Christopher Maloney

I look forward to helping you achieve all of your musical goals! As a former Los Angeles-based session musician, I have recorded/performed with Dweezil Zappa, Lisa Loeb, Cosmosquad, Hardline as well with members of Journey, INXS, Earth Wind and Fire, Tears For Fears, Savage Garden, Poison, Porcupine Tree, New Kids On The Block, Alan Parsons Project, UFO, Enuff z'Nuff, Nelson, Special EFX and many others.  I have recorded several dozen albums and have toured with various groups throughout the world.

As a songwriter, I have recorded three solo albums under the Sunset Records label, as well as writing, arranging and producing music for television and film through various global music publishing companies.  I am a three-time ASCAP Awards Plus winner, and my original material has been licensed in over 50 countries.  These songs have also been featured on American programs such as Saturday Night Live, Biography, NBC Sports, CNN specials and more.   

As an educator, I was an instructor at the world-renowned Musicians Institute in Los Angeles for 15 years. I also taught at Shephard University in Los Angeles and Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida. I’m a published author with Hal Leonard Publishing, and I have conducted educational clinics and workshops all over the world.  I was the owner and music director of my own private music lesson school (Absolute Music Studios) in Jupiter, Florida for 13 years, and I have taught private lessons for over 30 years.  Many of my former students have gone on to great careers in music, including gigs with Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, Sara Bareilles, Fall Out Boy, 30 Seconds To Mars, Liz Phair, A Perfect Circle, Lifehouse and many others. I also created the online practicing website Practice Warriors to help people learn how to practice music effectively and efficiently...and have FUN doing it!

Though I have an extensive background in recording and performing, my main passion is teaching people how to become their best musical selves. This comes by teaching people not only how to play their instrument properly, but how to also have the right mindset for overcoming challenges and to be patient with their progress. I also truly love getting people excited about their potential and convincing them that they can achieve any musical goal they set out to work on.

I’m also a big believer in getting people to use their new musical abilities to create music, whether it’s improvising, jamming or writing songs. Creativity is just another skill we can work on to make music a more enjoyable part of our life!

Now, to do this, we BOTH need to be committed to your musical growth. I will teach you skills based on 1) what kind of music you like and what kind of skills you need to play that music, and 2) what I feel are essential skills that you must have to be a well-rounded musician. I will help you set up a practice ritual that you will commit to and be consistent with. This will ensure that you practice and work on your material in a way that helps you grow as a musician. Our shared commitment to your improvement is what will make these lessons productive and (dare I say it) FUN!

To make sure I'm the right fit for you, here are some of the things I have extensive experience teaching people:

Bass Guitar: Groove, fretboard knowledge, slap playing, reading, styles, creative playing, playing and singing, timing, improvisation, chordal playing.

Guitar: Fretboard knowledge, chords, groove/timing, songwriting, improvisation, singing and playing.

Piano/Keyboard: Chords/Inversions, songwriting, singing and playing, keyboard accompaniment, reading.

Other areas: Songwriting, music theory, ear training, home recording (Logic), music video production.

...and to be fair, here's what I'm completely NOT qualified to teach you:

Classical music: While I adore this genre, my experience is in 'popular/contemporary' musical styles. There are many teachers here at Lessonface that are better suited for this. 

Other areas: Let me promise you this: if there is something you want to learn and I'm not 100% comfortable or qualified to teach you, I will recommend another instructor. I have no interest in short-changing someone who has a deep desire to learn music just to add another student to my roster. This is exactly why I offer a FREE 15 minute lesson; so we can both see if we are a good fit for each other. 

I truly look forward to meeting you, setting up your goals, choosing things to work on, creating a workable practice schedule and getting you started on your musical journey!