Lesson Details
Guitar
- Levels Taught:
- Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
1) Technique is concerned with the development of the physical mechanics involved in playing the instrument.
2) Scales are a part of basic music vocabulary and building blocks of the musical language.
3) Chords are also basic vocabulary of the musical language.
4) Note reading is not required for every student. It really depends on the students' goals. However, I strongly encourage everyone learn to read musical notation, (more than tablature). Literacy in reading music is analogous to literacy in reading in our English language. Can you imagine how much smaller our world would be if we couldn't read?
5) Songs utilize the skills and concepts of all the previously mentioned subjects and are the goal of studying music. The student chooses what songs they want to play, guided by my suggestions; Jazz, rock, blues, country, bluegrass, R &B - "How deep is the ocean, how high is the sky?"
A beginning student will practice all these subjects as part of the daily practice routine. A half hour practice session will cover all subjects. Students that concentrate for thirty minutes a day four days a week make adequate progress. However, please know that very accomplished players devote a lot of time to each subject.
These five subjects are developed and expanded as the student progresses. There are an infinite number of areas to explore, depending on the students interests, and can lead to a lifetime of learning and artistic expression.
Phillip teaches
About
- Teaches students:
- Ages 5+ and special needs
- Teaching since:
- December 1981
I teach music. The guitar, bass guitar, and ukulele just happen to be the particular instruments I choose. Music as a language, discipline, and art, is the goal. I've been teaching, performing, studying, composing, for some thirty years. I've studied and gigged in the classical, jazz, rock, blues, R & B, and country idioms. I've taught composition and improvisation to instruments other than guitar, (vocalists, fiddle, sax, piano, trumpet) I've taught all ages and levels. I currently pursue a doctorate of music in guitar at university. Students learn many things when studying with me. They learn physically how to play a particular instrument while learning music as its own language. Students learn how to learn, learn self-discipline, and access their musical expression, all potential life changing experiences. I am happy and excited to announce I am available for on-line lessons, and will now be able to work with students from all over the world, regardless of distance or location!
*** Lesson Details ***
I am laid back, but at the same time very goal directed. I like to do technique and/or vocabulary, note reading, and songs every lesson. After six months students are able to to 'jam', (improvise over chord changes such as the blues). They are well on their way to becoming literate, probably a third way through the first book. They probably can play a half dozen songs well, and are starting to strum (comp) chord progressions in a musically rhythmic way. They may even have played in a couple concerts by then.
*** Studio Equipment ***
Office studio w/ guitar, bass, amps, and seating for parents, computer with skype capability.
*** Travel Equipment ***
I bring my guitar and writing tools, extra picks, extra paper etc. Students provide their own instrument, method book, staff paper, notebook paper. Hopefully they have a music stand and their own guitar picks and other items relevant for the study of their instrument.
*** Specialties ***
Classical, jazz, rock, blues, country, bluegrass, theory/composition, improvisation
Experience
Music Faculty
Aug 2016 - PresentI am the guitar instructor, bass guitar instructor, and adjunct music faculty at South Mountain Community College. SMCC is part of the Maricopa County Community College system. Last year I had one individual student who is a jazz guitar performance major, and also taught a humanities class named 'Hip Hop in Culture.'
+ Read MoreEducation
I am currently in a doctorate program, my primary emphasis is classical guitar performance.
Aug 2014 - Present24 Reviews
Write a ReviewMy first class was fantastic. Phillip cares about what I want to learn and he gives useful feedback and proper exercise/homework. I am motivated to practice everyday and look forward our my future sessions!
Great first lesson. I felt comfortable and that Phillip was an excellent teacher.
Taking online ukulele lessons with Phillip has been a wonderful experience. He is patient, supportive and makes the lessons fun. He gives really great explanations for things. So he’s a perfect instructor for a beginner like me. I feel really lucky to have found him. I highly recommend Philip.
+ Read MoreMy 8 years found him funny and helpful. They got a lot out of their lesson so far and are wishing they could see him more than once a week 😊
Happy Teachers Day! You are a great ukulele instructor and make learning fun. I am having a great time. Thank you for your patience and encouragement. Keep on plucking :)
Phillip is extremely knowledgeable in music. He is able to keep me on track of what my goal is and keeps me from wandering into areas that I am not ready for and wasting time. He stretches me in the written music, rhythm and timing. He is pulling me out of my slump.
