About
Pleased to meet you. My name is Chris.
Music is all about sharing good times in a safe and encouraging environment. If students are comfortable and feel free to ask questions, then the learning flows... .
Absolute Beginners are Welcome!
Even if you don’t know the first thing about guitar or music, you will be carefully and patiently guided through your first steps. I excel at teaching music to beginners. I even taught music to preschoolers!
Lessons with me are fantastic - the time will fly - but you’ll learn a lot. I’ll supply the knowledge & experience. You supply you.
My world of music is a wonderful and inclusive place, and if you wish, you can be a part of it. We learn by doing….and in doing my part, you'll be cognizant of your progress, and most importantly, we’ll be having FUN.
Me? I am a professional musician, recording artist, educator, and producer - and from early-childhood education to making music with international pop stars - it’s always a joy.
I picked up the guitar when I was 10 and never put it down. I love it. I earned my BA (Music - Guitar Performance from Susquehanna University) and graduated with honors. I also studied at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA.
I recorded in some of the world's most awesome recording studios, wrote, recorded, and produced for pop stars, received 4 GRAMMY considerations for my last album, performed internationally, developed a curriculum for teaching music to preschoolers, and shared the stage with some of my heroes.
Along with teaching my super-cool students. I produce (custom music cues) for Films and Television shows.
So, list your favorite songs you want to learn, book a lesson, and Let’s Get Started!
All the best,
Chrisread more
Experience
Guitar Teacher
Self / Joy of Jamming
Jan 1997 - present
I teach guitar to a very diverse range of students across many styles and ages.
Recording Studio Owner and Operator / Producer / Audio Engineer
Self
Jan 1997 - present
• 4x GRAMMY Consideration for my Latest EP (Chris Colby - II).
• Oversee day-to-day operations, ensu... ring that the studio is always running smoothly and efficiently while consistently providing a perfect creative working environment for clients. Avid Pro Tools, Sibelius.
• Clients / Musicians / Projects: Jamey Haddad (Paul Simon, Paul Lieberman, Paul Winter Consort); Clyde Lucas (Ray Charles, Ruth Brown, Illinois Jacquet); Robin Diaz (OAR, Train, Kiss, AC/DC), Chris Colby (Steve Fallone, GRAMMY-winning Mastering Engineer at Sterling Sound, New York, NY).
• Coproduced Jay Umble’s jazz album “Spirit Crossing” with Paul Wickliffe (Skyline Recording Studio New York, NY).
• Composed music placed in Disney’s television series “Hollywood Lives.”
• Produced and engineered Jay Umble’s jazz-guitar instructional books for Mel Bay Publications “Melodic Junction” and “Paying Your Dues with the Blues.”
• Wrote, performed, engineered, produced, and released four albums of original music.
• Active Musician: Live performance and album releases. FOH engineer (when
available) is Rick Coberly (Live Aid, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Genesis, Yes, The Eagles, Max Roach) 1988 - Present.read more
CCO
Yallafan
Jan 2008 - Dec 2011
Chief Creative Officer (CCO)
Yallafan - Chicago, IL
; Beirut, Lebanon; Dubai, UAE
Led and assemble... d production teams to create audio and video productions for international pop stars. Guided, directed, and oversaw a multimedia platform and music destination website serving the entire MENA (Middle East / North Africa) Region.
Managed production budgets up to $750,000.
• Served as producer, promoter, songwriter, A&R, audio engineer & spokesperson
• Wrote the lyrics for “Kawn Jdeed,” sung by Rouwaida Attieh (video produced by Adel Serhan) which won a Music Video Award in Egypt.
• Developed and maintained relationships with industry professionals (managers, agents, attorneys, songwriters, studio owners, producers, promoters, press, publishers, influencers, and media). Reported directly to stakeholders/investors.
• Established timeline and coordinated pre-production and production, mixing and mastering, and oversaw the process to ensure recorded material was commercially viable while keeping projects within the agreed budget and schedule/timeline.
• Secured new songs for existing talent and evaluated and developed new talent.
• Created an artist destination website serving pop stars & new/independent artists.
• Created educational content and contests for new/independent/unsigned artists: tutorials were professionally translated and presented in Arabic.
• Developed and launched contests for new artists to showcase their talent.
• Provided creative direction on artist's material and matched with audience tastes.
• Found/Discovered & appointed suitable producers, writers/co-writers, sound engineers, and recording studios.
• Oversaw and facilitated music and video productions averaging $350,000.read more