Eclectic Guitar and Bass Instruction at BisManGuitar.com
Experience

I have over twelve years professional experience in private instruction and performance.  I started giving bass lessons while attending the University of Mary in 1995.  While attending school, I operated a private teaching studio and performed with such groups as Mother Blues and the Mojo Band, Joe Friday, Nu-Voyce, Dennis Connelly Quartet, and the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra.

After graduating with a degree in instrumental music education, I have been active in the Midwest as a performer, composer, arranger, studio musician, and educator.  In the Chicago area, I performed with Joe Rockhead and jazz guitarist Hunter Prendergast. I also worked as a studio musician at The Barn in Long Grove, IL, and taught music lessons at About Music in Libertyville, IL.

I moved back to Bismarck in 2001 and completed state teacher certification (license #58144).  I perform regularly with local groups such as Choice of Potato and Fully Loaded as well as regional groups like the Great Plains Jazz Society.  I was a featured soloist at the 2003 University of Mary Jazz Festival.  I am currently accepting guitar and bass students at my private studio and spend a good deal of my time contributing to FinaleGuitar.com, an online guitar and bass method.   I work during the week as a substitute teacher for the Bismarck Public School District and I recently passed an exam (the first of many) and became a Microsoft Certified Professional.  My son Elijah will turn four in July and is currently fascinated with dinosaurs, bugs, magnifying glasses, and learning how to ride bike without going down any hills.

First Lesson

The first lesson with me is free and no-obligation.  I expect any prospective student to ask some questions and see what I like in person before making any decision.  All of my lessons are "open door" and I encourage parents, grandparents, and/or siblings to sit in on any lesson and see the progress the student is making.  I have a list of references available on request.

Please visit my teaching profiles at www.ActiveBass.com, www.WholeNote.com, www.BridgeToMusic.com, and www.FindaGuitarTeacher.com.

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Adam Roberts, Instructor
1906 N 15th St Unit B
Bismarck, ND  58501
Phone:  701.471.5917
adam@bismanguitar.com



Instrument Lessons
Studio announcements:

***SUMMER HOLIDAY SCHEDULE***

Memorial Day is May 25th - no lessons (no make-ups due to five Mondays in June).

Monday and Tuesday students with lessons on July 6th and 7th will be moved to Wednesday and Thursday, July 8th and 9th.

Wednesdays students will have no lessons on July 8th (no make-ups due to five Wednesdays in July).

Labor Day is September 7th - no lessons on the 7th, 8th, and 9th (no make-ups due to five Mondays in August, five Tuesdays in September, and five Wednesdays in September).

***GIFT CERTIFICATES ARE AVAILABLE***

Great for birthdays or holiday gifts!  Give me a call and I'll work out the details with you.
Student requirements:
  1. A three-ring binder or folder to organize materials.
  2. A guitar tuner (I suggest the Korg GA-30 or something similar).
  3. A metronome to help develop rhythm (I suggest the Korg MA-30).
  4. If you don't have either a tuner or a metronome, get a Korg TM-40 and save a little money.
  5. I prefer to send lesson notes via email.  Students who do not have access to email must bring their three ring-binder to every lesson.
  6. A guitar or bass method.  I prefer to use www.FinaleGuitar.com.  Click HERE to learn more about FinaleGuitar.com.
Cost:

Weekday Lessons

I charge $60 per month for regularly scheduled weekday lessons.  Each lesson will be a half hour.  This is a flat rate and doesn't change on a month to month basis (even if a student has 5 lessons that month).  I don't give refunds for missed lessons unless the reason the lesson was missed warrants a refund (sickness, accident, or other Act-of-God) AND that lesson cannot be rescheduled.  I have a liberal make up policy.  Students who notify me 24 hours in advance that they will be missing a lesson will be eligible to make up that lesson at a later time.  If I miss a lesson (due to an emergency or work conflict), that lesson will be made up (if possible) or refunded.  Payments are due the first lesson of every month.  Make checks payable to Adam Roberts.

There will be no lessons on Thanksgiving or the Friday after, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day.  These days are considered vacation days and will not be made up.  However, I do everything I can to make sure students have an average of four lessons per month.

Saturday Lessons

For students who can't make a regularly scheduled lesson during the week, I offer one hour lessons on Saturdays.  Each lesson will be scheduled individually as my schedule doesn't allow me to teach every Saturday.  The fee will be $30 and can be paid in advance or right before the lesson starts.

FinaleGuitar.com

Subsriptions to FinaleGuitar.com cost $10 per year.  Click HERE to learn more about the website.  The lessons are designed to be used with Finale® Notepad, which costs $10 to download.

Schedule:
Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday
Thursday
Saturday
4:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Call for openings.
4:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Call for openings.
Make-up lessons and one hour lessons by appointment only.
Summer Schedule (June, July, August of 2009):
Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday
Thursday
Saturday
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

2:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Call for openings.
10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Call for openings.
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

2:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Call for openings.
Make-up lessons and one hour lessons by appointment only.
I would like to thank these businesses for their support:


© Adam Roberts