Private Coaching/Lessons Introduction

I am currently holding private coaching/lessons in Los Altos and Mount Hermon. The lessons will be held at First Baptist Church in Los Altos, Bethany University in Scotts Valley, and my music studio in Mount Hermon. Each lesson is tailored to you specifically and can cover guitar, voice, bass guitar, music theory, songwriting, worship leading, and concert artistry. Most lessons are either once a month or twice a month and can be used to enhance other lessons you may be taking. You can even make it a small group lesson if you get some friends at the same level. Most people respond better to individualized intensive discipleship-style coaching/lessons.

It is expected that each student take this commitment seriously and dedicate adequate practice time to fully benefit from each lesson. I expect each student to be filled with initiative, motivation, and a sense of purpose. Come with questions and seek to be challenged. If you cannot make a lesson, please communicate as soon as possible (email or call 831-335-1905). If there is no communication before the lesson, you will be asked to pay for that time missed.

Worship Leadership Coaching/Consulting

I am available to consult with Worship Leaders, Music Directors, Worship Teams, or Church Leaders to sharpen their skill, encourage their passion, give support through difficulties, and train toward effective leadership. As an example, I spent two days with a new worship director and the worship team at a church in Seattle, WA, coaching in worship leadership. After seeing encouraging growth and inspiration in the young worship director, the church leaders have asked me to continue with monthly coaching over the phone and internet. Take advantage of the consulting, coaching, and cohort involvement, tailored to your specific needs. If interested, email or call me at the Heartfelt Music office 831-335-1905.

Private Student Assignments
Students initials, next lesson location, emphasis, day & time.

J.P. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: Thursday, December 27, 1:00pm

• Study about the Modes, especially the Dorian and Mixolydian modes (pp. 98 & 156). Practice soloing over chords with your JamMan (over chords Dm7 and G7).
• Work on the song:
  • Blessed Be Your Name (in G) with Strum #2 and the driving strum straight down.
• Work on the song:
  • What a Friend (in E) with the finger picking pattern studied in the lesson and new chords.
    
    

W.W. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: TBD

Give me a call the first week of January to set up your next lesson.

• Read Soloing over chords (p 156) and modes on page 98
  • D dorian
  • G mixolydian.
• Work on new song with various strums:
  • Everlasting God
    
• Continue to work on song:
  • At the Foot of the Cross (with new F#m)
    
    

C.P. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: Tuesday, January 8, 4:30pm.

• Work on the songs with various techniques:
  • What a Friend (new chords with a flow in the picking pattern)
  • Everlasting God (new chords, muted notes, syncopated driving strums, strum #2 on chorus)
    
    

S.E. - Los Altos, Guitar/Worship Leading
Assignment through next lesson: Monday, January 7, 3:00pm.

• Practice the new chords in G: G5, C2, D4, Em7, and Am7
• Practice the strum (Strum #1 on handout).
• Work on the songs in the key of G:
  • Lord, I Lift Your Name on High
  • Blessed Be Your Name
  • How Great is Our God
    
    

C.C. - Los Altos, Guitar/Worship Leading
Assignment through next lesson: Monday, January 7, 1:30pm

• Work on the songs with various techniques:
  • Blessed Be Your Name (strum #2 with choke)
  • Offering (new chords)
    
• Practice soloing with the C scale on the song Everlasting God.
  
  

D.R. - Los Altos, Guitar/Worship Leading
Assignment through next lesson: Thursday, December 27, 12:00pm

• Work Songwriting as discussed in the lesson
  • Buy a Rhyming Dictionary
  • Buy a Thesaurus
• Work on the songs with various techniques:
  • What a Friend (new chords with a flow in the picking pattern)
    
    

S.W. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: TBA

• Work on the songs with various techniques:
  • How Great Is Our God (in G)
  • Everlasting God (new chords, muted notes, syncopated driving strums, strum #2 on chorus, and barred F chord)
    
    

S.R. - Bethany University, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: TBA.

• Practice the song:
  • Forever God is Faithful
  • Silent Night (finger picking pattern #1)
• There are three ways of organizing songs:
  • The Variety Approach
  • The Converstional Approach
  • The Thematic Approach
    
    

V.S. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: TBA
.

