KIRBY D. TRIM

Bass, Keys & Guitar Instructor | Minister | Worshipper

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KIRBY D. TRIM

Bass, Keys & Guitar Instructor | Minister | Worshipper

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have been shopping around for music lessons and/or an instructor, you may have seen some similar answers to questions like the ones below.


In music there are elements like melodies, harmonies, chords, rhythm, tempo, dynamics. Sometimes a simple song can include a mix of these. Now, how long does it take to get solid technique? First, we have to define what this means using a specific qualification. I agree & concur that defining solid technique as being able to play includes naming all 13 Major Scales at 60-90 bpm, using sixteenth Notes and chord-on-scale-tones in root and 1st-inversion positions (for piano and guitar).Does this mean you’ve mastered technique? Of course not, but you would have SOLID technique, meaning: you have the finger strength, dexterity, and coordination to play easy songs. How long does it take to get there? It can take you about 12 weeks, IF, you diligently practice the scales and chords correctly while associating pitches with note names and location(s) while practicing for 10-45 minutes daily for 5 to 6 days per week. This doesn’t mean you can skip 5 days and practice an hour on the last day, before the next class. Anybody who has played an instrument knows that this practice doesn't yield as much fruit.Can you really get solid technique in only 12 weeks? Yes, yes you can. I’ll address exactly why a bit later. 
Being able to play by ear utilizes skills that would allow you to learn a simple CCM song in about 10 minutes. To get to that level there are basically two time-frames. If you can already play songs with both hands together it can take you about 4 months to get really good at playing piano by ear. If you’re a complete beginner and you’ve never played a song using both hands together before, it’ll take you about 6-12 months because you’ll need to learn some other skills first. Of course, there are some caveats.First, just like with technique, you have to practice 10-45 minutes a day, 5 to 6 days per week.Second, you must use a systematic exercise, you cannot just wing it.
How long does it take to become good at learning songs? This is a tricky one to define because it depends on how difficult the songs are you’re trying to play.

There’s no real quantitative way to define this. You’re “good” at playing songs if a random person heard you playing or they could be able to recognize a song you are playing and could say “You’re good.”

How long does this take? About 6-8 months. This time, you’d need to practice about 20 minutes a day, 5 to 6 days per week. You’ll need very specific practice for this as well, breaking your songs into sections and really focusing on the sections that need work and will push you. Do not spend half your practice sessions playing the easy parts you already know – this won’t get you the results you want in 6-8 months.

Those who think it’s “too good to be true” to learn an instrument this fast make a huge mistake. However, the biggest mistake people make is they don’t follow the little details!

So many students come into my lesson, show me their scales, and they’re not where they’re supposed to be. They say they’ve practiced 20 minutes per day, 6 days per week, but when I dig deeper, I always find something out. You know what that is? That they didn’t follow the details. They really practiced 3 days instead of 6 days and didn’t realize how many days they had skipped.

Another thing that happens a lot is that people don’t actually use a stopwatch to time their practice sessions. I used to do the same thing and over time those 10 minute practice sessions shrunk to 6 or 7 minutes. It’s not the same.

If you stay diligent, consistent and really time it out, you’ll get the results I’ve been sharing with you.

Something else people say is that “everybody’s different.” Yes, that’s true, but they aren’t that different. Even if someone is a bit slower to pick up different aspects of learning piano they still won’t be that far behind over time if they’re practicing consistently, diligently focusing on the parts they don’t already know. Maybe they’ll be 2-3 months behind, but it won’t take them twice as long to learn with precision and accuracy.

For you, it might take a little longer or shorter, but it’ll be about the same amount of time as I’ve mentioned.

If you took 6-8 months to learn bass, keys or guitar, spending 15 minutes a day on scales, 10 minutes a day on play by ear drills, and 20 minutes a day on songs, you would:
  • Have solid technique
  • Be able to play by ear
  • Be able to play songs where people would say, “Wow, you’re sounding good”
A total of 45 minutes a day for 6-18 months.Don’t have 40 minutes a day? Let’s say you only have 20 minutes. Maybe you spend 3 months just focused on technique and play by ear. Another three months you may focus on playing songs. Then, you’ll cycle through both again and in about a year you’ll be good at all 3.Remember, it’s all about the details, using the right techniques, drills, and strategies to accomplish a sense of precision and accuracy.

Since most people desire to learn instruments to play both covers and original music, I teach one-on-one lessons in a way that equips students with skills to be able to learn any song and have fun doing it! I specialize in helping students LEARN Bass/Keys/Guitar, LEVERAGE their gifts and skills to LIFT Jesus’ agenda! 2 study paths are offered: Sight-reading and Ear-Trained Improvisation. My aim is to facilitate a learning environment that prepares musicians to serve in the local church. Music theory and technique are super important, and it is incorporated into each lesson as we progress.

