WELCOME TO THE WEBSITE OF JOSE BERNARDO
HalfDeafGuitarist.com is the online home of guitarist/composer Jose Bernardo

Jose Bernardo
Mentor at Mentor Collective for Berklee Online
Jose Bernardo is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger. He was born deaf in his left ear and is gradually losing hearing in his right ear as well. Hence the moniker, Half Deaf Guitarist.
He began his formal music education in 1988, at the Pop/Jazz Conservatory in Helsinki, Finland. Prior to attending Berklee, his skills as a multi-instrumentalist were put to good use by the Finnish Navy Band, where he completed his national service. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Songwriting from Berklee College of Music in 2002, and a Master Certificate in Guitar Performance from Berklee’s online extension school in 2014.
In 2001, Jose became a published songwriter when his Boston based indie band, XYgoatZ, released their debut album "I Don't Have a Monkey". Jose's first solo album, "Outside Looking In" was released in 2006.
From 2007 - 2015, Jose was based in Hong Kong where he founded The Weekly Riff webzine. He also taught guitar, ukulele, bass, and music theory at Riff Centre. He also taught at German Swiss International School and Hong Kong International Learning Academy. He also wrote lesson columns for GuitarBench and Ukulele Rhythms magazines.
In June 2015, he returned back to Finland with his family. In April, 2016, Jose launched an Instagram project called @chordsoftheday, where he posts daily chord progressions for educational and inspirational purposes. (Chords of the Day project is still on hiatus.) In June, 2016, Jose began launched this website.
Jose joined Kitarakellari Oy as a webmaster and teacher in 2017. He joined Mentor Collective as a Mentor for Berklee Online in 2018. Jose left Kitarakellari in 2019, and stopped teaching and mentoring in February 2020. He is currently pursuing new goals quietly, while still making music with his friends in a “just-for-fun” weekly jam project.Recent Posts
More About Jose
Munkkiniemen Ala-aste, Helsinki, Finland: (1986 - 1992)
Tuula Voipio, Katariina Punnonen
Pop/Jazz Conservatory, Helsinki, Finland: (1988 - 1992)
Seppo Suhonen, Aarne Himberg, Kauko Saari, Leevi Leppänen
West Helsinki Music School, Finland: (1991 - 1993)
Jiri Parviainen
Munkkiniemen Yhteiskoulu, Helsinki, Finland: (1992 -1993)
Tapio Mäkelä
Rancho Bernardo High School, San Diego, CA, USA: (1993 - 1995)
Gary Horimoto
United World College of South East Asia, Singapore: (1995 - 1997)
Adrian Hill, Miles Tranter, Simon Hunt, Mark De Souza, Ken Tan
Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, USA: (1998 - 2002)
Henry Gaffney, Jim Stinnett, Mitch Haupers, Robin Ginenthal, Paul Del Nero, David Clark, Bruce Gertz, John Repucci, Dennis Leclaire, Suzanne Dean, Daniel Ian Smith, Richard Evans, Rich Grudzinski, John Stevens, Jack Perricone, Jon Aldrich, Dennis Cecere, Barry Marshall, Ernesto Diaz, Mikael Ringquist, Alizon Lissance, Charles Cassara, Pat Pattison, Julius Williams, Michael Bierylo, Martin Dennehy, Jay Fialkov, Maggie Lange, Alexandros Kalogeras, Sheila Katz, Ed McGrath, Mitch Seidman, Henry Tate, Michael Williams, Casey Scheuerell
Berklee Online, Berklee College of Music: (2013 - 2014)
Bruce Saunders, Bruce Bartlett, Robin Stone, Rick Peckham, Kevin Belz, Gary Burton
Master classes and clinics attended: (1998 to present)
Sir George Martin, Eddie Kramer, Steve Smith with Vital Information, Liberty De Vito, Joe Satriani, Mike Mangini, Brad Paisley, Beth Nielsen Chapmann, Annie Roboff, Jordan Rudess, Rod Morgenstein, James Taylor, Victor Wooten, Bela Fleck, Livingston Taylor, Jimmy Degrasso, Marco Minnemann, Billy Sheehan, Dianne Ponzio, Stuart Hamm, Andy Timmons, Steve Vai, Kiko Loureiro, Thomas Blug, Chick Corea, Stanley Clark, and Guthrie Govan.