• Memorize the first five traditional chords which are on the C-A-G-E-D sheet.
• Practice these songs in the key of G:
  • How Great Is Our God
    • Strum #2
  • Here Is Our King
    • Strum #2
• Keep working through the chords in the key of E:
  • I Could Sing of Your Love
    • Strum #2
      
      

S.M. - Los Altos, Guitar/Worship Leading/Voice
Assignment through next lesson: TBA

• Continue practicing the songs:
  • What a Friend (sliding up the neck in thirds)
  • Knowing You
  • Everlasting God
• New songs:
  • Offering (Christmas)
  • Silent Night (w/tapping)
• Continue practicing the exercise with triplettes over all the strings in 5th position (the object is to gain familiarity with moving up and down with the flatpick over various strings).
  
  

M.L. - Mount Hermon, Guitar/Worship Leading
Assignment through next lesson: TBA

• In order to get better at flatpick accuracy, practice the exercise in 5th position with the first three fingers (left hand) and Down-Up-Down, Up-Down-Up (right hand)
• For some tasty addatives for soloing, practice the power chords 1-5-1 and also 1-3-5 in three positions following the bass notes.
• Practice the two new modern chords: E/G# and B/D#
• Work through the two chords in the following songs:
  • Let Everything that has Breath (Strum #7)
  • You Alone (Strum #11)
  • You Are the One (Strum #6)
  • Your Love Is Extravegant (Strum #6)
    
• Practice the song Slow Me Down with the new finger picking patturn (see patturn #7 on the handout).
  
  

P.S. - Mount Hermon, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: TBA

I hope your hand is healing and we can start again real soon!

• Practice regularly exercise #1 over the holidays (see handout). As you practice all of the following, remember you are developing muscle memory to improve:
  • Hand strength
  • Finger independence
  • Accuracy - Speed - and Endurance.
• Practice the A Major Scale until you have it memorized and your fingers have not problem playing forward and backward at a medium tempo.
• Familiarize yourself with all the Contemporary Chords in the key of G and E (see handout).
• Work on songs in the key of G:
  • Hallelujah (Your Love Is Amazing)/Brian Deorksen
  • Made to Worship/Chris Tomlin
• Work on songs in the key of E:
  • Let Everything that has Breath/Matt Redman
  • You Are the One/Lincoln Brewster
  • Offering (Christmas version)/Paul Baloche
    
    

E.L. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: Tuesday, January 8, 1:00pm

• Continue practicing the C scale on the top right corner of page 73 and study about building chords off of the major scale (pp72-75).
• Continue working on songs in the key of G:
  • Blessed Be the Name
  • How Great Is Our God (Strum #2 and walking bass to the Em)
• New songs to work through:
  • Forever
  • Silent Night
  • My Chains Are Gone
    
    

S.H. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: Monday, January 7, 12:30pm

• Be aware of the attack, sustain, and release of each note and phrase. Continue practicing the sustain with dynamics and phrasing with a softer release to control the vibrato.
• For the release, sing "He Is Lord" and hold the note at the end without allowing vibrato. Have support, but no tension in the abdominal muscles.
• Practice some of these techniques with the song:
  • Blessed Be the Name
    
    

D.B. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: TBD

It was great to see you again and I look forward to our lessons.

• Practice regularly the third position exercise (left-hand muscle memory and right-hand flatpick technique moving from string to string). As you practice all of the following, remember you are developing muscle memory to improve:
  • Hand strength
  • Finger independence
  • Accuracy - Speed - and Endurance.
• Practice the Single Note Exercises in book.
• Practice the 12-barre blues in the key of A (pp. 148, 149).
• Review materials on improving your voice and work on hitting exact notes (consentrating on controlled air flow):
  
  

R.L. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: Monday, December 17, 2:00pm

• Continue to practice regularly the third string exercise (primarily for left-hand muscle memory) and the third position exercise (left-hand muscle memory and right-hand flatpick technique moving from string to string). As you practice all of the following, remember you are developing muscle memory to improve:
  • Hand strength
  • Finger independence
  • Accuracy - Speed - and Endurance.
• Practice Strum #2 using both your arm and your wrist.
• Look over pages 36 and 37 memorizing the notes.
• Familiarize yourself with the 5 Contemporary Chords in the key of G (see handout): G5, C2, D4, Em7, Am7.
• New Songs in the key of G:
  • How Great Is Our God
  • Blessed Be Your Name
  • Forever
  • Silent Night
• Continue working on songs in the key of E:
  • Indescribable
  • I Could Sing of Your Love
    
    

R.H. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: TBD

I totally understand all the time and energy you need to put on your son at this time, so don't worry about the missed lessons. Give me a call when things seem a little more predictable and we'll set up another lesson. I'll be praying for you, your son, and your family.

