Piano with Marlon L.

Thank you for visiting my profile! I'm confident you will find me a more than able teacher for your musical needs! To start things off, I'll tell you a bit about myself. After moving here in 2000, I began taking piano lessons at the age of 10. I was classically trained and progressed quite quickly, tackling many challenging pieces in the years to follow. In my time training on piano, I was taught college level music theory while I was 16 years old, and completed 2 Texas State Theory Tests with a perfect score, making me the highest scoring student in both exams. During high school I found I had a passion for jazz, and so, in years to follow I took my already strong foundation in classical piano, and used it to teach myself about jazz and blues. This has become one of my greatest passions! I now am proud to show off my improvisation skills, as well as some jazz/blues songs I've spent time writing on the piano! If you're looking for a strong background in piano, ranging in genre styles from classical, to pop, to blues and jazz, then you've found the right teacher for you! Additionally, the passion I found for music on the piano, quickly drove me to learn other instruments as well. Right around the time I began exploring the realms of jazz, I also began teaching myself guitar. I had some help from a local guitar teacher at first, but quickly found that my background on the piano was providing me an excellent foundation for guitar as well! I've explored an extremely wide range of guitar genres including rock and roll, blues, classical, pop, metal, and many more. I spent much of my time on guitar learning theory and exercises that not only propelled my efficiency on the instrument at great velocity, but also enabled me to pass my knowledge onto other like-minded music lovers! After spending a few years learning every facet of guitar I could, I began writing my own music, and have loved every bit of it.I have the knowledge and tools that will help turn you into a capable and talented guitarist. If you want to learn how to rock out on the guitar, I can help make you great! But finally, what would a piano and guitar player be without a little background in voice? When I was young and learning piano and guitar, I was always a little shy about my singing voice. I had not the control nor the courage to sing in front of people, and it began limiting the types of music I played. This is when I found a local voice teacher to help me out! I spent some years with this man learning the in's and out's of vocal instrumentation, and found that my already strong background in muscle memory, pitch and ear training, and music theory, made it quite easy for me to start singing loud and proud! My teacher noticed this, and commented frequently that he was impressed with how quickly my voice became stable and gained range. After some time he made an offer to me: "You've learned quite well how to sing, but to teach is a different story. Would you care to learn how to pass this gift onto other people?" To this I responded with a resounding Yes! I spent the next year not only practicing my own techniques, but learning different ways you can help unlock another persons voice so that they can learn to sing with a stable, balanced, and clean quality. Eventually he cut me loose and said I was ready to begin teaching other students. If you want a powerful voice, a larger range, and the confidence to sing loud and proud, then you have the right man for the job! With this, I would like to say thank you very much for reading my profile, and I hope to hear from you very soon! I can discuss materials for lessons with you when I contact you. Have an excellent day! *** Lesson Details *** My teaching style is flexibly structured and laid-back. I want my students to relax and enjoy their lessons and learn at the best pace for them. Not all students are the same, and I enjoy tailoring lessons to meet the needs of each individual.During my lessons, a number of topics or exercises will be covered. Students will learn extensive musical theory along side their regular pieces of music. Many manners of technique or play-style will also be described, as well as occasional ear training to let the students develop a 'feel' for the music as well. Most lessons will follow a basic guideline. In a one hour lesson, we will start with 20-30 minutes of music theory. This will develop a strong foundation for students and a thorough understanding of music across all planes. This will also allow for branching out and expansion in the future, and will allow students to explore their musical impulses at their own pace. After the theory portion of the lesson, the majority of left over time will be dedicated to listening to assigned music the student has worked on the previous week. Depending on progress, we will also assign and analyze additional pieces of music to continue the growth of the students comprehension and muscle memory. Finally, depending on left over time, we will spend the last portion of the lesson on listening exercises. These are specifically designed to teach students to eventually play by ear, and will make it easier for students to compose as they can identify intervals and chords that were once just 'feelings.' One of my biggest goals in each lesson is to insure a student enjoys him/herself during my time there. Once a student enjoys the instrument, and feels eager to show me their progress during the week, they will begin to practice on their own and can accelerate at an exponential rate compared to a student who feels unexcited about each lesson. I encourage fun in my lessons so long as it does not hinder progress. On this note, I expect a few things from my students. 1. A commitment to practice. I'm not asking for much of your day. A beginner student can practice only 30 minutes a day and still see drastic improvement from week to week. 2. Communication. This includes informing me about scheduling conflicts as well as explaining problems you may be having during the lessons. I promise I have the tools to help you, all you have to do is communicate with me. 3. Stay open to enjoy yourself! I understand that sometimes a parent might be a little more eager for music lessons than their child. When I was starting, I didn't even want to learn piano, but my mother asked me to try it, and now it is my greatest passion! Keep open-minded and I promise this will be something that you enjoy! Finally, I have a few things that I like to promise to my students and/or parents. 1. Professionalism. I will arrive on time and well presented every week at the given time. If there is a conflict, I will inform the student/parents as soon as possible to insure a trusting relationship. 2. Adaptability. I will develop lesson plans according to the needs of my students, and will learn to guide them on the path that suits them best. 3. Fun! I will do everything I can to share my passion for music with my students, and will attempt to inspire them to feel the same! Thank you so much for your time! I can discuss book curriculum and needed materials whenever I contact you! I hope to see you soon, have a wonderful day! *** Studio Equipment *** Digital keyboard, stereo sound hand recorder, direct microphones, boom stands, 2 user interfaces, protools 9, acoustic hole pick-up. *** Travel Equipment *** Travel equipment, when needed, includes guitar tuner, metronome, guitar (electric, or acoustic), amplifier, some piano exercise books, and sheet musics that may be needed. *** Specialties *** I am mostly classically trained in piano, with some newer work on jazz and blues.