Stop trying to improve your guitar skills or songwriting skills, and actually DO IT!

Which one are YOU?

A. You’ve been playing guitar for awhile and have been taking lessons or have taken them before.

B. You’ve been playing guitar for a while and have never taken lessons.

C. You have never played guitar before and therefore have never taken a lesson, but you want to get started.

If you chose A.

Then you have most likely come to my website because you are not or were not happy with your past or present lessons and instructor, or you had to discontinue lessons for whatever reason and you are searching for a new guitar teacher. You are probably feeling like you haven’t been making the progress you would like to or that the process has been unusually long with few goals if any met. You are tired of feeling stuck, and you want someone to show you the way and show you the right way.

If you chose B.

Then you are probably feeling like you are sick of the trial and error, and error, and error approach. You want to play guitar or write songs like your favorite bands and guitar players, but you're not quite there and are not sure what you're missing. You thought in the beginning that after you were successful teaching yourself a few chords or reading a few tabs online that learning guitar was something that you could do completely on your own. Now you’re starting to realize that even though you have perhaps accomplished a lot on your own you’re struggling to make progress at a consistent rate, and you feel like you’ve reached a plateau. You don’t know if or what you are doing wrong.

If you chose C.

Then you know that taking lessons is the best way to go about learning the guitar or any skill for that matter. You are searching for the best guitar instructor to help you on your way to setting and achieving your goals and to have fun. However you may not be sure how to find such a teacher, or how to be sure you’ll choose the best one. You know that you are going to be paying good money, and you want get the best value your money can buy.

I’ve got good news for you. No matter if you identified best with A, B, or C I have solutions for you. How can you know for sure? Because I have dealt with a great amount of students from each one of those categories. Let’s continue our discussion…

Have you taken lessons before, or are currently taking lessons? Perhaps you have experienced this...

The trouble with so many guitar teachers is that they teach one person exactly how they taught the last. Most teachers don’t really care about YOU. Let’s explore three VERY common, though unfortunate, guitar lesson scenarios (you will definitely not experience any of these with me):

Scenario 1

You arrive at your guitar lesson. The instructor sits you down, and asks you what song you want to learn, or they might just even choose for you. Then they write it out in TAB and send you home. The next week it’s the same thing all over again. Maybe you struggled with playing certain parts of the TAB or maybe there was something you just didn’t understand. Well too bad because the instructor is going to write down the next part of the song or some part of another song whether you struggled or not. Why? Because this is the easiest thing for them to do, and it’s what they will do for every student because they just don’t care. Then you realize that you only know parts of songs and don’t know any of the songs all the way through. You might have even found that the TABs your instructor was writing out for you were already available online for free. Then you ask yourself “what’s the point of paying an instructor to write things down for me that I could just get online for free?” A very valid question!

Let’s explore the 2nd VERY common scenario…

Scenario 2

On one of your first few lessons you are given a beginners guitar book. For the next few months maybe even as long as a year you work out of this book. The instructor moves from one lesson to the next, week to week ignoring your struggles without critiques. You feel like you are making progress because at the beginning of the book you were on lesson 1, and now after a few months you might be 10, 20, or more lessons further. You finally complete the book, and then…you start another book. Now you might really feel like you have to believe you are making progress because you completed a whole book! But when you are asked by your friends and family to play something cool on the guitar you realize that you only know the boring songs that you learned from the book that nobody has ever even heard of including yourself, and that you can’t even play those songs all that well. Then you start thinking back to the reason why you wanted to play guitar in the first place. You wanted to learn your favorite songs from beginning to end. You wanted to learn to play blazing fast solos. You wanted to learn how to write your own songs, and even play in your own rock band! But then you realize you never learned how to do any of that. You never learned how to do the things on guitar that you really wanted to do so bad that you went out bought a guitar and signed up for lessons.

Okay, on to the 3^rd and final VERY common scenario…

Scenario 3

Now this one is pretty hard to believe that it happens that often or that it even happens at all, but it is sadly the truth. Here we go. You show up for a lesson. The guitar teacher talks about nothing but himself, and all the cool things he has done or his band has done. If he’s not talking about himself he’s playing his guitar and in other words showing off what he can do and what you can’t. Sure every once in awhile a guitar teacher will talk about something he has done or play something cool on the guitar, but that’s not what I’m describing here. In this case the teacher does this almost every lesson, and when he finally does decide to teach you something its way beyond your skill level. This type of teacher usually won’t keep a student longer than a few months. I sincerely hope this wasn’t something you had to experience. It really just makes the student feel incompetent. This is not a good thing especially in an educational environment.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

If you haven’t had lessons before than you are fortunate not to have experienced any of the situations I mentioned. If you have then know that you are not alone. These three common scenarios have been around for a long time and will never go away. How do I know that this is true? Because I experienced this with my own guitar lessons over 15 years ago with a variety of teachers. Not only did I experience this, but so did many of my friends who have learned guitar. More importantly I know that this is still the way it is even today because I have had so many students come to me after experiencing one or sometimes even two or all three of those scenarios with their previous instructor(s). They come to me because they know I can help them achieve what they actually want to achieve on the guitar, and I am willing to help you to do the same!

