Acoustic Guitar Lessons in South River City. Amazing Teachers.

Learn to play lead, rhythm, jam, improvise

Beginner to advanced, ages 12 and up

Private in-studio lessons tailored to your level and goals

If you’re just starting, we’ll begin with
Basic technique (holding the pick, struming)
Playing chords
Playing simple melodies

As you advance, you’ll be working on

Good tone production
Keeping solid time
Alternating bass patterns, single-string lead notes
Various picking techniques, dynamics, fingering
Variations, ornamentation, slides, hammers, pulls
Learning your favorite licks
Increasing repertoire
Learning more complex rhythms and improvisations
Developing fast and clean picking

Learn by tab, standard notation, or by ear

We'll focus on tunes you want to play, or take a broader approach incorporating reading music, ear training and theory

Many students start on an acoustic guitar rather than an electric. I did, as a matter of fact. Acoustic guitars can be tricky if the student doesn’t have one that is the proper fit for them. My first goal with acoustic students is to make sure they are comfortable with their instrument, and that they can get the best sound out of it without using too much energy.
I find that many acoustic students turn out to be great at playing and singing after just a few months. Some of my youngest students have even composed their own music.

I'm a patient teacher with the ability to structure and pace lessons to meet the individual needs and ability levels of a wide variety of students. I am a professional performer, composer and recording artist with 20 years experience on stage and in the studio. I'm familiar with a wide variety of styles, and have studied blues, African, classical and Brazilian guitar at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. I offer lessons on acoustic or electric guitar, depending on student preference

Introduction to guitar. Chords, hand positions, and playing your first song!

I enjoy teaching people what they want to learn. If they have specific interests, I will show them how to get the results they want. If a general musical education is desired, I will make suggestions as to what would be good for them. With over 35 years of teaching experience, I have found many different ways to communicate how and why the whole thing works on different levels.

I encourage students to find the sounds they like and really connect with and work backwards from there to teach them the fundamentals they will need to fall more in love with the music they create. I'm a firm believer that the music you create is an extension of yourself, so learning the basics should be fun and encouraging for the student to want to dive deeper on their own. With my lessons we will discover what works for you and design a personalized lesson plan to get you on your way to flowing with music.