Guitar with Charles M.

I’m Dr Charles. I have been a guitarist since 1977. I began teaching guitar when I was earning my Masters degree in music education from Portland State University in 1998-1999. I also taught guitar privately while I was earning my doctorate in music from Florida Sate University and teaching music history and music analysis at the university as well. I earned my PhD in music in 2008. During my years in Tallahassee I served as a guitarist backing Charles Atkins, Florida’s most well-known blues and gospel singer. During that time I have helped numerous individuals maximize their talent on the guitar. I have worked with children, home-schoolers, teenagers who want to form bands, people who want to strum guitar in their church, people who want to write songs, and retired people who are still young at heart and want to rock! I believe that playing music is one of the most spiritually satisfying experiences that one can have, and I am here for you if you would like to study guitar. I welcome students of all skill levels but I particularly love helping beginning students or those who have put the instrument down but would like to pick it up again. When I was starting out on guitar I had a teacher who hated the music that I loved and nearly killed my passion for the instrument. I will never be that type of teacher. I will run with your passion for music. All lessons are tailored to the individual there is no file that I pull out and expect you to follow but I will tell you when I feel that there is something you should know or work on. I see my role as a musical coach. I enjoy keeping up with the newest trends and styles in music and I am well-versed in the latest versions of punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative styles. *** Lesson Details *** My style of teaching is laid back but focused. I have a healthy sense of humor and understand that someone can only play if they are relaxed. I will help you build a technique that requires the least amount of physical energy. When teaching children I maintain a learning environment that emphasizes play and imagination. I often use the Children’s Guitar series from Hal Leonard. With intermediate and advanced students I stress creativity, and finding your own voice on the guitar. We will always analyze the music to see what makes it work and so that you can apply those principles to your own playing. I stress mastery of the fingerboard so that the student can play in any situation with total confidence. I have no set curriculum with rock and folk players. We will work on what you want to work on but I often use my own handouts as well as books from the Musicians Institute. If you want to take formal classical guitar lessons I can help you there as well since I have two degrees in classical guitar. I typically use the Frederic Noad Solo Guitar series when teaching classical guitar. *** Specialties *** general classical guitar, blues/rock, general folk guitar. The analysis of all styles of classical music. General music theory from basic tonal harmony and counterpoint to modern techniques.