+ Read MoreGreat first lesson! Very good instructor
Just what I was looking for!
We appreciated Phillip's patience and encouragement to a new and unsure student. The student left with the feeling of satisfaction that he will achieve his musical goals studying with Phillip.
Very good lesson. It was very enjoyable and Phillip was very encouraging.
Phillip is very patient and kind. Phillip gives you confidence that you are doing fine/good, which at times I don't feel like I am doing good. He takes away the frustration of learning something new and gives you the confidence that yes you can learn something new. So far so good
+ Read MorePhillip really has my son engaged in Learning new techniques on playing the guitar. We certainly picked the right teacher :-)
real good first lesson. phillip seems like he will have the patience to teach me how to play the ukulele. phillip was even able to teach me how to play my first song. looking forward to our next lesson.
Phillip was very insightful and made my lesson very applicable to me!
I've been taking online lessons with Phil for almost two years now and have been enjoying every minute of it. It is very seldom you come across someone who truly loves music and shines through in teaching style. His love for music is an inspiration for me. Phil is an experienced professional, reliable, enthusiastic and his lessons are always meaningful and productive. If you're wanting to learn how to play the guitar or uke, Phil is the guy. Never to late to learn how to play an instrument. He is the best. ;-)
+ Read MorePhillip has been absolutley wonderful with my 7 year old son. He was able to teach him to play a song within the first two lessons. Since then he has laid the groundwork to build on to transform my son into a bonafide guitarist. He has worked on technique, reading music, chords, scales and keeping rhythm. He is very patient and jokes around keeping the lessons light and fun. He is very responsive to emails and is flexible with lesson times. I cannot recommend him highly enough!
+ Read MoreGREAT UKE teacher. Patient, Encouraging, very knowledgeable, makes good comments about how to improve my playing. Makes complex music theory simple .
Nice and flexible. Listens well. MOST of ALL, makes me want to PRACTICE more
and study more. Pure MAGIC.
Really encouraging teacher
It has been a real pleasure to have Phillip as a teacher. He is so positive and so encouraging. Although we've only just begun, Phillip has provided a good foundation (and the encouragement) to continue to experiment and improve my skills. Thank you, Phillip. I've really had fun working with you! (The next comment has nothing to do with Phillip, but I do find Skype lessons a bit awkward. But that's just me!)
Great teacher
I wasn't sure how taking lessons via Skype would work, not having that in person interaction, but it's been really great. Phil is a really good teacher and has an immense amount of patience and encouragement. Even when I haven't had any time to practice and I'm struggling with the lesson, he insists that I'm doing great and boosts my confidence. This is the first instrument I've ever played and I've appreciated the bits of music history he's thrown in to help me connect things and the lessons are always so much fun too.
Great Teacher for kids
My 11 year old son is taking lessons with Phil and he is a great teacher. He is very patient and explains thing well but doesn't dwell on things my son had already learned from a different teacher. He also does a good job of motivating my son to learn more and practice by teaching him songs that my son picked out.
Feedback
Phillip is really helping me. He has great patience and is walking me along slowly but surely. I was really worried that I would get lost in all this and give up but the exercises he gives me makes it fun and makes me want to learn more.
My 7 year old son is loving his lessons. Phillip is very patient and makes it fun for him. I'm so glad we went with him for lessons.
Review
My instructor is extremely knowledgable in every aspect of guitar fundamentals. He has an effective plan for myself to learn these fundamentals. I learn something new at each lesson and am very happy with my instructor.
I recommend, no reservation
I wanted to try Phillip as a teacher, because I gathered from his profile on Take Lessons that he has the academic knowledge and the experience credentials of a pro.I wanted to learn from someone who is an expert on guitar and who has a relaxed, yet focused and thoughtful teaching style, and that's what I've found.It's impressive to me that he has the credentials that got him accepted into the guitar Doctoral degree program at ASU. I also find Phillip to be a patient, engaged teacher who puts thought into his lessons before them and into his responses during lessons. He takes the time to suggest even the subtle things that you can do as a student to improve. Now, that's engaged teaching.I'm so enjoying discovering the science and art of the guitar and music in a relaxed, fun learning environment.