Past Performances:
2019:
Bassist with Jari Nieminen Project at Musapesä, Espoo, Finland
2018:
Bassist with Jari Nieminen Project at Musapesä, Espoo, Finland
Accompanist for Aileen Handolin, Helsinki, Finland
Representing Kitarakellari Oy with TOOB Speakers at Granipäivät, Kauniainen, Finland
2017:
Accompanist for Aileen Handolin, Southpark restaurant, Helsinki, Finland
2015:
Accompanist for Saara Aalto
HKTDC, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
FINDS, Hong Kong
2014:
Music Director with Acoustic Bloom Theory
Happy Valley Racecourse, Hong Kong
Music Director with Sonic Bloom Theory (featuring Deanna)
Queen’s College, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
2012:
Dr. Epiphone Rockshop (Sonic Bloom Theory jam with Dr. Epiphone)
Parsons Music, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
2009:
Guitarist with The Reflections
The Wanch, Wanchai, Hong Kong
2007:
Guitarist with Appel Farm Summer Arts Camp Staff Bands and Student Bands
The Theater @ Appel Farm, Elmer, New Jersey, USA
The Grove Stage @ Appel Farm, Elmer, New Jersey, USA
2003:
Music Director for Sheraton Boston Promo Band
Sheraton Boston Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Bassist with Carla Patullo Band
Club Meadows, Springfield, MA, USA
Open Door Café, Springfield, MA, USA
2000 – 2001:
Guitarist with XYgoatZ
The Skybar, Somerville, MA, USA
The Kirkland Café, Cambridge, MA, USA
T.T. The Bear’s Place, Cambridge, MA, USA
The Café @ Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, USA
Bassist with Jenny Can’t Stop
Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA, USA
1998 - 2000:
Guitarist, Bassist, Arranger with various projects at Berklee
1997 – 1998:
Percussionist, Guitarist, and Bassist with FINNISH NAVY BAND
Konserttitalo, Turku, Finland
Elysee Arena, Turku, Finland
Heikkilä Military Base, Finland
Säkylä Military Base, Finland
Officer’s Club, Turku, Finland
Vaasa Arena, Vaasa, Finland
Helsinki Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki Cathedral, Helsinki, Finland
1996 – 1997:
Drummer with REJEMILLZ
The Shark's Club and Woodstock 1997 Band Show
United World College of South East Asia, Singapore
1996:
Bassist with RECTIFIED SPIRIT
The Peace Festival
Singapore American School, Singapore
1995 - 1996:
Drummer with UNITED WORLD COLLEGE SOCIAL SERVICES BAND
Singapore
1993 - 1995:
Double Bassist with RANCHO BERNARDO HIGH SCHOOL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Rancho Bernardo Performing Arts Center, California, USA
Poway Performing Arts Center, California, USA
Escondido Performing Arts Center, California, USA
1993:
Double Bassist with Länsi-helsingin musiikkikoulun orkesteri
(West Helsinki Music School Orchestra)
Munkkiniemen Yhteiskoulu
Helsinki, Finland
Other performances and publications:
TELEVISION AND RADIO
with Finnish Navy Band:
Independence Day Gala, December 6, 1997
National Finnish Television Broadcast
with XYgoatZ:
WMWM 91.7 FM Salem State College Radio
WMFO 91.5 FM Tufts University Freeform Radio
WZBC 90.3 FM Newton/Boston, MA, Boston College Radio
Bernardo on the radio:
Emission Pulsions 70, Radio Aria, France
Dementia Radio, www.dementiaradio.com (no longer in service)
IN PRINT
UKULELE RHYTHMS (2013 - 2016)
Lesson Column: Transitions (Author)
GUITARBENCH MAGAZINE (2013 - 2016)
Lesson Column: Fretboard Mastery (Author)
THE LIST (HONG KONG - 2014)
The Music Issue [Issue 214] (Contributor)
TUTORS IN HONG KONG (HONG KONG - April 2014)
Guest Blogger (Jose's blog post has been reprinted on this website in the Blog section - link below to original publication)
Jose's Guest Blog Post on Tutors In Hong Kong website
Various Local Indie Music Magazines in Boston
(2000 - 2001)
Featured as a member of XYgoatZ
TURUN SANOMAT (MARCH 1998)
Feature Article as Member of Finnish Navy Band
Jose's Discography (recorded work)

“I Don’t Have A Monkey” was released in 2001. This release made Jose a published composer and arranger. The CD is currently out of print. It can still be found in some used CD shops in Boston. XYgoatZ is pronounced “zygotes”.
All music by Joanie Pfister and Jose Bernardo except where noted
“Gold Card” by Pfister/Bernardo/Corella
Joanie Pfister - Vocals / Keyboards / Percussion / Songwriter
Carolyn Corella - Bass / Songwriter / Handclaps / "Yes"
Jose Bernardo - Guitar / Percussion / Composer / Songwriter / Arranger
Wes Livingston - Drums
Joel Simches - Producer
(Listen to two songs from this album below. "Gold Card" and "Perfect Day")
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“Outside Looking In” is Jose’s solo debut CD. It was released in 2006, and is available now at CDBaby and iTunes.
All written, arranged, and produced by Jose Bernardo
Except "Stargazer" and "Sunday Morning Sky" written by Jose Bernardo and Eric Ecklund
All instruments performed by Jose Bernardo
Additional guitars performed by Eric Ecklund
Engineered, Mixed, and Mastered by Eric Pfeifer
Artwork by Steve Johnson
Listen to the whole album on Spotify:
Listen to Jose's "Outside Looking In" album on SpotifyJose is honored to have been involved with Tadashi’s project. Jose contributed guitar to “The Night of Destruction” and “The Spirits Within”. He also contributed bass to “The Spirits Within”
Music 2008 © Tadashi Goto * Artwork 2008 © Ed Unitsky * Released in 2009
CLICK THIS LINK FOR ALBUM DETAILS
Band Members:
Tadashi Goto-All Keys, drum programming
Chris Poland, Ty Tabor -lead guitars
Brett Garsed, Sean Conklin, Marco Ahrens - lead and rhythm guitars
Jose Bernardo - guitars and bass
Tony Levin, Tony Franklin, Matt Bissonette, Joseph Patrick Moore, Randy George - bass
(JOSE'S SOLOS FROM "THE SPIRITS WITHIN" AND "THE NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION" ARE BELOW FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE)
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<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F58088293%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-diWQe&show_artwork=true&secret_url=true"></iframe>
Listen to the entire album on Spotify:
Jose played on his former student’s, Ollie Bernstein, demo/EP in 2009. The three-song collection is entitled Descension. He contributed bass tracks to “Close Our Eyes” and “The Morning Star”.
“The Morning Star” placed 3rd at 1st Jordan Loder Songwriting Contest.
“I’m very honored to have been part of this project.” -JB
Artwork and music:
2009 © Ollie Bernstein