Rob Sbar
About
[4.95 rating over 38 reviews from another lesson platform]
I am an accomplished, award-winning guitarist, composer and teacher and have been teaching guitar and music for 20 years. I have both a Bachelor's and a Masters Degree in Music. I teach all levels from beginner to advanced, including at the university level, and all styles (rock, jazz, blues, folk, funk, metal, shred, pop, R&B, classical, etc.). I am also a professional performer, composer, arranger, studio musician and producer, experienced in all forms, styles and genre of music.
As an experienced teacher of composition, arranging, orchestration, music theory and guitar, I have developed my own personal teaching concepts and methods for improving technique, chord/scale theory and counterpoint for various styles and genres of music. I have taught privately, in music schools, and at the university and college level.
I am located in New York City in Midtown Manhattan on the West Side. I began performing professionally at age 16, doing session work, teaching and performing.
I started college at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, and completed a Bachelor of Music degree summa cum laude, studying jazz guitar and composition/arranging, as well as completd the Honors program at Temple University's Esther Boyer College of Music. My studies included jazz guitar with Tom Giacobetti and Ed Flanagan; jazz composition/arranging with Don Glanden, Ben Schacter and Larry McKenna; and classical composition with Matthew Greenbaum, Ph.D., Maurice Wright, D.M.A., Richard Brodhead, Ph.D., and Mark Rimple, D.M.A. I also conducted/arranged the School's Jazz Vocal Ensemble and was awarded membership in the Golden Key Honor Society. I also studied guitar privately with Shrapnel/Tone Center recording artist Greg Howe, Lasers Edge recording artist Scott McGill and Jazz icons Pat Martino (Blue Note) and Jimmy Bruno (Mel Bay).
I earned a Masters of Arts degree in music composition at Rutgers University, studying with world renowned, Pulitzer Prize winning composer Charles Wuorinen. In my first year, he was awarded a Teaching Assistantship in Music Composition and Theory. I studied film scoring and guitar performance at Berklee College of Music and attended the National Guitar Summer Workshop studying with guitar icons Vinnie Moore, Stanley Jordan and Mick Goodrick.
I pursued additional studies (and master classes) in composition with celebrated composers Aaron Jay Kernis, Harvey Sollberger, Jukka Tiensuu, David Felder, Mario Davidovsky, Charles Fussell, Austin Clarkson and George Russell; film score orchestration with Scott Smalley (Film Music Institute) and film scoring with Rick Baitz (The Manhattan Producer's Alliance), as well as performance studies with Wynton Marsalis, Max Roach, Billy Taylor, Bill Shindling, Magmus Andersson, Stu Hamm, Terry Bozzio, Frank Gambale, Larry Mitchell, Andy Timmons, Adrian Legg and Blues Saraceno.
I was the Music Director and conductor for the Mondfleck Orchestra, Music Director and Composer-In-Residence for the Trash Can Society Theater Company and composer for improv theater group, The Glass Metropolis Project.
I released my critically acclaimed debut CD, a collection of virtuosic instrumental guitar music and have been interviewed and featured in many publications and websites worldwide, including Guitar Player, Guitar World, 20th Century Guitar, Guitar Chef (Italy), Guitar Mania (Canada), among many others. I was selected as a Top 5 Finalist in the North American Rock Guitar Competition, presented by Guitar Player magazine and Gibson guitars and was inducted as a new member into the Independent Artist Registry.
I was selected to be a part of the June in Buffalo Festival for Emerging Composers in Buffalo, New York, where celebrated pianist Marilyn Nonken performed my solo piano piece, Aerial Surveying. I was commissioned to compose, conduct and perform the music for Sirens, a modern dance presentation in collaboration with celebrated choreographer Julia Ritter. I was also commissioned to write a modern composition for Renaissance lute titled A Mosaic of Cement and Barbed Wire, performed at the Sarah Lawrence Summer Guitar Institute. My piece, Like Giants Through a Keyhole, trio for flute, cello and piano performed as part of the Network for New Music's Cross-Currents in Jazz and New Music: The Schooling and School of Stefan Wolpe series. My orchestra composition, Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero, was performed in Milan, Italy.
