James Cortright

Experienced tutor helping for grade improvement

4.7(129)

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Profile photo of James, Music tutor at Wiingy
Profile photo of James, Music tutor at Wiingy
Profile photo of James, Music tutor at Wiingy
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James Cortright

Bachelors degree

/ 55 min

About your music teacher

I've dedicated my life to teaching music, while constantly improving my abilities as a teacher and musician. For over 15 years of work experience I've taught lessons and ensembles, learned from some of the best teachers, and remained a life-long student of music pedagogy. My education includes a 4 year Bachelor's degree in music, and a 2 year certificate in audio technology. I've won first place as a performing member and a teacher with ensembles in world class international competitions, and received perfect scores in competitions as a soloist. Through all of this, I've learned that each student is a unique and special musical mind that requires adaptability from a teacher who has mastered their craft, but still has the ability to make the material understandable to a complete beginner. Thank you for reading this and considering taking lessons with me!

Your music teacher expertise

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Electronic

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Film/Movie

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Jazz

Metal icon

Metal

Pop icon

Pop

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Bluegrass

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Rock

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Podcast

Quiz

Learnings

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Zero Risk Guaranteed

15-days refund

Free tutor swap

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1-yr validity

24/7 support

Learner types for music lessons

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Music for adults

Music for beginners icon

Music for beginners

Music for intermediate icon

Music for intermediate

Music for advanced icon

Music for advanced

Music for kids icon

Music for kids

Music lessons at a glance

My teaching methodology is based on a combination of studying a variety of music education techniques such as Orff, Kodaly, and Suzuki, while also learning from first hand experience teaching thousands of students. I believe that there is no one right way to teach music, but instead it is best to have a large tool kit and extensive background of knowledge to draw from based on the needs of any individual student. From beginners to advanced, from elementary age to adults, there will always be some creativity and flexibility involved in how I go about conveying the information that will help a student learn about music and improve their abilities on their instrument. I incorporate lessons from all areas of the subject of music including music theory, history, and ear training, while drawing from a variety of styles including classical, jazz, and folk.

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Expert in developing musical techniques

Breaks down complex techniques for easy, effective learning.

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Trusted by 95% of parents

Parents observe tangible growth in their child’s musical talent.

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Interactive feedback for performance

Students receive real-time feedback to enhance their music practice.

Types of music lessons

Music Production

Music Production

Music Composition

Music Composition

Sight-Reading

Sight-Reading

Digital Audio Workstation

Digital Audio Workstation

Music Mixing

Music Mixing

Mashups

Mashups

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Music concepts taught by James

Student learned 4 days ago

Student and Tutor worked on an original song composition, focusing on refining its structure, adjusting rhythmic notation, and exploring various harmony techniques like adding notes below the melody and selecting appropriate chords based on music theory. They discussed concepts such as relative major/minor keys, harmonic rhythm, and text painting. The Student plans to prepare another song for the next session.

Text Painting & Musical Narrative

Music Notation Software Workflow

Song Arrangement & Audience

Chord Building & Diatonic Harmony

Relative Major & Minor Keys

Harmonizing Melodies with Intervals

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Student learned 4 days ago

Student and Tutor reviewed piano arpeggios, working on two-octave major arpeggios across various keys. They then delved into different minor scales, including natural and harmonic minors, before exploring jazz modes like Mixolydian and Dorian, discussing their structure and application over specific seventh chords for improvisation. The Tutor provided practice recommendations for incorporating these new scales into the Student's routine.

Chord-Scale Relationships & Improvisation

Jazz Modes: Dorian

Natural and Harmonic Minor Scales

Mastering Two-Octave Arpeggios

Jazz Modes: Mixolydian

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Student learned 6 days ago

Student and Tutor continued their guitar lesson, focusing on technique and pieces. They practiced Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 Prelude, addressing challenging finger transitions, and worked on the song "Guaranteed," reviewing complex chord shapes and fingerstyle patterns. The Tutor provided specific strategies for left-hand finger placement and right-hand plucking. They plan to continue working on these pieces next week.

Bach Cello Suite No. 1 Prelude - Navigating Challenging Measures

Sequential Finger Placement for Chord Transitions

Consistent Right Hand Finger Assignment (Fingerstyle)

Bar Chord Shapes and Derived Partial Voicings

Effective Practice: Balance & Musicality

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Student learned 11 days ago

The tutor and student worked on refining a musical composition by focusing on instrumental voicings, rhythmic notation, and chord progressions. They practiced making specific edits in music notation software to improve clarity and musical expression, with plans to continue this iterative process.

Score Formatting and Presentation

Chord Progression & Voicing

Musical Tension and Release

Rhythmic Notation & Clarity

Instrumental Arrangement & Labeling

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Student learned 11 days ago

The student and tutor reviewed fundamental rhythm concepts, including note values and subdivisions, and practiced playing rhythmic exercises with a metronome. They then began exploring natural minor scale fingerings, starting with A minor and E minor, and discussing how they relate to major scales and the importance of consistent hand positions. The student was encouraged to continue practicing both rhythm exercises and minor scales.

Minor Scale Fingerings and Theory

Metronome Practice and Timing

Counting Rhythms with Syllables

Rhythm Durations and Beat Division

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Student learned 13 days ago

The student and tutor focused on advancing jazz piano techniques, including ear training, chord voicings, comping rhythms, and constructing walking bass lines. They practiced improvising over chord changes using various scales and explored strategies for developing coherent melodic solos, with a plan to continue these practices.

Comping Rhythms and Chord Voicings

Walking Basslines in Jazz

Improvising Over Chord Changes (Soloing)

Ear Training and Transcription

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Teaching tools used in music classes

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Recording Apps

Ear Training Software image

Ear Training Software

Looping Software image

Looping Software

Breathing Support Apps image

Breathing Support Apps

Metronome spps image

Metronome spps

Resonance App image

Resonance App

Backing Track Libraries image

Backing Track Libraries

Interactive music lessons

Mobile joining icon

Mobile joining

Chat for quick help icon

Chat for quick help

Pets are welcomed icon

Pets are welcomed

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Weekend lessons

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Note taking

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Music teachers on Wiingy are vetted for quality

Every tutor is interviewed and selected for subject expertise and teaching skill.