Daniel Pitt

B.Mus (UofT)
Advanced Diploma in Music (Mohawk)

Daniel Pitt is a guitarist, composer and arranger currently based in Toronto, Canada. He is currently enrolled in the Music Performance program at the University of Toronto.

Through an array of different music genres, Dan has studied music and the guitar for over 10 years. He has been active in both his hometown of Hamilton and his current home of Toronto playing music of all varieties while mainly focusing on jazz studies. Dan has had the opportunity to study with great musicians such as Bob Shields, David Restivo, Geoff Young, Tony Malaby and Brad Shepik. He has also worked with other musicians such as Pat Collins, David Braid, Terry Promane, Michael Attias and Michael Formanek. He has also recorded with groups such as the Hamilton All Star Jazz Band and the University of Toronto 12tet.

Dan’s teaching experience includes private guitar and piano lessons, as well as both solo and ensemble instruction for brass, woodwind and percussion instruments.

Get to know Daniel…Beyond the Bio!

Musical influences: Bill Frisell, Ed Bickert, Ben Monder, Tosin Abasi, Jakob Bro, Paul Motian, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Lee Konitz, Lennie Tristano, Charlie Christian, Pink Floyd, The Police

Favourite food: Ramen

Least favourite food: Chili

Favourite music: Modern Jazz, Folk and Creative/Improvised Music

Favourite song: “Blue Mountains” by Sam Amidon

Favourite movie: Star Wars

Favouirite movie music: Star Wars

Favourite musical theatre/opera: West Side Story

Best quote from your teacher: “There are more important things in life than music” – Geoff Young

Favourite quote: “Do or Do Not. There is no try.” – Jedi Master Yoda

Favourite book: “Pure Rhythm” – Adam Rudolph

Best thing about teaching at ABC: Sharing music and making music with inspired students!

Latest Homework from Daniel

Is Daniel Your Teacher?

Mondays
Wednesday

Mondays

Hello all,

Here is this week’s homework:

Samuel

This week we continued to look at “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor. The main focus here is to get into feeling the 16th notes over the quarter note pulse. To do this, put the metronome on a comfortable tempo for a quarter note pulse. Start to play quarter notes along with it. The note choices are up to you. Next, try to break it down into eighth notes and then sixteenth notes. You can also try to practice this along with a recording of the song.

Jack

This week we looked at notes of the G string. G and A. We also looked at a short “Etude” in your guitar book. Take a look at this melody for next week.

We also looked at “Whatever it Takes” by Imagine Dragons, specifically the chorus line. Right now we are practicing only the bass notes of the chord. Try to play alone with a recording of the song and focus on switching notes with the song.

Have a great week everyone!

Wednesday

Homework (Jan 17th to Jan 23rd)

Hello all,

Here is this week’s homework:

Kiran

This week we looked at the chords to the verse of “Africa”. These are a little trickier than the chorus chords so for this week just focus on practicing the chords individually. Try to focus on getting a good sound and strum each chord a few times to get comfortable with the grip.

Koel

This week we focused on switching between the D chord and the C chord. These are two chords that come up frequently in the song that we are working on, “Ahead by a Century”. Try playing these chords back to back at a steady tempo. The aim here is to speed up the time it takes to switch between chords. Keep working on this, and the chord shapes will start to become muscle memory and you will know the shape always.

Luca

This week we looked at notes on the B string. We saw that there are a few similarities with these notes and ones on the E string. For example, the note E is found on the open E string but also the 5th fret on the B string. We are now focusing on the B string playing from open B to B on the 12th string. Just like on the E string, say the notes as you go along so that you can visualize the note name and not the fret number.

Preferred Books for Daniel’s Students

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Hal Leonard Guitar Method

Book 1, with CD

The second edition of this world-famous method by Will Schmid and Greg Koch is preferred by teachers because it makes them more effective while making their job easier. Students enjoy its easy-to-follow format that gives them a solid music education while letting them play songs right away. Book 1 provides beginning instruction including tuning, 1st position melody playing, C, G, G7, D7, and Em chords, rhythms through eighth notes, solos and ensembles and strumming.

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The Advancing Guitarist

Veteran musician and educator Mick Goodrick presents practical information for guitarists who want to improve their playing technique and style and simply become better musicians. Rather than a step-by-step method book, the information is presented in a general essay format, discussing ways that the various techniques covered may be applied by the advancing guitarist to enhance his/her own style of playing, some of the areas discussed include: basic fingerboard mechanics * modes, scales and chords * contemporary harmony * harmonica and overtone influences * being self-critical * improvising short pieces * different playing situations.

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Charlie Parker Omnibook (C Instruments)

The Omnibook has become the book to turn to when you want to master the Bird. Includes 60 solos such as Anthropology * Au Privave (Nos. 1 and 2) * Billie’s Bounce * Blues for Alice * Chi Chi * Confirmation * Constellation * Dewey Square * Donna Lee * Ko Ko * Moose the Mooch * Ornithology * Scrapple from the Apple * Shawnuff * Yardbird Suite * and more. Transcribed by Jamey Aebersold and Ken Slone. Spiral-bound, with chord symbols, metronome markings, record information, and practice suggestions. “One of jazz education’s holy scriptures.”

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