Guitar with Jesse H.

Jesse H. plays guitar with The Mar Dels, one of San Diego’s best-known dance and party bands. But he’s more than just a rock-and-roller — he’s studied jazz and classical guitar with other master musicians. His lessons focus on developing: - Right and left hand technique - Finger picking and flat picking - Tonal and sound quality - Playing and singing - The ability to play a solo (a classical piece, a rock guitar piece or an improvised solo) - Chords, scales, and arpeggios Jesse’s broad skill set allows him to teach a variety of styles, though he’s happy to focus on one particular style if that’s what the student prefers. Don’t miss this opportunity to take guitar or ukulele lessons from one of the top musicians in San Diego. *** Overview *** I studied jazz guitar with Peter Sprague and classical guitar with Celin Romero. While at UCSD, I studied with Pepe Romero in master classes. In 1982, I became interested in classic rock and founded my band, The Mar Dels. During my time with the band, I’ve learned and performed many classic rock hits. One of the best-known dance/party bands in San Diego, the Mar Dels continue to play at private and public events locally, nationally, and globally. *** Lesson Details *** I give my guitar students a solid background in right and left hand technique. This includes finger picking technique for the right hand as well as flat picking. It’s important for students develop a correct left hand position, if they wish to continue to play for many years without injury to the left hand. It’s also very important to young students who may wish to move into classical music. Most classical guitar music can’t be played well with a standard rock left hand technique, but all rock music can be played very well with a good classical left hand technique.  Most of the studies I use with my students are songs, scales and arpeggios from my personal library, so it won’t be necessary for my students to buy any books right away. However, if students want some additional materials to review, I can suggest some titles. I emphasize the quality of sound that the student produces with the instrument. Many musicians feel that playing a piece of music is like running a 100-yard dash. I prefer that my students play at a comfortable tempo and create beautiful sounds, rather than rushing through a song simply to show an ability to play fast. I feel that it’s very important to practice any new piece or exercise at a slow tempo till it can be played well with relaxed hands. When the tempo is gradually increased, one acquires beauty with speed. Within the first three months, the average student should be able to play some open position chords, bar chords, and arpeggios, and be able to improvise over a chord progression using four or more notes from at least one pentatonic scale. I like my students to learn at least one guitar solo (a piece that features guitar either solo or with accompaniment) within six months that they could play for their friends or parents. If the student’s goal is to use the guitar to accompany their voice, they can learn to sing and play at the same time. This is a special skill that takes time to master, and is something that I have done for years. I’m happy to share my ideas on how to develop this skill with my students. Ultimately, the progress of the student depends on their talent level and their desire to acquire skills. If a student is interested in only one style of playing, I am happy to focus on it; however, I have a very broad skill set on the guitar and I like my students to develop as many techniques as possible. *** Equipment *** Depending on the student’s interest, I bring either a steel string or a classical guitar, and I prefer that the student also have an appropriate instrument. If it’s an introductory lesson for a beginning student, I can bring an instrument for them to use for the lesson. *** Specialties *** Since 1982 I have played guitar in The Mar Dels, a popular dance and party band so I am familiar with most pop, blues & rock styles of playing. I have always loved the classical guitar and I am especially interested in good technique and tonal quality.