Guitar Lessons with Paul Blackburn

Paul loves to teach guitar as much as he loves to play it. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, a child or an adult, Paul can work with you to deepen your love of jazz, rock and blues music. The student will learn sight reading, ear training, improvisation and memorization. For young students, the program develops team work ability, listening skills and pattern recognition that benefit them in school and all areas of life! Please give Paul a call at (585) 271-5115 or send an e-mail (check his Contact Page) if you’d like more information.

Also browse testimonials from students and parents.

Paul’s Guitar-Teaching Skills

• Guiding beginning guitar students from the beginner level to the advanced level in sight reading, playing by ear and in technique
• Instructing students in the styles of classical, jazz, blues and pop/rock
• Preparing students for school jazz ensemble auditions, music school auditions, recitals, and the New York State School Music Association SoloFest Competition

Outline of Guitar Program — The Well-Rounded Musician

The student will be able to perform solo pieces, self-accompaniment (melody, bass and chords all at same time), play duets with other musicians, and perform publicly. The student develops along the following guidelines:

Responsibility	Students learn the value of hard work, and of taking responsibility for meeting goals.
Pattern recognition	Student identifies repetition of musical figures and ideas, which is also applicable in math and reading.
Memorization	By memorizing pieces and playing musical memory games, students expand their ability to recall and reproduce information.
Teamwork	Performing duets and playing call-and-response music games fosters listening and ability to function as part of a group.
Imagination	Improvising develops imagination and independent thought, and helps in understanding music from the perspective of a composer.
Listening Skills	Ear training games and learning songs from recordings develop listening ability.
Sight Reading	Reading music provides a classical music foundation, and provides the skills for learning math and foreign languages.
Self-Discipline	By meeting clear expectations and practicing, the student learns the value of self-discipline.
Self Confidence	By working toward a set of goals and overcoming challenges, the student builds self-esteem for all areas of life.
Repertoire	The student must perform and interpret pieces, beginning with simple songs and rounds, then moving to classical, rock, blues and jazz.
Public Performance	The more-experienced students are encouraged to find performance opportunities to demonstrate the their hard work, and to develop poise in front of groups, self-confidence and ability to perform on demand.

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