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Active - Public

Guitar

My professional life is devoted to music, Metal, and teaching the art of Guitar to others. 

I’m a tireless advocate of strong foundations, and strive to impart understanding of the universal concepts underlying all great music of any style or time period. Through my Metal Guitar Academy material, and personally via Zoom, I have helped thousands of Guitar students, from Nebraska to Nepal, achieve their Guitar goals.

Composing, playing & performing, and recording are important to me as well. I create Prog Metal instrumental records, and original soundtracks for video games. Currently, my focus is new music, stories, and Worlds for my Power Metal band, 1-900. I love retro computer equipment and games, ‘80s culture, my cats, and following Sumo wrestling.

I have been a private instructor for nearly 20 years, and hold a degree in Composition from Berklee College of Music. I'm an author of numerous Guitar instructional books and courses. Welcome.

Have you learned a scale fingering or two, but now you're stumped about what to do with it? That's a super-common problem for Beginning Guitarists. If a teacher shows you a scale, then sits back and strums a few chords, and says "OK - solo!", then that's a pretty big waste of your time!

In "Intro to Jamming Your Own Solos", I will introduce you to the concept of "phrasing" - or how Guitar players take something like a scale, and actually make music with it. We'll focus on one simple scale pattern, and I'll show you how to get started with the most important aspect of phrasing (hint: it's not "the notes", or "the pitches", that's taken care of automatically, since you're using a scale fingering). 

No, the most important ingredient to phrasing and jamming is rhythmic interest, and you'll learn a way to actually practice this, so that you don't just sound random when soloing with a scale.

I'll show you how to practice jamming and improvising to a backing track (there are tons on YouTube), starting very simply, by thinking first before you play. This skill is just as important whether you know one scale pattern, or whether you are playing all over the neck. It's not the pattern that's important - it's what you do with it that makes you sound good!

Intro to Phrasing for Better Guitar Solos

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Private guitar instruction to students in the Hudson Valley area of New York, and across the United States and World.

Private Instructor

Author of nine guitar instructional books, as well as a continually growing catalog of online courses and lessons.

Guitar Instructional Author

Writing, producing, and recording Instrumental Metal records (Brett M.), and Power Metal records (1-900).

Metal Guitar Recording Artist

Composed and produced original soundtracks for the "Mishap" series of video games published by Namco/Bandai.

Video Game Composer

First, I will teach you all of the vital foundational material that you’ve missed, so that the Guitar neck becomes a whole, rather than a jumble. I will also diagnose any technique problems that you’re having, and prescribe solutions for overcoming them quickly.

Next (all along the way, really) we will apply your newfound knowledge and technique prowess to playing music that you enjoy. Whether it’s Heavy Metal, Blues, Rock, Jazz, Classical - or any other style - you’ll be able to understand how the players you love are able to put this stuff together. And, you’ll be able to come up with your own riffs, solos, and songs, too.

You will learn how to:
 
- Play faster, more cleanly, more powerfully, and more confidently
- Understand rhythm reading and notation, so that you can learn songs quickly and easily
- Build and play chords all over the neck, and know how they relate to songs and soloing
- Use scales, modes, and arpeggios to improvise, jam, and write your own riffs & songs
- Apply music theory to the Guitar (in a clear and step-by-step fashion) to unlock your potential.

What's missing in most Guitar instruction is context - the why something works, and the how to make that concept work for you, in any style, and anywhere on the neck. Shapes and patterns only get you so far; it's what's behind those shapes and patterns that truly make your playing come alive. Let me help you discover this "ghost in the machine", and watch your abilities skyrocket.

If you’re looking for a guitar instructor you can end your search right here. I’ve been taking lessons with Brett for almost two years and he is an incredible teacher. Knowledgeable in all genres, patient, and a great communicator. Don’t be put off if Metal’s not your thing or if you feel you’re too old to be taking guitar lessons. I’m 67 and Brett is teaching me Classical guitar. I took lessons as a kid and vaguely remembered snippets of music theory and how to read standard notation. Since working with Brett my ability to read music and my technique have greatly improved. Sign up! He’s the real deal.

I've had a few teachers over the years and without doubt Brett is the best.  Rather than just teach whatever he wants, he listened to me and charted a course that fit well with my skill level and goals.  I also feel that Brett runs his lessons very efficiently, but the pace was entirely up to me.  Some teachers spend half of the time showing off their own skills while the student is left trying to understand how it relates to them.  That's not the case with Brett... he is 100% student-focused and makes sure the instruction is clear and relatable.  I highly recommend Brett to students of all skill levels.

Brett is such a great and fun guitar teacher. He provides such a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere that reignited my passion for guitar and music production. My guitar playing was dramatically improved after our first lesson and I plan on sticking with him for the foreseeable future.

Brett is a phenomenal guitar teacher, and one of the best teachers I've ever had for anything!

