Private lessons with top Bluegrass Guitar instructors near Houston, TX

We will cover the fundamentals (technique, scales, chords, note reading (not for everyone), and as the student progresses, we will cover more sophisticated concepts of improvisation and performance with special attention to 'bluegrass' artists and repertoire.

In Bluegrass guitar courses, I will teach you the basics of bluegrass guitar playing, such as chords, reading TAB, strumming, finger picking style and lead solo playing. I will help you learn how to play your favorite song quickly. You will not need to know how to read sheet music. I will show you an easy method of playing guitar, called tablature. I teach songs from artists such as: Billy Strings, Chet Atkins, Bill Monroe, Mumford and Sons, just to name a few. Grab your acoustic guitar and let's have some fun!

I'm a guitarist and educator based out of Raleigh, NC. I received training at the University of South Carolina (Bachelors of Music, 2011) and East Carolina University (Masters of Music, 2015). I am an active performer in the Triangle area, drawing inspiration from American roots music, classical, and jazz traditions. I have seen hundreds of students over ten years of private teaching, working with beginner to advanced students of all age levels. I teach in a wide range of styles, and I specialize in classical guitar and flatpicking (bluegrass/old time). I hope to help you along as you grow as a musician and a guitarist!

Fifty years ago, I was listening to Bluegrass musicians on the back porches of rural North Carolina, so this music is in my veins and I can teach you how to play it. You'll learn some basic exercises to develop core skills including basic to advanced chord formations, fingerpicking "banjo rolls," rhythm guitar styles, riffs and fills - gradually increasing technical challenges as your skills grow. Soon you'll find yourself moving smoothly between chords without missing a beat, playing by ear, or writing your own songs. I'm often asked if you need to read music to learn guitar, and while it can be useful for advanced students, it is not necessary for beginners, and I don't place a lot of emphasis on it. While my approach is grass-roots, you'll learn to "work smarter, not harder," use scientifically-based learning techniques to train your brain and build "muscle memory." I believe that playing music should be enjoyable, and you should also be able to have a lot of fun in the process of learning it! Of course, it's important to devote regular time to practice in between lessons to make steady progress. This effort will bring its own reward as you start playing with greater ease of expression, and your self-motivation will help you gain momentum. I look forward to working with you and seeing your progress as you unfold your potential!

I'm Ahmad a very enthusiastic musician. I started out teaching myself guitar at the age of 12. I moved to the U.S. in 2001 and studied music for 15 years receiving my B.M. and M.M in music and audio production at San Francisco State University. I then moved to Los Angeles then studied and trained with John Mayer, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, George Lynch and many others. I have performed hundreds of concerts in the U.S. as well in Europe and the Middle East with Artists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Guns N Roses, Michael Angelo Batio, Ratt, Sammy Hagar, Dokken and many others. I ranked #1 in the Slash Guitar Center competition. I was in the "list of top 5 guitar players ever" according to The Examiner, also picked as one of the best guitarists of 2013 and 2014 consecutively in the Rockwell UnScene magazine, and ranked 3rd in the Steve Vai Sam Ash Best in Shred competition. I find a student's strengths and weaknesses using various ways to encourage each student. I am very patient, kind, flexible, and enthusiastic and I love working with children as much as adults. I strongly support basic skills: sight-reading, pitch and tone. I have 25 years experience teaching kids and adults guitar. Also performing live and in the studio. *** Lesson Details *** My objectives: to help students powerfully communicate through the essence of music and aid the development of children and adults by finding their strengths and weaknesses and to develop their skills and show their musical talents. I emphasize basic skills, good sight-reading, guitar technique, and theory. Lessons are held at either your home, or mine using composers from various time periods that speaks to the individual student. Also,I do prefer to work weekly with my students. A beginner lesson may be 10-15 min. for warm-ups and scales, 10-15 min. theory and rest playtime. In three to six months the student will be able to read sheet music and should be able to perform simple songs. An intermediate lesson has more focus on music and technique from a specific genre. A specialty is preparation for guitar auditions or doing live or studio gigs. I enjoy teaching children from age 5 up to adults. *** Specialties *** I teach the basic skills very strongly, and also encourage students and challenge them, as well. I also have new techniques for teaching Electric, Acoustic and Classical Guitar. I do prefer to teach a weekly lesson.

Flat pickin to finger pickin and even chicken pickin! Lets get pickin!

Flat picking is the name of the game with this style. You will learn the scales and picking pattern to create and authentic bluegrass sound.

I like to start lessons by talking about your goals, and then I come up with a personalized lesson plan (and practice plan) for each student and we work on implementing it together. I teach blues, rock, pop, folk, and a little bluegrass. I can teach acoustic or electric guitar and have extensive experience with both. I can teach anyone from absolute beginner to intermediate/slightly advanced, and any age! Depending on what you’re looking for, I can teach chords, scales, improvisation, covers of popular songs, and even songwriting. I myself have also taken lessons for many years, and I periodically take check-in lessons to make sure I am continuing to challenge myself. Playing guitar is one of my favorite feelings, and at this point my instrument feels like an extension of myself. I’m excited to share my love of music with you and inspire you to challenge yourself and reach your goals!