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Testimonials

Testimonials from previous/current students:

"I learnt more than I ever did in the past few months with my previous guitar teacher simply because he (Az) can effectively get the message across while keeping the subject matter simple. You won't regret it!"

Arthur Song, age 17, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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"Az Samad is a wonderful musician and teacher. He is familiar with a vast array of guitar styles and techniques from classical to contemporary. What's more, he knows how explain the guitar in simple terms."

Eli Harrison, M.Mus. student, San Francisco, California. 

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"Az has a flawless technique for teaching guitar concepts, and is one of the top guitar players in the Bay Area. I highly recommend him for lessons or gigs!"

Keith Hunter, age 22, SJSU Music Education and Trombone Performance major, San Jose, California.

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"Az Samad is not only an incredible performer but has the ability to explain the techniques behind his phenomenal playing. His knowledge expands from Classical to nearly every contemporary style under the sun. Along with his teaching skills, Az has the ability to truly inspire his students to be outstanding musicians. Mr. Samad's teaching style is perfect for beginner, intermediate and advanced students!"

Alex Upegui, SJSU B.A. in Vocal Performance, San Jose, California.

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"Through our weekly guitar lessons, Az has inspired me in fingerstyle guitar. Our musical pursuits in class as student and teacher have broaden both our musical interests in terms of genre; our sources of music come from the current Top 40s to videos on YouTube, to classical sheet music. Az is an awesome teacher who is passionate about every song he plays."

Johnny Wong, High School Student, Fremont, California.

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"As a student of many guitar instructors, Mr. Az Samad stands among the greats. His humble and patient approach, along with a wide breadth of knowledge, combines to create a perfect learning environment. Mr. Samad has an innate ability to pinpoint problem areas and focus your practice in a way that is enjoyable and highly productive. Simply put, a lesson with Mr. Samad is a truly 'Azesome' experience."

Mason Hutchinson, SJSU Undergraduate, San Jose, California.

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" My lessons with Az has turned out to be one of the most valuable and worthwhile experience throughout all the time I've spent on the guitar. It is not just the instruction of technique but the impartation of his experiences, thoughts & observations, interjected with humour and good advice that sets him apart from the rest. Highly skilled and an excellent teacher, Az is a must for anyone looking to improve themselves as a guitarist. "

Aidan Chung, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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"Az Samad was born to play teach and play the guitar! He is a natural! His style of teaching is easy to understand. Each time I met with him I was amazed at how easily he could get his point across. Every time I asked him a question in class, he was always knew the answer. Az is an excellent teacher! He is patient, kind and an expert at his craft! You will do well to learn from him."

Barbara Ramos, SJSU Music Education Major, San Jose, California.

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"As a private student of Az, I can simply say that no other private lesson I've attended was as comprehensive for both practical & theory. Not a single minute was wasted. The session I attended filled me full of new knowledge & vision that I later applied to my very own music.

Az was so helpful that he was even willing to let me organize a group workshop for my guitar community, ACPickers. Everyone who attended the workshop had nothing but good things to say and were satisfied with the overall output! I'm already looking forward for the next one which is coming soon at the end of the year!

Az is not only a great performer - full of sense of humor but also great educator who is willing to teach and share all that he has learnt and experienced!"

Yowech Yong, Guitarist and Music Teacher, Malacca, Malaysia.

Teaching Highlights

Recent Workshop:
Tues, Feb 21 | University of Asia and The Pacific, Philippines
Campus Workshop Tour in conjunction with Philippines International Jazz Fest 

Currently scheduling workshops for 2012. Interested in organizing one? Contact me here!

I've Conducted Workshops At: 


___________________

Online Lessons/Transcriptions

Truefire.com Lesson - 4 Exercises For The Right Hand (US$0.99 - includes MP3 and PDF file)

Free Lessons:

Hybrid Chords and the II-V-I Chord Progression (includes MP3 & PDF)
CAGED Fingering Concept
Ideas on how to learn a song
Latah Setinggan Transcription - A section
Score/Transcription for Senja Mula Menangis

And more free lessons on:
www.achordaday.com
guitarharmony.blogspot.com

Selected blog posts:

On composing (March 5, 2004)
On the creative process (March 31, 2004)
Music and inspiration (Jun 1, 2004)
On attending Eric Roche's Residential Guitar Workshop (Oct 10, 2004)
Different aspects of the guitar (Oct 14, 2004)
Random notes about the guitar (Oct 29, 2004)

______________________

I've taught at:

Northern California Music & Art Culture Center (NCMACC) , San Francisco, CA
SF Guitars Not Guns (Beginner and Intermediate Group Guitar Classes) - San Francisco, CA
The Music School, Sunnyvale, CA
Berklee College Of Music (Faculty, Berklee Summer Guitar Sessions 2007 & 2008) - Boston,MA
The North Beach Teen Program Guitar Classes @ Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center - San Francisco, CA
San Jose State University (Co-teacher for Guitar Fundamentals Class and Teaching Assistant for Jazz Improvisation I Class)
De Anza College (Teaching Assistant for Intermediate/Advanced Guitar Class)

And conducted music workshops at:

Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, USA. 
Freight and Salvage, Berkeley, California, USA.
Culturefest 2008, Pipestem, West Virginia, USA.
San Jose State University, San Jose, California, USA.
Evergreen Valley High School, San Jose, California, USA. (Guitar Outreach w/ Steve Lin)
International College Of Music, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Malaysian Institute of Art, Taman Melawati, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
AC Pickers @ Freeman Guitars, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Guitar Collection Subang Jaya, Malaysia
Music Hut, Damansara Perdana, Malaysia
Young Choral Academy, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Damansara Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Kl SingSong Festival 2006

« Wanna Learn Percussive Fingerstyle Guitar? | Main | You Can Learn Jazz! with Az Samad »
Sunday
Oct092011

Lessons for All Musicians

I've been getting inquiries whether I teach lessons for other musicians besides guitarists.

