| My primary goal is to enable my students to become musicians--to allow them to see themselves as musicians. I help my students to take risks such as improvising, song-writing, and performing so that their self-confidence is proven through overcoming authentic challenges. My teaching is holistic in the sense that the empowerment of my student is often as important as music theory. I do this through modeling a love for music and offering a safe environment for creative expression. I am confident that you will not find a better teacher. I am not a traditional music teacher. I do not use standard notation beyond facilitating the reading of melodies in a songbook. I find that using a traditional music curriculum (e.g. Books 1,2,3, etc.) causes most students to get lost in the paperwork, get stuck on the details and loose all sense of lively rhythmic flow. Instead, I rely on guitar tablature, chord charts and/or lyrics with measures charted. Students learn rhythm by ear. Embelished chording, basslines and melodic flourishes are taught as improvisational skills. If you wish to study classical music or if you are literal-minded and are inhibited by creative improvisation, you would be better suited finding one of many great classical guitar teachers in and around Portland. I have a specific style of teaching, playing, jamming, and writing that encourages loose, lively, and daring experimentation. This style seems to work well with kids (and adults) who are naturally playful and spontaneous. |
| NW Portland Guitar Teacher, Rod Ewald 503-467-6199 rodsewald@hotmail.com Sample songs ( wma fast loading): New York , Northern , Long Road , Ghosty , Sailing. Sample songs (mp3 slow loading): New York , Northern , Long Road , Ghosty , All I Want . |
| I want to help people of any age become musicians who can play any style of music with grace and confidence. Music is my passion, my only vocation. I encourage creative self-expression. I can help students write their own music and perform with heart and with power. |
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| I have a studio in NW Portland. I am in the Activspace building at 1720 NW Lovejoy. The building is secure, has a coffee shop, is on the Trolley line, and is halfway between NW 23rd and the Pearl district. You can drive into the courtyard and intercom for access to the elevator. Parents are welcome at lessons. |
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| "Since resuming guitar playing last year I've been taking lessons from Rod, and my experience has been outstanding. Rod's ability to adapt his teaching to different types of students works very well for me. He has struck the right mix of theory with playing, and his breadth of experience and knowledge has made him able to steer me in whatever direction I want to go, be it blues, rock, folk, or bluegrass. I've greatly enjoyed my lessons with Rod, and will continue to seek out his help as I continue to grow as a player." -Cormac Burke |