Michael has been performing and studying music since he was eight years old. As a youth he started with voice and trumpet playing in various bands and choirs during his school years. In his early twenties he picked up the acoustic guitar and began to write songs and compose chord progressions. For the past fifteen years Michael has performed and taught music to all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels.

Blues Guitar Lessons
Michael is an experienced rhythm guitarist with a strong sense of groove. His experienced in jazz, brazilian, funk and soul music make him well versed is syncopation and the ‘back beat’. He will teach you funk rhythm guitar fundamentals to get you playing the tightest and funkiest grooves.

• Blues Rhythm Concepts
• Back Beat
• Syncopation
• Triplet Feel [12/8]
• Blues Shuffle
• Bo Diddley Beat

Michael’s experience as a rhythm guitarist has taught him a broad chord vocabulary. Blues guitar chords feature variations of dominant seventh chords. Also learn how to add ‘blue notes’ to your chords for authentic blues rhythm guitar sound.

• Blues Guitar Chords
• Two-String Chords
• Three-String Chords
• Four-String Chords
• Dominant Seventh Chords [ie: E9, E7#9, E13, E7b5, E7b9]
• Chord Bending

Michael is a strong improvisor that understands how to play through the chords of the song. Learn to use the blues scale and five common patterns of the pentatonic scale played on the blues.

• Blues Lead Guitar
• Pentatonic + Blues Scales
• Guitar Blues Boxes
• Double Stops
• Blue Notes [ie: b3, b5, b7]
• Scale Chord Hybrids

About
Michael is a seasoned musician that has performed [and studied] music since age eight. Through his school years [grades 4-12] he studied trumpet and voice playing or singing in concert band, jazz band, marching band, concert choir, vocal jazz ensemble, and more. In high school Michael was selected for all-state and all-county band and choir. He earned top scores at New York State Music Association (NYSMA) solo competitions. [Read full bio]

In college Michael focused on music composition. He studied music theory and composition with Dr. Carol ‘Kia’ Sams and Roupen Shakarian at North Seattle Community College. At NSCC he was mentored in Jazz performance by legendary trumpeter and leader Fred Radke. On campus Michael led the studio jazz combo and played trumpet in the jazz big band. He served as music director and sound designer for Stage One Theater production of ‘Holy Ghosts’ by Romulus Linney. While enrolled he was awarded the Bill Muncie Music Scholarship three times. Under Emmy award winning composer Hummie Mann, he studied film composition at the PNW Film Score Institute.

Michael believes “a musician’s education never stops”. Since college he has continued to study privately with seasoned masters like guitarist Milo Petersen and legendary bassist, composer, and arranger Chuck Israels (Bill Evans Trio) [Read more about Michael’s experience].