Andre Lyles

My mission is to instill passion, drive, and energy that music has brought into my own life into the lives of students.  As they seek to learn the required skills to play their desired instruments, that the process should always be fun and easy.  Music speaks to the soul of many individuals.  Much like any primary language we speak, music is learned, and finally mastered!  While learning to play an instrument can prove to be a great benefit in many ways, students inevitably develop the motivation to being the best they can be in all they further themselves to do, even outside of music. It's never too early to get started learning an instrument, and it's most certainly never too late!  I want my students to always feel proud of their musical successes and further that contribution by enriching their learning experience reminding them that you can do and achieve anything you put your mind to.  "Success follows doing what you want to do." 

I am a self-taught bassist.  I started on trombone at the age of 9 and eventually picked up Tuba.  While Tuba was my main instrument from around the age of 13 onwards through my college career, I had a deep interest in bass guitar that started for me at the age of 17 in my last year of high school.  I grew up a video game fanatic with an older brother who shared the same love.  However, the one game that changed my life forever that was initial spark for wanting to learn to play bass guitar was Guitar Hero.  Since then, bass has become not only my main instrument, but it has helped cultivate the one subject I've always been passionate about into an awesome career full of fruitful experiences.  I'm grateful to have had so many opportunities to travel and see the world.  As an NYC based working musician, my performance experience includes working in wedding/cover bands and been given opportunities such as playing for the Governor of Connecticut.  My career as a bassist has given me the rare opportunity to see the world by working on cruise ships.  It was in college that I developed a deep bond with a band of brothers; which is also where I met music pop star Jon Bellion.  Working with Bellion and the Beautiful Mind band has granted me the opportunity to tour and play legendary venues and ampitheatres across countries such as the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.  We were one of two openers for mega pop group Twenty One Pilots during their Emotional Road Show Tour in 2017 along side Judah and The Lion.  We've also played as headliners for Festivals including but not limited to FireFly, Bonnaroo, Governors Ball, Pemberton Music Festival, Lollapalooza, Bunbury Musical Festival, allowing us to share headlining slots with artists/bands by the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Muse, The 1975 Band, Nas, Travis Scott, Cage The Elephant, Son Real, Alec Benjamin, Lettuce, The Internet, Panic at the disco, The Killers, Wiz Khalifa, Lizzo, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Bruno Mars, Pitbull, Fifth Harmony, and the list goes on!

I have studio experience with artists such as Eddie Arjun Peters, Julian Kerins, Brite, and more!  I even have my own home studio where I'm able to work with other artists/bands via the internet on tracks where they may need a live bass player on.  I've done at least over 300+ recordings and still going.

My teaching experience includes having had taught at School of Rock in Long Island, NY where I ran Rock 101 group classes for early childhood music lovers, to full on production/seasonal shows for older and more experience students learning songs by a variety of classic and well-known/timeless rock bands such as Green Day, Rush, Muse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paramore, Walk the Moon, Evanescence, Rage Against The Machine, Talking Heads, and tons more.  I've also worked with other lessons agencies like Takelessons, and I've also been fortunate enough to have my own referral of private in-home lessons, and online lessons on all instruments including but not limited to guitar, bass, piano, drums, voice, music production and audio recording, clarinet, tuba, trombone, and more.  I ultimately teach students of all ages, as it is nothing but a number.  My BA in Music Education has allowed me a great and successful career as a music teacher.

I've done after school group lessons as a piano tutor in a keyboard lab where middle schoolers with interest in wanting to learn piano were supplied with electric keyboards to help aide them in instruction.  

I taught as a full-time music teacher in NYC public school 38 teaching general music education grades K-5, and was the overhead for starting a 4th and 5th grade instrumental ensemble.  I've also taught general music and band classes at West Babylon Jr. high school and West Babylon High School as part of my student teaching requirement.  

With the well-rounded music career in just as little as several years out of college, I've been able to experience a lot and I'm just getting started; and you can too!

I specialize in the style of ear training and strongly endorse the use of user friendly downloadable apps such as "Amazing Slow Downer".  I also encourage the use of another downloadable application such as "Tabs", and online resources that utilize guitar/bass tablature.  I  have the following tools available for your lessons: Sound recording equipment, Camera, sheet music, and online resources to help you find bass tablature to your favorite songs.