My playing went from terrible with bad technique and no progress to a very solid foundation in 4 months.  I went from annoying my wife when I would try to play to impressing her with songs I can play!

I'll start off by saying I seldomly write review but I felt a need to share my experience with Brett. I decided to take guitar lessons later in life and had no prior music knowledge at all. I've been taking lessons with Brett for approximately a year and he's been an amazing teacher.We have covered almost every genre of music and his knowledge music/guitar is second to none. There's been times I've been frustrated and almost ready to give up but Brett knows how to keep you calm and provides the extra motivation to keep you going. Now I'm starting to have confidence and fun while actually playing a little guitar. Brett doesn't make it fell like I'm taking a class. It's like we're in a band together and just preparing for a new show. If you're on the fence about taking classes then you should definitely contact Brett and start your musical journey. You want regret it and can't find a better music mentor.

Brett is the best guitar teacher I've ever had. I'd been playing for years, and I'd taken lessons with other teachers before, but I felt like my skill level had plateaued and I wasn't sure how to progress further. Brett started whipping me into shape within our first lesson, and things only got better as we went from there. After just a few months with Brett, I felt confident with advanced techniques that I had always thought were out of my reach before, and I had learned a ton of music theory, too. Bonus: he's an incredibly nice dude, and his teaching style makes lessons with him super fun. I can't recommend him enough.

I've been taking weekly lesson with Brett for almost a year. During that time, my playing has improved tremendously. I'm playing solos now that I used to skip because they looked intimidating. Brett breaks things down into small chunks so difficult licks become easy. He also spends time teaching his students about the guitar and he gives you music theory but he doesn't overwhelm you with it. He's super knowledgeable and super patient. He's truly a teacher. If you want to learn to play the guitar, he's the guy you want to go to.

Brett Miller is by far the best guitar/music instructor I have ever studied under!!

I am 36 years old and have been playing guitar and bass on and off since I was in the 6th grade. I had lessons when i was in my teens and had numerous guitar teachers over the years in which I never seemed to progress or really learn anything except how to play someone else's songs. Like a lot of guitar players who love to play but aren't born with a natural gift to do so, I have to work at it in order to grasp it and the moment i stop for a period of time, I lose anything I've gained.

I have spent my entire span of playing, frustrated and embarrassed.

I came across Brett when a friend told me he did some research on local Guitar Teachers and was thinking of taking lessons with Brett. My initial reaction was "don't waste your money, I've probably taken lessons from them or they have no idea what they are doing and it will be a waste either way". After researching Brett myself through his Metal Guitar Academy web site, I became intrigued. He described my previous experiences with guitar instruction and how frustrating it is to not understand anything. I immediately emailed him and have been taking lessons ever since. I am now 4 months into instruction and I have learned more in these past months than I have in 20 plus years.

Brett is an amazing teacher and makes things very understandable. He has a way of teaching without making it complicated or confusing. Knowledge that I never thought I would retain now stays with me and I UNDERSTAND IT. I never thought I would be able to progress any further and felt I just didn't have the natural talent to accomplish learning guitar. I was wrong. Brett is by far the best instructor I've ever had the privilege to study under.

If you truly want to learn how to play, there is no better teacher in my opinion.

Dom Marcello
Guitar Student

Brett helped me connect all the dots. I am going from being nervous in situations where there wasn’t much prep time, to being able to absorb large amounts of information in a short time.
I went from guessing and being right 50% of the time, to knowing where I should be 100% of the time. I feel as if I broke through barriers that most guitarists know about. The pentatonic ruts. I was looking for a quick solution, but Brett helped lay the foundation for continued growth and not just a handful of tricks. Brett will also watch me play, and spot things that I still can’t believe he noticed, and help to correct them.

It's been over 3 years since I started taking lessons from Brett. My only regret is that I didn't start sooner. I still remember my first lesson. I was super nervous. But soon into the lesson I started to relax (Brett is extremely easy going and patient). By the time I left I was super excited from what I got just out of one lesson and what I’d be getting out of future lessons. It was a real game changer for me.

Even though I set out to learn more about music theory, I quickly realized Brett is much more than a music theory teacher. He’s a complete musician (theory, technique, styles, song writing, history, recording, etc.). It’s very cool that I can bring in any question, any tune, and any musical style and know Brett will be able to help and guide me in what I need to know.

Take the plunge, people. You won't regret it.

Brett is an excellent guitar instructor as well as being a "Shredding Jedi". His instructional technique and patience with students (especially old ones like me!) is a gift to anyone that has him as their teacher. If you're serious about learning how to play and play RIGHT, Brett is the teacher you want to sit under. I have been taking lessons with him for just over a 2 years now and I plan to keep going and learning. Call him! You will be glad you did. Rock On!

I decided to begin my musical journey rather late in life. Fortunately, I found Brett Miller, who was ready and able to help me learn to play the guitar. He’s extremely talented, dedicated, patient and logical, with a keen eye and ear that catches nuances and questions...sometimes even before they’re asked. Since I am a seasonal traveler, we’ve easily been able to continue my lessons via Skype. In a nutshell, Brett is an interesting character and a great teacher, regardless of your level or ability. He’s got “it.” I absolutely recommend him.

