About Lessons
Ben's students have availability to bare bone beginner to advanced lessons on guitar, bass, drums, music theory, songwriting, personal recording, beginner to intermediate keyboard or piano and voice. All ages are welcome from age six to sixty-six and beyond. (Piano and drum students can begin at age 4-5) Most lessons are private with semi-private available for friends or family and summer camps.
He offers classes, semi-private, family share, and private lessons for homeschooling students with grades, syllabus and attendance record keeping if requested. Talk to your co-op about booking a class together at the center.
Ben's heart is to develop each student to their potential with a patient and encouraging teaching style. He is a teacher at heart, so he uses books and structure to move his students along the path of learning quickly. Several of his students have won college scholarships for their guitar playing excellence.
Students customize their lessons for their particular style and taste. From mellow soft worship to rocking with your favorite band on the radio, Ben can take you into whatever music arena you enjoy. He teaches classical, alternative, rock, praise and worship, contemporary Christian, gospel, folk, country, classic rock, blues, and jazz, along with theory, personal song writing, personal recording techniques on your home pc, or learning how to play in a band or on a praise team. He was the lead guitar teacher at the music store during his time there, so this is a strong area of expertise and majored in Classical Performance Guitar.
Each student can choose not only their style of interest in music, but the particular artists they enjoy. Guitar students can choose from tablature, play by ear, or theory/ sight reading or a combination of all three. He also offers play in a band and developing youth praise team classes and works in conjunction with churches to develop their youth music programs.
Besides private individual instruction, he also offers a monthly Contemporary Christian Ensemble class and a Play in a Band Class. These are designed to help students learn to play with other instruments, learn to lead worship, and includes a brief teaching on the heart of music ministry. He also works with developing youth bands as a unit to learn to play together to develop stage presence and a tight sound together. Students accepted in these classes by audition or invitation only.
His fees for lessons are competitive with local music stores even though he operates a private studio.
As a teacher, Ben's goal is to see every student become not only technically correct, but "musical", getting a feel for their instrument and a love for music that will last a lifetime.
Though Ben loves teaching all his students, his passion is to raise up a new generation of excellent Christian youth musicians and bands. If your interest lies in learning Christian oriented music for personal playing or to play on a team, Ben keeps on the cutting edge of Christian music of all kinds. If you have the desire to use your music in ministry, the Worship Training Center (www.worshiptrainingcenter.com ) often utilizes his private students who desire to help with outreach concerts. Ben utilizes the latest worship in the teaching format rather than the old favorites alone. Whether you love Toby Mac, Hillsongs, Passion, Third Day, Switchfoot, or Casting Crowns or anyone in between, Ben usually is very familiar with most current artists and their latest releases.
See contact page for videos of a variety of genres available.
Out of the area?
SKYPE lessons available!
