Lesson Details
Banjo
- Levels Taught:
- Beginner, Intermediate
Most schools do not offer the flexibility in learning styles necessary for you to find your ideal way of processing new information, whether it be visual, auditorial, kinesthetic, memetic, right brain/left brain, etc.
That's why I'm here! I pride myself on working with each individual student on the subtle ways that they learn and form healthy habits. If you have any questions about my teaching styles or methods please ask!
A little more about me:
I have over 10 years of guitar experience, studying under Jazz heavyweights Corey Christiansen, Oteil Burbridge, and Dan Miller. I pride myself in putting my students needs and wants above all else. I wish to impart a love for music onto my students that can only be cultivated by the bond a teacher and their student share, let us learn and grow together!
Grant teaches
About
- Teaches students:
- Ages 12+ and special needs
- Teaching since:
- May 2007
Hello!
My name is Grant and I’ve been helping students grow for over 11 years now! How time flies! I started playing music at the age of 9 and have been in love with it ever since, staying active in my local music scene as an instructor, performer, manager, and booking agent.
I pride myself in taking a students learning needs and using that as my basis for their specific lesson plan, always on a case-by-case basis, tailored to each individual student. Everyone is at a different waypoint on their path so why would I use a predetermined formula to try and help them, am I right?
This can mean using a specific song as a goal and learning the specific techniques that we need in order to learn it as our curriculum. This could also mean finding out if a visual approach to teaching is better than an auditory one. I like to think of these things for my students to make their learning as easy and effective as possible.
In addition to freelance work, (weddings, jazz brunch gigs, etc.) I am the lead guitarist for the Funk/R&B band Water Seed and the soul project RetroFit. I attended Indiana University for jazz guitar and have studied under jazz greats Dan Miller, Corey Christiansen, and Oteil Burbridge.
I teach all kinds of stringed instruments from guitar and bass to mandolin and banjo! If you have any questions about my teaching methods, skill level in a certain discipline, or anything you can think of I would be more than happy to answer you!
Musically yours,
Grant
Experience
Lead Guitarist
Jan 2017 - PresentThis group, Water Seed, is my current full time band. If you'd like more information about them, check out WaterSeedMusic.com
Freelance Musician
Feb 2008 - PresentI have performed with many talented groups ranging in genre from Funk, R&B, Bluegrass, Jazz, Wedding, and Spiritual. Some of these groups include Water Seed, Captain Green, Third House Rising, The Easy, and Souled Out.
Guitar Instructor
Jul 2014 - Aug 2017Owner/Booking Agent
Dec 2015 - Jan 2017Black Moon Booking was founded in New Orleans, LA by Grant in the year 2015. Grant has worked as a booking agent for SuperFunk Productions and SpeakEasy Productions based out of Baton Rouge, LA, where he also received a BA in English from Louisiana State University.
Black Moon Booking is dedicated to establishing communications between venues and artists to help enrich the live music experience via professional business practices. Creating lasting relationships and an open and kind line of communication between venues and artists is key to BMB's goals in the music industry.
Booking Agent
Aug 2014 - Jan 2016Guitar Salesman
Feb 2012 - May 2014Education
Creative Writing
Jan 2012 - May 2014Languages
English
Certifications
Guitar Instructor Certification
Jul 2014Awards
Waka Winter Classic Winner 2015
Feb 2015Photos & Videos
65 Reviews
Write a ReviewExtremely knowledgeable. Knew exactly where I stood in terms of proficiency after only a few strums and quickly implemented a lesson plan on the spot. Gave great direction and homework. Looking forward to the next couple of lessons. Highly recommend.
he is always patient and seems to understand the difficult areas before I even explain
Grant is great. The group guitar session is a hard setting to teach, as there are different skill-sets of the students, but he does it in stride with good humor and flexibility.
Grant takes his time with beginners, and gives wonderful practice tips. He also introduced us to a cool website which helps one learn songs by the chords we are learning. He is very friendly and accommodating! Salt of the earth, that guy! :)
Grant is a very intuitive teacher! Chooses the right style of learning for you and each lesson is super productive.
Super lesson. Had a refresher in some music theory.
Very educational.
As the lessons continue,it has been a amazing journey,
Grant is a great instructor. He's patient and provides helpful feedback in a supportive way. He's also very accommodating and willing to help me with the things I want to learn.
love learning banjo with Grant!
Thanks for a great first lesson. I appreciate your patience and ability to understand where I'm at and how to push me forward.
Very informative and educational.
Thank God for Grant’s patience. Great first lesson. Have plenty to practice throughout the week.
very relaxed manner right on time easy to talk to. and the smile always helps
Great lesson! Reviewed old material and covered new material.
Looking forward to next lesson.
Awesome teacher! He is very patient and teaches at my level and what I want to learn. He’s the best!
Grant has a warm and friendly demeanor. He is so patient! Don't take my word for it. I think you should try Grant.
Grant is an amazing instructor. I've been taking lessons for 2 months and I can already play full songs memorized. He's willing to teach anything I want to learn and he's very encouraging. He's also been very flexible with my schedule, since I sometimes have to reschedule times due to work.
Lessons are definitely much more expensive than when I was a kid, but I'm going to keep with it because Grant's instruction is worth it.
Patient, persistent, and all-around warm and wonderful. Sensitive to the type of music I LIKE to play. He's a keeper!
Awesome lesson!
