Lessons for Later

Pre-Purchase Lessons for Later

Purchase Lessons Now

Age Range

5 & Up

Skill Range

All Abilities

Accessibility

Everyone

Locations Offered

Millburn, NJ

Do online lessons not work for you? Purchase a month of lessons now for when we return to normal. Please show your support for So i Heard Music during this unprecedented time. We’ll get through this together. Thank you!

Top 3 Reasons Why So i Heard Music Rocks!

FUN, YOUTHFUL AND QUALIFIED INSTRUCTORS

Instructors are all highly-qualified and must pass a background check and training to become a So i Heard Music instructor.

ENROLLMENT IS EASY

With our flat-rate monthly pricing, you’ll never have to guess about our fees. Make-up lessons are included at no extra charge! We have real, live front desk staff to help answer questions and set up your lessons for both online and in-person lessons.

So i Heard Certified Instructors

All So i Heard Music instructors are So i Heard Music certified in teaching online and in-person lessons. We use key software and tools to make all lessons fun and productive!

Meet Our Teachers

Diego
Bussenius
Teacher
EducationBerklee Online
SpecialtyPiano, Guitar, Bass, Music Production
InfluencesJames Yancey, James Jamerson, Paul McCartney, Tom Jobim, Herbie Hancock
LocationsMillburn, NJ
Online Lessons
See More
Hi, I'm Diego!
My love for music began at a young age when my father would share his love for funk music with my brother and I. He loved the music of groups like Parliament and Jamiroquai and it rubbed off on me at a young age. In my teens I would teach myself how to play different instruments through instructional books/DVDs from the public library and playing in bands with friends; but I had been studying for a career in architectural design. After high-school, I felt that my heart was completely in music, so I abandoned architecture and got a job to pay my way through Berklee Music for Music Production. Since graduation, I have been recording local acts from Rock, Pop, to Hip Hop and investing all the revenue back into the studio. This has taught me many valuable lessons about the entire music production process; from having the first idea of a song to officially releasing it to the world and every step in-between.
My Approach To A Typical Lesson
While teaching music lessons, my main goal is to cultivate a love for music that carries through the years. Like English conveys ideas, music is a language of emotions, and I hope to instill the desire to speak that language to all my students. By flexing our creative muscles through constant creation, the theory and the technicalities become a goal for the student to facilitate the expression of music they feel inside.
My Advice For Students
To learn any language we must immerse ourselves in the world of that language. My advice is to immerse into the world of music by listening, studying, practicing, and playing as often as we can. We become what we do, so if we play music everyday, we are music.
My Favorite Local Places
So i Heard Music, and not just because I work there! It's honestly a very inspirational place to see all my colleagues and their pupils achieves so much. Besides that I'd say my house.
My Music
I am currently establishing a record label where all my future projects will live. Stay Tuned! www.protunerecords.com
Tim
Schwerdt
Music Therapist, Teacher
EducationBerklee College of Music
SpecialtyMusic Therapy, Guitar, Drums, Bass, Music Production
InfluencesLed Zeppelin, Muse, Gojira, Rage Against the Machine, Stevie Wonder
LocationsMillburn, NJ
Online Lessons
See More
Hi, I'm Tim!
I grew up playing and exploring as many instruments as possible to get a feel for the language and nature of music. As an informed multi-instrumentalist, I pursued an education in the Recording Arts in order to understand how to be a producer and engineer. My explorations taught me that a huge passion of mine is relating to others on a more personal level. As such, I furthered my education to become a Music Therapist. My life mission is to help others achieve their goals through music.
My Approach To A Typical Lesson
I like to ask students to share with me the type of music that most interests them. Preferences guide the learning journey every day and can especially inspire us to continue persevere through difficult challenges.
My Advice For Students
Listen to music every day. Find out exactly what appeals to you and what doesn't so you can talk to a teacher or mentor about how to best help you along your musical journey.
My Favorite Sources of Inspiration
I find inspiration from being in nature and with people. I love meeting new people and helping them along their musical journey anyway I can. I go to concerts about three times a month to discover new artists, and support musicians I already listen to. Movie and Video games are also hugely important sources of music. I find myself exploring YouTube for content from all around the world to share with others.
Andrew
Digrius
Teacher
EducationMontclair State University
SpecialtyPiano, Guitar, Bass, Music Production, Songwriting, Trombone, Trumpet
InfluencesRadiohead, Miles Davis, Billy Joel, Bela Bartok, Circa Survive
LocationsMillburn, NJ
Online Lessons
See More
Hi, I'm Andrew!
I studied Jazz Performance at Montclair State University with a concentration in trumpet. While I was in my undergraduate studies I was able to meet six other musicians who shared a similar philosophy of creativity. We formed a band called Thank You Scientist and through that I was able to tour the country for 8 years. I was fortunate to have shared the stage with amazing bands such as Yes, The Dear Hunter, Coheed and Cambria, Periphery and many more! Although I was fully invested in the rock scene at the time, this did not stop me from composing and performing jazz around the New Jersey and New York scene. I was a part of the New York Youth Big Band in which I was able to play along side Terell Stafford, Phil Woods, Nir Felder and more. Over the years, I've strived to not pigeon hole myself into one style, genre or instrument in the pursuit of my expression. The theory knowledge learned from the jazz and rock scene helped me to excel in the learning of many other instruments which now gives me the ability to teach at a deeper and more concise level.
My Approach To A Typical Lesson
Since jazz is my background, I emphasize the use of the ears in lessons. We do a lot of listening and ear training to better understand what we hear. This being said, I also love to play with my students so they get a good sense of what to sound like. I also love to work on songs and music that my students are listening to and make it as hard or easy for each individuals level. This being said, I do spend some time developing technique through scales, exercise books, and theory knowledge.
My Advice For Students
Make sure you keep your ears open at all times! Listen to yourself and the greats!
My Favorite Local Places
I love getting into the city and heading to the Village Vanguard and the 55 bar for jazz. But I also head to the Bowery Electric and the Knitting Factory to check out some up and coming rock music.
My Music
I recorded three records with my old rock band Thank You Scientist (7 piece prog rock band)

