Music lessons from leader of Tumbleweed Highway band
NORWICH – Music Lessons by Nate Gross offers a variety of music lessons from the leader of the Tumbleweed Highway band. Nate Gross started the business six years ago and is very busy teaching four days a week at 13 South Broad St. in Norwich.
The room is open with bright light streaming in from the wide windows. There are a variety of instruments, including a drum set, set out to cater to any music student's wish or desire.
Most of his classes involve the guitar, drums and bass guitar though Gross is open to a variety of genres
“One thing that sets this apart is that I do song writing classes,” Gross said.
“This is what I do and what I know,” he continued. “I don't limit myself in what students want to learn. We can do anything from jazz to Breaking Benjamin.”
Gross has a depth and breadth of experience to bring to his students and is always willing to learn more to meet their needs. First playing guitar when he was five years old, Gross took private lessons from then until he was 17 and has had played in bands since he was a teenager. He studied classical performance, jazz performance and audio recording at the Finger Lakes Community College, and has toured along the East coast with his band Tumbleweed Highway.
All of this experience as a song writer, singer, guitarist and live performer benefits his students. But this shouldn't deter students who have little to no experience. Gross works with students of all experience levels and ages.
“My students start at five and go up to 75 years old,” he said.
While the majority of his students are guitarists and are drawn to classic rock, some of his other students' tastes range greatly.
“I had to learn 'Stay Stay Stay' by Taylor Swift for a student who is performing at a wedding,” he said with a smile. “The weirdest and coolest thing is the amount of girls signing up for lessons. It's wild.”
When a student first comes to the studio Gross asks what type of music s/he is listening to.
“I start them with the three or four chords because you can play hundreds of songs with them,” Gross said. “The toughest part is that we live in a world of instant gratification. Some students think that as soon as they pick up the guitar they can play it.”
In order to combat this lack of patience, Gross works with the student's ability and encourages them to take their time.
“What I teach is very practical,” he said. “After the first half hour they are making music that sounds good.”
Some students come in with an idea of what type of music they would prefer, but sometimes Gross guides them to the music style that best fits their natural ability and sound.
“I try to merge what I have to offer with what they have to offer,” he said. “I'm always learning as well. Students are your boss.”
Gross remembers one of his students that had very little confidence in his abilities. Now in college, he is minoring in music and has his own band. The student is also recording his own album. Gross referenced a female student who he has been teaching for a while.
While very musically talented, she is still learning how to perform live. To help build her on stage presence Gross has played back up with her on stage at local cafes.
“I just try to get her to really work the music,” he said and explained she has increasingly built up her confidence so she isn't reliant on any on stage “parenting.”
During the spring Gross hosts a recital that will feature a selection of his students who will perform together. They work together and come from a variety of different of backgrounds and genres. Some of it can be as extreme as Taylor Swift meets Metallica, which makes it all the more interesting and helpful for the students who have to learn to work together in melding their music.
Sylvia Yates is 12-years-old and just started lessons with Gross five months ago. While she had voice lessons previously, she had no experience playing the guitar. Currently she is practicing music by Bruno Mars and her favorite part of her lessons is “playing and singing together.”
“I like to practice,” she said as she got her guitar out of its case.
She really enjoys her classes and has grown in leaps and bounds since her first lesson. When asked if she has future dreams of becoming an artist Yates said, “I want to be a mix between Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and other pop stars.”
Classes are $75 a month and the student meets with Gross once a week for a half hour. For more information call Gross at 242-3328.
The room is open with bright light streaming in from the wide windows. There are a variety of instruments, including a drum set, set out to cater to any music student's wish or desire.
Most of his classes involve the guitar, drums and bass guitar though Gross is open to a variety of genres
“One thing that sets this apart is that I do song writing classes,” Gross said.
“This is what I do and what I know,” he continued. “I don't limit myself in what students want to learn. We can do anything from jazz to Breaking Benjamin.”
Gross has a depth and breadth of experience to bring to his students and is always willing to learn more to meet their needs. First playing guitar when he was five years old, Gross took private lessons from then until he was 17 and has had played in bands since he was a teenager. He studied classical performance, jazz performance and audio recording at the Finger Lakes Community College, and has toured along the East coast with his band Tumbleweed Highway.
All of this experience as a song writer, singer, guitarist and live performer benefits his students. But this shouldn't deter students who have little to no experience. Gross works with students of all experience levels and ages.
“My students start at five and go up to 75 years old,” he said.
While the majority of his students are guitarists and are drawn to classic rock, some of his other students' tastes range greatly.
“I had to learn 'Stay Stay Stay' by Taylor Swift for a student who is performing at a wedding,” he said with a smile. “The weirdest and coolest thing is the amount of girls signing up for lessons. It's wild.”
When a student first comes to the studio Gross asks what type of music s/he is listening to.
“I start them with the three or four chords because you can play hundreds of songs with them,” Gross said. “The toughest part is that we live in a world of instant gratification. Some students think that as soon as they pick up the guitar they can play it.”
In order to combat this lack of patience, Gross works with the student's ability and encourages them to take their time.
“What I teach is very practical,” he said. “After the first half hour they are making music that sounds good.”
Some students come in with an idea of what type of music they would prefer, but sometimes Gross guides them to the music style that best fits their natural ability and sound.
“I try to merge what I have to offer with what they have to offer,” he said. “I'm always learning as well. Students are your boss.”
Gross remembers one of his students that had very little confidence in his abilities. Now in college, he is minoring in music and has his own band. The student is also recording his own album. Gross referenced a female student who he has been teaching for a while.
While very musically talented, she is still learning how to perform live. To help build her on stage presence Gross has played back up with her on stage at local cafes.
“I just try to get her to really work the music,” he said and explained she has increasingly built up her confidence so she isn't reliant on any on stage “parenting.”
During the spring Gross hosts a recital that will feature a selection of his students who will perform together. They work together and come from a variety of different of backgrounds and genres. Some of it can be as extreme as Taylor Swift meets Metallica, which makes it all the more interesting and helpful for the students who have to learn to work together in melding their music.
Sylvia Yates is 12-years-old and just started lessons with Gross five months ago. While she had voice lessons previously, she had no experience playing the guitar. Currently she is practicing music by Bruno Mars and her favorite part of her lessons is “playing and singing together.”
“I like to practice,” she said as she got her guitar out of its case.
She really enjoys her classes and has grown in leaps and bounds since her first lesson. When asked if she has future dreams of becoming an artist Yates said, “I want to be a mix between Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and other pop stars.”
Classes are $75 a month and the student meets with Gross once a week for a half hour. For more information call Gross at 242-3328.
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