Ukulele Lessons

I didn’t know how to play guitar and went to my very first guitar lesson with a broken string! Jerry was kind enough to fix it and teach me how to tune my guitar. He is a magnificent instructor and really takes time to get to know students in a personal way so that he may understand their strengths as a musician in a much deeper perspective than most instructors. When Jerry used to deconstruct songs for me to learn, he would explain the music theory, history, and ‘riffology’ behind the artist and their song. You don’t feel nervous when you’re around him and he really puts you at ease with his carefree- yet superior God-like guitar skills. Rock, Blues, Jazz, Classical- you name it and he can do it! So long as you’re willing to work, anyone can learn how to play guitar and even those who already know can further advance their skills with Jerry’s guidance.

Jerry is a great teacher. He created a series of mix [cassette] tapes [this was a while ago, folks (me)] for me with classic blues and rock tunes that we used in lessons to help me improvise. Jerry won’t just teach you songs, he’ll teach you how to jam! A true professional, veteran rocker, and a fantastic musician. Periodically, I meet guitarists who also studied with him and they are always a cut above the rest.

I have never sat closer to a better guitar player in my life. At my first lesson, I told Jerry that I wanted to play like this person or that person. After that lesson, the only person I wanted to play like was Jerry. I used to stop him and say, “show me how to play that lick!”, or “what made you decide to play that.” He would always remind me to take it slow, yet practice more.

When I was his student I practiced around 6-8 hours a day, everyday, for years. Now 20 years later, I am pretty much able to do/play whatever I want with the instrument, controlling sound with emotion.

Jerry really takes his students to the next level. He explains more than just theory and licks, and slowly lets you into his approach on music, visualizing the fret board, playing with dynamics, etc. One of the best pieces of advice jerry gave me was to learn the opposites. I would ask, “should i finger pick this or flat pick it? Should I use economy picking or alternate? Should I think theoretically, play licks, or just play whatever comes out.” His reply was, learn them all. so very true.