Mandolin Lessons in Hamilton. Amazing Teachers.

I started playing acoustic guitar when I was seven years old (off and on). I then started traveling more and found the mandolin to be so much easier to carry around and so much fun, it was hard to stop playing it. I have been playing and teaching mostly bluegrass, old time, Irish, blues, and swing jazz styles for many years. I have taught both privately and have also done various workshops at festivals. I have taught multiple years for instance at the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival in PA, The Traditions week at Common Ground on the Hill Festival in MD, etc
My students learn to have fun with music. Students can work on rhythms, melodies, improvisation, song writing, arranging tunes, music theory, getting into and/or hanging on in a jam session, etc.

Hello, potential mandolin students! You've picked a great instrument to learn. I teach mainly Irish Celtic music on the mandolin as well as some classical music such as Bach and other solo works originally for the violin or cello.

I teach beginner and intermediate mandolin, focussing on the basics of stringed instrument skills. We will spend some time reading basic melodies, learning the fretboard, and learning strumming styles and techniques. I have played mandolin for years and for several professional musicals.

While studying the mandolin, you'll learn how to read music in standard notation, tablature form or both. You will also learn how to play various chords, scales rhythmic patterns and improvisation while implementing them into various styles of music including, Bluegrass, Country, Basso Nova. or Blues.

I teach Mandolin using the Suzuki method and then branch out into into bluegrass mandolin playing. The mandolin is tuned like a violin double strings. So the left hand fingering is the same as the violin and the picking is similar to the guitar. If you play the violin then the main thing you need to learn is the right hand picking. If you play the guitar then you will need to learn the left hand fingering. Mandolin is a fun instrument to learn and to play.

In teaching lessons, it is my great pleasure to share with students of all ages and skill levels the knowledge that I've gained over 27 years of playing. I firmly believe that anyone can learn anything at any time, given the proper tools!

In our first lesson, we will determine your musical goals and create a realistic path to achieving them. It's my job to help you along this path while keeping things fun.

To maintain focus and week-to-week continuity, I always provide lesson notes to take home. I can also provide recordings of lessons and transcriptions of pieces, if desired.

**Studio Equipment**
violins, viola, mandolin, guitar, bass, piano, recording equipment