My passion for teaching stems from the satisfaction of witnessing my students achieving their musical objectives. My extensive experience in teaching music enables me to swiftly recognize the next best step for my students, whether they are beginners or professionals. I have a sharp sense of evaluating their skill levels and can help enhance their musicianship skills in no time. My lessons are highly efficient, and my students see results quickly.
As a beginner, learning the guitar can be fun and exciting while steadily building upon techniques and vocabulary that they will use as an advanced player. I believe that anyone can achieve their musical goals, and I work with my students to create a personalized curriculum that revolves around their aspirations. My goal is to co-create a plan to help them realize the artist, musician, and guitarist within them.
A significant part of learning music is to maintain an effective mindset while practicing. Many students have underlying beliefs that hold them back from reaching their potential. I believe that identifying and working on such beliefs is crucial in developing an effective practice routine. As a music teacher, I collaborate with my students to create a personalized curriculum that focuses on the musicianship skills necessary to play the music they love.
I offer a one-on-one 75-minute lesson session that can be scheduled as per my students' preferences. The session frequency can be once a week, twice a week, once every two weeks, once a month, or whenever necessary. My approach to teaching is holistic, goal-oriented, and measured, which increases motivation, better time management, concentration, and confidence.
I have over 35 years of experience as a composer, performer, clinician, and educator worldwide. I have created The 99 Decisions Guitar Program, an online instructional video course that teaches students effective strategies for time management, setting goals, building confidence, and maintaining a positive mindset. I have been an instructor at the GRAMMY Foundation's Summer Music Career Camp for ten years and currently teaching Music Theory and Songwriting at The ex'treme Institute in Missouri.
My extensive experience in music, along with my passion for teaching, has led me to explore and teach music to individuals who aspire to learn.
Guitar type:
Acoustic, Electric, I can make a recommendation
Interested musical styles:
Rock, Blues, Country, Folk, Jazz, Classical, Recommendations available
Service location:
Remotely
Service Reviews
5.0
41 reviews
Service as described
5.0
Communication
5.0
Punctuality
5.0
ST
Sarah T.
When it comes to guitar instruction, Matthew truly stands out as an extremely supportive teacher. By carefully observing your inherent music understanding and skills, he customizes his lessons to suit your needs. Matthew is also great at encouraging you to not lose sight of the enthusiasm that drove you to want to learn guitar initially, thus preventing it from becoming an overwhelming chore. Not only are his live lessons exemplary, but their integration with the 99 Decisions online sessions makes them even more ideal. Moreover, having the option to take lessons from the comfort of my own home is essential.
January 9, 2023
KR
Kayla R.
Matthew is an exceptional teacher who invested time into conversing with me over the phone to gain a thorough understanding of my guitar skills and aspirations. Consequently, every session is personalized to suit my current proficiency and objectives. The flexibility of booking an appointment at any given moment is a considerable convenience, especially with my busy and unpredictable schedule. What’s more, Matthew’s online program provides an excellent means of practicing in between lessons. I highly recommend Matthew to anyone seeking a top-notch guitar instructor.
October 2, 2022
NG
Nicholas G.
My guitar journey commenced with an introductory session via Skype, where I shared my experience with my guitar. The instructor, Matthew, is a consummate professional with a wealth of real-world knowledge as a musician, and an impeccable knack for teaching. His video lessons complement his teachings, and he prioritizes getting to know his students’ interests to tailor the lessons accordingly while keeping in mind the fundamentals. I am eagerly looking forward to my next session!
August 9, 2022
CL
Christopher L.
Matthew is an exceptional teacher and mentor, taking a detailed approach to individualize each lesson. Beginning with the first phone call, Matthew delves deeply into the student's experience, commitment, instrument, and equipment to tailor the lesson to their needs. Progress is built upon the student's recent accomplishments, and supplemented by the excellent online course, 99 Decisions, that enables self-paced learning and practice. As the student progresses, Matthew suggests appropriate videos to enhance their skills. As a former guitar novice, I have learned an immense amount from Matthew, including musical concepts such as Music, Tune, and Melody, as well as guitar-specific techniques. Matthew's emphasis on the importance of proper guitar tuning for overall development was enlightening. It is rare to encounter someone with Matthew's passion, expertise, and ear for music and guitar.
May 23, 2022
ET
Emily T.
Matt is an exceptional teacher whose series of videos are both focused and concise, providing me, as a beginner, with the necessary building blocks to develop proper alignment and technique. His online sessions, lasting 75 minutes, offer the perfect length for recapping lessons and receiving encouraging and precise feedback. Matt clearly articulates how to adjust or modify my playing technique and expertly demonstrates each technique. His mastery and insights have enhanced every aspect of his guitar program, and his teaching style is exactly what I require- steady, lucid, and inspiring. Within an hour of e-learning and a 75-minute session, I've achieved more knowledge than I had in the initial 6 months with my previous instructor.
