Contacting John Petrucci : Guitar Lessons

[EBMManiac]

hey,

My sister is currently studying music and has been playing guitar for many years. She has played in many bands, but none of which have had the same dedication. She has progressed far beyond me and her original guitar teachers. She was going to take lessons with Mike Stern and Wayne Krantz, but was not able to because of timing issues. Although, she did study under Bruce Arnold for a large portion of time, and it has even been rumord that her college was trying to set up lessons with John Scofield... but her style of music has since changed away from Jazz.

She is a very very capable fusion player, and likes to add in the heavy rock groove. Almost exactly like John. She lives in Manhatten New York, and has been told by other guitarists who were taught by John to try and get some lessons with him.

My question to you is....how do i get in touch with John, in order to put him in touch with my Sister.

I would really really apreaciate any help.
She is an amazing musician with such passion...and she is a girl! WHO HAS CHOPS LIKE NO OTHER!


Big Poppa, or any EBMM guys, i would be forever in debt if somehow you could pass on the message.


Thanks a ton everyone,

Joel

 

[roburado]

Does JP even have time to teach anymore?

 

[mesavox]

I'm pretty sure that JP doesn't teach anymore... however... a guy to look into would be Al Pitrelli. When he's not on TSO tours, he still does quite a bit of teaching I think. He's in Pennsylvania though.

 

[roburado]

I'm pretty sure that JP doesn't teach anymore...

Exactly.

 

[chrisglancy]

Hey you should try to hook up with Marco Sfogli. Very simmilar to JP and playes with James Labrie sometimes.

He might have some free time in his schedule. I believe he is based in NY

I dunno, could be a good shout.

Also you should get your sister to hook up for lessons with Alex Skolnic

He is in the AS Trio and is the lead guitarist from Testament.

I met him earlier this year on my radio show and he is a phenominal player and a student of Joe Satriani

He is studying Jazz over in NY

 

[roburado]

I took some lessons from Alex Skolnick years ago back in Berkeley, CA. I wasn't nearly as serious about it as I should have been. Ah...missed opportunities.

 

[Colin]

You could also approach Fogman for some lessons?

 

[EBMManiac]

I am very familiar with Alex Skolnic, but havent heard of either of the other musicians.

My main problem, and hers is that we have no way of actually contacting these people.

Does anyone know of a way to contact this calibre of teacher in NY? Short of looking in the phonebook



Joel

 

[roburado]

Marco Sfogli played on James Labrie's "Elements of Persuasion."

Try getting in touch with Alex Skolnick through his website. That's what I'd try to do. http://www.alexskolnick.com/contact.asp

 

[mesavox]

Alex will probably answer you... 6 months from now. LOL He has responded to me, but I'm imagining that it takes him a while to sort through all the personal emails he gets.

I'll look for it, but I once found an advert for Al Pitrelli's lessons and how to contact him for them.

Another approach would be to try and contact some music departments at local colleges and see if they have info on who is teaching where and when. Berkley probably has a few professional contact lists. You'll probably have to dig for it though.. the first guy or girl on the phone won't likely know what you're talking about. LOL

 

[Multiversal]

Why doesn't she just go to a music college? Berklee is only 4 hours away in Boston.

Fantastic teachers, too... Jon Finn, Julian Casper, Don Lappin, Scott Tarulli, Joe Stump, the list goes on..

 

[paranoid70]

If JP did still teach... I wonder how much he would charge?

 

[mesavox]

Why doesn't she just go to a music college? Berklee is only 4 hours away in Boston.

Fantastic teachers, too... Jon Finn, Julian Casper, Don Lappin, Scott Tarulli, Joe Stump, the list goes on..

Going to Berklee doesn't guarantee that you'll work with one of those teachers.... She might be one that the school would goo goo over, but if not... Berklee's not always all it's cracked up to be in terms of being better than any other music school (Rutgers down the road for instance has a terrific music program)

But, I do agree with you on the college thing. A lot of benefits to majoring in music, including potential non music grad school programs and non music jobs. It's a highly respected degree.

 

[Multiversal]

I was referring to any music school, really.. Berklee was just the first to pop into my mind because that's where I go. No doubt, Rutgers has a great program.

I got the teacher I wanted when I got here. I specifically asked for Don Lappin. Most of the teachers are great, really.

The main one that fills up the fastest is Joe Stump.

 

[EBMManiac]

Currently she is enrolled a NYU. First at Tisch, to Steinhart, then to Galatin, now i believe back to Steinhart...taking differnet music courses in each one. Ranging from Music Theory, to Music Composition, Jazz Comp....So, re-enrolling at Berklee isnt really an offer right now.

She studied with Dave Martone at NGW though

 

[Multiversal]

Dave is a great player!!!

Well, I threw my .02 cents out there.

 

[grekoo]

Greg Howe Offers Web Cam Lessons
1hour=70bucks
I Also Recomend You George Bellas
= )

 

[chrisglancy]

I think that the closest player to petrucci is Marco Sfogli for sure.

Also Rusty Cooley

What kind of stuff does your sister want to learn?

It really helps to have a great mentor on guitar, Kind of like a Yoda to your Luke Skywalker.

Pete Southern from UK Prog metal band 'Balance of power' is like my Obi Wan Kenobi. like right before the solo break on stage he comes to me in a calm voice and says "use the harmonic minor luke..."


Talking of famous people I met the British Prime Minister Gordon Borwn on Thursday at work!

I heard Tony Blair is a guitarist maybee he would be up for teaching guitar now he has retired.

I nearly shat myself.

 

[emkey]

Ok, here comes some samples of mentioned guitarists:

1. Marco Sfogli
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBrNUOHtPQM"]YouTube - Guitar Solo Marco Sfogli James Labrie[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqOomFjGfGg&feature=related"]YouTube - Marco Sfogli - Andromeda[/ame]

2. Al Pitrelli
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE7tH-pDd8w"]YouTube - Al Pitrelli - Star Licks Video Intro Theme[/ame]

3. Greg Howe
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBTJoo9OOFo"]YouTube - Greg Howe improv.[/ame]

4. Rusty Cooley
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aVlLguYkIY&feature=related"]YouTube - Rusty Cooley at GuitarOne[/ame]

5. Alex Skolnick
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkMUncOuDHc&feature=related"]YouTube - Alex Skolnick Trio - LIVE[/ame]

I hope that helps a bit

 

[Paul Warren]

John doesn't teach anymore and hasn't since around the early 90's, but this is probably the number one request we get. I even had one guy offer to fly him to Asia somewhere to give him a lesson. Yikes!

He's not really "contactable" so to speak because it became overwhelming. We had an email years ago, but the requests became so many and so detailed and so demanding that we removed it. And honestly, many of the people were offended when he didn't respond to them personally, even though he's looking at an Inbox of hundreds of emails all politely asking for some personal favor and/or attention. So one minute you're somebody's hero and the next you're a jerk because you didn't personally respond to their detailed request about every Triaxis setting used on Images and Words. It puts guys like JP in a lose lose position, even though we know he doesn't mean to slight anybody. He's at home so little and just needs to spend that time with his family and doing the normal day to day things any other homeowner and family man would do.

John may not be as famous as a Keith Richards or a Brian May, but his fanbase his full of musicians who seek a musical and/or guitar connection with him be it instruction, gear, production etc. So I think there's just a very high concentration of people who want his advice and take on things. It's certainly understandable, but I just thought I'd mention some of these things in an attempt to explain the situation.

paul