Learn Guitar your way with a TakeLessons expert

By Taylor P. - Riverside Guitar Teacher

Learning to play and perform the guitar can be a fun and challenging experience. TakeLessons has qualified music instructors in the Riverside area who can assist students in their quest for musical growth. Whether you are interested in playing in the comfort of your home or performing on stage, teachers continue to help and inspire students to develop their talents from proper technique of the instrument to stage presence.

For the student who is interested in taking guitar lessons in Riverside with the performance aspect in mind, Riverside has many places and various hot spots for local musicians to get involved and become an active part of the music community. Local Coffee houses such as Jazz-n-Java, Back to the Grind and Borders host weekly open mic nights for musicians of all styles and skill levels to perform. Local restaurants and bars such as The Plum House, Lake Alice and Romano’s also host open mic nights and feature local bands on various nights.

Downtown Riverside hosts a monthly Art Walk on the first Thursday of every month. This event is open to the public and an excellent place to see and meet local musicians. The Riverside Plaza is another place to enjoy local music from genres ranging from Rock to Jazz, Blues and Swing. Schedules and lineups are available online as well as in the Inland Empire Weekly, a local paper specializing in the local music and art scene.

Riverside is also home to the historical Fox Performing Arts Center, which features performances by a wide variety of well known and respected music artists. Another favorite amongst guitarists is Wild West Guitars and the exclusive Voodoo Lounge. Featuring big names in the guitar community and a collection of prized instruments, these sites are a must see for any aspiring guitarist. The Fender Museum (just outside of Riverside) is also a fascinating place for a guitarist to visit as well as to see big names perform.

As a teacher and performer, I always stress the importance of attending concerts and seeing local artists play to my students who are taking guitar lessons in Riverside. It’s a way of learning through others, getting perspective, and becoming inspired. I enjoy hearing my students talk about how a certain musician inspired them after seeing a performance. Being involved in the music community is beneficial to all music students who are taking guitar lessons in Riverside. Networking and meeting with other musicians is how ideas can develop and grow.