Grant is giving me the help I need to become a better mandolin player.
He all so gives me feedback from the the lesson to let me know my downfalls,progress,etc.
Thank you!
Patient and fantastic
2nd online mandolin lesson.
Another great,educational,informative lesson!
This was only my first session with Grant but he made me feel very comfortable and was concerned about issues i was having in regards to techniques and musicianship.
I felt really good after our lesson and looking forward to our next session.
This was my first lesson with Grant and the lesson was very personal,informative and educational.
Looking forward to the next lesson with him.
I was hesitant about taking lessons on line but I was unable to find an instructor in my local area. Grant was fantastic!!! He was very patient with me and I was able to easily understand his instruction. He provided a lot of helpful information and I learned a TON in the first lesson. I highly recommend Grant as an instructor for anyone wanting to learn to play the Banjo.
+ Read Morevery helpful!
Grant has been an amazing, patient teacher, even for an old bird like me. I wanted to play as a bucket list thing. Grant is obviously talented himself, but more than that, he is able to share that knowledge in a calm manner, yet be able to push you to do better each lesson. I would highly recommend him if you're just starting out or need help getting better. He is an incredible teacher.
+ Read MoreI appreciate how patient and encouraging Grant is. Thank you.
Grant is a great teacher! Very patient and understanding. He's always finding the best way to approach the lesson based on where I'm at and where I'd like to go.
I've had the pleasure of knowing, learning, and working with Grant for about 7 years now. His knowledge and prowess are considerable & his gentle nature, lightheartedness, and ability to listen actively make him approachable, helpful, & enjoyable to be around. I hold Grant's perspective & outlook in high regard and find myself genuinely appreciating his insight whenever we meet. I would highly recommend him to anyone interested in developing any skill he's teaching.
+ Read MoreJust started taking lessons with Grant, but I am looking forward to working with him for a long time.
Great experience!
As good as one can expect from online lesson. You will get better with him
Grant was able to feel out my interest and musical level surprisingly quickly and get me going toward MY goal. I felt more comfortable than expected and came away encouraged in my goals. Looking forward to more.
I think this is my 4th lesson with Grant and he's covering so much with me. He is patient and knowledgeable and gets me excited to learn more for the next week. He's perfect as a teacher.
Great Class today. Grant is so patient with me.
Excellent Instructor, Took his time with me and was very patience. Looking forward to more classes with him.
I feel Grant can be whatever you need! After the first lesson, I was confused with music theory and he made it clear by the second lesson. He is very concise with his words and I really appreciate it as some teachers can talk your whole session away. I also asked to work on strumming techniques and he was quick to come up with new ones for me as well as explaining how I can create my own. He's fantastic!
+ Read MoreHe is a great teacher that meets you at your skill level.
Grant is one of the most patient, understanding and helpful instructors I have ever worked with. He's respectful of my work and is constantly encouraging me to push forward. His teaching style is pragmatic, while still remaining fluid enough to allow for flexibility.
Really, the only thing that matters is that Grant is educated, patient and (perhaps most of all) comfortable. I trust him and his analysis. I trust his advice. He's a great mentor and somebody you can count on.
Grant is incredibly thoughtful and talented musician. I'm looking forward to continuing to explore the tradition of bluegrass music!
Grant is an amazing teacher. Veeeeery patient, encouraging and really flexible with scheduling lessons. He lives up to the hype in the reviews. I will definitely be continuing my lessons with Grant.
I really love this guy, and hope to take more lessons once I master the wealth of stuff he gave me in Round One.
Grant put me at ease, especially after I found that I had inadvertently broken a string. I enjoyed the duel camera setup on his end that offered the study material and his face.
Superlative.
After only three lessons Grant had me playing chords and finger rolls. Grant is a super instructor who is well organized and very patient. Great investment of my time and money. Thanks Grant
Grant quickly recognized my level of understanding with chord movement (beginner to intermediate) and we analyzed a song together that will help me recognize chord motion in other songs. This will allow greater chord pattern recognition, and therefore memorization should come easier - which I really want to happen!
This is only my first lesson with Grant, so I likely won't write another review until I've had a few more.
good job very easy to work wth
My first lesson was wonderful! Grant was able to aptly identify how to help me progress with my study, and challenged me in the right ways to move forward.
I'm looking forward to my next lesson!
Grant was so patient and so encouraging. I am crazy excited and looking forward to our next session!
Grant continues to be an excellent teacher for this beginner ukulele player. It's been years since I have practices music, and he is so patient as I try to re-learn how to read and play music. I highly recommend him as a teacher, and I look forward to learning more disciplines from him (including meditation and astrology!)
+ Read MoreGrant is a great teacher. He is wonderful with my 9 year old son. We love him!
a very good first lesson - Grant was very easy to work with and super patient!
Grant's the best!!! Always on time and very knowledgeable.
Grant, is a wonderful instructor. Very knowledgeable, understanding, and most of all, very very patient. I'm am 56 years old and the first time ever playing a guitar. Grant has a lot of patience with has provided a lot of great advice.
I definitely highly recommend him has an instructor at any level.
Very knowledgeable and patient teacher. He tailored the lessons to my needs and has really helped me improve. An excellent teacher and guitar player.
Great instructor, very laid back & lets the student lead the lesson. Knows a lot about many different kinds of music & is great at teaching songwriting & music theory too. High recommend this teacher!