Nils B.
Available Locations:
Online
Studio
Home
Whether you're a beginner or more advanced, age 5 or 500, in my experience, with just a little bit of practice each day anyone can learn to play guitar.
Maybe your goal is to simply learn to play your favorite songs or maybe you want to learn to write your own music, improvise, or perform live.
Like all good things in life, there are no shortcuts, and learning the guitar takes time and effort, but in return you get the ability to express yourself through music, which is one of the most rewarding skills anyone could ever learn, at any age and in any situation.
My main focus is on helping you reach the point where you are actually playing music, instead of endlessly going over exercises or theory.
I want you to be able to play music you would enjoy listening to, because this is when you will start to truly appreciate your accomplishment, and progress will start to come much easier.
Together we will discuss your personalized course, based on your goals and situation, and along the way I will provide materials/tools and a summary or a recording of each lesson as needed, for you to take home to work on.
Different aspects we'll discuss are technique, chart/sight reading, music theory, ear training, soloing/improvisation, and developing a strong sense of rhythm, most of which will be done through simply learning to play the songs you like.
Besides the basics, it's very important to learn how to independently keep challenging yourself, learn from your mistakes and continue growing musically, simply using your ears and whatever information you can find online or anywhere else, even without my help.
Besides teaching you how to play I can also help with finding the right instrument and equipment, provide advice on guitar/amplifier maintenance and setups, as well as recording techniques, or any other practical matters related to playing music/guitar.
Lessons can be either at your residence or at my fully equipped home studio in the Hollywood Hills/Studio City area. In a beautiful and private environment, with plenty of (free/safe) street parking available.
Lessons via Skype are obviously available as well.
I look forward to hearing from you!
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Background Checked -
Speaks English, Dutch -
Teaches students 5 and up
Reviews (25)
I am beyond grateful for finding Nils. Not only is he is so kind and encouraging [with amazing energy], but he has also opened up parts of my brain that have previously fought to stay closed. The way he explains things really makes more sense to me than ever before, and with his help, I'm confident that my skills with increase tremendously -- as they already have begun to--- . I highly suggest taking lessons with Nils!
Show MoreAs an older beginner, I was a bit reluctant to try to learn to play guitar. However, working with Nils has allowed me to progress further and faster than I could have imagined. Nils has a way of making each lesson interesting, enjoyable, and very productive.
Show MoreNils has been amazing to work with. Having used books and some other self teaching methods in the past, I felt stuck and after 1 lesson with Nils I immediately was able to get to the next step. One huge difference from other instructors is that Nils encourages me to learn with music that I like which makes a huge difference when practicing. Nils is extremely knowledgeable and patient, I can't thank him enough for his help and expertise.
Show MoreNils is great to work with. He understood where I wanted to focus, and provided great direction. Very nice guy, too.
Excellent teacher!
I am a beginner of acoustic guitar...
Nils is an awesome instructor and have been learning and improving a lot. I plan to do in person and Skype lessons when I travel.
As a new guitar player, Nils has been able to help me progress with confidence and ability that I didn't know was possible this quickly! Having in-home lessons and a really flexible schedule has been really helpful to me. I would recommend Nils to anyone at any level of ability, he's really easy to get along with, an extremely accomplished teacher, and a genuinely good guy! Thank you!
Show MoreNils is very knowledgeable and can help you with growing as a guitar player. He can help you have a better understanding of theory and how to apply it, knows a lot about gear, and has a wide array of skills so he can teach many different songs and concepts.
Show MoreNils is a great teacher. he’s very knowledgeable and has helped me improve a lot. he’s also super attentive to my playing habits both good and bad and crafts exercises to work on my weak areas and take my skills to the next level. anyone can show you how to play a song, but very few are as deft as Nils at teaching you guitar.
Show MoreNils is a very professional and great teacher, after only one lesson I felt a huge improvement and had a template to grow as an artist.
I would highly recommend his teaching to anyone looking to become a better guitar player!
Nils is an excellent teacher. After many years of trying to master certain songs he was able to hone in on the instruction that I needed. He helped me make progress and enjoy myself along the way.
I had several great lessons with Nils. He helped me break through a plateau I was on in terms of modal soloing and also with recognizing chord shapes and how the lie underneath scale structures. He was responsive, knowledgeable and quick to grasp what I, as an already experienced player, needed to improve. Highly recommended!
Show MoreMy son absolutely loves Nils. Nils has been his guitar teacher for a few years now and has been very patient and accommodating especially since my son has Autism which can sometimes make traditional instruction a challenge. However, Nils is able to recognize his strengths and treats him just like a regular "cool dude" and I have since seen my son be more confident with his guitar playing. Nils has helped my son become a better " Rock Star" every week.
Show MoreGreat teacher!
Great lessons! Providing lots of avenues to take my playing to the next level. Nils gives very clear explanations and has a great understanding of music theory and how to apply it
Amazing teacher!
Expertly gages your experience and tailors the lesson to meet you where you're at. Tons of knowledge, excellent first lesson!
Great teacher! Makes excellent use of lesson time and I was able to immediately apply things I learned.
In the beginning, it was great, I loved it, but I moved in Paris recently for family reasons and guess what, They told me I need to pay for 1 month! It's not Nils's fault but Takelesson's
He's top notch. Nils has a really positive attitude and is very patient.
He was on point and thorough
As an adult learner who's never even held a guitar until now, I put in a lot of time and effort into finding the right guitar instructor. I wanted someone extremely patient and empathetic to the struggles of a novice, in addition to being an expert musician himself. I found all that and more in Nils B. Don't hesitate to set up a lesson!
Show MoreI'm a singer/songwriter that wanted to play guitar to help make it easier to write songs. It's only been 5 lessons & Nils has already taught me so much & I can feel my potential growing with each lesson. If you want a teacher who cares & teaches you right I highly recommend Nils!
Show MoreMy daughter love her lessons with Nils. And I can see already some progress
Lessons with Nils have been a great experience. I've taken lessons on and off for several years and finally found an instructor that plays the music I want to learn.
Lesson Details
Guitar
- Levels Taught:
- Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Obviously also depending on your specific goals and experience, besides learning your favorite songs, we'll discuss techniques, music theory and creating music yourself (improvisation and songwriting).
I can also provide helpful advice on guitar related aspects like sound/equipment, instrument setup /maintenance and recording.
Experience
Live/Studio Guitarist
Jan 2002 - PresentFreelance
I have many years of live/studio playing experience, in a variety of genres, on various instruments, both here in Los Angeles as well as in Europe.
Guitar Teacher
Jan 2002 - PresentIndependent & Music Schools
As a guitar teacher I have 14+ years of experience, having taught at various music schools (both here and in Europe), as well as teaching privately. My expertise is Blues, Rock, Pop and Funk/Soul, but I can teach you the basics of styles like Metal, Jazz, Classical and Latin as well.
Education
Guitar Institute of Technology
Mar 2008 - Dec 2009Musician's Institute
Guitar Lessons
Jan 2000 - Jan 2008Popschool Amsterdam & Richard Hallebeek
Guitar Jazz & Pop
Aug 2006 - Jun 2007Utrecht Conservatory
Drum Lessons
Jan 2003 - Jan 2005Popschool Amsterdam & Drummer's Initiative
Piano Lessons
Jan 1994 - Jan 1998Marcel Manshanden
Languages
Dutch
Fluent / Native Proficiency
English
Fluent / Native Proficiency
Certifications
Associate of Arts Degree
Dec 2009Musician's Institute
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