My music has been featured throughout film and television. I have composed the scores for many feature films, television, web and ad campaigns, and my music has been featured on MTV, VH1, NBC, CBS, ABC, Discovery, History Channel, PBS, etc.
I was a featured speaker at the Music for My Web Series Panel as part of the BlogWorld & New Media Expo held at the Javits Center in NYC on June 7, 2012.
I am a proud endorsee of Seymour Duncan pickups, Morley pedals, Madison Amps, Curt Mangan strings and Neck Sock.
*ASCAP affiliated composer and publisher
*International Alliance Of Composer's member
Reviews from Another Lesson Platform
Rob is a masterful guitar teacher! When I first started working with Rob, I was unable to articulate my current skill level nor my learning goals. Rob was able to quickly assess me and develop a learning plan for me. What sets him apart is his ability to adapt his teaching methods to suit my learning pace and style. He understands that every student is unique and tailors his lessons accordingly. This personalized approach has helped me progress faster than I ever thought possible. He has a knack for breaking down complex concepts into manageable pieces. He is patient, understanding, and always ready to go the extra mile to ensure that I grasp the lessons. I wholeheartedly recommend his guitar lessons to anyone, regardless of their skill level.
Great teacher, cannot recommend enough!
Rob is a masterful guitar teacher! When I first started working with Rob, I was unable to articulate my current skill level nor my learning goals. Rob was able to quickly assess me and develop a learning plan for me. What sets him apart is his ability to adapt his teaching methods to suit my learning pace and style. He understands that every student is unique and tailors his lessons accordingly. This personalized approach has helped me progress faster than I ever thought possible. He has a knack for breaking down complex concepts into manageable pieces. He is patient, understanding, and always ready to go the extra mile to ensure that I grasp the lessons. I wholeheartedly recommend his guitar lessons to anyone, regardless of their skill level.
i definitely appreciated Rob's serious approach about what needs to be done to get me to the next step
Helpful and informative from the beginning!
Rob is a great teacher. I've been playing on and off for 17 years and this time I decided to get help before giving up again. Sure, there's tons of information on the internet, but without someone like Rob guiding me, all that information is useless and overwhelming. I highly recommend Rob for anyone at ANY level.
Totally awesome :)
I have only had my introductory first lesson but I can already tell how important it’s going to be for my experience to have a teacher like Rob! He’s super smart and is able to explain things really easily so they make sense and come together quickly and effectively. I’m excited to learn more!
Simple to the point. nice interesting dude 👍 great first lesson.
Rob was a great instructor and industry professional who seemed to be extremely dedicated to teaching, had a tailored lesson plan and taught me a different way of approaching guitar theory.
Rob makes learning the guitar fun. He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the instrument itself, as well as teaching.
Great teacher for my 8yr old daughter. He is patient and explains things I'm a way that gets through to my kid. Highly recommended!
Phenomenal teacher! Rob simplifies advance techniques and organizes your lesson based on your personal goals. My lessons have been very informative but still always fun! I’ve improved significantly since our lessons began and have received guidance on how to make the most of my practice time on my own as well. During this quarantine, having my lessons virtually is such a light during these challenging times, and they’re just as enjoyable as in person. Rob really is easygoing and has a great sense of humor!
Excellent teacher! Highly recommend! Feel like I’m going to learn so much and improve greatly!
Absolutely the best teacher around. He simplifies advanced concepts and will help you set and meet any goal you have musically. And he is a really nice guy.
Great intro class with Rob!
Rob is a great teacher and knows exactly how to teach his students what they need to know to reach their goals. He is well versed in all styles and explains topics in a clear, easy to understand manner.
Great instructor. Thorough and informative.
Rob is a fantastic teacher who makes lessons enjoyable and extremely informative. He is great at breaking down and explaining concepts in an easy to learn manner. Overall incredible teacher, very talented and I definitely recommend him!
Rob is an amazing instructor. I came to Rob wanting to study jazz and overall improve my guitar playing. Not only did he do just that, but in doing so, I learned much more about music theory. A very nice person too. I would recommend Rob to anybody interested in the guitar.