Current Online Lesson prices are listed here on a per-student, per-instrument basis. An automatic 10% Discount is provided to families registering 3 or more students for lessons in the same online shopping cart session. Families of 3 or more students taking lessons may also Contact Us for an additional 20% discount.

Click here to book a lesson.

Online lessons actually work much the same as in-person lessons, except you learn from the comfort of your own home! Once a booking is confirmed, a weekly online meeting is scheduled. We meet online in the same online portal and platform that provides class materials, worksheets, audio and video. Login and access links / code(s) are provided after purchase and instructor follow-up contact. Student instrument (not provided) is required before classes begin.

*Get affordable and high-quality Instrument recommendations here.

*You may view lesson terms here.

Let me know! I’m glad to help. Have more questions? Text: MUSIC LESSONS to: 860.850.2098.

Lesson subscriptions are automatically deducted monthly. Current Online Lesson prices are listed here and booked on a per-student, per-instrument basis.

Free lessons are available here.

Yes, definitely! You can easily manage your subscription or cancel it anytime with no additional charges. I’m glad to do anything I can to help you advance your music. Simply contact me and let me know what you’d like to change.

No worries! I get it, life happens and sometimes you can’t make it to our lesson. As long as you let me know I will try to reschedule the lesson for the next mutually convenient time. If our schedules are hectic and we are unable to reschedule during the same week, students will continue to upload videos to our online platform’s timeline.

I avoid scheduling lessons on major holidays in the U.S., such as New Year’s Eve/Day, the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve/Day. I do try to communicate schedule changes in advance. If you’re ever unsure about if your lessons are meeting, feel free to check in, especially through our platform’s inbox!

I do not currently offer a regular in-person lesson option for several reasons. First, online lessons help keep the cost down for my students. Secondly, being online saves parents and students the stress and time of commuting and instead brings their extracurriculars to the comfort of their own home! And lastly, teaching online helps me work with amazing students from all over the world! I am able to help students who live in other areas and are on other time zones, that I would never get to work with them if I only taught in my town. Click here to inquire about booking me for an in-person workshop, camp/clinic event.

People think they cannot afford the quality that I produce. Invite someone to sponsor your recording project, then message me here. I'll help you with the music!

  1. Maintain positive influences, but...Be original!
  2. Tune up often!
  3. Listen with your back turned to the computer screen.
  1. Download voice note/track and save it to a new folder.
  2. Pray asking Jesus for his anointing, inspiration from Heaven.
  3. Listen to the song demo uninterrupted.
  4. Determine style/genre, tempo.
  5. Listen to client-provided references, then compare/contrast to client's requests.
  6. Dialog with client
  7. Determine my plan of action and or fx.
  8. Tune-up. Warmup. Record some ideas.
  9. Export MP3 for email to client, then wait for their response.

BASS> Line6 HD500X>  mic pre & interface> Presonus Studio One Daw

GUITAR> Line6 HD500X> mic pre & interface> Presonus Studio One Daw

Fred Hammond! He's a bassist, producer, singer, and writer. He can take a song from jottings on a napkin to a fully developed song in unimaginable ways.

Courtesy. Tasteful experience. Balance. Quality. An elevator work ethic to take the song from the lower level to the rooftop.

Both. I'll play you a track and then ask what you think.

1. What artist and songs are your comparison references for the song we're about to work on?

2. Who referred you to me?

Contemporary, yet traditional.

Gospel (contemporary, reggae, funk, blues, quartet, ccm, traditional, southern etc)

Humility and an unassuming personality.

Fred Hammond, Philip Feaster, Jonathan Dubose Jr., Jonathan Butler, Tommy Sims, Lawrence Jones, Tim Pierce, Mateus Asato, Alan Evans, Victor Wooten.

Det Mwen Yo Peye album by Abimael Innocent. He was unsatisfied with the previous production, then brought me the project from the previous studio. I ended up tearing it apart and kept maybe 10% of what was there and redid the entire production from bottom to top - sonically & musically.

Church Bass 201 course.

I underpromise but aim to over-deliver a satisfied experience.

Even though I typically work alone, I can collaborate with people all over the globe via the internet.

How much do you charge? I can do x-y-z with your track, but please tell me exactly what you are looking for here, then i'll quote you..

Provide youtube links to the sounds you're looking for.

Either of my Dean Edge Q6 or Ibanez SR506 basses, Ibanez Artcore AGS73T guitar, Line6 HD500x, Laptop + external hard drive, Presonus AudioBox Interface.

I've been playing music over 34 years, but you may read more about my journey here.

Bass & Guitar recordings, create courses and instruct online music lessons

I appreciate a lot of the social media content released by: famstx, exministries, pentabint, joyannreid. I love watching live music productions. I like watching shows like S.W.A.T., and From Rust to Riches.

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