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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Bluegrass

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Electronic

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Classical

Jazz icon

Jazz

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Metal

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Hip-Hop

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Rock

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AI modules

Summary

Podcast

Quiz

Learnings

Flashcard

Spotlight

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 kids

Music for adults icon

Music for adults

Music for beginners icon

Music for beginners

Music for advanced icon

Music for advanced

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 10 days ago

The student and tutor reviewed the challenges of distinguishing between major and minor scales and discussed cognitive strategies for learning. They practiced minor scale chord progressions, emphasizing the correct construction of the dominant chord by raising the seventh scale degree, and then moved on to learning various types of seven chords (major seven, dominant seven, minor seven, half-diminished seven, and fully diminished seven) by relating them to the major scale and practicing in different keys. The tutor provided follow-up actions to practice these concepts in various keys.

Minor Scale Practice & Brain "Wiring"

Minor Chord Progressions & The Raised 7th

Understanding Seven Chords

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Student learned 17 days ago

Student and Tutor reviewed and practiced minor scales, arpeggios, and chord progressions, specifically focusing on the 1-4-5 progression in minor keys. The session extensively covered music theory, defining natural and harmonic minor scales through interval patterns and modifications of major scales, and introducing two church modes: Mixolydian and Dorian. Tutor also introduced different types of seventh chords, assigning practice of these concepts in the key of C.

Types of Seventh Chords

Music Theory and Emotional Communication

Arpeggios and Minor Key Chord Progressions

Natural and Harmonic Minor Scales

Church Modes: Mixolydian and Dorian

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Student learned 24 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.

Song Arrangement & Audience

Music Notation Software Workflow

Text Painting & Musical Narrative

Relative Major & Minor Keys

Chord Building & Diatonic Harmony

Harmonizing Melodies with Intervals

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Student learned 24 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.

Mastering Two-Octave Arpeggios

Natural and Harmonic Minor Scales

Jazz Modes: Mixolydian

Jazz Modes: Dorian

Chord-Scale Relationships & Improvisation

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Student learned 26 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.

Bar Chord Shapes and Derived Partial Voicings

Effective Practice: Balance & Musicality

Consistent Right Hand Finger Assignment (Fingerstyle)

Sequential Finger Placement for Chord Transitions

Bach Cello Suite No. 1 Prelude - Navigating Challenging Measures

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Student learned about 1 month 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.

Instrumental Arrangement & Labeling

Rhythmic Notation & Clarity

Musical Tension and Release

Score Formatting and Presentation

Chord Progression & Voicing

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Teaching tools used in music classes

Pitch and Tuning Apps image

Pitch and Tuning Apps

Vocal Range App image

Vocal Range App

Looping Software image

Looping Software

Vocal Warm-Up Apps image

Vocal Warm-Up Apps

Recording Apps image

Recording Apps

Backing Track Libraries image

Backing Track Libraries

Resonance App image

Resonance App

Interactive music lessons

Open Q&A icon

Open Q&A

Note taking icon

Note taking

Parent feedback icon

Parent feedback

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Mobile joining

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Pets are welcomed

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