Jeff S.

General Info

• Certified Music Teacher

  Certified Music Teacher

  Our rigorous hiring process requires a completed application; an interview with our professional recruiting specialists; personal and professional reference checks; and annual criminal background checks for the duration of each teacher's employment with us.

  
• Background Check Complete

  Criminal Background Check

  In order to ensure the safety of our students, all teachers undergo a thorough criminal background check, which includes: Social Security number trace, multi-state criminal search and a nationwide sex offender registry search.

  
• Levels: Beginner to Advanced

• In-Home Lessons: Yes
• In-Studio Lessons: Yes
• Ages: 5 & up

Subjects Taught

Guitar, Music Performance, Music Recording, Songwriting, Speaking Voice

Education

American University - communications - 1973-1977 (Bachelor's degree received)
Long Branch High School - college prep - 1970-1973 (High School diploma received)

Lesson Details

At the first lesson, I will ask you to tell me what songs you want to play and artists you want to play like and I will set the table for that by providing the chords you'll need, chord and scales and exercises to enable you to play them and guidelines and tricks on how to make it happen as quickly as possible. I always tell my students at the first lesson: "There IS no such thing as a stupid question". I want you to feel comfortable to stop me at any time to clarify what I am teaching you, ... ESPECIALLY if it is too difficult or vague. I pride myself on always being organized for your lesson and making sure that you grasp whatever it is I am teaching you. The goal is to get you to be able to play what you want as quickly as possible. This will take practice and dedication on your part, but I will do everything in my power to help you get there.

I feel it would be beneficial for you to learn to read music OR read tablature and chord diagrams. You tell me which one and we'll go in that direction. If you'd like to read music, then we can decide on a book for you. I have used Hal Leonard instructional books (with CD's! this way you can play with a backing track and get a sense of rhythm, which is very important), but I'm open to other method books you might have or like.

After 3 to 6 months, you will feel you are significantly more skilled on the guitar than you were before we started lessons. You will know more chords (and move from chord to chord), be able to do at least some basic fingerpicking and be able to read some music or tablature.

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About

Jeff
is a seasoned instructor in guitar, songwriting, music performance and music
business. He welcomes
students of all ages and experience and has successfully and happily taught
beginners to major label recording artists. Jeff can teach guitar and songwriting in all styles and is an adept
acoustic and electric guitarist. His
knowledge of chords is extensive and his fingerpicking skills are formidable. Jeff structures all lessons around
the individual goals and playing level of his ... students.

Jeff created and taught songwriting and music business classes at colleges,
universities, and music schools throughout the country, including UCLA, Santa
Monica College, Pasadena City College and The Harrison School Of Music. When asked to summarize his views
on teaching and music: "Teaching and playing music always puts a smile on my
face; especially when I see that the student is having fun, learning what they
want to learn and feeling the passion about music that motivated me to pursue a
musical career".

As a working singer/songwriter/guitarist, Jeff is known for his memorable
melodies, intelligently crafted lyrics and heartfelt vocals. His compositions have earned him over 30 awards from various national
and international songwriting contests and he is a former staff songwriter for
the long-standing New York City-based publisher, Bourne Music.

Some of the artists that Jeff has been compared to as a guitarist and vocalist
include James Taylor, Kenny Loggins, John Mayer, Bill
Withers, Jim Croce, Keb' Mo' and Don Henley.

Jeff is a NJ native, but lived and performed in Los Angeles for many years, where he
worked in the studio or shared the stage with well-known artists such as Dave
Koz, Little Richard , Norman Brown,Hiroshima, and N'Dea
Davenport.

Jeff catalog of over 400 songs and compositions spans virtually every genre, but
many of his tunes are amalgams of pop, blues, jazz, R&B, country and rock. Quite a number of Jeff's songs
have appeared in film and TV. One
that Jeff is particularly proud of, is the dynamic pop ballad, "Journey
Of The Heart" (co-written by Jeanne Smith), which was licensed by the N.C.A.A. (National
Collegiate Athletic Association), who deemed it "the official anthem" of their NCAA Hall Of Champions facility in Indianapolis. It
is also currently being featured in a video montage highlighting the career of
Olympic gold medal soccer champion, Brandi Chastain.

Jeff has released two CD's of his original material:
"Me, Myself, and I"vocals) and "The Spin" (fully- produced) on his label, Relevant Records. John Braheny, author
of the best-selling "The Craft And Business Of Songwriting (Writer's Digest Books), gives high
praise to Jeff's CD, "The Spin", calling it "honest, crafty, melodic…the songs are all
exceptional…production shines, too…"

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