Private music lessons for beginner and intermediate students on piano or guitar
I am now offering classes for a very limited number of students. Bi-weekly group lessons on guitar are also in the works. Private half hour lessons will be on Friday mornings only.
If you are interested in getting on a waiting list, please send an email at guitarcoach@goodman4.com
Updates on group lessons will be on this page once we pick a time and place. Group lessons are for all levels of guitarists 12 years of age and up, with exceptions for pre-approved students with demonstrated skills. Maximum of 10 students per session, so pre-registration will be required.
My musical history began with traditional piano lessons at 8 years of age which lasted until I was 16. I was involved in band as a trumpet player from 5th grade through high school holding first chair through almost all of high school and participating in marching band, pep band and jazz band.
I had a shift in musical direction at 16 when I started learning the guitar. At the same time, a friend with a local studio showed me how to play piano by chords and everything changed. I still could sight-read music very well, but playing by chords opened up all the music I wanted to play and have it sound more like the recording than what was in the books.
I considering majoring in music in college but I decided I could play music for fun and would get a career, so I majored in computer science at SIU Carbondale. I took music theory classes as electives to fulfill my love for music while learning software development. In my Sophomore year I had another major shift and found the joy of telling people about Jesus through music. This showed me what my real calling in life was about. I have been in a couple local Christian bands and have been a part-time church music director/worship pastor for 13 years in Illinois and then started the worship program at New Work Fellowship in Hopkinsville where I was worship pastor for several years at three different points in their history. I was blessed to be able to do this part time while leading a global IT team in my "real job". I still proudly serve with Josh on the praise team at NWF on keyboards, rhythm guitar and lead guitar. Last year I retired from a long career as an IT Director and am focusing on hobbies and helping others learn to play music.
For teaching piano, I can use either traditional notational learning with some emphasis on chords or a chord only methodology with only as much theory as the student needs to play in a band.
For guitar I prefer standard guitar lessons without notation theory but can teach that upon request. The best guitarists I know read very little or no music so it is not very important on guitar.