The Evolution of a "Street" Player to a Master of Music
I didn't start in a conservatory. Like many of you in Central Arkansas, my roots are in the music of the people. I spent years mastering the grit of the blues, the precision of metal, and the storytelling of folk. However, I eventually hit a ceiling. I realized that to truly master the fretboard, I needed to understand the "math" behind the magic.
Earning an M.M. in Jazz Guitar wasn't about leaving popular music behind; it was about bringing back "academic armor" to the music I loved. When I teach a student a rock solo today, I’m not just teaching them where to put their fingers. I’m teaching them the intervallic relationships, the modal choices, and the rhythmic displacement that makes that solo iconic.
Street Guitar: Popular Music with Professional Mechanics
While my Street Guitar curriculum is focused on popular music, it is built on a foundation of elite technique.
We focus on:
- The Ergonomics of the Pick: Mastering the "down-up" economy of motion used in high-level jazz and metal.
- Fingerstyle Independence: Using classical techniques to master modern folk and ambient textures.
- Hybrid Picking: Combining the pick and fingers for that modern "Nashville" or "Prog" sound.
- Advanced Styles Upon Request: Jazz, Classical, and Beyond
- Although the 80/20 split
of my roster focuses on an adult-first model of popular music, I can also teach advanced Jazz and Classical guitar at a collegiate level.
- It is surprising how often my "Street" students eventually ask to dip their toes into these worlds.
- Jazz: We can dive deep into chord melody, bebop scales, and the complex substitutions that make jazz the ultimate mental workout.
- Classical:
We can work on the counterpoint and "piano-like" approach of the nylon string guitar, focusing on the discipline of the masters like Tarrega or Sor.
Even if these aren't your primary goals, having an instructor who can teach them means your "Street" education is being guided by a much higher standard of excellence.
A Spectrum of Sound: From Worship Music to Metal
The guitar is the most versatile instrument on the planet. My goal is to ensure you aren't limited by your instructor's tastes.
- Worship Leaders: I help you master the ambient textures and "swells" required for modern worship environments.
- Metal Players: We focus on the "shred" mechanics—alternate picking, sweep picking, and the theory behind "darker" scales like Phrygian Dominant.
- Indie & Folk: We work on open tunings and the percussive fingerstyle techniques that define modern acoustic music.
The "Win-Win" of Music Literacy
You get the benefit of my years as a college professor, but we apply that knowledge to the music that actually moves you. It is a win-win situation: you practice more because you love the songs on your "20-Song List," and I ensure you are developing the superior technique that will last a lifetime.
Whether you want to play in a local Little Rock bar or you want to understand the deepest levels of music theory, I have been on both sides of that journey. I have the map, and I can show you the way.
