Maybe you're not sure what you want. Or maybe you're a young one who doesn't know what all this is about. Worry not!

As a multi-instrumentalist and multimedia artist, I can help. I offer a structure of lessons that sets out to do one thing above all else: get you experience with lots of different things. That way, you can try it all, and then choose on your own what you'd like to put your time and energy into.

We'll spend 4 lessons (flexible with goals) with each instrument or digital media tool. We can do as many or as few as you like, and hopefully we find something that speaks to you!

What you can learn

I work with students who want to learn more about:

Instruments

• Drums

  Some say it's the oldest instrument! It sure is mine. I've been playing drums for 20 years, and I love the opportunity to put that experience into guiding students through their rhythmic journeys! I help folks learn how to coordinate their body and mind to fashion beats, improvise, and just PLAY. I also teach reading standard rhythmic/drum set notation, some rudiments, and playing technique.

• Guitar

  The six-string! My second instrument, which I picked up as an angsty teen longing for some melody and harmony. I treat this instrument as the ultimate songwriting tool. Easy to physically pick up, only a little bit less easy than that to learn some chords. After that, you're off to the races and can play and/or sing along with all your favorite songs! I also teach reading chord charts and tabs, scales and improvisation, and playing technique.

• Ukulele

  The approachable one! This lil friend is one of the easiest ways to get into playing music, owing to its small size and nylon strings, both of which are finger-saving factors. Don't be fooled though! You'll still need to learn some rhythm, chord shapes, and basic technique to start singing along. But that's what I'm here for! You got this!

• Bass

  Oh so you're the kind to play it cool, huh? Well here's a secret: everyone wants a bassist, and if you're not in it for the glory, this instrument is an absolute blast to play. It adds dimension, depth, and of course UMPH to every ensemble it's in, and wielding that power comes with great responsibility. But don't worry, I can help you build up the foundation to BECOME the foundation. We'll learn about the fretboard, basics of theory, and locking in rhythmically to create an ironclad rhythm section. I also teach reading tabs, scales and improvisation, and playing technique.

• Piano (Beginning)

  The all-arounder! Playing keys opens up the whole world of music to the player. You can be the whole orchestra! Lots of people say that this instrument lays a good foundation for playing others, and for good reason: you learn about composition, improvisation, theory, harmony, melody, rhythm, timbre, and expression all in one place. For some, that's overwhelming. For others, it's absolutely freeing. I'm the first to admit that this is not my main instrument, but if you are just looking to try it out to see if it's a good fit, I am more than happy to oblige. Plus, if you get to a level I can no longer support, I'll send you to the best I know: my partner Emily Haswell. I do not teach reading standard notation, but I do teach basics of theory, melody and harmony, playing technique, and improvisation.

• Synthesizers

  Knobs and cables! Weird noises and tones! Is this a soundtrack? Sound effects? Standalone music?... Yes! Synthesizers come in many shapes and sizes and even more different kinds of insides. If you want to demystify technical mumbo jumbo and make something weird, you have come to the right place. I teach on all sorts of concepts of synthesis including oscillators, envelopes, LFOs, effects, CV, MIDI, modular synthesizers, samplers, and more. After some time with me, rows of knobs, buttons, and switches will no longer be scary — they'll be an exciting and inviting canvas for you to paint on! Come on over and get your nerd on.

Digital Media

• 3D Animation

  From Disney to video games, short films to commercials, CGI has permeated our mediascape for a long time now, and I love to teach the basics of this media. I use and teach Blender, a free and open-source program used by professionals and amateurs alike. For an example of what's possible in Blender, see the 2024 feature film Flow. I teach basics of 3D objects such as modeling, rigging, lighting, materials, effects, and physics simulations. Build a character for a video game! Make an animated version of your cat! Do a music video for a friend! I'll break it down with ya.

• Photography

  Light (photo-) drawing (-graphy)! Take those photons and make em last forever! Photography can be art, commerce, research, and much more. I teach how to master the tools of the trade: cameras and lenses, lights, and digital editing software, as well as the tools of the mind: composition, visual communication, and process. I can also show the basics of film photography, although I do not have developing capabilities at this time.

• Videography

  Videography is all about capturing a moment in motion, and can be exceptionally rewarding. I teach the basics of using a camera for video, from using the best of whatever equipment you have to polishing a finished video in editing software, and everything in between. We'll do projects like music videos, fake (or real!) advertisements, short films, and more!

• Sound Effects

  BOOM! Bzzzzrt. Ka-Pow! Did reading those onomatopoeias do the trick? Heck no. You gotta HEAR it! I can show you how to build satisfying SFX for your project from the most unlikely of places. Sound effects are all about texture, layering, and processing. I'll teach how to use audio equipment to capture sounds, then how to edit and layer those sounds together, and finally how to process the individual recordings and the sound as a whole in a professional Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). Let's get cracking!

• Audio Recording & Editing

  We have the technology to change moving air into an electrical and then a digital signal and reproduce it with almost perfect accuracy from speakers. Don't tell me you're not at least a little bit fascinated by that! I would be so happy to show you how to use microphones and spaces to make recordings that sound a certain sorta way, and then edit those recordings with software to make them sound even cooler. Maybe layer some different sounds together? Maybe make it sound so weird it doesn't sound at all like what you recorded? Whatever your aim is, I want to help you make your sound come to life! I teach about Engineering: microphone types, mic placement, the influence of space, cables and audio equipment, and Mixing: audio software (Digital Audio Workstations, or DAWs), balance and effects, audio editing, and more.

• Synths + Digital Music

  Knobs and cables! Weird noises and tones! Is this a soundtrack? Sound effects? Standalone music?... Yes! Synthesizers come in many shapes and sizes and even more different kinds of insides. If you want to demystify technical mumbo jumbo and make something weird, you have come to the right place. I teach on all sorts of concepts of synthesis including oscillators, envelopes, LFOs, effects, CV, MIDI, modular synthesizers, samplers, and more. After some time with me, rows of knobs, buttons, and switches will no longer be scary — they'll be an exciting and inviting canvas for you to paint on! Come on over and get your nerd on.