Lincoln Acres, CA Classical Guitar Lessons

A typical lesson begins with a warm up and review of last weeks' lesson, and then moves to a new concept or technique. Once this new idea is understood, we give it a practical application by using it a song the student is familiar with. We finish up by setting some homework and answering any questions the student my have.

My lessons are structured and goal orientated (I want my students playing songs they love as soon as possible to keep the inspiration and excitement going!) but I adapt each lesson plan to suit the student, accommodating different musical tastes and learning styles. Most important I keep the lessons fun and engaging - it's the best way to learn!

*** Studio Equipment ***
Fulling equipped, professional teaching studio.
Guitars, drums, amps, PAs, Pianos, Mandolins and much more!

*** Specialties ***
Very versatile both in preferred styles and my ability to adapt to students requests. Can cover anything from jazz to metal, or pop to blues, on guitar, bass or drums.

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I have three educations:
1) PhD in Musicology,
2) Master in Music Education and
3) Bachelor in Electrical Engineering.

I have about 20 years teaching experience and I am a California Certified Music Teacher

I speak english, german, swedish and farsi and love to work with people of all ages.

I teach:
1) Guitar
2) Piano/Keyboard
3) Drums
4) Singing
5) Bass Guitar
6) Music Theory
7) Violoncello

Welcome to My Lessons

*** Specialties ***
Classical, Pop, Rock

some flamenco.

*** Lesson Details ***
I want the student to have fun with music, and rather than focusing on scales and tedious exercises, I have my students learn technique and music theory more from the actual music (Not to say that learning and practicing scales isn't important, but it is much more useful in the long run to have actual musical melodies and riffs that you can play, and that you know how to take them and use in different musical situations).

I try and be as flexible with the student as possible, as I know we all have different goals and amounts of time that we can dedicate, but I believe that even if someone just wants to learn some basic guitar playing, that a little understanding music theory will help them go a lot further.

Regardless, the student should be able to learn the music they want to play, and I will go out of my way to try and find/learn the music you want. I will even transcribe or write my own arrangement if I can't find a suitable one, or to make a simpler version that the student can learn. I believe the student should be able to access and interact with the type of music they want to learn early on, as this will help keep the student interested while at the same time teaching him/her the elements of music and guitar.

As I want the students to be able to interact with the music as early as possible, I will always try and find ways that we can play together, and I will even make recordings so they can practice playing with someone even when they are at home. I also will periodically record the student so that they can not only get the experience playing and recording, but so that they can also look back on their progress, as well as having something they can show their friends/family.

While I mostly play classical, rock/metal, and jazz, I can help students with a large variety of styles, including blues, r & b, and pop music. I also believe that learning different styles and how to take the elements from each that you like and make them your own will lead to a greater mastery of the instrument, regardless of which style you prefer to actually play.

I recommend that my students practice at least thirty minutes a day if they want to see consistent progress, although in the beginning they may not be able to practice that much until they develop calluses on the fingertips. Of course, if they can practice more, that would be great, but I understand that with everything else going on, it isn't always possible to practice every day or for everyone to put the same time into it.

ALLERGY WARNING: I have cats at my house, so if you want to travel to my location, it could be an issue if you have cat allergies.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Guitars, guitar amplifiers, music stands, computer/audio workstation for recording and notating/printing music, microphones, mixer, studio monitors, etc.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Guitar, amp when needed, music/paper, possibly a music stand

Bird, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Glen Hansard, Gregory Alan Isakov, Iron and Wine, The Milk Carton Kids, Simon and Garfunkel, M.Ward, Of Monsters & Men, Nick Drake, Elliot Smith, Ray LaMontagne, The Mountain Goats, .. I'm just realizing that could go on for a long time so I'll pause there.

I also I stay up to speed on most contemporary artists for the sake of my students. I regularly teach songs current pop artists in the interest of maintaining student engagement.

My real musical passion is in Classical Guitar music. There are few things that give me more joy than playing classical guitar. I love any opportunity to share that with someone eager to learn. I prefer to start from scratch with classical guitar students but will work with more advanced students when requested.

*** Lesson Details ***
In my lessons I like to start by reviewing what has been learned in the previous lesson, making sure to address any concerns before teaching anything new. To ensure the student is truly learning and maintaining what I teach during our lessons we will do some short musical exercises which apply to that week's lesson, as well as some musical repertoire that reinforces the new principles taught in that lesson. I feel that correct repetitive practice of these exercises and music will ensure happiness with your progression as a musician. I do my best to learn the musical interests of my students and to personalize each lesson/assignment so that they remain engaged and excited.

