Chris Makes Music

09/04/2025

In Person Workshop. Columbus Ohio. Live looping demonstrations, try looping for the first (or not) time! Young and old welcome - please pay to save your spot at ChrisMakesMusic.com.

08/22/2025

A beginners class even if you've never touched a looping pedal. All instruments welcome concepts will crossover. You will have a chance to loop in real time with live demonstrations. Mention this ad in Payment Memo "Looping 5" and pay only $45.

drumming Photo Dan Mitchell, Violin photo Pete Vogel, Singing photo Bobby Leonard, Violin Tiera Suggs other photos Chris Shaw | Powered by Squarespace

08/22/2025

I teach lessons, sometimes lessons teach me.

I had a new student sign up. Since this student was a little one, I decided on purchasing a book as I find it easier for kids to follow along in that linear way, in addition to learning other songs by ear. I actually had not used this particular book and with in it, it had little lyrics and then told you to strum along to those lyrics. It is a simple exercise and a little messy as you are not doing "official" notation, but it gets your brain going, and your arms moving which is a great step for little ones. I then took this concept and had the student make up phrases (which often involved her kitty cat). She would say a phrase "my cat eats tuna" and then we would strum it on the guitar. I would make up one and she would have to strum it and so on. A very simple exercise in a book that then extrapolated out to a bunch of little teaching moments with lots of giggling.

08/05/2025

I am hosting a looping class. If you have a child 12-18 it is only $25 up in Clintonville at the back event space behind Reliable on High. This will be an introduction into using a looping pedal which allows you to record a "loop" live and play over it. This will be mostly geared toward guitar but you can loop any instrument with a quarter inch out or even play it into a mircrophone. Check out ChrisMakesMusic.com for more details.

04/30/2025

Updated the space recently.

04/30/2025

I had some issues with a younger student the other day. I was having trouble with the child listening. I started to get a little annoyed but since it was a new student, I practiced patience. The child giggled a lot, and seemed to have fun at certain points of the lesson. Instead of trying to control them, I decided to lean into the silliness. Re-direction instead of discipline. Instead of hammering a concept of half notes, eighth notes, etc. with facts, I went for an experiential approach. I threw up a song that they liked on youtube, played it thru the speakers, and played on a drum (guitar student, mind you) and then said "I will play quarter notes, eighth notes, or whole notes, you have to guess which one I do". After we did that for a bit I switched it up and we did call and response, and had them identify each one "was that a quarter, eighth, or whole note" - Same learning concept, different approach. The student was completely engaged and having fun and learning. If you'd like to try my approach to lessons I offer a trial lesson for free, hit me up in the dms.

04/16/2025

Recently I had a student come in for a free lesson. The lesson went well and I gave my fee timeslots for them to sign up if they wanted to. I heard nothing back so eventually I followed up to see if there was anything I could do differently next time. The mother had said she thought I would be a good fit but the student went with another teacher. A few weeks went by and the student did not like the other teacher and signed up with me. This is a young student so I meet them where they are playing musical games, teaching rhythms and simple chords on the guitar. It’s been really fun getting to learn the strengths of the student and getting them to laugh and have lessons be instructional but fun. I love seeing the little smiles from (everyone) but especially the young ones and I feel a real connection. It really makes me remember how good I have it to be able to share what I love to the next generation.

04/16/2025

I am opening up Mondays for lessons 3:15p to 7p please dm me if interested! First lesson is free, dm for more info! Drums, violn, or guitar!

02/19/2025

I really try to learn each person as I teach them. This requires patience from me, but also the student. It takes a bit to figure out the style of learning that the student enjoys, and that they respond to. When I was young teachers taught the way they taught and that was kind of it. The teachers I resonated with understood that I actually wanted to be there and leaned in to my strengths. Music is a vulnerable space and to be able to get the best out of someone there needs to be a give and take. I did learn a lot, even from teachers I didn't exactly love, but I am really thankful for the ones that took that extra bit to see me and to feel that I actually did enjoy it, and to lean in on that. Just some thoughts for today.

05/27/2024

Been working really hard, in general. This workshop tonight has a few things fighting against us..obviously the holiday being one of them (anyone want to help teach me how to read a calendar?) That being said if you want to learn about sync licensing for your music, please come out tonight Heather Evans is an absolute gem in Columbus and is NOT a gatekeeper, she wants you to succeed, and make money from your music. She has helped me immensely. I hope you can make it out 6:30p-8:30p at N8 Glass Music & Art Studio - brought to you by Move Your Music Forward

01/15/2024

Any inclination to learn an instrument, work on your songwriting, start up the drums again? FREE LESSON DAY - in fact, there will be two different days to sign up. The last one was great. Come over February 2nd or 9th 2p-7:30p for a free 30 minute lesson. Sign up at https://calendly.com/topherjames/free-lesson-day?month=2024-02

01/15/2024

https://calendly.com/topherjames/trial-lesson?back=1&month=2024-01