About Mick
I started on drums at 12. I switched to electric bass at 16 and began guitar at 18. At the same time, I began to play bars and events in college for five years.
When I moved to New York at 22, I joined a group and continued with several other music constellations until meeting Jeff Buckley at 25 when we recorded and composed the classic album Grace at Bearsville Studios.
At 26, we began to tour the developed world for two years. I also toured with Elysian Fields, and in the off months I began to teach guitar and bass in 1995.
I also worked with Elliot Smith in 1996 and Beth Orrin in 1999. In Denmark, I continued teaching in 2000 and worked with Greenland’s Angu and DK’s The Sandmen.
Teaching
I first get a sense of the student’s ability and work from there, moving in small steps of progress.
Bass
With bass, I begin with a cursory study of technique and theory, including scales, chords, modes and creating parts or grooves, expanding on difficulty little by little.
Guitar
With guitar, I work on technique and study rhythm parts of tunes, then rhythm parts with single notes. I expand with increasingly difficult parts and using open tunings, touching upon theory all the while.
I cater to blind spots in student’s playing, emphasizing theory and teach them songs they enjoy which address the students’ needs.
First lesson
Firstly, I would gauge their ability and their blind spots. I would also begin addressing bad habits and assign them level specific songs they enjoy.