The answer is...

Yes!

If you're interested to study...

  • Composition
  • Improvisation
  • Jazz & Contemporary Harmony/Theory 

You're in the right place!

Are you an aspiring composer?

I help aspiring composers to compose music that brings out their personality. When you study with me, you'll learn how theory and your intuitive musical sense can come together. You'll learn classic composition techniques and how master composers use them. The lessons will be very hands-on so you will be composing every week and developing your skills to the next level. 

"I was interested in learning more about song writing, but have always had the fear of writing my ideas and having others listen to them. I had a Skype session with Az and learned about many a variety of valuable things, such as where to get an idea and how to translate that idea into a musical composition. I wrote my first song (Night, in Farsi, “Shab”) in 15 minutes, and I was actually pleased with it. It is amazing how creative one can get if the motivation and excitement is behind a project. Az gave me the motivation to get started. I am not a composer and did not study composition at music school, I am a vocalist who has very little knowledge of the 'rules of composition,' yet, Az created a very friendly environment that taught me and my boyfriend (an engineer) how to get our ideas organized and use them in making some very fun musical projects." 

Sara Renee Morajev, Professional Vocalist & Music Educator, Livermore, California.

 

*****

Are you an improvising musician?

You're on stage. Your bandmates are looking at you and you take your solo. The first few bars sound great and you begin to be more confident. Suddenly, you reach that one section that always confuses you. You draw a blank. You play softer, You play less, you try to find the notes but fail...

You're a wonderful musician. All these years of study and now you can play your instrument. Put any score in front of you and you read it flawlessly... But, on that one gig when you're asked to improvise, to take a solo - you hesitate. You politely say no and explain you don't improvise. Your fellow musicians nod understandingly.

You smile.

But, as they look away, you wish you could improvise. You wish you could make up melodies just by knowing what chords or key you're in. You wish you could play the notes off the page...

Has this ever happened to you?

Imagine if you could:

  • Play solos over any chord progression, no matter how complex!
  • Learn to conquer chords that confuse even the most experienced musicians and play beautiful melodies!
  • Understand how to practice improvisation and not just rely on the same old licks you learned years ago!

You can... and you will!

When you study improvisation with me, you'll learn...

  • The secret to practicing improvisation (how professional musicians work on getting those amazing melodies that sound like them!)
  • How scales, arpeggios and chords all connect together (and how to make your playing not sound like a rehearsed exercise!)
  • How to play on different styles of music: rock, pop, R&B, Jazz, Blues... and how you can teach yourself to play in styles you're not used to.
  • Jazz Improvisation Techniques that you can use to develop your own unique sound

******

Does music theory fascinate you but Jazz Theory scares you?

If you've always wanted to learn Jazz & Contemporary Harmony... but never found a teacher that could explain it in a practical real world sense, now you're in luck. 

I love Music Theory. I love Jazz Harmony. And...

I love teaching it.

When you take Harmony and Theory lessons with me, you will learn a step-by-step approach of understanding Contemporary Harmony. You will see how everything is build upon layers of sound. You will learn how even the most complex harmony relates to a simple three-chord (or even two-chord) progression. 

Never taken formal lessons? Don't worry! I will help you by explaining it from the very start. =)

******* 

I currently teach:

  • In-person private lessons in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • SKYPE live video lessons worldwide. 
  • Private Lessons when I'm on tour (I'll be in Philippines in Feb 2012!)

Get quality world-class music private instruction customised for your musical style and level of skill at a fraction of the price.

I’ve taught at the Berklee College of Music Summer Guitar Sessions in 2007 and 2008. These week-long summer programs attract talented guitarists from all around the world. They pay more than RM3400 for four days of classes. I taught three sections of group classes called Fretboard Harmony classes.

My students have included Malaysian singer-songwriters Pete Teo, Rendra Zawawi, Ariff Akhir, Lisa Zahran, Amitabh Chandra, Canadian recording artist Grace Sng, classical guitar virtuoso and recording artist Steve Lin and San Francisco based classical guitarist/singer-songwriter Eli Harrison among others.

You can learn from me too, with options to suit your style and where you currently want to go for music direction.

Choose between two options:

1. Masterclasses: 1-2 classes focusing on a few specific areas of your playing. 

2. Focused weekly lessons: 3-7 sequential classes, includes weekly assignments that build your skills gradually. Each class prepares you for the next.

You can take a single lesson or save on the hourly rate with a 4-lesson package. Once I receive your booking, I’ll e-mail you to schedule the first session. Lessons are 1 hour long.

1. Single Lesson - RM150

2. Package of 4 Lessons (Save RM60) - RM540 (That’s RM135 per lesson)

3. Package of 8 Lessons (Save RM180) - RM1020 (That’s RM127.50 per lesson)

4. Package of 12 Lessons (Save RM360)  - RM1440 (That’s RM120 per lesson)

If You're Ready To Take Your Music To The Next Level,
If You Want World-Class Music Instruction,
If You Want Personalized Lessons That Focus On You,

Send me a message here: http://www.azsamad.com/contact 

Please include:

  • Your name and location  
  • Your musical background (how many years you've been playing)
  • What you'd like to learn. 

I look forward to hear from you. =)

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