Artichoke Community Music Teachers

Rod Ewald

Music Bio

I have played, performed and recorded for 35 years. My songwriting, arrangement, and recording can be heard on my website. My studio is located in NW Portland at 1720 NW Lovejoy in Suite #236. I taught in public and private schools for eight years. I taught guitar at Spring Street International School on San Juan Island in Washington State for three years before moving to Portland in 2004 to begin a private music teaching practice. I teach music full-time now.

My greatest strength is teaching beginning to intermediate players. I want to help people of any age become musicians who can play with grace and confidence. Music is my passion, my only vocation. My primary goal is to enable my students to become musicians -- to allow them to see themselves as musicians. My teaching is holistic in the sense that the empowerment of a student is often more important than music theory and sophisticated technique. I am confident that you will not find a better, more fun-loving teacher.

Many new students will begin with structured improvisation in blues/rock. This means that early lessons are fun and powerful rather than tedious and boring. Love for music is increased and the belief that "I could be a musician" is discovered. The student's sense of fun leads to a desire to learn theory and scales. This is better than old-school teaching practices that began with boring scales and led to a dislike of music. In other words, improvisation is the most fun way to learn the rudiments, and more fun feeds the desire to learn.

I welcome beginning to intermediate guitar students of any age who really want to become songwriters and performing musicians. I tailor my lessons to meet the specific goals of my students and thoroughly prep for every lesson. Students may request a song of their choosing and I will prep it and teach it during the next lesson. Whether improvising, writing, or studying a set piece, all lessons include a component of music theory relevant to that material. I offer a carefully organized curriculum of practical, natural music theory aimed at enabling students to communicate with other musicians and to create original compositions. Advanced students can learn to write and orchestrate multiple parts, record on a digital multi-track recorder, process sound, add effects, and create final mixes for high quality demo CD's.

I have a studio in NW Portland. I am in the Active Space building at 1720 NW Lovejoy, Suite #236. The building is safe and secure, has a coffee shop, is on the Trolley line, and is halfway between NW 23rd and the Pearl district. Parents are welcome at lessons.

I am more interested in creating fluid musicians than in teaching students to imitate complicated clusters of heartless notes while alienated in a practice room. If you have ever had a teacher who can play but can't teach, I can help. I am a better teacher than most musicians. I am a friendly, fun, empowering, and encouraging player and teacher. I create a safe learning environment where fun and love for music spark the learning.

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