Guitar with Nicholas Z.

Hey there! My name is Nick Z. and I am a gigging guitarist, drummer, and songwriter in various rock and metal bands. As a guitarist of 14 years and drummer of 12 years, I have recorded numerous albums, singles, and splits of my own original music and music written collaboratively with band members. I have recorded most of my records at Backroom Studios in Rockaway, New Jersey, which is owned and operated by Kevin Antreassian, the former guitarist of the now-disbanded group The Dillinger Escape Plan. Having learned music theory in middle and high school, I developed a well-rounded understanding of both theory and songwriting, allowing much of my later musical learning to come by way of ear training and jamming. Although I mainly play in rock and metal bands, I also have experience playing classical music, jazz in musical numbers in middle and high school, and musical rock camps. Much of my gigging experience has come from playing bars, clubs, festivals, and basements in New York City, New Jersey, and Boston. In our lessons, I aim to balance what you, as the student, would like to learn as well as what I believe would be necessary for you to grow as a musician. Lessons with me can be comprised of drilling various techniques within the context of songs or working on a song you bring in that you would like to learn. Everything can and will be analyzed from a music theory and songwriting perspective, as well as from a music production standpoint if one were so interested. I will help you not only become a better guitarist but a better musician, with an emphasis on training your ears, which are the most important asset of any musician.