Music is Tom Caprino’s passion and he wants to make it a passion for others

Published in the March 5- 18, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Staff Report

Local guitarist Tom Caprino has been teaching music for decades. Photo by Mark Fenichel

Local guitarist Tom Caprino has been teaching music for decades.
Photo by Mark Fenichel

At an early age, Tom Caprino fell in love with the musical art form and realized he wanted to spend his life bringing joy to others through songs and melodies. Caprino studied guitar with some of the best musicians in the world. For many years, he has performed at venues throughout Silicon Valley as well as recording some of his songs.

He has shared his love of making music with children and adults in the South Valley region, teaching them the skills they need to play their own tunes on stringed instruments.

Music is Tom Caprino’s passion and he wants to make it a passion for others — especially youngsters. That’s why Morgan Hill Life recently asked Caprino about his involvement in the world of music and his approach to teaching others how to play instruments.

You have a passion for music and sharing the joy of music with others. Where does that passion come from?

I came from a musical family. Music has been always a big part of my life. Every time when we would have family functions, we would spend time playing music and sharing what we learned.

What is your background in music instruction?

I started teaching guitar when I was 19 while I was going to college. Then I studied under a few world-class guitar masters.

When I was 21 years old, I started teaching at a music store in Marin County and taught at several other music stores over the years.
Currently, I teach out of three locations — the School of Music and CB Perkins in San Jose and I have been teaching at Porcella’s Music in Gilroy for more than 16 years. Also, I give private in-home instruction on Mondays in Morgan Hill. The guitar masters that I studied under include Bud Dimock, Barney Kessel and Jimmy Luttrell. Luttrell was Jimmy Hendrix guitar instructor. He also taught Stevie Ray Vaughan and was responsible for help form Credence Clear Water Revival.

What instruments do you teach and what is your approach to instructing your students in learning these instruments?

I teach acoustic/electric guitar, bass and Ukulele. I take a personalized approach to my instruction. My main goal is get to my students playing complete songs right away. As they are learning, I teach the fundamentals of music, theory and how to read. I find every student is different and how they learn is different too, so I craft my approach to their individuality.

What are some of the benefits for children to learn to play a musical instrument?

Learning to play a musical instrument teaches children discipline and gives children a sense of commitment and achievement. I find that children who play musical instruments get better grades, too. And of course, it’s a lot fun!

What are some basic tips for learning to play a musical instrument quicker?

There is no secret for learning a musical instrument. What you need is a teacher who can show the student the right way. But my main tip is to pick up your instrument and play it every day. The more you play, the better you will get. It really is that simple.

Interested in getting music instruction from Tom Caprino? Contact him at (408) 427-1638 or email him at [email protected].