Overview
I have over 20 years of experience playing guitar in both live and studio settings, and can teach almost any genre including: rock, pop, R&B, blues, jazz, metal, folk, and more. I prioritize strong fundamentals and can help you build a solid foundation, whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player.
For students who are brand new to guitar and under the age of 12, I follow the Hal Leonard Guitar Method - this provides the perfect step-wise structure that allows young students to easily track progress and practice the basics. Once students get a little more familiar with the guitar, I can start introducing simple song arrangements of their choice to learn alongside the Hal Leonard Method books.
Here is what we can learn together:
Songs & Repertoire
Theory
Technique
Extra
Songs & Repertoire
Want to learn how to play your favourite songs? This is usually the ultimate goal of guitar lessons: learning to play along to your favourite music. I can break down any song for you and teach you the relevant techniques and theory behind it. While I do incorporate a few exercises, I find that learning songs is the perfect way to apply new techniques and concepts.
I always transcribe and notate the songs myself so that there are no errors, and I write out the music in both standard notation and tabs. My students work towards playing the song along to the original recording and/or with me.
Theory
While theory is not 100% necessary, it can take you from a good guitarist to a great guitarist. Theory can help you gain a more complete understanding of the guitar and music as a whole. The good news is that you can learn theory at your own pace, and add little bits of information as you need it or as it interests you. I always apply every theory concept directly to a piece of music, which is an essential step towards understanding and retention. Here are some theory concepts we can learn:
basic rhythm and timing
song structure
pentatonic scales
major and minor scales
scale modes
chord relationships and functions
triads
fretboard visualization and navigation
extended harmony
Technique
Having good technique allows you to play more accurately, effortlessly, and can prevent potential injuries. Here are some of the techniques that I teach:
posture and ergonomics
warm-up exercises
alternate picking
hand synchronization
legato and bending
finger picking
hand, wrist, and forearm stretches
Extra
There is so much out there when it comes to playing the guitar, and here are some extra topics we can cover:
dialling in amps and pedals
building a pedalboard
recording
guitar maintenance and upkeep
technical logistics of playing live onstage