About Me
Originally self-taught, I know how difficult it is to find a teacher that actually listens to their students; a teacher that is proficient on their instrument but retains a sense of humility, and, above all, a teacher that brings out the intrinsic joy in music. As a music teacher, I have made it my goal to embody all of these characteristics.
Everyone has experience with music. From the time we are born, we hear it on the radio and television, in stores and at parties. Music is
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everywhere! It is the job of the teacher to take these experiences and make the student acutely aware of them. By doing this, the student will hopefully develop a deeper appreciation for music while at the same time becoming a better musician.
MY EXPERIENCE & BACKGROUND
My own experiences with music are rich and varied. I currently play bass in six local bands whose styles encompass genres including, but not limited to, Jazz, Electronic/Dance, Folk/Rock, Funk, Indie Pop, and Children's Music. I am an experienced songwriter and arranger. One composition that I co-wrote won first place at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. My educational background is focused on both education and music. I received my AAS from Olympic College, where I took two years of music theory and studied bass performance with Rick White. I then attained my BA in Sociology with a Minor in Music from the University of Washington. And most recently, I completed my Arts in Education Master's Degree at Pacific Lutheran University, where I also finished my Teacher Certification program with endorsements in Elementary Education and Reading. In addition, I have passed the Praxis II Music Assessment that public school music teachers must pass.
As your teacher, I will share my experiences and work with you to help you reach your musical goals. If you want to play a song for a friend or family member, great! We can do that! If you want to learn an entire album by your favorite band, great! We can do that, too! If you want to learn as much as you can about music theory and composition, great! We can do that as well! If you want to write and record your own songs, great! We can do that! Together, we can become better listeners, better musicians, and better people!
-Noah
INFORMATION ABOUT FEATURED RECORDINGS
1. Melody Lane --- I wrote the music and lyrics for this piece. I also played bass and some synthesizer. The other performances are by my studio band, Lairmonet.
2. Mesmerized --- This is the song that won first place at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. The Olympic College Jazz Choir is performing the song.
3. Dear Miss Kensington --- I played bass on this song. Band: Poland.
4. The Ladybird --- I wrote the music and lyrics for this piece. I also played the guitar part. Band: Mr. and Mrs. Muffins.
Lesson Details
MY PHILOSOPHY: I emphasize Four "Ps" in the Pursuit of Musical Excellence: Practice, Patience, Perseverance, and Passion.
We will never get better at anything if we never PRACTICE. However, we must have PATIENCE because drastic change does not happen over night. In fact, we have to realize that significant change could take months, even years, and therefore PERSEVERANCE is necessary if we truly want to be successful. Once we have followed the above "Ps," our
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appreciation and PASSION for music will increase exponentially. I guarantee it.
It is my sincere hope that my students will internalize these values and apply them to everything from studying an instrument to studying for college, and in whatever job/career they may choose!
THE FIRST LESSON: Our first lesson will be spent setting goals. I will ask you questions about your musical background and why you are interested in studying music. The more you tell me about yourself, the better. I will take the information you give me and do my best to tailor the lessons to fit your particular musical needs and interests. We will then develop and agree to a lesson schedule that we will follow until your first goal is met.
SUBSEQUENT LESSONS: Each subsequent lesson after the first lesson will follow the schedule that we agreed upon. As an example, let's say that your first goal was to learn the bassline to "Taxman" by The Beatles. A 30-minute lesson schedule might look something like this:
5 minutes - Listen and Find Notes (Ear Training) - For 5 minutes, we will listen to the recording and try to find the notes on the bass.
10 minutes - Chords (Note Reading & Theory) - For 10 minutes, we will analyze the chords in the song. Additionally, if I have time to write it out or find the sheet music, we will practice reading the notes.
5 minutes - Play Along (Fun!) - For 5 minutes, we would play the song over and over. I would show you preferred fingerings, plucking/strumming patterns, and rhythms.
5 minutes - Mandatory Practice - (SEE BELOW)
5 minutes - Discussion - I give you feedback and we discuss what we've learned. We will also adjust the schedule (if needed) for the next lesson.
MANDATORY: For at least 5 minutes at the beginning or end of your lesson (your choice) we will practice reading notes, playing scales, learning modes, studying music theory and clapping rhythms. Additionally, if you are interested, I can teach music history (of the instrument and of different musical styles).
END-OF-GOAL LESSON: To acknowledge your accomplishment, we will record you playing the song you wanted to learn. During this session, I will integrate some learning about recording software and techniques.
MY GOAL FOR YOU:
Having taught in a general education classroom, I understand that all
students have different interests and different needs. My goal is to
meet the learner where he or she is at and to provide the rigorous
instruction necessary to help them fully realize their potential.
If you have any questions about lessons, just ask!
-Noah
Background Check Complete
Subjects Taught
Bass Guitar, Guitar, Music Performance, Music Recording, Music Theory, Songwriting
My Specialties
INSTRUMENTS: Bass and Beginning Guitar.
MUSICOLOGY: Songwriting, Arranging, Music Recording, Music Theory, Music History, and Music Performance.
GENRES: Jazz, Film Scores, Funk, Rock, Blues, Electronic, R&B, and Hip Hop.
My Education
Heights High School - General - August, 1997 to June, 2000 (High School diploma received)
Olympic College - Arts and Sciences (Music) - September, 2000 to June 2004 (Associate degree received)
University of Washington - Sociology / Music - September, 2004 to June, 2006 (Bachelor's degree received)
Pacific Lutheran University - Arts in Education - June, 2007 to August, 2008 (Master's degree received)