I currently play in a band called First Mountain I also love pop music - check out this track I'm featured on!
Nick
Peters
Teacher
EducationMontclair State University
SpecialtyPiano, Drums, Music Theory, Songwriting
InfluencesRed Hot Chili Peppers, Kendrick Lamar, Mark Guiliana, Florence + the Machine, CHON, Steve Reich
LocationsMillburn, NJ
Online Lessons
See More
Hi, I'm Nick!
I began learning Coldplay songs on the piano around the eighth grade. In high school, my friends finally convinced me to join the marching band after two years of me telling them I wasn't interested. I ended up really enjoying it, and went on to perform with a Drum and Bugle Corps for five years! I learned to play the vibraphone, then the xylophone, and finally the marimba. I discovered a deep love of music, and decided that that was what I wanted to go to college for! I graduated from Montclair State University in 2019 with a degree in Music Theory/Composition and an instrumental focus in Percussion. Since then, I've been working to develop my writing an playing abilities further. I love composing new music as well as arranging music in different styles and instrumentation.
My Approach To A Typical Lesson
I believe in giving my students the resources and building blocks to learn and understand concepts on their own. This can help them to grow organically and not feel as if they are simply being spoon-fed information. I also love posing questions to my students to encourage critical thinking. I am a huge proponent of the fundamentals: a good foundation in technique and music theory can support the student as they grow into the type of musician that they would eventually like to be!
My Advice For Students
Discover what you like about music, and strive to learn more about it. Exploring new concepts and developing your taste can become a huge part of the fun! We have an incredible amount of music both past and present available at our fingertips. Even if you spent your entire life playing, you would never run out of things to learn. It may seem intimidating, but everyone needs to begin somewhere!
My Favorite Local Places
NJPAC in Newark, NJ Rockwood Music Hall in NYC The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC
My Music
I'm a composer who loves percussion, electronic music, and minimalism. This is a recording from my Senior Composition Recital of a jazz piece titled "Frazil". It was written about ice crystals that form under moving bodies of water called "frazil ice."
Aaron
Geusic
Teacher
EducationKean University
SpecialtyPiano, Guitar, Drums, Voice, Music Theory
InfluencesThe Beatles, Patternist, Queen, Ben Platt, The Moody Blues
LocationsMillburn, NJ
Online Lessons
See More
Hi, I'm Aaron!
I have received my B.M. in Music Performance and Pedagogy from Kean University in Union NJ. My primary instrument is voice but I am a multi-instrumentalist who is proficient in guitar and piano as well. I have had various experiences performing both solo and in groups including but not limited to multiple performances with the Woodbridge Community Players (shows include West Side Story as a Shark, Little Shop of Horrors as Seymour and Cabaret as Herr Schulz), The Kean University Choir, and with my band “The Wednesdays.” I teach voice, drums, music theory, beginner piano, and more!
My Approach To A Typical Lesson
My typical approach to teaching lesson's is as follows: I would greet the student, ask about their week and lead them in a short physical stretch. After stretching would be a short five minute warm up. At this point I would either introduce a new piece or review old music, having the student sing through the piece and making mistakes along the way. When finished, I would pinpoint any particular sections giving the student any trouble.
My Advice For Students
The one way to improve on your instrument is to practice everyday! It may seem impossible but all it takes is 10 minutes a day! You must be willing to put in the work to achieve greatness!
My Favorite Local Places
New York City in any theater M Uncle's front porch My Basement studio
My Music

