Arlington, MA Bass Guitar Lessons

ents at any level, even if you have never picked up an instrument before. I can work with you and get you on the path to being the kind of musician you want to be.

*** Lesson Details ***
I custom tailor my lessons to meet a students individual needs. I am a serious teacher, but I am a laid back person. I am easy going, but I will make sure you learn what you need to learn. I can guarantee after 4 or 5 lessons with me, you will have tripled your knowledge of chords, scales, technique, and song repertoire. I am very patient and am happy to work with students of all ages and skill levels.

I encourage mid to upper level students to bring in CD's or email an MP3/YouTube link of songs they want to learn (if they are at the right level) and I will transcribe them on the spot and go through them with you step by step.

If you want to learn how to play all your favorite songs, I am the teacher for you. I won't make you play music you aren't really interested in, but I will make recommendations for songs to improve your playing and include music theory so that you understand what you are playing and why you are playing it. The point of playing music is to HAVE FUN, after all.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Fender Blues Jr. III guitar amp, Vintage Gallien Kreuger guitar amp, Carvin/Peavey Bass amp, Epiphone 1 x 12 guitar amp, custom thin line telecaster, custom solid body telecaster, vintage synsonic electric guitar, breedlove acoustic guitar, Tacoma acoustic bass, Schecter stiletto 5 string electric bass, Ibanez soundgear 5 string bass, custom stratocaster, vintage synsonic single coil guitar, 5 string banjo, , Diamond Head tenor ukulele, u-king soprano banjolele , M-Audio oxygen 8 midi controller, Blue Mic USB microphone, Eurorack mixer, shure microphone, 2011 Macbook pro w/ Sibelius, Pro Tools, Garage Band, Reason. Full lutherie shop equipped to do custom builds, guitar set-ups, mods.

*** Specialties ***
Picked and fingerstyle acoustic or electric guitar, Fingerstyle or picked bass guitar, ukulele, improvisation, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Hip-Hop, Bossa, recording, lutherie, etc.

different concepts they incorporate
3 Ear-training/pitch recognition. Strengthening the ability to "pick up" new material more quickly and translate ones Ideas to the instrument.
4 Music appreciation/Musicality. Listening to new and different types of music focusing on the different elements that make up a great performer/performance.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Music Studio: piano, stereo system, no drum there! room to sit for parents
A1: drum kit, whole performance set up with recording studio, room for parents to sit in on lesson

*** Travel Equipment ***
amplifiers, cd/mp3 player

*** Specialties ***
ear training, most musical styles (pop/rock, r&b, reggae, jazz , world)

than 30 years, I am currently the Director of Worship for the chapel at Gordon College, a small Christian school north of Boston. I'm often involved in city-wide music events in Boston’s faith-based community and in demand as a featured musician for church services, parties, concerts and other events.

I hold a Masters of Music from New England Conservatory in Jazz Piano and am comfortable and fluent in a number of musical styles. In addition to private lessons and performing, I do music transcription, workshops, and all forms of vocal and instrumental arranging. My passions include morning coffee, finding new guitar chords, creating killer PowerPoint presentations, and trying to figure out how to use my smart phone.

*** Lesson Details ***
My priority as a teacher is to make the learning process fun, life-giving, and productive. I teach with patience and humor, at a challenging but not frustrating pace.

Some quotes from my students:
"I absolutely love learning from Bil! I've watched my playing and the playing of others at church vastly improve as a result of his training."

"[Bil] is filled with a large amount of knowledge, so while sitting under him you not only learn about how to play but you learn about music history and theory. Beyond being a good teacher he is genuine and friendly and cares about others."

"I have really enjoyed working with Bil. His patience and wealth of knowledge has helped me come out of my musical shell and has encouraged me to discover my musical voice."

"Bil makes learning theory fun! His deep understanding of music is complemented by his contagious enthusiasm."

"Bil has taken me to a different level. I went from tab and basic guitar chords, to building jazz chords and a far greater understanding of music theory."

There are at least two ways that might set me apart from other teachers.

Firstly, I have honed and developed "people skills". I am an ordained minister and have held positions where I was formally and informally in a mentoring/pastoring role. I bring that sensitivity to my music lessons, understanding that personal and emotional issues can be triggered by the engagement with the music and skills being worked on.

Secondly, I've had a remarkable broad base of experience. My coursework has exposed me to a wide breadth of ideas and tools; my work life has been long and varied; I have had extensive experience in many different cultural contexts, both musically and otherwise; and I work well with many age groups and skill levels.