Get high harmonic screams with the whammy bar, like Dimebag Darrell from Pantera, or Steve Vai. Metal Guitar Academy’s Brett Miller shows you how.

Get High Screaming Harmonics With the Whammy Bar

Sweep picking isn’t just for traditional arpeggios like major, minor, diminished, etc. It can also be a great Guitar technique for pentatonic ideas. 

Join Metal Guitar Academy’s Brett Miller as he demonstrates some sweep picking ideas for pentatonic scales.

Brett Miller from Metal Guitar Academy offers private lessons right here on TakeLessons (https://takelessons.com/profile/brett-m12)


Sweep Picking for Pentatonic Scales

Is your Guitar soloing sounding uninspired? Do you get bored with your own playing? Join Metal Guitar Academy's Brett Miller, as he shares two simple phrasing techniques that will add interest to your Guitar soloing.

Brett Miller from Metal Guitar Academy offers private lessons right here on TakeLessons (https://takelessons.com/profile/brett-m12)

Quick & Practical Phrasing Lesson

Quintuplets and septuplets are super common in Guitar solos, but many players don’t really know how they work (or how to practice them effectively). Find out with this Metal Guitar Academy lesson.

Brett Miller offers private lessons right here on TakeLessons (https://takelessons.com/profile/brett-m12)

Quintuplets & Septuplets

Knowing your notes on the fretboard is extremely important for cool solos. Here’s why, and how to practice expanding your note knowledge on the Guitar neck.

Brett Miller from Metal Guitar Academy offers private lessons right here on TakeLessons (https://takelessons.com/profile/brett-m12)

Why You Need to Know Your Notes!

Learn about what intervals are, why they’re important to your Guitar playing, and how they can be used to expand power chords in Metal Guitar. 

Brett Miller offers private lessons right here at TakeLessons (https://takelessons.com/profile/brett-m12)

All About Intervals

The word "diatonic" can be confusing to many Guitar students. Let Metal Guitar Academy's Brett Miller explain to you what it means, and why it's so useful to your Guitar playing.

Brett offers private lessons right here on TakeLessons.com (https://takelessons.com/profile/brett-m12)

What does Diatonic mean?

What are Sus chords (do they mean "sustained")? And, more importantly - can they be Heavy?

In this lesson, you’ll learn the answer to both the former (it's no), and to the latter (a resounding “Yes!”)

You’ll also learn all about Power Chords, and how to make them even heavier (and more interesting). 

What a "Sus" Chord Is, and How To Use It In Rock & Metal

Pinch Harmonics are one of the coolest techniques for Metal, rock, and blues guitar. You hear 'em in the riffs and solos of just about every great Guitar player. For many Guitarists, however, performing powerful-sounding Pinch Harmonics, consistently and on-demand, remains an elusive skill.

But not any more!

In this comprehensive lesson, you'll see all the mechanics of the Pinch Harmonic broken down into easily practicable steps, so that you can start squealing away in record time. Add this cool technique to your Guitar arsenal, and make your solos come alive!

Pinch Harmonics Technique For Solos and Riffs

This is a simple and practical strategy for combining the Minor Pentatonic scale and the Major scale when soloing & improvising.

Sometimes it can seem like just using one scale effectively when soloing can be hard enough. But two scales at once? C'mon - that's crazy talk! In fact, it's easier than you might think - when you've got the right strategy, that is. Combining the Minor Pentatonic and Major Scale can add a lot of interest to your soloing, and make you stand out from the pack. Learn how to do it with this lesson.

Theory Of Relativity For Guitar Solos

This Metal Swipe File is a collection of five licks, written by me, but intentionally sounding like five different Metal players: Dimebag Darrell, Zakk Wylde, John Petrucci, Angus Young, and Kirk Hammett.

We'll go in-depth about not only how to play each lick, but also about the style of each lick - in other words, what these guys are doing to make them sound awesome. I demonstrate how to play them, both slow and fast. Makes for great technique practice, as well as insight into how players like this are coming up with licks.

Metal Guitar Swipe File (Play Like 5 Famous Players)

Not liking your solos when improvising? Make it sound like music when jamming & writing!

Do you know some scale patterns - but don't know what to do with them when soloing? Do you feel like everything just sounds random or boring when you try to jam out a solo?

Well, never fear! We've all been there, but now you can find the way out. Finally learn to make it sound like music when jamming with scales.

Learn what really makes those scale patterns come alive, and how to go from Phrasing Frump to Phrasing Phenom, with simple & practical strategies that you can implement right away. Metal Guitar Academy's Brett Miller shows you how!

Intro to Phrasing for Better Guitar Solos - Guitar Class

About Brett M.

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Brett's Guitar videos