Guitar with Lucas B.

I have been teaching private lessons professionally since graduating college in 2009. I actively record and tour as an experimental, jazz, and rock guitarist & composer, but I can teach in all styles and skill levels (including extended techniques and effects use) in addition to music theory, composition, and improvisation. My teaching approach varies depending upon the student, but I like to use music that you already know and love as examples of technique and fundamental music theory. I consider music to be, at it’s core, rooted in critical thinking. My goal is to teach my students how to learn for themselves, and so I consider myself more of a coach than a traditional teacher. I want you to have an understanding of how the instrument and the music makes sense to YOU personally. In doing so, I tend to focus on pattern recognition and often use metaphors to help clarify ideas. What you get out of lessons is up to you. You can practice every day and work towards constantly improving and becoming an artist in your own right, or it can be something you just do once every week or so to unwind and get your head thinking about something different. You do not need to become a virtuoso to get something valuable out of lessons...but practicing is nice! I am a native of New York’s Hudson Valley and hold a BA in Music from Skidmore College, where I studied jazz guitar, West African drumming, music theory, composition, and recording technology. Several of my students have gone on to perform professionally and enroll in programs at institutions like New York University and Berklee College of Music. My music has been released by many independent record labels such as 577 Records, Cacophonous Revival Recordings, Riot Season Records, Important Records, Tompkins Square Records, and Orb Tapes. I perform often at museums, galleries, cafes, DIY spaces, and even traditional music venues, including: the New Museum (NYC), Knitting Factory (NYC), the Mothlight (Asheville), Rhizome (DC), the Windup Space (Baltimore), Spread Art (Detroit), Cafe Mustache (Chicago), Gallery 5 (Richmond). My music has been written about in many online and physical publications, here are some short quotes: “Undeniably lovely.” – The Wire “…steel guitar-like licks move with the simplicity of updated Santana and McLaughlin…he applies [his effects collection] with an artist’s, not a house-painter’s strokes.” – NYC Jazz Record “Lucas Brode is one of New York’s most individualistic guitarists.” – New York Music Daily “Brode’s playing was enough to get the room silent on its own, as he used seemingly every part of his fingers and hands across seemingly every part of his guitar at varying speeds to create a sound that captivated this audience.” – New Haven Independent