Colleyville Music Lessons

THDAY CHER!! Today, for your 7th year birthday, you are going to start taking piano lessons!!” Well, I didn’t know what to think about that but I started piano lessons and I have been hooked ever since!

I studied piano for 6 years with a local teacher and then moved on to a teacher who could help me with more complex music. I was only able to study with her for a short time because we moved to a new town. There I found the greatest piano teacher ever. He helped me grow in my playing and performing.

After graduating from high school, I was accepted at Illinois Wesleyan University where I studied piano with Dr. Carol Thibodeaux. I also sang in the collegiate choir and had a great time in theory classes and music history.

MY EXPERIENCE

I have had many other great experiences as a musician and teacher that include:

1. I have played and sung at many weddings, parties, and social events.

2. I continue to accompany band and orchestra students even though I am no longer teaching in schools.

3. I directed the Bell Singers choir from AT&T for about 10 years.

4. I was the music & youth director for the First United Methodist church in McKinney, TX were I lead the adult choir. I also create a children’s choir program which was a great success. I was also the substitute organist when needed.

I have been involved with music of all kinds over the last 40 years and am looking forward to carrying on for many more years to come!

*** Lesson Details ***
When you arrive for your lessons do not have a worry. I am friendly, kind and very patient. We will work at your speed, not mine. If you are a beginner we will start out with the Bastien series. If you are more advanced than beginner we will select lesson materials just right for you.

*** Studio Equipment ***
baby grand piano, white boards, etc. , in a room dedicated to music

*** Travel Equipment ***
I would provide the teaching aids, writing materials . The student would have to have a piano, bench, chair and lesson books.

*** Specialties ***
I believe young students like to learn with touching and doing. I've use materials from Bastien, Thompson, Aaron along with aids I create for students to get the best learning experience. With adult students, we discuss what the goal is for taking lessons and in what ways they learn best.

learn from sight reading to ear training, my experience has given me enough to be able to work within any style, with all different learning types. I have a great repertoire of music and can teach even the most popular songs on the radio today. I can teach in both English and Spanish.

The sky is the limit and I look forward to starting lessons with you.

nd more importantly any song you want to go over.

I feel learning to play your favorite songs is the most important and the most fun about guitar playing. After playing songs, some of the information given (scales, chords, theory, ear-training) starts to make some since and you begin to slowly figure the guitar out.

Theory and Ear-training I feel are very important to learn when trying to understand music. It just gives you a basic mathematical way of understanding how music works. It can be very frustrating to learn and takes some time to sink in so if you don't want to learn it then that is great. Ear-training is cool because when you start to understand it you can actually hear music and not just listen to it. You can listen to a chord progression on the radio and go home and play it and also improvise over it.

I encourage BEGINNERS through EXPERT to at least hear what I have to say. I have A LOT of information to give about the guitar. I played for ten years made 2 demo CDs, one full length album, another demo specifically for Metal Blade Records, was in a big cover band and so I thought I knew it all and was a great guitar player. Then I went to GUITAR SCHOOL in Hollywood and reality hit me.
I wasn't as good as I thought. When you hear the best guitar players in the world everyday for a year and a half like I did at Musicians Institute it makes you want to be better and practice, practice, practice. I learned everything there about guitar and music and I know the Right way to teach.

Please consider me for your guitar teacher I will make it fun and a good learning experience as well.

Thank you,
Ben

*** Lesson Details ***
It depends on what level the student is on and that is where we will go with the lesson. If you are a beginner we will start with the very basics. I try to make it to where you can easily understand everything taught. The most important part of the lesson is you are having fun with playing the guitar and also getting as much information as possible. Upper level students may want to go over a song they are learning or want to know about theory or chords. Usually we will talk about where you are at with your playing and then go from there.

Thanks.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Acoustic and electric guitar PA system, small amplifier for student

*** Travel Equipment ***
Books and paper. They should have guitar and pick

*** Specialties ***
Teaching Rock, metal, country lead, blues, ear training, theory solo improvization. Scales and chords and how they go together. Melodic soloing and chord melody. Can teach out of a book and can read music. But most importantly have fun and learn cool songs

ously studied. Fourth, a short segment involving improvisation (again, typically in the style of music chosen by the student).