Jordan Brock
About
Hey there! I'm Jordan. I live in Japan and teach in-person to students here, as well as online to folks around the world.
I've been playing guitar for the last 15 years, and teaching since 2020. I practice, write and record progressive metal almost every day. I released my first album "Cataclysmia" under my artist name "Gnarlmyth" on Jan 31, 2025. I was the sole songwriter for this album and performed guitar and lead vocals.
I also recently started a funk band, 英養 (Eiyou), we just played our first set, mostly of originals, on Feb. 21st, 2026, at a little venue called Brazil Coffee.
I frequently join in on improv blues sessions at a blues bar near me called アラン・プーサン. I've learned a lot from interacting with the old-school blues pros there.
Teaching Style
I teach via Zoom and Google Meets, and am well acquainted with the ins-and-outs of online lessons.
My aim is for every lesson to leave you motivated, with new ideas and skills to practice.
I have a friendly and personable style, and I'm very comfortable working with young children (my youngest student so far was 6!) as well as older folks ready to learn a new skill.
The general approach I take to lessons is to spend time on both technique and theory. We will practice prepared song material together as well, along with dissecting the music we play to understand how it was constructed, how we could expand on it, and how you can write similar music for yourself. We can always divert from the songs I've chosen to play and understand what's most interesting to you!
Curriculum
I take a structured approach to teaching, with an extensive curriculum that we can mix-and-match to suit your needs. I have written an online textbook (several hundred pages) that we can pull from to track your progress and give you ideas on where to go next. Working with me immediately gives you full access to the textbook and the online document we use to record progress.
Of course, some folks prefer a more self-led approach where they simply want questions answered and problems diagnosed. I'm here to answer any questions you have and take the lessons anywhere you want to go.
I have plenty of experience working with kids and beginners online, and can work very patiently to motivate a new learner and help them with even the smallest challenges, but I'm also prepared to help a motivated intermediate player push into the high end of skill and tackle really challenging material.
Credentials & Affiliations
I'm primarily self-taught, with some private instruction from tutors in the past.
In general I am comfortable covering most topics you would encounter pursuing a 4-year Bachelor's degree in music, although I am definitely more interested in the practical, hands on side of things than the aspects of music education which rarely serve a non-academic musician.
What I do have is a tremendous amount of experience "in the field", including:
- Understanding how to practice effectively and overcome roadblocks
- Writing and recording songs alone and with others
- Performing covers and original material on stage
- Improvising with an audience (I recently headed a 1 hour largely improvised performance for a charity event. ゆたか希望の家, Dec. 7, 2025)