Piano Maestro App Review

My name is Peter Fargo and I have played the guitar for 39 years. As a young lad, I am one of the many that saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show and experienced an eventual life-changing moment. I’ve been fortunate to realize quite a few of the goals created by this experience. I started a journey that has resulted in a great amount of hard work, fulfillment, and pleasure. This journey continues and is never-ending.

I was also blessed to have the experience of growing up with several cousins that were exceptional musicians. All became professional musicians. So never short of having excellent mentors, I was also fortunate to have good friends, talented musically, that fostered an open, creative, even experimental, musical culture beyond typical musical environments that were mainstream. This combination of technical brilliance and creative freedom made me the musician I am today. For better or worse.

I am self-taught and have played the guitar and studied music for 39 years. If I can teach myself, I believe I can teach you. I know I can teach you.

I believe I’ve put myself in a position where I can play what I want to play. Isn’t that how we all start? We like what we hear. We desire to create what it is we’re hearing. Whether it’s a solo acoustic guitar, an electric lead guitar, or some other aspect of the music, the sound creates a desire within us that goes beyond the ability to simply listen. No one thinks “If I could play the guitar, I could play jazz even though I can’t stand jazz (note that the hidden treasure here is playing the guitar may cause you to develop an affection for jazz).

Generally, there are three types of students: 1) This person wants to primarily play the acoustic guitar and have the ability to accompany themselves (or others) while they sing and play songs. I can provide you with a knowledge of all of the necessary chords, the exercises to develop your fingers to make such chords, the underlying theory regarding the usage of chords, and the ability to use these skills to make music.

2) This person may already have some ability and wants to learn how to play lead guitar in addition to knowing how to play songs on electric and acoustic guitar. I can provide you with a knowledge of the scales necessary to play lead guitar, the exercises to develop your fingers, the underlying theory regarding the usage of skills, and the ability to use these skills to make music. For this player, I can also provide the ability to play anything anytime with regard only to the key of the musical piece.

3) This individual just wants to learn how to play the guitar and is open to the notion that it takes them on an unknown journey, i.e., it takes them wherever it takes them. I can provide all of the above in addition to helping you carve out or sculpt your musical identity as a guitar player.

Everything mentioned above is not all-inclusive. I can provide you with the ability to find the creative person within you so that you have the ability to create your own music. It has little to do with music theory but everything to do with how you hear music and accept what it offers.

I’ve used my law degree for the last 25 years to make a living while playing in bands and occasionally teaching. I’ve now decided to make a full-time commitment to teaching. I have an abundance to share and believe I can communicate this knowledge and experience in a fun and fairly simple way. I say “fairly simple” because any student of the guitar will have to make some significant effort. Remember: You will get out of it what you put into it. I am not a magician. No teacher is.

Remember that part of your lesson cost goes beyond your weekly 60 minute lesson. Because I take into consideration each individual student’s needs, I work from an individualized lesson plan. This may vary in time and scope week to week based upon the material and the speed in which you learn such material. It’s an unprepared teacher that says “so where did we leave off last week?”

I would like to have a telephone or webcam conversation with each prospective student so both of us can simultaneously get acquainted and make sure that we are comfortable with each other. See the “Signup” Page for more details.

Video and print reference materials are available on the resource link/page. I will update it regularly.

Favorite guitarists, bassists, musicians and/or influences, inspirations Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa, Robert Fripp, Phil Manzanera, Allan Holdsworth, Al DiMeola, Joe San Filippo (Butch Armstrong), Richard Thompson, John McLaughlin, Bill Nelson, Steve Howe, Steve Hackett, Ted Greene, Joe Diorio, Tommy Tedesco, Tom San Filippo, Vito San Filippo, Darren Frate, Joe Walsh, Glenn Schwartz.

Rock/Blues/Folk influences, inspirations The Beatles (primarily John Lennon and George Harrison), Peter Townshend, Buddy Holly, Howlin’ Wolf, Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, Brian Ferry.

Fusion/Progressive/Jazz/Experimental influences, inspirationsFrank Zappa, King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, Bill Bruford, Tony Williams, Return to Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Van Der Graaf Generator, Yes, Brian Eno, David Rukosky.