Teacher Talks: Mat Morgan

We were so excited to get to chat with one of our longtime instructors, Mat Morgan! Get to know more about Mat, his teaching philosophy, and more! 

Question: Who are some of your musical inspirations?

Mat: A lot of classic rock got me going. I mean, learning Stairway to Heaven at a very early age was kind of a necessity! So Jimmy Page was a big influence, naturally. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, but a lot of the 90s music is fairly inspirational to me as well.

Q: Are there any current artists that inspire you?

M: Yeah, definitely! Groups that are kind of holding it down still would be like The Deftones, Tool, Chavelle, these kinds of heavy new metal, I guess you could call it. Muse is good, too.

Q: Why do you think music education is important?

M: Some would say it’s not, but there’s lots of good foundations in there. You can experience music in many ways, like how I ended up getting a degree in production and recording. It’s good to educate yourself, but also learn life skills like communication and teamwork.

Q: What are some life lessons you’ve learned through music?

M: There’s an element of commitment that trains for things like focus, retention, and discipline. I learned to not give up. Just to be able to sit down and keep my attention focused on my goals.

Q: Do you think the piano is a string instrument or a percussion instrument?

M: Technically speaking, it’s percussion. It’s the hammer! Essentially, it’s both, you know?

Q: What are some of your favorite performances you’ve done in your lifetime as a musician?

M: I played a lot in college and that’s when my friends and I put together a Pink Floyd cover group, and that was pretty sweet! We got to play at the balloon festival and camp setup. That band was called Animal Farm and we played the Animals album, which was inspired by the book Animal Farm.

Q: Did music come to you naturally or did it take some time?

M: I was pretty gung ho about it initially! So I just kind of grinded that guitar. I was 10 and just wanted to, so I kept doing it. 

Q: What do you like to do outside of music?

M: I’m very health conscious and I think that’s good. Like yoga and such. I also try to stay aware and informed on what’s happening in the world economically, macroeconomically, geopolitically, etcetera. 

Q: Do you have a hidden talent?

M: I can’t think of any! I like to draw and paint and stuff and be an artist in other senses. I liked doing charcoal work, but that was mostly in high school.

Q: You have to give up one of your five senses: which would it be and why?

M: Smell. Yeah, smell seems pretty easy to give up. I mean, bad smells are terrible. I like a good smell, like smoked meats and such, but bad smells, man. No.