Songwriting with Richard D.

Music is my life. Since the age of 16, I have studied the guitar extensively. During my high-school years I was involved in band, marching band, choir, and independent music theory. I started my first band when I was 19 in the U.S. Army, and my life has never been the same since. I played music professionally in local bands while attending UMSL and have been teaching guitar and musical performance to many students privately for the last 15 years while developing and exploring my own musical goals. Recently I have written, produced, and performed on 15 original music albums, performed live music in over 9 states, and have learned many things about humanity and our culture's relationship to music. Those who share a passion for music form an extraordinary community. Come take the first step toward your potential... *** Lesson Details *** My students can expect professional, expert advice from a working performance artist. One of my main philosophies is a focus on fun. If music is fun, then students will practice more - which leads to accelerating returns. My students can expect lessons tailored to their specific goals. First I will discuss with the student musical influences and genre preferences, then I will assess the student's current abilities and we will begin designing a weekly regimen of practice and study. As a product of the Internet generation, I recommend using all the tools available to my students including the Internet to further their goals. My students will also learn to perform with other musicians, so we will typically have a segment of each lesson dedicated to jam time. Whether my students aspire to be professional performance artists, impress their love interests, or just rock out in their bedrooms, I work with my students so that they can do exactly that. *** Studio Equipment *** Upstairs studio located in a commercial district in St Louis - music stands - chairs - couch for parents - computer and recording software, microphones *** Specialties *** I specialize in teaching acoustic and electric guitar and stage performance. I teach using notes, drawings, and books that I customize or recommend for students and have lessons made up around different concepts such as - learning to identify what key a song is in - how to use 3 chord combinations, or learning scales and when to use them. I usually teach based on how I learned, which includes - using the Internet to learn songs - how to figure out how a particular song is played - getting into good practice habits - etc. My genres of specialty are Blues, Rock/Classic Rock/Southern Rock, and Acoustic Singer/Songwriter. What I like to do is ask a student what kind of music or songs they would like to learn, then build them up to the level they need to be to play those songs or that style of interest.