Sam
PianoGuitarDrumsBass GuitarCompositionAudio Production
About Sam
Sam has been teaching lessons in the L. A. area in guitar, piano, electric bass, and drums for 15+ years as well as working professionally as a session player and freelance producer, composer and arranger.
He holds a BFA in Composition from the California Institute of the Arts and has worked in arts education for the L.A. Philharmonic, 24th Street Theatre, CalArts and Chapman University.
From 2006-2010, he created and taught his own rock school, providing students with the experience of performing and recording with a band of their peers, and allowing them to showcase their talents for a live audience.
He loves playing and teaching all styles of music including rock, pop, jazz, classical, hip hop, punk, metal, video games, musicals and more.
His lessons have always been centered around acquiring skill and technique using the music that gets YOU excited, and ultimately nurturing your own creative expression by unlocking your ability to improvise on your instrument and create your own songs/Music.
For more advanced students who want to focus solely on this aspect, lessons in Songwriting, Music Production, Theory and Composition/Film scoring are also available.
Some career highlights include scoring the popular Cartoon Network shows ‘OK K.O. Let’s Be Heroes’ and ‘Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart’ from 2018-2020, recording with the City of Prague Philharmonic in 2015, and releasing four albums to date of original music from 2008 to 2013, which are available on all major streaming platforms.
Q&A with Sam
What can you teach me better on your instrument than any other teacher?
All teachers teach songs, technique, reading, etc, and while those are all core aspects of my curriculum as well, my approach has also always emphasized accessing your own creativity and individual voice on the instrument. Whether it’s learning to play your own solos, write your own songs, or learning the songs/pieces that are exciting and meaningful to you, discovering your own unique musical expression is fundamental to my lessons.
How did you learn to play your instrument?
My dad started teaching me drum basics when I was around seven, and I went on to eventually play percussion in my junior high concert band and have formal lessons on drum set. I learned guitar, bass and piano through a lot of self-teaching, studying and playing the greats, and with the help of some amazing classical and jazz piano teachers in my college years.
What equipment do you play on today?
I play Fender Stratocasters, an Alvarez acoustic, and a Young Chang upright piano as well as Logic Pro X and various controllers with an extensive sample library
How do you handle children?
First and foremost the aim of my sessions is to create a fun, safe and nonjudgmental container for creative expression and to nurture a lifelong love of music, while maintaining appropriate boundaries and gentle discipline when necessary. Every young student in front of me is a unique and budding individual, and it is my job to be attuned to their particular learning style and temperament/personality, and to work with them accordingly to tap into their passion, and draw out their natural abilities and talents.
What has been your greatest experience as a musician so far?
Probably a tie between writing music for the Cartoon Network shows ‘OK KO: Let’s Be Heroes’ and “Mao Mao Heroes of Pure Heart’ and getting to professionally produce and release four albums of original music.
What was the biggest stage you played on?
From 2009 to 2011, I got to perform at the Hollywood Bowl for six weeks each summer as part of their Summer Sounds: Music and Art for Kids concert series.
Level(s) Comfortable Teaching
Beginner to Advanced
What languages can you teach in?
English
Bands, Projects, Notable Performances, Collaborations
Cartoon Network, L.A. Philharmonic, City of Prague Philharmonic, Mint Potion/Jake Kaufman studios, South Florida Symphony Orchestra, Mister Barnabus, Atreyu, Don Grusin