Teaching Technique

Before choosing a guitar teacher, I would suggest several things to ask:

1. Does the teacher read and teach music notation?
2. How long has the teacher been teaching?
3. What are their teaching methods?
4. What performing experience does that person have?
5. How long is the lesson?

I am always amazed to find so many guitar “teachers” who can not read legitimate music notation. There is a new guitar method called the “tabs” or “Tablature”. It is a diagram of the guitar neck and dots where you put your fingers. I do NOT endorse this method. It is not legitimate in the music world. It is only for guitarists who never bothered to learn to read music properly. Being the only instrument that uses this, you will not communicate with any other instrument. I do not know of a music college or university in the world where you can be accepted or graduate with a music teaching degree knowing only the guitar Tab.

1. I read and teach music notation. You will be able to read music and chords, play with any other instrument, go into any music store, pick up any sheet music or book and be able to understand and play it!
2. I have been teaching guitar for decades including group and private lessons in New York and in Holland where I lived for 4 years.
3. I teach many of the things I learned at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Proper fingering, scales, arpeggios, chord knowledge, ear training. All the tools you need to be a complete musician. Yes, I do show you solos from your favorite guitarists.
4. I have played all over the world including Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, Central Park and Broadway shows.
5. 45 minutes is the minimum. You need to learn to play something new every week and I play along with the students and provide chords and good timing for them to play on.

I encourage students to tell me what they like and what guitar solos or “riffs” they want to learn. I suggest you screen all guitar teachers with the above info before you pay your hard earned money. I have many students who have gotten into bad habits: wrong fingering and chord technique.

Here’s a sample lesson: “What are the modes and how do you apply them?”