FAQ

The existing body of research in music, education, learning, etc., is convoluted to say the least. There’s a whole lot we don’t know yet, whole fields of study we haven’t even begun to dig into yet, but that doesn’t have to stop us from using the tools we have to our advantage. Way too many people believe the scientific method is a way to do one study and answer a question, but it’s a much more painstakingly slow process than that. The real function of the scientific method is to ask better and better questions until somewhere down the line, those original questions are much simpler in context of how far we’ve come. My goal, is to utilize what we know about learning, what we know about music, and what I’ll get to know about you, to optimize a pathway towards your goals on your terms.

A teacher imparts knowledge and skills through structured lessons, focusing on subjects and assessments. A coach, on the other hand, focuses on personal growth, skill improvement, and goal achievement, often using a more hands-on, motivational approach tailored to an individual’s specific needs. Anyone can give you a set of music workbooks and babysit you while you work through them, I’m here to guide you to develop a system that incentives YOUR success.

My personal expertise is in guitar, but I’ve been fortunate to train vocalists, pianists, saxophonists, every instrument you could think of! Music is music and if you’re looking for any sort of theoretical or professional development, I’m here to help.

Please do! My coaching can feel like a bit of an investment for beginners, but learning technique and harmony the right way from the start can save you months or years of having to go back later to fix issues that could’ve been prevented (which is a good majority of the students I see).

Super simple, just go to the scheduling page and pick a time slot that works for you!

If you’re new to my site, feel free to start with a free trial lesson to see if we’re the right fit. It’s important for both of us to feel comfortable with the time investment we’re making!

Currently, all lessons and workshops are being held virtually via Google Meet or FaceTime, whichever is most convenient. All lessons must be confirmed and paid at least 24 hours before the lesson time. All cancellations require 24 hours notice or will be subject to a 50% fee. Feel free to shoot me a message with any questions!

Sometimes! I travel constantly for work and research, so I rely on virtual teaching to work with students around the country no matter where I am, but if I’m in your city we can usually set something up!

Actually yes, and it’s one of my favorite win-win scenarios. If you’re looking to get a bit of a discounted rate and have someone who wants to learn with you, I highly encourage students to share lesson times. I find that this not only cuts down on costs for you, but is a fantastic way of learning in a group setting where everyone can bounce ideas off each other and stay engaged together (not to mention, an easy excuse to take the spotlight off yourself for a bit).

Shared lesson times are open to up to four students so I may add someone into your group if they’re looking for a slot, but shoot me a message if you have any questions!

A workshop is one of my favorite ways to teach! There’s something about the community environment that makes students so much more engaged with the music, so much more inspired to grow.

Workshops are something I started doing a few years ago, where a group of students share a lesson hour covering topics they all have an interest in learning. Students can bounce ideas off each other, share writings with each other, we’ll do exercises as a group so we can all have a space to be vulnerable and make mistakes without consequence or judgment.

These workshops can be over specific categories (Advanced Guitar Improvisation, Theory for Songwriters) or can also be a group of friends who want to save a bit of money and get high quality coaching together.

Absolutely! I’ve had the wonderful privilege to work with some great writers and I would be more than happy to pass any constructive feedback onto you. No one can tell you how to write your music, but my job is to find the places where you’re holding back and try to yank open those floodgates.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with learning a few of your favorite Led Zeppelin or Taylor Swift songs and having fun with them a couple times per month. If that’s you, I would be super happy to recommend some incredible teachers that can help you get those basics down for half the price.

But my students don’t typically come to me just starting out. This community has found its way here because some students have questions other teachers can’t answer. Many of my students have been going in the same circles for years and can’t break the cycle. Many of my students are preparing for tour and don’t know if they’ve accounted for all the variables that will come up yet. Many of my students are getting ready to record their original music and aren’t sure if they can perform what they’re hearing in their head. My coaching exists to guide extraordinary musicians into being their best selves, and that’s a level of dedication not just any teacher can offer.

I ask the same question to dozens of students asking me if they should go to music school. Truth is, we live in an information age where pretty much everything you could go to school for is already available somewhere online for free or a low cost.

What you may have more trouble with, is figuring out which information is accurate or not. Figuring out which verbiage translates to professional contexts, figuring out which concepts are important to innately understand compared to the ones that don’t come up so much. Perhaps most importantly, figuring out how to disseminate this mass of information into an efficient and effective system of musical fluency; that’s where I come in.

Your instrument, a camera ready device (smartphone or laptop is perfectly fine), a notebook (ideally one with staff paper but we’ll make it work regardless), and a comfortable space to learn in! Creative coaching should feel safe and inspiring, so equipment never needs to be something that’s holding you back. That said, if you’re looking for any advisement on equipment in a professional context, I’m happy to help there as well.

Absolutely! I get a lot of students looking for prep work before college or grad school and I’m even happy to help tailor your studies in the direction your school tends to focus.

In most cases, being adequately prepared for academic programs means a much deeper understanding of fundamentals and core concepts than many programs are able to offer in bulk to their students. I often come in to help students fill in gaps and build a rock solid foundation so the time and money they put into school is well spent!

Unfortunately no, but I can help you get to the point where other people will be asking YOU that question!

My services are intended to be a premium option for musicians seeking the best. If you’re starting out and wanna learn some cool tunes, I know a ton of wonderful teachers I can recommend! But my students continuously come back to me because music is a core element of their being and they owe it to themselves to give it their all.

His name is Wilfred! He’s a 165lbs English Mastiff mix and he loves popping his head on screen at incredibly inconvenient times when he feels he isn’t getting enough attention.