Erika Middleton-Sharpe

Hi! I'm Erika, and I teach music for voice, guitar, bass, and piano. I have been teaching music to children and adults at a music school in Phoenix, Arizona for the past 5 years. In 2022 I had 60 students there. I recently moved to the Netherlands and am also learning Dutch. I teach jazz, rock, folk, and pop music.

I am enthusiastic about teaching music, playing music, and sharing music with others! My teaching style is fast-paced, energetic and encouraging. I will help you overcome obstacles as you learn to play your instrument and learn songs. Some students have difficulty focusing, and other students have difficulty with the physical demands of playing an instrument. Some students have challenges with confidence, and others with pushing themselves to play more challenging material. I have experienced all of these challenges myself, so I am here to help you at every stage of your musical journey!

I have professional experience as a vocalist, guitarist, electric and upright bassist. I have experience teaching voice, guitar, piano, electric and upright bass to students from age 5 to 65+. You can watch examples of my lessons and teaching style below! For piano, I have experience teaching beginners, however I am not a professional pianist. I am now a multi-instrumental musician and educator, with experience teaching in person and online, one-on-one lessons, and classes of up to 24 students at a time.

You can read more about my musical background and professional experience as a musician.

I have experience performing and recording jazz, rock, indie and folk music in recording studios, as well as small and large music venues. I studied Upright Bass performance in New York at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary music, and I taught the Electric Bass studio at Arizona State University in Phoenix, Arizona. My passion for music is fueled by a constant pursuit of self-realization, honesty, and communication through performance. I have been a musician for most of my life. From a young age, I loved to sing and listen to music. My first performances happened at home, in moments of inspiration - I would sing from the top of the staircase in my childhood home, "

I began taking private piano lessons at the age of 7, and then learned to play the flute at age 12 in my school's band program. This is when my interest in music grew into a passion. I started listening to jazz music, specifically Ella Fitzgerald, Thelonious Monk, Count Basie and Charles Mingus, and began playing the electric bass in the school jazz band. From that point forward, bass became my primary instrument and interest. At 14, I started playing the Upright Bass and joined my high school's jazz big band. I attended jazz camps in the summers and I took private lessons on electric and upright bass. Once I entered high school, I knew that I wanted to pursue music as my career. I played in jazz combos, youth orchestra, and community college big bands throughout high school. 

I am eager to teach students the principles that will allow them to play music with confidence. You will develop your unique sound through strong technique and learning to play music you love. You will learn to "use your ears" to understand harmony, learn songs, and improvise in your favorite styles. You will become the musician you want to be, with time, practice, patience and joy in the process!

Do you want to learn to play bass guitar? The bass is an instrument that is essential to pop music, rock music, blues, funk, disco, and jazz. The bass is usually the lowest sounding instrument in a band, which makes it the "heartbeat" of music. Whe you decide to take bass guitar lessons, you will learn what makes the bass special and why its an important instrument in every band. You will learn how to play bass lines in different styles, and how to read music that is written for the bass. You will learn how to practice, which means I will give you music to listen to, to read, and to play every day at home between your lessons. Practicing is the most important part of learning to play an instrument, so practice needs to be fun, rewarding, and something you do every day!

You will learn to play the bass by reading music, learning scales and chords, practicing rhythms with a metronome, and learning songs by ear. You will learn how to sit and stand while playing the bass, as well as specific left and right hand techniques that provide more variety and style to a given genre of music. You will need to purchase your own materials for lessons, including sheet music, instruments and accessories.

Students who wish to play the guitar will develop an understanding of the flexible role of the instrument in pop music, jazz, rock, folk, and related styles. The guitar is perhaps the most commonly played instrument in the world, therefore a guitar student must develop a sense of discipline and commitment to learn strong technique, music theory and harmony, and how to distinguish one's unqiue voice on the instrument. While the guitar can play a lead role in a band, it is also provides structure and depth to music as a supporting instrument in the rhythm section. 

Students will learn to play the guitar by reading music, learning scales and chords, practicing rhythms with a metronome, and learning songs by ear. Students will learn how to sit and stand properly with the guitar, and how the right and left hand work in synch to create a variety of styles and techniques. Students must purchase their own materials for lessons, including sheet music, instrument and accessories.

