Baltimore's Bass Teacher

Welcome!

Before we go any further, I want to thank you for visiting my site. When I studied at Peabody and then later at Berklee, I always wished I could have had a little background info about my teachers before I sat down with them for my first lesson. You know, just something to give me a feel for where their heads were and what I could expect from them. With that in mind, I've taken the liberty of jotting down a few of my thoughts about teaching. I hope you'll take a few minutes to read them so that you'll have an advantage I never had - getting to know something about your teacher before your 1st lesson.

Teaching has been as much of an evolution for me as learning the fundamentals is to a student. By that I mean that I am in no way the same teacher I was 16 years ago. My views, methods and practices are a combination of things I've learned during my formal education at music schools as well as during my not-so-formal education in bars, clubs, studios, basements, garages, churches and the various other locations where we musicians interact. My teaching style has also been shaped by my interaction with my students. This keeps me in a constant state of learning - a mindset I encourage you to adopt so you're never at a loss for new ideas.

That said, I now encourage you to learn more about how I approach each new student.

Philosophy

Knowledge is power. That old saying, "What you don't know can't hurt you" doesn't apply when it comes to music. Whether you've been going at it on your own for a while or whether you're starting from scratch and want the proper guidance, the more you know about music, the better you'll be able to express the music inside of you.

Objectives

- To equip you with the tools to become the best player you can be.

- To help you develop and refine your personal playing style.

- To improve your confidence as a player.

- To have fun while we learn.

- To (insert your objectives here).

Game Plan

Everyone has their own definition of what it means to be a bassist. To some it's

having a mastery of theory and being able to walk through jazz changes at 180 bpm. To others it's about playing a tuned-down P-bass with a pick through a cranked SVT. Wherever your recipe for bass utopia falls, I'm a firm believer in tailoring the scope of the lessons to fit your vision. That's not to say that I won't try to broaden your horizons by exposing you to all kinds of new things...and you can be certain that I will! Whether you play purely for the fun of it or whether you have professional goals in mind, we will structure a personal game plan based on your blueprint for what it means to be a bassist. Don't have a blueprint yet? Even better.

Advantage

I believe that the formal training I received at Berklee College of Music and The Peabody Institute as well as years of instruction on other instruments (piano, drums, tympani, marimba and vibes) gives me the advantage of understanding music from other perspectives than just bass guitar. This crosses over to my playing and teaching. My goal is not only to help you become a better bassist, but to help you become a better musician who plays bass.

Lessons

One-hour lessons: $60

Half-hour lessons: $30

You have the option of studying at either of two convenient locations:

Orion Studios located in SW Baltimore

Laurel/Burtonsville, MD

Both locations are equipped with a full drum set. For those students who are interested in working on Rhythm Section Studies, we will focus on what it takes to make bass and drums lock in tight while you play bass and I play drums. Ideal for new players or those with minimal live band experience.

For those outside of the MD/DC/VA area, I also offer lessons via Skype, FaceTime or Zoom! You can now have one-on-one instruction without leaving your house. This also works great for local folks who prefer not to commute. All you need is a webcam, internet service and the ability to have your bass and computer in the same room!

Options

Hopefully, by now I've done a good job of stressing how important I think it is for players to develop their own identity. It should come as no surprise then that I don't teach out of the numerous bass books available (however you are certainly welcome to bring in any books or DVDs you'd like to work from). I take a more individualized approach by creating custom materials specifically for YOU, based around YOUR goals, YOUR interests and YOUR skill level. By placing an equal emphasis on the fundamentals and on real-world, practical skills, I will help you achieve your goals as a bassist.

Getting Started

Ready to get going? Shoot me an email using the form below and I'll get in touch with you. Feel free to ask any questions or tell me specifically what you want to work on.