Lessons
Hello! Here's a guide for how my online lessons work, what you need, what I can offer, and how to sign up.
I am available to teach guitar, bass guitar, 5-string banjo, soprano ukulele, baritone ukulele, mandolin, and renaissance lute. I also teach songwriting, composition, and arranging. I'm also offering one-on-one courses on GarageBand, Logic Pro X, and MuseScore. For modular sound design lessons, I teach with VCV Rack or Vital, two free synthesizers that you can download. If your particular digital audio workstation or notation software isn't listed here, let's still talk about how I can help you learn recording, arranging, and engraving techniques. My rates are still the same: $30/half hour or $45/hour. I accept PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle. You can email me anytime to set up a lesson. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
Here is a list of essential items you might need:
Method BookS
I offer lessons for beginners with the following method books. For intermediate and advanced students, please contact me with your specific goals so we can make the best plans for your lessons. All links are Amazon Affiliate links and open in a new window.
Guitar:
Hal Leonard Guitar Method - Book 1
Hal Leonard Guitar Method - Book 2
Hal Leonard Guitar Method - Book 3
Hal Leonard Guitar Method - Complete (three in one)
Bass:
Hal Leonard Bass Method - Book 1
Hal Leonard Bass Method - Book 2
Hal Leonard Bass Method - Complete (three in one)
Ukulele:
Hal Leonard Ukulele Method - Book 1
Hal Leonard Ukulele Method - Book 2
Baritone Ukulele:
Hal Leonard Baritone Ukulele Method - Book 1
5-String Banjo:
Hal Leonard 5-String Banjo Method - Book 1
Hal Leonard 5-String Banjo Method - Book 2
Piano:
Piano Adventures - Lesson Book - Primer Level
Piano Adventures - Theory Book - Primer Level
Piano Adventures - Lesson Book - Level 1
Piano Adventures - Theory Book - Level 1
Piano Adventures - Lesson Book - Level 2A
Piano Adventures - Theory Book - Level 2A
Piano Adventures - Lesson Book - Level 2B
Piano Adventures - Theory Book - Level 2B
Piano Adventures - Lesson Book - Level 3B
Piano Adventures - Theory Book - Level 3B
Piano Adventures - Lesson Book - Level 4
Piano Adventures - Theory Book - Level 4
Piano Adventures - Lesson Book - Level 5
Piano Adventures - Theory Book - Level 5
Piano Adventures - Lesson & Theory Books - Level 4 & 5
Accelerated Piano Adventures for the Older Beginner - Lesson Book 1
Accelerated Piano Adventures for the Older Beginner - Theory Book 1
Accelerated Piano Adventures for the Older Beginner - Lesson Book 2
Accelerated Piano Adventures for the Older Beginner - Theory Book 2
Computer
Large tablets can sometime work. It needs to be big enough so you can see anything I'm showing you on a large scale. Phone screens are too small in my opinion but some of my students have been able to make that work successfully. I'm more than happy to help guide you towards the right computer/device for your needs and budget.
High-speed internet
If your internet connection isn't stable enough, we might have problems with Zoom. We can always test it out before you commit to anything to make sure the connection will work.
USB Microphone
This isn't a requirement, but it is extremely helpful for me. If the microphone on your device isn't adequate, I might not to be able to hear you clearly enough for you to have an effective learning experience. I personally use the Blue Snowball USB Mic for lessons. For the audio quality it gives at about $40-50, it's unbeatable. We can definitely test your microphone before we set up any lessons to see whether or not you need to upgrade.
Webcam
A lot of computers come with built-in webcams and they are usually quite sufficient. But if you are interested in upgrading, I've used the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 quite a bit in the past and I highly recommend it. And yes, it does have a built-in microphone but it's terrible.
Headphones/Earbuds
This is another optional item. Occasionally I'll be able to hear an echo of my own voice through my speakers. That means that your microphone is picking up the sound that's playing out of your speakers. The Blue Snowball mic usually solves that problem, but some of my students do need to wear headphones during the lesson. Any headphones or earbuds should suffice, as long as they sound good to you and you can easily control the volume for yourself. If you want a recommendation for the best set of headphones you can get for the money, I've used these Sony Headphones for over 20 years. Literally the same exact pair for that long. They're very comfortable, give crystal clear sound, and can be worn for longer periods of time than other headphones.
Email me anytime to talk about lessons!
I hope to hear from you soon!
~Kyle