The Fifth String | Music School

Music School

The Fifth String teaching staff offers instruction in just about every style. From the great flatpick licks of Clarence White, David Grier, and Tony Rice, to the fingerpicking styles of Mississippi John Hurt, Mark Hanson, and Pat Kirtley to the banjo of Earl Scruggs and mandolin of Bill Monroe. Irish, blues, bluegrass, contemporary, rock, jazz, and country - we love and play it all. Our studios are spacious, clean, and well ventilated to provide a very comfortable learning environment. We have brought together the best team of teachers in the Sacramento area with one goal in mind:

"To provide the highest level of professional instruction possible in a comfortable and relaxed environment, while most importantly, making it fun to learn music."

Call 916/442-8282 for detailed scheduling information.
Store Hours:
Monday - Thursday, 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Fridays, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sundays, Closed

Instructors

Caroline Disney

An accomplished "fiddle"musician, Caroline has been giving lessions for twenty years. Caroline's foundation of knowledge, expertise and talent was in the classical style, as she puts it, "I started playing violin in the fourth grade, through the music program offered by the school system in Casper, Wyoming. I changed to viola in seventh grade and continued classical through my first year of college". She started playing the fiddle while living in Bishop, Callifornia in 1985 and has been giving lessons since 1990. Caroline encourages students to learn to tune right away and incorporate theory while learning to jam.

Mike Kelly

Having played for over twenty years, Mike teaches electric bass like no other person in town. With limited eyesight he has developed one of the areas best ears and has become a very sought after bass player for his ability to play almost any kind of music. He teaches in any style from funk to country, jazz to rock and has produced some of Sacramento's best young players. Mike has the ability to explain bass in a manner all his own, helping the bass player learn and understand the rhythm techniques unique to the various styles of music.

Having played with the likes of the Michael Gregory Jazz Band, Mercy ME and many others, Mike emphasizes the need to understand and play many different styles of music and encourages the student to explore them all.

From beginner to advanced, Mike is the kind of bass player that will inspire you to be the best bass player you can. No better player in this town.

Peter Kett

Born in England, Peter has been playing guitar for over thirty years while teaching for twenty. His main area of expertise is in the styles of folk, rock blues and fingerpicking. A lover of all styles he is also adept at teaching beginning bluegrass flatpicking, classical, country, slide and open tuning. Pete has AA's in theory, songwriting and performance, and has nearly completed a BA in music from California State University, Sacramento. Lessons can be taught with standard notation, tablature or by ear. Pete has taught at the Fifth String for over ten years, and has become the best at teaching young children (ages 6 and above) and has developed a guitar instruction method with an approach of his own for teaching minors that have shown to be very successful.

To quote Pete, " I make a point of teaching the student what they want to learn, not just what I can teach. However while teaching the student the songs they like, I also introduce and teach a set curriculum for beginning and intermediate students. My intention is to help the student become a well-rounded and versatile musician".

Steve Mclean

Steve has been playing guitar for a living for 34 years. Graduated from GIT in Hollywood, he has been playing solo and with bands in the Sacramento area since 1984. Steve has been teaching at the Fifth String on & off for 10 years. He specializes in folk and blues, fingerstyle and flatpick.

Steve Randall

Another proud addition to our teaching staff is Steve Randall. It would be silly, and far too space consuming, to list off the number of groups he's played with but it's basically a who's who of Sacramento pop and alt-country acts. Currently Steve is performing every wedesday with Richard March at the Americana Ramble at Marilyn's on K street. Anton Barbeau and the Arlenes are two more of Steve's currently active groups. Maybe one of the reasons he is so sought after is that he is an outstanding guitarist, well versed in all styles. That's him on the left there holding the award he recently recieved for being named the best guitarist in Sacramento. No argument here, we're glad to have him on board.

Rick Sims

Rick specializes in clawhammer banjo and flatpick guitar. Rick has been playing bluegrass and old time music for 26 years has been teaching for 15 years. You can see Rick and some of his students on youtube, search Rick Sims or Banjorick5.

Greg Townsend

From the bay area bluegrass scene, Greg teaches bluegrass guitar, mandolin and beginning banjo. He was the guitar player from Grant Street String Band and currently plays mandolin with the Green Brothers. Greg teaches bluegrass lead in the styles of Clarence White and Tony Rice along with traditional rhythm in the styles of Jimmy Martin and Lester Flatt. Lots of syncopation, crosspicking and bass runs mixed with right hand techniques that help develop strong bluegrass guitar players.

Greg also teaches mandolin in the style of the late great Bill Monroe. Emphasizing a strong right hand with great attention on rhythm, he helps the student learn the art of lead improvisation and rhythm necessary to play in a bluegrass band. Music is taught by tablature or by ear.

Greg teaches beginning banjo in the style of Earl Scruggs, introducing the student to the right hand techniques necessary to play bluegrass banjo.

Steven Ward

Another proud addition to our teaching staff is Steven Ward.