Burlington, NJ Guitar Lessons

ous students I love theory and love sharing what I've discovered over the years.

*** Lesson Details ***
I'm a very laid back guy but I take my playing seriously. music is my life and there's nothing I enjoy sharing and expressing more. I learned to love playing guitar when I was 12 from the coolest guitar teacher ever. he had a vibe that i gravitated toward and encouraged me in just the right ways to get me believing in myself. I try to encourage my students the same way. music should be fun above all and sculpt my lessons to each students individual needs so that they are better equipped to succeed.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I expect them to provide guitar/bass/piano

*** Specialties ***
Jazz, Rock, Blues, Classic, Pop

singer and guitarist. I've played shows all over the Northeast including (but not limited to) Xfinity Live, Wells Fargo Center, Hard Rock Cafe, The Tin Angel, Borgata AC, Ballys, Tropicana, and Seacrets in OCMD.
I love music and the role it has played in shaping my life. I value the experiences and wisdom passed on to me by my music mentors and instructors, who not only had a meaningful impact on my music career but also immensely influenced my development as a person.
I look forward to having that same positive impact on any student I instruct :)

*** Lesson Details ***
I like lessons to be, first and foremost, an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. I try to create a laid back and comfortable learning environment for all my students. Music is fun, and I guarantee that there will be plenty of good times while taking lessons!
Now, let me also clarify that my positive attitude and laid back demeanor are not excuses for students to be undisciplined and uncommitted. I promise to work hard toward your development as a musician to make you the best you can be, and I appreciate the same commitment from all of my students.
Music should be enjoyable, but also rewarding and enriching to your life! I don’t want to sell that short!

Below is a basic rundown of what a student can expect to learn while under my instruction. I would first like to preface this information by saying that I fully recognize that every student is different; therefore, I tailor lessons to fit an individual’s needs and goals. Because of this, the priority of certain skills tends to vary from one student to another, as does the order in which this skills are taught. I also want to note that I tend to use some self-made resources (charts, explanations, etc) in addition to published books. Taking into consideration the aforementioned variables, here is the basic rundown of the material I try to cover with students, in the general order it is taught:

-Understanding of guitar parts (anatomy of the instrument) and basic terms (ie note, chord, etc).
-Names of strings (E-string, B-string, etc.) and corresponding numbers for strings (1-6), and which fingers are given what numbers.
-Tuning of the instrument
-Basic technique (how to finger a fret board, hold guitar, hold pick, etc).
-How to find notes on the fret board/chromatic
-Basic rhythm concepts and counting (whole notes, quarter notes, time signatures, etc)—usually involves clapping exercise, single note playing exercises, reading rhythm charts, and learning what different note values look like.
-Basic concepts of “keys”
-Basic major and minor scales (especially for “warming up”)
-Chords (mostly basic open chords)
-Strumming
-Learning songs to put concepts together
For more advanced students, we will likely get into the following:
-Power chords, bar chords, and complex chords beyond majors and minors.
-Scales beyond basic majors and minors
-Music theory (chord construction, modes, etc).
-Knowledge of gear (for those guitarist who wish to branch out to electric guitar)—bass players will already have to know some of this before moving to more advanced work since they already require an amp.
-How to play with other musicians and instruments (collaboration, listening, understanding each instrument’s part, etc).

[To give students a basic timeline for these skills, one can expect to be playing open chords within three months and probably their favorite songs within 6 months]

SONGWRITING TEACHING METHODS:
-Review slides about basic song structure and anatomy of songs (verse, hook, etc)
-lyric and vocal phrasing
-finding your voice as a writer
-exploring environments and conditions that foster one’s creativity for writing songs (preference for outdoors, quite secluded spaces, etc).

LIVE PERFORMANCE:
-Breathing/relaxation exercises
-Movement/watching footage of self
-Watching footage of others
-Acting/stage exercises to get out of your head and into your body
-learning common problems with live performances and becoming comfortable with fast, on-the-spot trouble shooting (and how to avoid some problems before they begin).
-Finding your stage voice, both in singing and speaking.
-Developing your stage persona

*** Studio Equipment ***
Lessons in the living room
Equipped with guitars, bass amp, guitar amp, guitar cables, and tuner.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Student should provide his or her own guitar (and amps when applicable)

*** Specialties ***
I'm currently a professional musician that sings and plays guitar and bass for pop and rock music. We perform in front of thousands of people each week so I'm very comfortable giving live performance instruction as well.

had shared stages with guitarist John Scofield, Singer Ike Willis (Frank Zappa Band), Medeski Martin and Wood and The Disco Biscuits among countless others.

C. has completed a Master of Arts in music education as well as Bachelor of Music in bass performance. Michael is qualified to teach on bass, upright bass, guitar, drums, piano, voice and a rare instrument called steel pan (steel drum) among others. Michael performs as a freelance musician. He can be found performing regularly at private parties and events around the greater Philadelphia area. He has performed playing most styles and genres of music. Among these styles are Pop, R & B, Blues, Hip Hop, Jazz, Calypso, Flamenco, Latin, Pop, Musical Theater and Rock & Roll.

C. is a trained professional and prefers to cater his lessons to the individual need of each student. He believes that each student is unique and will encounter challenges in their own manner. Michael likes to supplement his lessons using musical interests of the student. C. has been known to arrange popular pieces for recital performances for his students. Some of the pieces he has arranged for his students include Something in the Way She Moves (Beetles), Long distance Run Around (The Who), Iron Man (Black Sabbath), That' €™s What Makes You Beautiful (One Direction), Hall of Fame (The Script) among many more. Michael encourages his students to use the music they love to challenge their ability and cognitive processes. Michael has the experience and training required to inspire and motivate you to become successful not only in music but in your daily endeavors.

*** Lesson Details ***
Michael has over twelve years experience teaching music and chooses to cater his lessons to the goals of his clients. He does not follow a set curriculum because different students tend to have different goals and expectations.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Logic Pro X, Reason, Fast Track pro audio, Double Bass, Piano, Rhodes Electric Piano, Acoustic guitar, Electric Guitar, Flute, Sax, Clarinet, trumpet, Electric basses, Steel Pans (drums), etc.

Audio recordings of each lesson are free of charge and available upon request. C. is capable of creating demos and audio recordings as well as audio production of original material.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Laptop, Guitars, PA system, Basses, Metronome, Method Books, etc.

*** Specialties ***
Steel Pan lessons are available. Access to a steel pan(drum) is a requirement for this specialty.