• Practice regularly the third string exercise (primarily for left-hand muscle memory) and the third position exercise (left-hand muscle memory and right-hand flatpick technique moving from string to string). As you practice all of the following, remember you are developing muscle memory to improve:
  • Hand strength
  • Finger independence
  • Accuracy - Speed - and Endurance.
• Look over pages 34-46 in the book.
• Practice Strum #2 using both your arm and your wrist.
• Familiarize yourself with the 5 Contemporary Chords in the key of G (see handout): G, C, D, Em, Am.
• Practice Strum #1 using both your arm and your wrist.
• Work on songs in the key of G:
  • Holiness
  • Lord I Lift Your Name on High
    
    

M.S. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: TBD

• Practice regularly the third string exercise (primarily for left-hand muscle memory) and the third position exercise (left-hand muscle memory and right-hand flatpick technique moving from string to string). As you practice all of the following, remember you are developing muscle memory to improve:
  • Hand strength
  • Finger independence
  • Accuracy - Speed - and Endurance.
• Study Major Scale Theory (pp. 72-74)
• Practice Strum #7 using both your arm and your wrist.
• Familiarize yourself with the 5 Contemporary Chords in the key of E (see handout): E, A, B, F#m, C#m.
• Familiarize yourself with the 5 Contemporary Chords in the key of G (see handout): G, C, D, Em, Am.
• Work on songs in the key of G:
  • Made to Worship
• Work on songs in the key of E:
  • I Could Sing of Your LoveOpen the Eyes of My Heart
    
    

L.H. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: Thursday, December 6, 2:35pm

• Practice regularly the third string exercise (primarily for left-hand muscle memory) and the third position exercise (left-hand muscle memory and right-hand flatpick technique moving from string to string). As you practice all of the following, remember you are developing muscle memory to improve:
  • Hand strength
  • Finger independence
  • Accuracy - Speed - and Endurance.
• Practice Strum #2 using both your arm and your wrist.
• Memorize the 5 Contemporary Chords in the key of E (see handout): E, A, B, F#m, C#m.
• Work on songs in the key of E:
  • I Could Sing of Your Love
  • Open the Eyes of My Heart
• Work on the Alternate Tuning Chords and maybe even write some songs with them.
  
  

L.E. - Los Altos, Guitar
Assignment through next lesson: Wednesday, December 7, 4:30pm

• Practice regularly the third string exercise (primarily for left-hand muscle memory) and the third position exercise (left-hand muscle memory and right-hand flatpick technique moving from string to string). As you practice all of the following, remember you are developing muscle memory to improve:
  • Hand strength
  • Finger independence
  • Accuracy - Speed - and Endurance.
• Practice Strum #2 using both your arm and your wrist.
• Memorize the 5 Contemporary Chords in the key of E (see handout): E, A, B, F#m, C#m.
• Work on songs in the key of E:
  • I Could Sing of Your Love
  • Open the Eyes of My Heart
• Practice the C scale on the top right corner of page 73.
• Learn the riff and chords to the song:
  • Rebirthing
    
    
    

Payment with Credit or Debit Cards

To pay with Cash, Check, or Money Order, simply bring your payment to the lesson on the day of the lesson. To pay with Credit/Debit card, click on one of the following PayPal icons. Click here to add the purchase of a book to your cart. Please don't hesitate to call us at (831) 335-1905 if you have any questions. Thank you. 1 Hour Coaching/Lesson $80.00 1/2 Hour Coaching/Lesson $40.00 "They were well-trained and skilled in music, all of them masters at their craft..." (1 Chron. 25:7a)