http://www.amazon.com/Wampler-Pedals-Paisley-Drive-Overdrive/dp/B00GJ0AIB6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1386988329&sr=8-2&keywords=wampler+paisley+drive I teach guitar lessons here in Vancouver, WA. Part of my lesson plan is to teach my students how to use their gear ( effects, amps, etc) A lot of folks ask me what kind of overdrive pedals do I like to use? I am a big fan of Wampler pedals, especially his Paisley overdrive. Created in conjunction with Brad Paisley, this pedal offers an over...
Thanks for taking time to read my blog here. I've have a few new students who want to learn how to sing and play guitar at the same time. Or 5 string banjo, mandolin, lap steel or piano. It's possible, but one needs to focus on a few things. Voice lessons: one has to start with the basics: proper breathe control, support, technique and understanding music theory. It's one thing to stand and just sing. Quite another when you are playing an instrument. Vocally one must find the right key...
I am asked the following question: should I start beginning guitar lessons on an acoustic or an electric guitar? My recommendation is based on the following: 1. What kind of music do you want to play? Blues, country, jazz, folk, rock, gospel, bluegrass ? Are you a singer? Do you want to play lead guitar ( speed metal, blues fusion ) or do you like to strum and keep the music going with a strong backbeat? Who are your favorite artists. What's on your iPod / smart phone that you keep...
School is back in session. Now that our schedules are getting back to " normal" now is a great time to begin music lessons. I offer private music lessons for the following: guitar, voice, piano and keyboards, 5 string banjo, mandolin and lap steel guitars. Also, I teach music theory in a way that helps you understand the whys and how's of music. My students range from as young as 5 year old (guitar) to 57 and older ( I won't say who is the oldest) All of my students have this in...
Thinking about private guitar lessons? What kind of guitar should I purchase? How much should I spend on my first guitar? These are questions that come from all of my beginning students. The photograph attached to this blog is my 1973 Gibson J 45 deluxe. It was a pawn shop rescue: it needed some major repair. But one of my friends purchased it from a pawnshop in Nashville, Tenn. Got the J45 into a shop, repaired it and sold it to me. It still has some cracks and scratches, but has...
Lately I have been adding a lot of new students to my music lesson schedule. Starting with 5 string banjo, guitar, voice, keyboards and mandolin, it seems like everyone is ready to get back into private music lessons. One of the most asked questions I get is: " how much time should I spend practicing each day?" That's a good question and I will answer with the following: With a student roster of 25 students with ages ranging from 6 to 57 and above, all of our schedules are...
Learning how to sing properly takes work. For those of us, who sing in bands, churches, choirs, and teach, we can forget how important proper breathing exercises matter. Singing and voice lessons can help you reach your musical goals. Some topics I cover in my private voice lessons are: 1. Singing the vowels. A E I O U. Singing them in a major or minor scale, will help you understand how words sound and feel when we sing them. 2. Learning how to breathe properly when singing a song....
I was asked this question from the mom of a possible student. She was wondering if her 6 year old son was too young to start guitar lessons. In my opinion, children can start learning and understanding music as early as 5 months old. One of my friends is the director of Music Together / Colombia Ridge here in the Camas/ Washougal WA area. We've had quite a few conversations about early musical development in pre schoolers. She and Music Together believe that there is music inside all of us,...
I am asked by a lot of beginning banjo students which book to purchase. I recommend Alred's Teach Yourself to play Banjo.. But choose me as your banjo teacher. It's very easy to comprehend and I like the way the book is laid out. It talks about bluegrass, claw hammer, and frailing in a way that is easy for the beginning student to understand Taking banjo lessons is fun. and for some people, it's actually easier than starting guitar lessons. The chords are often one or two finger,...
Thinking about starting guitar lessons this fall? I have a few openings here in Camas and Vancouver, Wa Above are four of my electric guitars that I teach from. Each has a distinct tone and feel. Let me offer an opinion about each: Fender Telecaster with a B bender. Yes, the B string bends a whole step high, when you pull down on the stap lock. It simulates the sound of a pedal steel guitar. This Fender is an American made Nashville: the three pickups configuration of a Strat, but...