Rob is outstanding. It is clear from about 5 minutes into your first lesson that he is a true master teacher and guitar player. Everything he teaches is clear, achievable, and fun to work on. I'm having a blast! I recommend him very highly.
Rob is just great and exceeded expectations. He has such a great energy and is extraordinarily knowledgeable and capable. I would suggest him as a teacher without hesitation.
Great guy. Incredible instructions!
Rob is very knowledgeable, enthusiastic about teaching, and clear! I'm looking forward to my next lesson already!
Rob is an accomplished guitarist and composer. He is amazing in terms of technique. If you think you have some level of technique already, he'll help you fix any flaws. If you are just starting, he'll help you start at the right place which will get you excited about building skill levels on top of skill levels. Highly recommended.
You would be hard pressed to find anyone more knowledgeable about guitar than Rob. He knows exactly how to structure lessons around your needs and does so with an outstanding degree of patience. Easily the best instructor I've had the pleasure of working with.
This is my 5th lesson with Rob and he's an amazing teacher. Somehow he incorporates the basics of guitar through songs that you want to play, making learning guitar a much more interactive and fun experience. He's also full of knowledge. I've yet to have a question that he hasn't answered in an easy way to understand for a beginner. It's only been 5 lessons but i've learned more from 5 45 minute lessons than i have from the countless hours i tried teaching myself on the internet. I highly recommend rob, great guitarist and teacher!
Rob is very knowledgeable, professional and makes lessons fun. He has an outstanding background as a professional guitarist, composer and music educator. He has not only mastered playing the guitar, he has pursued higher education in jazz guitar and music composition. I highly recommend him for guitar lessons!
For anyone out there looking to get into either 1) playing guitar with no prior experience or 2) become an "advanced" player - there is no doubt in my mind that Rob should be your first consideration. I have only been with rob for one lesson, but I am left with no doubt that he is far above the average. I will continue to provide feedback here when I see fit. But 5 stars based on first impressions. Great guy. Great skills. Great articulation of concepts and extremely knowledgeable. Extremely.
He has been teaching me for a while now. I have waited to post my review until I was confident on giving the correct review. I am an adult and I work, so I have limited time that I can allocate to practicing guitar. I really like his way of teaching because he is to the point, very efficient and knows where I am and what I need. He is able to measure the right amount of challenges for me to practice for next lesson. I manage a department and manage more than 40 people at my work and being so, I am very demanding when it comes to judging people. And I am very happy that I have him as my instructor. I believe he is able to guide me to develop my skills and knowledge efficiently. And on top of that, he is a great guy!! I strongly recommend him!
Great introductory lesson. Injected practical technique with underlying theory. Also very generous with time
Easy to understand and learn as someone who never touched a guitar before!
Great first lessons with Rob! Looking forward to the next one.
Very informative. I'm glad I chose Rob
Great teacher! Look forward to working with him more
Rob is a great teacher.firm and direct my first session he show me how to hold a guitar the proper way and how to strum and gave me new pointers.I would recommend Rob.
Rob helped me, a complete novice, learn and manage a song in 3 45min lessons. He's cool, extremely knowledgable and a great teacher.
Very Comprehensive So after my first lesson with Rob I have to say it left a pretty good impression on me. Pretty good vibes coming from him and he makes the material relatively easy to understand. He takes the time to really assess what it is you're aiming for and doesn't try to impose his own values into your musical style. All in all I feel that this is going to be a great teacher student relationship and I'm looking forward to really delving into mastering my guitar with him.
Teaching Style
I am an experienced teacher with over 20 Years of teaching experience, privately, in music schools and in universities. I have taught all ages and all levels from beginner to advanced and hold both a Bachelors of Music and Masters in Music.
I have taught guitar, composition, arranging, orchestration, music theory, improvisation and home recording and have developed my own personal teaching concepts and methods for improving technique, chord/scale theory and counterpoint for various styles and genres of music including advanced techniques for Rock, Jazz, Blues, Funk, Metal, Shred, Progressive, Classical, Folk, R&B, Pop, Fusion, others. I have developed teaching methods to improve a students speed, accuracy and facility on the instrument. My lessons are developed to meet the individual needs of each student and ensure their progress.
