F.A.Q.

Q. Mr K, is it the coffee making you crazy?
A. Good question, NO — I'm already crazy…mmmmm cofffeeeee…


Q. What's your favorite thing to do besides music?
A. I love spending time with my family and I try to involve them in everything I do. I love cookin'. I grow my own garden throughout the year, and I am always learning and creating new recipes.

I've been a woodworker since I was a kid with my Grandfather (Poppop) and Dad. I grew up working in the shop, and creating things with wood. I now have two shops, one for working and creating, and one for storing lots of cut lumber from big logs.

I wear a suit to Malibu, and I look like a lumberjack all the other days of the week!

Q. I want to buy a guitar. WHERE DO I START!???
A. Buying a guitar is simple when you know what you're looking for and what NOT to buy.  First, I would never really buy a guitar from Costco, Sam's, BJ's, Walmart, etc… They are generally very poorly made, and can't be tuned correctly so that they stay in tune. A great place to start is at Alpha Music on the boulevard. I would opt for an acoustic guitar instead of an electric. You'll always be able to pick up the acoustic and practice or play. Most electrics end up collecting dust, and they involve a lot more "stuff" in order to make a sound. Learn on the acoustic and move to the electric. Or, get a fender squire electric with a basic amp and get crackin!

Plan on spending about 250 on a guitar (there are cheaper deals, just talk to the folks at the store).

If playing acoustic guitar seems to be your thing, Taylor makes some fantastic small guitars for smaller people and folks who want a small guitar to travel with. Not cheap, but will last a lifetime, well cared for.

Q. What kind of guitar strings do you use?
A. Used to use Diaddario phosphor bronze medium to heavy guage - I like the sound (I would start with light gauge), but I went to a .013 gauge nano-web coated string made by Elixr because they sound good for longer amounts of playing.

Q. What was your first instrument besides your voice?
A. Piano. I started taking lessons in second grade.

Q. Have you only taught at Malibu?
A. No, I've taught at many places. Forrest Elementary and Tucker Capps Elementary in Hampton, First Colonial High School, Tallwood High School, The Governor's School for the Arts, Virginia Wesleyan University, Thalia Elementary, and John B Dey Elementary. BUT, this will be my 16th YEAR at Malibu! and my 19th year teaching. 

Q. What instrument should I play?
A. Come talk to me, I might just have a great idea for you...

Q. How old are you?
A. 1,198,368,000 seconds old. Do the math.

Q. How many kids do you have?
A. Five...that's right...FIVE! Gabriel (my son) is a rising ninth-grader, Helen (my daughter) is a rising 6th grader, Jack (funny man) is in Third Grade, Louis (Scraps) is in Kindergarten, and Charlie is going on 3 years old.

Q. Do you always wear a suit and tie?
A. Absolutely! When I'm not dressed for hauling lumber or working in the the woodshop.

Q. How did you learn to draw?
A. lots and lots of practice. Try drawing things you're looking at. It doesn't have to be perfect, you have to start somewhere. Just put a pencil to the paper and get crackin'!

Q. What instruments do you play? How well?
A. Here's a list of the instruments I play and how well I play them. Some I play with the Virginia Symphony, and have taught as a college professor, and some I've played for a very long time, but really only share with you guys!

Saxophones: Va Symphony, touring Broadway, principal instrument
Flutes/piccolo/whistles/traditional flutes: Va Symphony, touring Broadway
Recorders: Symphony level
Clarinets: Va Symphony, touring Broadway
Oboe/English horn: touring Broadway years ago, play as much anymore (I can but I'm out of practice)
Trumpet: only for myself and school. Messes up my flute playing because of the lip buzzing.
Percussion: Very high-performance level, not really a "set drummer"
Piano: Since I was in 2nd grade, but I like playing "by ear" the most. 
Guitar: Since I was in 6th grade, for the last 10 years I've been playing with alternate tunings exclusively. My guitars are now all tuned to DADGAD instead of EADGBE
Mandolin: Started 4 years ago, and play very well. A lot of the guitar experience transfers to mandolin
Violin/viola/cello/bass: Learned in college and practiced over the years so I can teach these instruments to you!

Q. What is your favorite video game, TV show, etc...
A. I haven't played video games since I was in the 8th grade. TV? I have about 7 channels on my TV and Netflix and about the only thing I watch is News, PBS, and the occasional show. I would rather spend time playing, reading, or on other projects and activities where I get to CREATE!

Q. Tell us something we might not know about you!
A. I am an Eagle Scout of the Boy Scouts of America.
The very first merit badge I ever earned when I started scouting was the music merit badge. I was in the 7th grade. My dad is also an Eagle Scout.

Q. I want to take private lessons. Where do I go?
A. I do not teach private lessons at this time. Here's a list of the private instructors that I highly recommend for one-on-one instruction.

For Guitar, Bass, and Drums 
Alpha Music has a great staff of instructors that can be found HERE
The are very close to Malibu, and all are top notch.


Also, Moe's Music has instructors that teach guitar bass and drums. We have a couple students here that take from the teachers there, and they're getting better every time I hear them play!

Trumpet
Roy Muth (757) 630-7094

Trombone (Euphonium)
Mike Hall (757) 822-3791

French Horn
Marlene Ford (757) 340-6406
Becky Peppard (757) 481-1501


Tuba
Pete DuBeau (757) 423-5808

Flute
Patti Watters (757) 486-1945 pwatters@gsarts.net

Clarinet
Jim Nesbit (757) 689-2775 jbnesbit@cox.net

Saxophone
Jim Nesbit (757) 689-2775 jbnesbit@cox.net
Keith Philbrick (757) 581-7027 kphilbrick@hotmail.com

Oboe
Sherie Aguirre (757) 537-9566 sherie.aguirre@gmail.com

Bassoon
Jim Nesbit (757) 689-2775 jbnesbit@cox.net

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