How do I get started?
The best way to get started is to give me a call and schedule an introductory lesson with me. That's of course after we talk a little bit on the phone and you tell me about what your goals are and I can tell you about what I offer. The introductory lesson is a chance for us to do some playing and and just kind of see if the chemistry's right. If we decide to work together after that, then we can clarify even more what your goals are and what you what kind of results you're going for. Watch the video
How much do you charge?
I charge $150 per hour and I work with all of my students for a minimum of 1 hour per week.
Do you offer gift certificates?
No.
Where are you located?
I teach in my studio on the Upper West side of Manhattan very close to the 79th St. stop on the Number 1 train.
What's the age range of students that you teach?
I teach adults. Students who are 21 and over. Watch the video (back to top)
What styles of music do you teach?
I teach many styles of music for beginning guitar players as well as advancing guitar players. I teach pretty much every style of music, with the exception of classical or flamenco guitar - which I love but it's just never really been my thing. I tend to focus on, I would say, rock and roll and blues but I love country, reggae and jazz standards and all different styles of music. Beyond the actual style, it's really a question of finding your voice and your confidence and sense of ease with whatever it is you're playing.
How often do you work with your students?
The minimum that I work with anybody is 1 hour per week. But I encourage people to work with me for more than that. The benefits are tremendous because it’s not just a question of being able to cover more material. When you do a longer lesson it’s a different quality of time. It allows us to take a more relaxed approach and not watch the clock so much and we can go deeper with whatever we’re working on together. In my experience, it really helps to have an open ended amount of time for yourself. (back to top)
What levels of students do you teach?
I work with all levels of students. it's really more a question of the students motivation and their level of intent more than their skill level. I'll work with people who have never played guitar before as well as people who've been playing guitar for many years and maybe they feel like they're a little stuck in a rut. I definitely look forward to helping people like that to just break out and go in new directions with their guitar playing. Watch the video (back to top)
How long is a typical lesson with you?
The minimum that I work with anyone is one hour per week. That said, many of my students work with me for more than that. The more often we work together, the faster your guitar playing will develop. Doing longer lessons also changes the quality of the time we spend together. We can relax a little more and go deeper with whatever it is that we're working on. With all that in mind, I encourage all of my students to work with me as much as possible. It's a much richer experience that way and the benefits are tremendous! (back to top)
How would you describe your ideal guitar student?
My ideal guitar student is somebody who is very hungry to make music. It really matters to them and they are willing to make the kind of commitment that's required by keeping a regular time with me and making it very easy for me to share with them what I have to offer. That way, you're going to get the most powerful results and be much more likely to play guitar the way you've always wanted! Watch the video (back to top)
What if I'm “stuck in a rut” with my guitar playing?
Very often when students feel like they're stuck in a rut with their playing, one of the main things that I like to do is introduce them to songs and/or styles of playing that they might not otherwise do on their own. So for example, if somebody is very steeped and say, finger-picking or a folk style of acoustic guitar playing I might introduce them to something that they wouldn't do otherwise. Maybe some electric guitar you know some funk or some reggae or blues. Whatever it might be. But mostly what I try to do is help people find their voice as a musician and then I think if you can do that then you can apply that to whatever style you want to do. That's ultimately what people are really looking for when they feel stuck in a rut, as they say. It's really a matter of getting connected to you know your that kind of natural excitement that you have for music and and how to find that stimulation for whatever it is you're going to play. Whether it's stuff that you’ve been playing for many years or something that's totally fresh for you. Watch the video (back to top)
Going outside your comfort zone...
Every once in a while I'll encounter a situation where a student is kind of resistant to the guitar lesson that I want to give them. That's actually a great opportunity! Because what it tells me as your teacher is that we're really moving into an area that you wouldn't otherwise go on your own. That's very often where you need to go in order to really open up your possibilities for your music. So I can usually I sense that my student is feeling a little reluctant to do what I'm suggesting and basically I try to explain to them that there's nothing to fear and everything to be gained! Because when you go outside of your comfort zone is when the most powerful learning takes place!