Curriculum
Music Theory: Musical concepts and terminologies, presented in the simplest and clearest way, unlock musicians’ secrets and help them understand and apply theoretical ideas to achieve your greatest potential and musical competence.
Improvisation: Learning soloing, melodic phrasing, rhythmic analysis and how to apply various musical styles and articulations, along with scales for all types of chords and key structures, including major/minor, pentatonic, blues, modes, harmonic and melodic minor modes, as well as exotic and synthetic scales - all skills for lead guitarists to practice diverse approaches to various musical genres and proficiencies.
Soloing: Mastering advanced techniques including legato, alternate, economy and hybrid picking, sweep picking, arpeggios, double stops and much more. Become an accomplished melodic guitarist, know how to play whatever the student wants and reach their optimum level of proficiency.
Chord Structures: Learning modulation, transposition, inversions, voicings and the use of extended and advanced chords from basic triads to sevenths and compound extensions, as well as songwriting, accompaniment and creating chord progressions. We explore the essential vocabulary and exercises for writing guitar parts, songs and chord-based harmonies.
Composition: Cover all aspects of composition and songwriting for any genre including analysis, harmonic/chord structures and progressions, approaches to melody, counter melody and counterpoint and how to apply these to various styles of music and composition, including arranging and orchestration from rock and pop to jazz and full orchestrations.
Credentials & Affiliations
I have been teaching guitar and music for 20 years. I have a Bachelor of Music degree summa cum laude, studying jazz guitar and composition/arranging, as well as completing the Honors program at Temple University's Esther Boyer College of Music. My studies included jazz guitar with Tom Giacobetti and Ed Flanagan; jazz composition/arranging with Don Glanden, Ben Schacter and Larry McKenna; and classical composition with Matthew Greenbaum, Ph.D., Maurice Wright, D.M.A., Richard Brodhead, Ph.D., and Mark Rimple, D.M.A. I also conducted/arranged the School's Jazz Vocal Ensemble and was awarded membership in the Golden Key Honor Society. I also studied guitar privately with Shrapnel/Tone Center recording artist Greg Howe, Lasers Edge recording artist Scott McGill and Jazz icons Pat Martino (Blue Note) and Jimmy Bruno (Mel Bay).
I earned a Masters of Arts degree in music composition at Rutgers University, studying with world renowned, Pulitzer Prize winning composer Charles Wuorinen. In my first year, he was awarded a Teaching Assistantship in Music Composition and Theory. I studied film scoring and guitar performance at Berklee College of Music and attended the National Guitar Summer Workshop studying with guitar icons Vinnie Moore, Stanley Jordan and Mick Goodrick.
I pursued additional studies (and master classes) in composition with celebrated composers Aaron Jay Kernis, Harvey Sollberger, Jukka Tiensuu, David Felder, Mario Davidovsky, Charles Fussell, Austin Clarkson and George Russell; film score orchestration with Scott Smalley (Film Music Institute) and film scoring with Rick Baitz (The Manhattan Producer's Alliance), as well as performance studies with Wynton Marsalis, Max Roach, Billy Taylor, Bill Shindling, Magmus Andersson, Stu Hamm, Terry Bozzio, Frank Gambale, Larry Mitchell, Andy Timmons, Adrian Legg and Blues Saraceno.
I teach all levels from beginner to advanced, and have taught at the university level, including Long Island University and Rutgers University. I have been teaching lessons through TakeLessons for 14 years.
I have been featured in many publications and websites worldwide, including Guitar Player, Guitar World, 20th Century Guitar, Guitar Chef (Italy), Guitar Mania (Canada), among many others. I was selected as a Top 5 Finalist in the North American Rock Guitar Competition, presented by Guitar Player magazine and Gibson guitars
I am an endorsee of Seymour Duncan pickups, Morley pedals, Madison Amps, Curt Mangan strings and Neck Sock, an ASCAP affiliated composer and publisher and an International Alliance Of Composer's member