I help violinists learn to play improvised music! I also teach beginners the basics.

During a recent violin lesson, two students, one of whom attends John Muir Elementary School in Glendale, focused on violin tuning. They used pegs and fine tuners to correctly tune the A and E strings. One of the learners then practiced various rhythms (A, B, C, D, and E) on the A string, emphasizing accuracy and consistency with a metronome, and also learned to read the corresponding musical notation. Their next lesson is scheduled for the 11th.

During a recent guitar lesson, the instructor reviewed guitar techniques, focusing on timing, picking, and CAGED shapes with a learner who resides in Alta Mesa. The learner practiced applying these concepts to a Hendrix riff and the Tom Petty song "Honeybee," working on fingering and transitions. For ongoing practice, the instructor assigned the CAGED shapes, emphasizing root notes and fingerings.

Ben and Ryan's violin lesson centered on A major scales, fourth finger exercises, and rhythmic variations of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Ryan dedicated time to improving intonation and smooth string transitions, particularly between the A and E strings. For his practice, Ryan was tasked with the "groups of three notes" scale exercise and advised to concentrate on the more challenging sections of the "Twinkle Twinkle" variations, employing a metronome to enhance rhythm and evenness.

Ben Lassiter guided the learner, who resides in Fossil Creek, through rhythm exercises and introduced left-hand finger placement on the violin. The learner practiced various rhythms with a metronome and worked on achieving accurate finger placement for B and C sharp notes on the A string, using Panotuner for feedback. They were encouraged to practice left-hand finger placement and bow control offline.

Ben and Shawn dedicated their guitar lesson to applying the CAGED system across the fretboard, practicing scales and riffs in various positions and keys. Shawn successfully learned the "My Girl" riff using different CAGED shapes and began tackling the "Who Knows" riff with the pentatonic scale. Ben will send Shawn a tab for the "Who Knows" riff, and their next lesson is scheduled for September 18th.

Ben and Troy's violin lesson centered on developing rhythm accuracy, utilizing a metronome, and practicing smooth string changes between the E and A strings. Troy focused on various rhythms and began working on left-hand finger placement for specific notes, using a tuner to ensure correct pitch. For their next lesson, Ben assigned Troy practice with rhythms, string switching, and continued work on the A and B notes.