Teaching

One of the most gratifying aspects of having a long career in music is the opportunity to share my love for playing, writing, and recording with my students. I have taught many students from young beginners who have never played before, to aspiring teenagers and college students with an eye towards a career in music, and also adults who simply wish to explore the music they have loved all of their lives. I will always tailor my approach to meet the needs of my students. I teach in my home studio in Northern Westchester County, NY. I will travel to students in certain circumstances. I also am now available for Zoom lessons.

Contact me to schedule a lesson, or for any questions.

Areas of Study

For beginners:

  • Easy chords.
  • Learning to read melodies.
  • Play simple songs.
  • Play along with backing tracks to learn to play in time.


For intermediate to advanced students:

  • Basic Technique
  • Scales and Arpeggios
  • Mapping the neck
  • Chord voicings
  • Theory
  • Reading


Blues and Rock Improvisation:

  • Looking at the great masters and how guitar playing has evolved in a historic context.
  • Using transcriptions and backing tracks to apply the information.


Jazz Improvisation

  • The theory and techniques necessary to learn the basic language of Jazz.
  • Study standards of the repertoire.
  • Play with backing tracks.


Recording

  • Basic methods of production.
  • Concepts for writing and recording ones own songs.
  • Using Logic software.


Perhaps most important, I try to impart my years of experience learning, practicing, performing, and striving to be an artist and maintain a professional career as a guitarist and musician.

Al Orlo with guitar