Douglas C.

Welcome to the world of guitar! Here's what we will cover. In the beginning we will learn how to tune the guitar and do some ear training. Next, we will start learning the open chords of E, A, and D and talk about strum patterns. After that we will learn more open chords: G and C, and then E minor and A minor. Following that, we will start to learn some common chord progressions using the chords we've learned. This is where you will get a lot of practice transitioning from one chord to the next smoothly. Then I'll yteach you about the different keys and chord "families" so you can play a song in multiple keys. Following this, I will introduce you to Barre chords where you will get a better understanding of how the fret board actually works. Barre chords take a lot of practice and hand strength, but you'll get there! Finally, we'll learn some songs that we can play to--that's when it gets really fun and you get to really envision yourself as a proficient guitar player. My goal is not to make you a virtuoso (I'm not one either) but to get you to a place where you can sit around the campfire and entertain your friends with all the songs you know! Everything I've discussed here will take many lessons--we will go at a pace that is comfortable for you! So let's play guitar!

Welcome to the world of drums! During our time together, this is what we will cover. Since you're a beginner, we will start off by talking about the different parts of the drum kit and getting comfortable hitting them. We'll also talk about how to hold the drumsticks for comfort and effectiveness. Following that, I'll teach you how to play a basic rock beat using the kick drum, snare drum, and either the hi-hats or ride cymbal. Once you've got that down, you'll learn a bunch of variations of that basic beat. Next you'll learn how to play isolated fills and then incorporate them into the beats you play. Once you've got this down, you're ready to play some real songs (the most fun part!). And finally, we'll practice some rudiments like singles, doubles, flams, ruffs, paradiddles, and drum rolls to tighten up your chops and increase coordination. All of this will take many lessons, and we will move at a pace you are comfortable with. So are you ready? Let's play drums!