Aaron also performs in a band called "The Wednesdays." Their music can be found on Spotify.
Rob
Fragnito
Teacher
EducationThe Collective School of Music
SpecialtyPiano, Guitar, Drums, Voice
InfluencesThe Beatles, Radiohead, Beethoven, Miles Davis, John Bonham
LocationsMillburn, NJ
Online Lessons
See More
Hi, I'm Rob!
I am a multi-instrumentalist specializing in Drums, Piano, Guitar, Voice, and Music Production. I have been playing drums since I was 12 and piano since I was 8. I have performed in many different bands as a drummer, keyboardist and songwriter/singer. I have a lot of experience performing on stage and working in recording studios. I graduated from Music College in a degree in performance and music theory. I have been teaching for many years and love to share my passion and knowledge with my students. I have studied many different genres. From jazz and rock to classical and funk. I personally like to combine all styles and create music that is interesting and innovative. Also, having a good beat and catchy melody is most important! I think it's important to be influenced by many different styles and sounds. I look to instill this in my students and encourage them to think outside the box and explore different types of music that they normally wouldn't listen to.
My Approach To A Typical Lesson
Whether you're a beginner or experienced I like to start slow and get a sense of the instrument. We do this through fun warmups! For me it's all about music so I also try to get a sense of what kind of music the student enjoys. Listening to songs and understanding what the musicians are doing is a great way to becoming better at your chosen instrument.
My Advice For Students
Remember music is all about having fun. Relax, it's okay to make mistakes. Actually making mistakes is the only way to get better.
My Favorite Local Places
Rockwood Music Hall Newark Museum Smalls Jazz Club QXT's Night Club The MET
My Music
I currently play in a band called Moon Rabbit Retreat. If this doesn't showcase my skill set,I don't know what will. In the band I play drums, keyboards and sing. It's easier than it sounds!
Sean
Killary
Owner
EducationBerklee College of Music
SpecialtyGuitar, Music Production
InfluencesFoo Fighters
Kimbra
Circa Survive
Punch Brothers
Mutemath
LocationsMillburn, NJ
See More
Sean Killary graduated Berklee College of Music in 2010 with a dual major in Music Production and Music Business. After graduating Berklee, he started a recording studio in Boston where he produced a variety of musicians and albums. In 2012, Sean reconnected with a fellow Berklee classmate and band member, Sam Morgan, to create the plan that would become So i Heard Music. Outside of So i Heard Music, Sean is an avid outdoorsman and mountain biker and enjoys spending time with his dog, Ollie.

We want to thank each and every one of you for your support through this time. This is difficult for all of us, and we plan to be here for a while. Let's get through this together.

[ Sam Morgan and Sean Killary - Founders ]

Lessons for Later

Pre-Purchase Lessons for Later

Pre-Purchase Lessons for Later

Age Range

Skill Range

Accessibility

Locations Offered

Top 3 Reasons Why So i Heard Music Rocks!

FUN, YOUTHFUL AND QUALIFIED INSTRUCTORS

ENROLLMENT IS EASY

So i Heard Certified Instructors

Meet Our Teachers

Hi, I'm Diego!

My Approach To A Typical Lesson

My Advice For Students

My Favorite Local Places

My Music

Hi, I'm Tim!

My Approach To A Typical Lesson

My Advice For Students

My Favorite Sources of Inspiration

Hi, I'm Andrew!

My Approach To A Typical Lesson

My Advice For Students

My Favorite Local Places

My Music

Hi, I'm Nick!

My Approach To A Typical Lesson

My Advice For Students

My Favorite Local Places

My Music

Hi, I'm Aaron!

My Approach To A Typical Lesson

My Advice For Students

My Favorite Local Places

My Music

Hi, I'm Rob!

My Approach To A Typical Lesson

My Advice For Students

My Favorite Local Places

My Music

Pre-Purchase Lessons