Teaching Philosophy

In teaching music, I cater to the tastes and styles of the individual. If a student wants to play Led Zeppelin, I won't teach them punk rock. If a student loves heavy metal, I don't make them study jazz.

At the same time, I believe that solid fundamentals, like good technique and knowledge of the fretboard, are useful to all musicians. I use the student's particular interests to learn general musicianship.

I strive for a balance between theory and application. Rather than just learn solos, or just learn scales, my students learn both. While studying the masters (from Segovia to Hendrix), my students not only build a vocabulary of riffs, licks and solos, but learn to apply their knowledge of rhythm, tonality, and phrasing to their own improvisation and compositions.

The ability to learn is the supreme human trait, and it my great joy to help students discover their innate ability to make incredible music.