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I teach mandolin to brand new beginners up to intermediate students. I give 30 minute, 45 minute, or one hour lessons, typically held once a week.
I started offering mandolin lessons several years ago after my neighbor asked if I would teach her how to play. I told her, although I don’t have much experience with mandolin, I could teach her the basics since I’ve been playing guitar for many years. Guitars and other stringed instruments like mandolin, share many of the same foundational and technical principals. My neighbor was so excited at the prospect of me teaching her mandolin, I did not want to disappoint. So, I bought a beautiful and refurbished Ibanez M510-BS mandolin, and immediately became enamored with this instrument. With 4 pairs of strings, each individual pair tuned to the same note, the mandolin has an incredible and unique sound. Mandolin is prominent in many genres of music such as folk, country, blue grass, jazz, rock, indie, and even pop.
What will you learn?
- THE MANDOLIN: I’ll teach you the parts of the mandolin, why it’s structured the way it is, and how to tune it.
- TECHNIQUE: You’ll learn how to sit with your mandolin properly. I’ll show you how to position your arms, wrists, hands and fingers to play most efficiently. I’ll show you how to use a flat pick, and common picking and strumming techniques.
- MUSIC THEORY: From the musical alphabet to scales, rhythm, pitch, melody, harmony, dynamics, and song structure, we’ll delve into the foundational aspects of music theory.
- READING: Initially, I’ll guide you through interpreting simple notation, and as your technical skills increase, we’ll switch to tablature. We’ll also incorporate YouTube tutorials, an invaluable resource for learning songs.
- EAR TRAINING: Listening and processing music is one of the most important aspects to learning an instrument. I will teach you how to analyze and interpret the world of sounds around you whether playing your instrument or just simply listening to music.
- SONGS: The strongest connection humans have to music is through song. I prioritize teaching you songs from the outset of our lessons. Beginning with simple tunes in the first few weeks, I’ll guide you towards mastering songs by your favorite musicians as you gain more skills.
- PRACTICE: Playing often, of course, is crucial to improving your skills. But, I always tell my students, “It’s not HOW MUCH you practice, it’s HOW you practice. I will teach you how to practice effectively and efficiently, shifting your perspective from viewing practice as a chore to embracing it as a love of playing your instrument.
MUSIC APPRECIATION and EXPRESSION – How to become a Musician:
As you embark on your musical journey, you’ll encounter new songs, genres, musicians, and an entirely new understanding of music. Drawing inspiration from the musical and non-musical world, you’ll enhance your playing skills and deepen your general knowledge of music. I’ll help you cultivate your unique musical style through personal expression, fostering a lifelong connection with music.
- DIVERSE REPERTOIRE: Whether you’re into pop, folk, blue grass, country, indie, alternative, rock, classical, jazz, video game music, movie music or any genre in between, I tailor lessons to your musical preferences. Together, we’ll explore a diverse repertoire to keep your musical journey dynamic and inspiring.
- MUSIC APPRECIATION: I encourage my students to explore all genres of music, and select songs they’re passionate about learning. As you learn a favorite song, we’ll discuss it’s composition and feeling. I may also touch on the song’s meaning and historical context.
- CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT: Through simple creative exercises, I’ll guide you through the processes necessary to improvise. Over time, I’ll help you develop a style, your style, by emphasizing your strengths and tapping into your creativity. We’ll explore songwriting if you’re interested.
- PERFORMANCE: I’ll mentor you in preparing for performances step by step. Whether performing for yourself, family, friends, classmates, or in recitals, I’ll teach you how to maintain confidence and composure on stage.
- PLAYING WITH OTHERS: Making music with other musicians is an incredible experience. Starting from basic duets, I’ll help you focus on your part while hearing other sounds, paving the way for collaborations with multiple musicians.
- MUSIC and LIFE: My ultimate aim as a music teacher is to ignite your lifelong passion for playing an instrument and fostering your deeper connection with music. For all of my students, I strive to illuminate the profound connection between learning music and life, demonstrating how enriching and healing the experience can be.
Are you ready to start your musical journey and unlock your fullest musical potential?