B.Mus (Humber)
Simon is a recent graduate of Humber College, being very passionate about both bass and guitar for over 15 years. He is also a prominent member of the Toronto rock scene, having booked venues, and played shows throughout the city. Simon has had the pleasure to study with the likes of Ted Quinlan, Mike Downes and Justin Gray. With 2 years of teaching experience at Long and McQuade, Simon creates a personalized learning experience for each student in a friendly and non-judgemental learning environment.
Simon is mostly focused on his original music in his free time, with a strong love for composition and theory.
Get to know TEACHER…Beyond the Bio!
Hobbies: Writing, Movies, Photography
Musical Influences: Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Courtney Barnett, Daniel Romano
Favourite Food: Tacos
Favourite Music: Rock, Hip Hop
Favourite Song: Bold as Love by Jimi Hendrix
Favourite Movie: Bladerunner 2049
Favourite movie music: Submarine
Favourite musical theatre: Singing in the Rain
Best Quote From a Teacher: “Don’t get frustrated when you fail. Use that energy to try it again.”
Favourite Book: Just Kids by Patti Smith
Best thing about teaching at ABC: To have a student feel proud of themselves for how far they have come.
Latest Homework from Simon
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Nov 15 – Emet, Eric, Jayden, Joshua, Marshall, Tammy
Emet
Nice work on Eye of the Tiger, keep it up! Focus on the intro and the riff this week. Remember the 2 ways to build up to the speed of the intro: quarter notes to eighth notes to sixteenth notes as well as to start with sixteenth notes and increase speed slowly. Try both! Work on the Resistance this week. We will finish that one next time. Nice work!
Eric
Great work on the new tunes! Practice Viva la Vita and Early Morning Rain this week. Keep working on Midnight Rider. It is really tricky but there are some great things to learn from it. Start by getting that D bar chord shape (from the A string). Then try to get the riff going underneath it. Remember the concept is we are playing a D chord, and playing a moving bass line underneath it. Great job!
Jayden
I Bet You Look Good On the Dance Floor is sounding awesome. Keep practicing it! Nice work on Here I Go Again today! Practice those bar chord shapes for next time. They are very important! We will keep working on this one next time! Keep bringing in tunes you want to learn. Great work!
Josh
Nice work today! Practice Don’t Go Slow this week. We did not get to the bridge but we will go over it next time. Work on increasing the speed if you can. Have a listen to the song, it will help a lot! Next time, we will work towards making the single notes into full chords. Nice job!
Marshall
Twist and Shout sounds great! Nice work on Here Comes the Sun! It is tough, but it is a great one to know. The part we went over today is the intro, both the riff and the chords. Next time we will learn the rest on the song. Great work!
Tammy
Nice work today! Perfect is sounding really good. Remember to use the proper rhythm when playing through the chords. Each chord plays 12 times (count to 3, 4 times). Remember to accent the “1” when counting, as it is really important for feel and not getting lost. Practice the two sections we went over. We will finish this song next time. Bring in another song you want to learn! Nice job!
Oct 13 – Emet, Katarina, Kaylee, Van, Simon, Layla
Emet Keep working on Heartbreaker and Black Dog, those sound [...]
Preferred Books for Simon’s Students
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Hal Leonard Guitar Method COMPLETE
The Hal Leonard Guitar Method is designed for anyone just learning to play acoustic or electric guitar. It is based on years of teaching guitar students of all ages, and reflects some of the best teaching ideas from around the world. This super-convenient Complete Edition features the new and improved method books 1, 2 and 3 spiral-bound together.
Alfred's Basic Guitar Method
Recognized for over 50 years as the best-paced and most comprehensive guitar method available, Alfred’s Basic Guitar Method has introduced over 3 million beginners to the joy of playing guitar. This updated and expanded edition features a new layout, making it easier to read and learn. Now included are blues, country, folk, jazz, and rock styles, plus more pop songs! New DVDs with iPod-compatible video are now available for the visual learner, and correlating theory, chord, and pop books ensure that you’ll get everything you need from one complete method. Learning to play has never been easier or more fun than with Alfred’s Basic Guitar Method—the first and best choice for today’s beginning guitar students.
Guitar Grimoire
Every chord of every key and mode is presented with thousands of diagrams and charts. Includes polychords, chord substitutions, inversions and movable voicings.
This indespensable volume belongs in every guitarist’s library.
This book is a “where to” book, showing you exactly where to find any chord in any key on your fretboard. It is a professional reference tool to enhance your music library and playing that you will use for many years to come.