Students who wish to study the guitar must have their own instrument in order to begin lessons, acoustic guitar is preferred. Students do not need to have any previous musical experience. Students must have an orderly space in their home where bass lessons and practice will take place. During music lessons and music practice, students need a quiet and calm environment. Noise and distraction from family members, TV, and/or cell phones is not acceptable during a lesson or practice session. Students are expected to practice their instrument every day during the week, Monday through Friday. Students will determine the amount of time they can practice with focus with the support of the instructor.

Do you want to learn to play Double Bass? The Double Bass, Stand-Up Bass, or Upright Bass is one of the largest instruments in a band or ochestra, and it is one of the most beautiful and powerful instruments you can choose to play. When you learn to play the Upright Bass, you will learn technique, how to read music, and how to create a beautiful sound on the instrument. But you will also learn how to develop physical strength, how to play notes "in-tune," and how to embrace the power of this instrument. 

You will learn how to play the upright bass with a bow and with your fingers of your right hand. You will develop strength in your left hand by playing scales, songs, and read music. You will learn how to play in tune by practicing slowly and with focus. 

The Upright Bass can be heard in classical music and jazz, as well as in other folk and pop settings. The Upright Bass is an essential instrument in the jazz rhythm section, providing harmonic and rhythmic support through walking bass lines, and bringing another dimension of melody through improvisation and as a lead instrument.

The Upright Bass is a member of the string family, so students will learn to play the instrument arco with bow, as well as pizzicato with the right hand. Students will learn to stand, to balance the bass properly, and how to determine the proper height of the instrument for their own body. Students will learn to play the Upright Bass by reading music, learning scales and chords, practicing rhythms with a metronome, and learning songs by ear. Students must purchase their own materials for lessons, including sheet music, instrument, music stand and accessories.

Students who wish to study the Upright Bass must have their own instrument and bow in order to begin lessons. Students do not need to have any previous musical experience. Students must have an orderly space in their home where bass lessons and practice will take place. During music lessons and music practice, students need a quiet and calm environment. Noise and distraction from family members, TV, and/or cell phones is not acceptable during a lesson or practice session. Students are expected to practice their instrument every day during the week, Monday through Friday. Students will determine the amount of time they can practice with focus with the support of the instructor.

Songwriting allows students to explore their musical ideas, express thoughts and emotions through lyric writing, and to develop an internal sense of harmony, rhythm, and meaning in original music that they create. Students who want to study songwriting must have at least 3 years of experience playing any instrument, and be comfortable singing. Songwriting students must have access to a guitar or piano which they can create and practice songs with. 

Students will learn how to create melodies and chord progressions, instrument "parts" and develop an understanding of song form. Students will learn how to change the emotional intention and meaning of a song by adjusting the harmony, melody, tempo, and structure of the song. Students will develop confidence in lyric writing by writing from personal experience, exploring language and it's layers of meaning, and manipulating the sound of words through vowels. 

Students will begin writing songs immediately in this course, and will work on developing confidence in their original ideas.

Students must have an orderly space in their home where songwriting lessons and practice will take place. During music lessons and music practice, students need a quiet and calm environment. Noise and distraction from family members, TV, and/or cell phones is not acceptable during a lesson or practice session. Students are expected to practice songwriting every day during the week, Monday through Friday. Students will determine the amount of time they can practice with focus with the support of the instructor.

Everyone has a voice, which means that everyone can sing. However, many people struggle to sing with a beautiful and clear sound. By connecting with our senses of hearing and feeling, we can learn to sing with our own distinct voice in a way that is empowering, beautiful, and honest. By embracing the vulnerable act of singing, we learn more about ourselves, our bodies, and the power of sharing our voice with the world. When we sing, we tell a story that unites music and the human experience, which is why learning to sing is a challenging and brave endeavor for every student. 

Students will learn how to breathe, how to listen, how to sing, and how to speak. Through visualization of the vocal system, students will develop mind-muscle connection to the jaw, tongue, vocal chords, diaphragm, and lungs. Students will learn to hear themselves clearly, to sing in tune and with a full sound. Students will also learn how to pronounce words, shape vowels, and breath in a way that supports the meaning and intention of a song. 

Students must have a comfortable space in their home where singing lessons and practice will take place. During singing lessons and singing practice, students need a quiet, calm, and supportive environment. Noise and distraction from family members, TV, and/or cell phones is not acceptable during a lesson or practice session. Students are expected to practice singing every day during the week, Monday through Friday. Students will determine the amount of time they can practice with focus with the support of the instructor.