First, a little history…
“I purchased my very first guitar from Cliff Gordon back in 1984 when I was thirteen years old. It was a used Memphis Les Paul copy with a painted fretboard (!) and the frets so low they weren’t even there. Along with it I picked up a Dean Markley Spectra combo amplifier. It wasn’t a dream rig by any stretch, but I didn’t care – I would spend hours on end listening to my favorite cuts by Iron Maiden, AC/DC, and Led Zeppelin and try to copy the riffs and solos of my heroes. Little did I know at the time that I would eventually come full-circle and serve on the instructional staff at this hallowed Solano County landmark”! – A.H.
Alan has performed professionally in the Bay Area and CA for over two decades, and has been an instructor of music for the past twelve. In the late ‘80’s he plied his early trade with the rock and metal outfits Flying Circus and Menagerie. In the ‘90’s, as a member of the groups Section G and Johnson Street, his repertoire expanded as R & B staples by Stevie Wonder and Sam & Dave met the funk/fusion explorations of Sly Stone, Funkadelic, and Jaco Pastorius. Upon relocating to the Bay Area in 2001, Alan joined forces with the roots-rocking Billy James Band and later with Stefanie Keys, appearing on her debut album Say You Will. The soulful amalgam of country/pop/rock was produced by Peter Keys (keyboardist for the legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd) and also features guest performances by George Clinton’s P – Funk horns as well as members of Bob Weir’s RatDog and Michael Franti’s Spearhead.
Alan teaches the C-A-G-E-D guitar system - a series of five interlocking scale positions and moveable chord forms that is applicable to all styles of music. Within this framework, topics of study include scale and chord construction and their use in melody and chord progressions, chord inversions, and style-specific harmony concepts. An emphasis on rhythm and syncopation is a must: ‘The guitar, or any instrument, is really a drum,” says Alan. “The expansion and division of that tapping of your foot – that’s where the music resides.” In addition, such advanced techniques as hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, bending, double-stops, and finger-style approaches are all available for study.
Varied in his knowledge base and personable in style, Alan provides a lasting experience for the beginning to intermediate/advanced guitarist or bassist!
Alan Hall provides top-notch, private guitar and bass lessons here at Gordon's Music & Sound in downtown Fairfield, CA. Ready to start your guitar or bass lessons with Alan? Check his availability then head over to our sign up page. Have questions? Give us a call at (707) 422-0313 or email us.
Gordon's Music & Sound is located at 810 Texas Street in downtown Fairfield, California. Proudly serving customers in Solano County and its towns Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville, Vallejo, Dixon, Rio Vista, and Benicia; Napa County and its towns American Canyon, Napa, Calistoga, St. Helena and Yountville; and Yolo County and its towns Davis, Winters, Woodland and West Sacramento for over 30 years!