Regarding my teaching approach:
For beginners, I have a fairly consistent set of topics and skill sets to cover. Generally, in a few months, piano students (particularly those in middle school through adulthood) should know how to play major, minor and seventh chords, how to read simple chord charts and some very basic accompanying skills. Guitar students should know a dozen open chords and have been introduced to barre chords, and to have learned several styles of finger picking as well as strumming. Bass students should know how to find notes on the board and will have begun to learn how to fill out a song with an expressive but non-obtrusive bass line.

For intermediate students, the pace, direction and focus on lessons depends upon the goals and passions of the student along with the amount of time he or she has to practice. My goals for students at this level and beyond is to learn how to learn. I will use outstanding recorded examples of particular skills or stylistic idioms to help my students understand and master each new concept. I often will check in with my student to make sure that we are on track with what they are hoping for.

For advanced students, we will generally target very specific objectives. I also try to add elements of theory, history, culture, and even life lessons to apply to the topics we address. Because of my background in pastoral ministry, I can serve as a mentor addressing the emotional and relational issues of playing music as well as its technical aspects.

*** Studio Equipment ***
upstairs music room: fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, amps, drum set, seating for parents

*** Travel Equipment ***
if for guitar or bass, that instrument; I expect piano students to have an available keyboard and for other students to have their own instrument(s).

*** Specialties ***
strong in jazz, rock, pop, gospel, sacred, R&B.

theory, charts, examples, and exercises, as well as anything you hear on
the radio.

*** Studio Equipment ***
I have a lot of guitars, amps, pedals, woodwind instruments, keyboards, and recording equipment. Instruments everywhere!

*** Travel Equipment ***
The students should have their own instrument and method book. Other that that, I provide all other handouts and supplemental material and handouts.

*** Specialties ***
I work the most in rock, bluegrass, country, contemporary, and jazz styles.

. Soon after, he was one of the first students to receive a full scholarship to Berklee through the African Scholars program. In 2009, he settled in Boston, Massachusetts.

At Berklee, he was exposed to a variety of influences, but wanted to go deeper into the roots of jazz and expand his knowledge of music. He auditioned and was selected to participate in the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, which is directed by Danilo Perez and the residency teachers, including Joe Lovano John Patitucci, and Terri Lyne Carrington. The Institute emphasizes an artist's original vision in jazz, and has helped Albino find his own unique voice in the art form.

Albino still felt the absence of his own Mozambican traditions in his music. With the help of his mentors, Richard Bona and Lionel Loueke, two of the most prominent African musicians in the United States of America today, he began to bridge that gap.

Today, Albino's music succeeds in combining many disparate parts into an organic whole. It incorporates his musical experiences from Mozambique, the U.S., and many other places around the world, combining rhythmic patterns and musical concepts to create a unique Moz-Jazz sound. He will always continue to combine and capture the energies of different musical traditions to create a unified and original musical style.

Albino's original composition “Mozambique Dance” was recorded by Jazz Revelation Records, a student-run record label at the Berklee College of Music, for the 8th annual album released in 2011. He also recorded “Awusiwana,” his own composition, for the Berklee 2012 summer album. His debut album, also called Mozambique Dance, is to be released in Spring 2013.

Albino is an active musician, and has performed in several countries including Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Italy, the U.S., and Mexico. He has also produced and recorded various projects in Mozambique and in the United States. In 2012, he will graduate from Berklee College with a degree in Music Production & Engineering and Performance, and a minor in Acoustics and Electronics.

*** Lesson Details ***
My teaching method dependent on the type of student. All my students will be treated with care and commitment to help them archive the their goals in the lessons.
We will be using book method as a way to follow a clear direction.
Learn songs, chords, scales, phrase, theory and more material that is needed for better musical foundation.

I am open to what the student wants to achieve over short and long terms.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Desk top and Laptop Mac Computers
Protools, Logic Pro, reason
Focusrite 56 Liquide, Focusrite Dual Mono Mic pre
BBe Maximizer
Bricasti, M7, sterreo reverb

*** Travel Equipment ***
Guitar
Guitar Amp
Mic
Laptop
Mbox

*** Specialties ***
Guitar
Bass Guitar
Voice
Ukelele
Song writing
Production
Audio Recording
Mixing
Mastering

as also become very skilled at contemporary harmony, and ear training.