Advanced students should learn all of diatonic scale shapes and modes assuming they don't already know them in which case their specifically situation will be assessed
-Professional students I expect to have specific questions therefore where they grow should be largely subjective.
Overall, in a short amount of time on a scale of 1 - 10 I expect to in three months at-least elevate a students musical abilities one full point if not more.
I Love music, and I love people. I feel that music is and has historically been a way of interpreting and expressing all the diversity in life and our experiences and that our instruments are our tool of expressing, whether it be the drum, guitar, piano, voice, sitar, etc. My inevitable goal here is to help you(student) obtain the technical, theoretical understanding to help you express your own message and story musically and or achieve any musical standard that one connects too and wishes too
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achieve.
Teaching Philosophy - My teaching philosophy is really built on well rounded communication and multiple facets of explanation and examples so that a student can truly understand and learn a topic, surrounded in a very humorous, light and supportive environment. I feel that along with being provided good information a student learns better and feels more motivated to learn when there is a balance of positive support and confidence building accompanied by constructive criticism and examples/information that can help a student assess what ever walls they may be meeting in their musical growth.
I understand that all students/artists have different goals they wish to achieve. So it is very important to me to accommodate each individuals needs and wants and help them grow in the fields they wish too; However, In that I have played music for a long time I understand there are certain things that a student may not have been exposed to yet, it is also important to me to also supply a well rounded education environment along with the fields in which the student wants to focus specifically on.
I truly believe music has an amazing influence on the world and has the ability to change peoples way of thinking. Therefore, I try and keep an open awareness to all music so I can understand all the different musical languages utilized to communicate to people, and don't believe I will ever know them all. I hold it to attention to influence my students somewhat similarly so that they can shape the landscape of how we communicate musically in the future.
I also try and be very patient with my students, empathizing, knowing that when I feel rushed it makes it more difficult to comprehend, remember and allocate a topic or musical piece. I love watching the gears run in my students head so I try and provide information that pushes a student but is within their musical computation abilities.
HUMOR is very important. I like to break people out of their shell by telling a joke and hopefully getting one back so they feel more comfortable and free. One of a musicians worst enemies are nerves I feel that keeping things light-hearted and maybe even a little small talk can be very helpful to a students development and growth in a topic. After all Music is meant to be fun and we should enjoy every moment of it, in fact we should enjoy every moment in life period.
I understand music requires focus and discipline and I have certain expectation of a student to understand that and practice. You can't buy chops you can't buy music theory etc. you can get help but eventually your the one who must understand it and play it.
I am here to help you. Based on what I know and what I have extensively studied I will do all that I can to help you achieve your musical goals. I am here to answer your questions and help you grow. I love teaching because I love sharing knowledge as long as your seek it, it is here for you. Otherwise, I'd still love to hear some jokes.
In short I love teaching and I love seeing my students accomplish things and get what they want. I am here to help that happen and here to help you elevate your skills and perspectives on music.
Education - I was born touring with the grateful dead and my whole life has been saturated in music. I received my first guitar when I was 11 and it has been my life since. Soloing within a week I started gigging soon after being acclaimed by some as a child prodigy and now have been doing so ever since.
-After studying extensively on my own (self taught) for 2 years or so, after which I received a full scholarship to a performing arts private school in Santa Monica called Garden of Angels where I studied guitar with Bruce Buckingham (Professor at Musicians Institute and nationally acclaimed guitar player) along with many others. While attending this school I also studied in music ensembles, and musical appreciation along with dance, acting, art/painting etc. and various other art forms.
I consider it supremely important to be well rounded and I have a history of achieving in diverse musical environments. I can't wait to meet you all and begin to learn together and help you achieve your musical aspirations.