*** Studio Equipment ***
I have small studio space connected to my family room with a Piano and my guitars/amps (and any other instruments my wife and I have collected over the years). Parents can sit in studio or relax in the family room during lessons. It's a nice quiet suburban area and there's plenty of parking.

IMPORTANT: For those with serious pet allergies, I do have calm, friendly, non-intrusive pets.

es. In 1982, I became interested in classic rock and founded my band, The Mar Dels. During my time with the band, I’ve learned and performed many classic rock hits. One of the best-known dance/party bands in San Diego, the Mar Dels continue to play at private and public events locally, nationally, and globally.

*** Lesson Details ***
I give my guitar students a solid background in right and left hand technique. This includes finger picking technique for the right hand as well as flat picking. It’s important for students develop a correct left hand position, if they wish to continue to play for many years without injury to the left hand. It’s also very important to young students who may wish to move into classical music. Most classical guitar music can’t be played well with a standard rock left hand technique, but all rock music can be played very well with a good classical left hand technique. 

Most of the studies I use with my students are songs, scales and arpeggios from my personal library, so it won’t be necessary for my students to buy any books right away. However, if students want some additional materials to review, I can suggest some titles.

I emphasize the quality of sound that the student produces with the instrument. Many musicians feel that playing a piece of music is like running a 100-yard dash. I prefer that my students play at a comfortable tempo and create beautiful sounds, rather than rushing through a song simply to show an ability to play fast. I feel that it’s very important to practice any new piece or exercise at a slow tempo till it can be played well with relaxed hands. When the tempo is gradually increased, one acquires beauty with speed.

Within the first three months, the average student should be able to play some open position chords, bar chords, and arpeggios, and be able to improvise over a chord progression using four or more notes from at least one pentatonic scale. I like my students to learn at least one guitar solo (a piece that features guitar either solo or with accompaniment) within six months that they could play for their friends or parents. If the student’s goal is to use the guitar to accompany their voice, they can learn to sing and play at the same time. This is a special skill that takes time to master, and is something that I have done for years. I’m happy to share my ideas on how to develop this skill with my students.

Ultimately, the progress of the student depends on their talent level and their desire to acquire skills. If a student is interested in only one style of playing, I am happy to focus on it; however, I have a very broad skill set on the guitar and I like my students to develop as many techniques as possible.

*** Equipment ***
Depending on the student’s interest, I bring either a steel string or a classical guitar, and I prefer that the student also have an appropriate instrument. If it’s an introductory lesson for a beginning student, I can bring an instrument for them to use for the lesson.

*** Specialties ***
Since 1982 I have played guitar in The Mar Dels, a popular dance and party band so I am familiar with most pop, blues & rock styles of playing.

I have always loved the classical guitar and I am especially interested in good technique and tonal quality.

te and Michael Higgins. Along with receiving lessons, he was also giving private lessons to many students while studying at CSULB. While developing his expertise in Jazz, he decided to go back to his roots and put together a blues ensemble with some of his colleagues in the music department. His band is currently gigging regularly under the name “Zo's Crooked Blues Band”. As Zo strives to excel in his music career, he also hopes to help as many students as he can along the way to get them in the same level of focus and dedication that he has to music.

*** Lesson Details ***
Whether your looking to seriously master your instrument or just have some fun, I can help you along the way! Whether you want to learn some tunes, go over some music theory, or improvise your own music, we will work together to get you to that stage. My focus is to aim you towards being a better musician while developing technical ability on your instrument. I always make sure my students are having fun while they are learning and applying the information to the music they love to learn.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Lessons in the living room, music stand

*** Travel Equipment ***
I will provide teaching materials, obviously. I can also bring a music stand, or an extra guitar to my lessons if the student doesn't have one. I will also be making regular print-outs on my own to hand out to my student.

*** Specialties ***
I received my degree in Jazz Performance with the Guitar as my main instrument. My favorite styles are jazz, blues, rock, and pop. I could teach Bass Guitar, Piano, and Ukulele till about an intermediate level. I took four semesters of Piano classes at CSULB so I learned how to play all scales and arpeggios two hands and two octaves.However, I'd like to focus mainly on teaching the guitar to all levels, especially to those who are focused and dedicated to the instrument.

For whatever reason, I have a good knack for theory and ear training as well, so I could always teach Music Theory as well. I'd be a great Jazz Theory teacher.

led with one-on-one, ‘old world’ style lessons from flamenco masters gives him a great foundation for teaching.