James Cortright

Experienced tutor helping for grade improvement

4.6(157)

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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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Pop

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Bluegrass

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Rock

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Classical

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Jazz

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Hip-Hop

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Electronic

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Podcast

Quiz

Learnings

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1-yr validity

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Learner types for music lessons

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Music for advanced

Music for beginners icon

Music for beginners

Music for adults icon

Music for adults

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Music for kids

Music for intermediate icon

Music for intermediate

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 8 days ago

The Student and Tutor reviewed three piano pieces: Bach's Minuet in G, "Wind in the Willows," and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, discussing dynamics, stylistic interpretation, and effective practice strategies. They also practiced fundamental scale, arpeggio, and chord progression exercises in C major and G major, with the Tutor introducing the Circle of Fifths for transposition. The Student's homework is to practice the first five keys of the Circle of Fifths for the fundamental exercises.

Effective Practice & Handling Mistakes

The Circle of Fifths and Fourths

Fundamentals: Major Scales

Arpeggios

and Cadences

Chord Analysis for Memorization and Understanding

Dynamics and Articulation Across Musical Eras

Repertoire Management & Performance Confidence

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Student learned 15 days ago

Student and Tutor had an introductory piano session where they discussed the Student's background, goals to strengthen music theory, and overall piano technique. They practiced major scales, arpeggios, and chords, delving into the theoretical construction of scales and chords, including inversions and a chord progression. The Tutor suggested practicing these fundamental exercises in all twelve keys as a future learning objective and offered to share materials.

Rebuilding Music Fundamentals

Major Scales: Construction & Fingering

Arpeggios & Basic Triads

Major and Minor Triads: Construction & Sound

Chord Inversions & Slash Notation

Cadences and Chord Progressions

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Student learned 24 days ago

Student and Tutor engaged in a comprehensive piano lesson focusing on jazz improvisation and theory. They reviewed the student's performance of a Debussy piece, discussing musicality and rhythmic density. The session also covered essential jazz concepts such as scale-chord relationships, 2-5-1 voicings and licks, and the structure of jazz performances, with follow-up recommendations for ear training apps and learning songs by ear.

Jazz Solo Piano Musicality & Flow

Solo Piano Arranging Techniques

Flexible Chord Voicing for Smoothness

Standard Jazz Form & Improvisation

Jazz Scales & Their Characteristics

2-5-1 Chord Voicings & Licks

Ear Training for Jazz Musicians

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Student learned about 1 month ago

Student and Tutor reviewed a new song composition, focusing on refining its rhythm, notation, and chord placement using music software. They corrected several rhythmic and lyrical misalignments, experimented with notation techniques like fermatas and triplets, and discussed best practices for musical phrasing. Educational follow-up included the Student continuing to compose new songs and exploring alternative digital music tools for their iPad.

Rhythmic Precision and Chord-Melody Alignment

Optimizing Music Workflow with Digital Notation Software

Introducing Triplets for Rhythmic Nuance

Streamlining Musical Notation for Readability

Song Structure and Varied Repetition

Expressive Timing with Time Signatures and Fermata

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Student learned about 2 months ago

The student and tutor reviewed fundamental guitar techniques, including strumming, chord formation, and finger placement. They practiced forming basic chords, discussed tuning methods using both ear and an app, and learned to read chord diagrams and tablature for playing melodies. The session concluded with an emphasis on consistent practice for improvement.

Chord Qualities: Major vs. Minor

Reading Guitar Tablature (Tabs)

Tuning and Intonation

Reading Chord Diagrams

Guitar Chord Basics

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Student learned 2 months ago

The Student and Tutor reviewed two piano pieces, "Joy to the World" and "Silent Night," focusing on hand positions, key signatures, and effective practice strategies for challenging sections. They then delved into fundamental music theory, covering how to read chord symbols, construct major, minor, and seventh chords, and understand the structure of major scales through whole and half steps. The Student plans to continue practicing and will schedule the next session as needed.

Developing Song Performance Skills

Understanding Key Signatures and Accidentals

Building Major and Minor Triads

Expanding to Seven Chords

Optimizing Chord Playing with Inversions & Voicing

Understanding Whole and Half Steps in Scale Construction

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Teaching tools used in music classes

Backing Track Libraries image

Backing Track Libraries

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Metronome spps

Recording Apps image

Recording Apps

Vocal Range App image

Vocal Range App

Pitch and Tuning Apps image

Pitch and Tuning Apps

Looping Software image

Looping Software

Ear Training Software image

Ear Training Software

Interactive music lessons

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Record lessons

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Chat for quick help

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Weekend lessons

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Note taking

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Pets are welcomed

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Music teachers on Wiingy are vetted for quality

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