Personal History:
My name is Eric and I’m a lifelong musician, producer, and music educator based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. I’ve been teaching private music lessons since 2007, working with hundreds of students of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. As a multi-instrumentalist, I specialize in guitar (acoustic and electric), piano, bass, ukulele, drums, and music production. I’m also an active recording and performing artist, having collaborated with artists such as Dem Atlas, Lady Midnight, Molly Brandt, and batteryboy, as well as leading my own projects including Jest, Excessive,etc. My work also includes composing and sound design for mobile games, multimedia, and live performance.
Over the years, I’ve toured nationally and internationally, represented the U.S. at the Kathmandu Jazz Festival, and served as an Artist-in-Residence for the city of Lanesboro, MN. I bring all of that experience—studio, stage, and classroom—into my lessons to create a dynamic and engaging space for students to grow musically.
Teaching Philosophy:
I believe that music should be approachable, creative, and personally meaningful. Every student brings something unique to the table—different goals, learning styles, and interests—and my role as a teacher is to help guide and support their individual musical journey. I aim to ensure that:
Lessons are relaxed, enjoyable, and tailored to the student’s interests
Students feel supported and encouraged in their musical growth
Progress happens at a comfortable pace that aligns with each student’s goals
Whether you're exploring classical foundations or diving into pop, countrt, rock, funk, blues, or jazz, I work with each student to develop a clear path forward. Lessons are flexible, and while practice is encouraged, the focus is always on inspiring creativity, confidence, and curiosity. For younger students, parental involvement is welcome and helps build strong early habits that support long-term success.
Areas of Instruction:
Guitar
Chord shapes, strumming, fingerpicking, scales, songs
Music theory, improvisation, tone development, and playing by ear
Working with chord charts, tablature, and songwriting
Bass Guitar
Grooving, walking bass lines, scale patterns, technique
Understanding rhythm, harmony, and playing with a band
Ukulele
Chords, strumming patterns, Songs, fingerpicking, and music theory foundations
Drums
Groove-based drumming, rhythm training, independence, and coordination
Songwriting & Composition
Song structure, melody, harmony, lyric writing, and arrangement
Recording basics, demo production, DAW use, and collaboration
Recording & Production
Intro to audio recording, DAWs, mixing, microphones, and MIDI
Arranging songs, beat-making, sound design, and home studio setups
I strive to make every lesson feel like a creative collaboration, offering students the tools and encouragement to explore their full potential—whether they want to write their first song, join a band, or just have fun playing music.
Lessons with Molly Brandt
Personal History:
My name is Molly Brandt and I am an experienced music educator and performer with over a decade of teaching private music lessons to hundreds of kids and adults of all ages and skill levels since 2013. As classical pianist for the past 20+ years, also proficient in guitar, ukulele, and voice, I am now an active live and recorded singer-songwriter and performer in diverse genres including Americana, country, rock, pop, blues, roots, and more, performing original music with my band across the Twin Cities, the Midwest, and the U.S. I also hold a Bachelor of Music degree from Drake University, with studies in music history, theory, business, world music, choral music, piano performance, vocal performance, conducting, and jazz combo performance. I currently teach piano, ukulele, guitar, and songwriting to many wonderful students!
Teaching Philosophy:
I believe every student is unique, with their own goals, interests, abilities, and time constraints. My teaching is personalized to meet each student's individual needs, with a strong emphasis on making music learning fun, empowering, and enriching. I collaborate closely with students and their families to ensure that:
Lessons are enjoyable and engaging
Students feel confident and supported in their home practice
Progress happens at a pace that aligns with each student’s goals and learning style
Whether a student is pursuing classical training or exploring non-classical genres, I offer flexible paths. Classical students often use method books like Piano Adventures, while non-classical students can choose whether or not to learn standard notation. I recognize that staff notation is just one of many valid approaches to music education.
While practice is not mandatory, it is highly encouraged. Students who establish regular practice routines tend to get more out of lessons and develop a stronger connection with their instrument. For younger students, parental involvement is key in building those early habits, which can eventually grow into self-motivation. I view music education as a vital and integrated part of a student’s overall development.
Areas of Instruction:
Piano (Beginner to Early Advanced)
Instruction in both classical and non-classical styles. Areas of focus include:
Music Theory: Piano geography, intervals, chord and melody construction, harmony vs. melody, accompaniment techniques, all chord qualities and notations, interpreting chord charts and lead sheets, major/minor/blues/pentatonic scales, ear training, music notation, and sight reading.
Technique: Finger strength and dexterity, wrist and arm motion, posture, and comfortable playing habits.
Performance Skills: Monthly recital opportunities, memorization strategies, mental preparation, and ensemble/band performance experience.
Guitar (Beginner)
Covers basic strumming, chord shapes, finger picking, intro to music theory, and essential scales (major, blues, pentatonic).
Ukulele (Beginner)
Includes basic strumming, finger picking, essential scales, note identification, chord shapes, and foundational music theory.
Songwriting (Beginner)
Introduction to songwriting fundamentals for students interested in composing their own music
Helping more intermediate songwriters with additional methods of songwriting, finding inspiration, creating demos, making chord charts, and collaboration with others