Why Should You Take Lessons With Me?

The reason you have to come to my website and have read this far is because you have some amount of faith that I can provide solutions for you. I have helped tons of students reach their goals, and I dedicate myself 100% to ensure this happens. Over my 6 years of teaching I have diligently put to test different teaching methods, and I have found what works and what doesn’t. You will learn accurate information and efficient techniques focusing on rock, metal, and other rock influenced styles of music.  During my 6 years as a teacher of guitar and music I have worked hard to make sure I am able to provide that to my students.  Have you ever experienced guitar teachers who are there to do just enough?  You will not experience this with me.  You will get a teacher who will go above and beyond for you not only by being provided with detailed printed lessons, but by receiving additional learning opportunities and musical experiences such as performing and recording.  You will continually find yourself inspired and motivated.  Don’t you want a teacher who sincerely loves teaching guitar and watching the students progress to their goals and dreams?  That is what you will find with me. It is ultimately best when the student is 100% dedicated their learning...is that you?  A common weakness I have found in some teachers is that they are not clear or clear enough when presenting information, and it is one of my foremost goals to make sure you will fully understand the lesson materials before moving on to the next topic.  I am a teacher of the long term method.  I do not believe in creating holes in your musical education by teaching short cuts, and ignoring or avoiding important details.  I again have personally experienced the negative results of this, and do not wish to see this happen to you or any student.  However, each lesson must be unique to you to ensure your goals are met.  While many students have common goals, I mold the lesson and format to fit you.  If it takes a week to show you can execute the techniques, then we move to the next step.  If you are not able to do this we will continue to work on the techniques until progress is made.  Repetition and application are two very important steps of the learning process that often get overlooked in guitar lessons.  Because I understand the importance of these two steps from personal experience, they never get overlooked in your lessons.  For as long as I have and will be the teacher I continue to be the student.  I am always learning and analyzing different styles, techniques, and ideas.  My philosophy and approach to teaching music is a direct result of experiencing what does and doesn't work.  You can become the greatest, and I always treat everyone with that respect.  Everyone who walks in my door deserves the chance to be believed in.  I am ready to teach you when you are ready to learn.

What You Can Learn In Your Lessons With Me

• How to play your favorite songs
• Lead guitar technique
• Rhythm guitar technique
• Music theory
• Improvising
• Songwriting
• Ear training
• Perfromance
• Music business

You will receive all the tools you need to reach your goals!

Additional Benefits

• I have full recording capabilities ready for you to use for your own music and learning
• I offer a discounted rate for adjustments and repairs on my students instruments
• Most of my lesson materials are typed in detail and printed out to reduce spending time in lessons writing things out; this also prevents students forgetting the information
• You can learn from me even when not in lessons by reading my free articles and watching my free instructional videos
• Forum access on my website is available to all students where they can ask questions and have them quickly answered by my more advanced students and myself; also in the forum you can network with others of like mind and share your music and videos.  Being active in the forum will motivate and drive you in way that no other learning tool can!!!
• I provide students (those who are ready) with music business opportunities with everything from getting there own students to getting shows, and sometimes working for me
• I spend a lot of additional time, that the student does not pay for, working on their projects, typing up custom lessons, and planning for future topics of discussion
• Even though I am "the teacher" I understand that there are always ways to improve ones self and ones methods.  I am ALWAYS thinking about and researching for ways to improve lessons and lesson material.
• Best of all I make myself available by e-mail to answer any questions my students may have in between lessons

To schedule a lesson you must click the orange button that says "Click Here For You Free Lesson" which will direct you to a form that you will need to fill out.  In the form you will provide information on your current guitar abilities, musical goals, and your contact information.  I will review the form, and will be in contact with you shortly to schedule a free introductory lesson with you.

Group Lessons

• There are now a variety of Group Programs available that can accommodate any student at any skill level with any type of goal(s).
• Available Programs are the Beginners Class (Kids, Teens, Adults), Guitar Gym Class, & the Guitar Masters Class.
• Every new student gets a FREE private trial lesson to help determine which class is best for the student to be placed in.

Private Lessons

• Alex teaches private guitar, bass, mandolin, music theory & songwriting lessons at his home studio in Algonquin, IL.  Private lessons are by selection only.  You will receive a free 30 minute introductory lesson to discuss your goals and current abilities determine;
• Webcam lessons via Skype are also available.  With webcam lessons you save yourself both time and money.  You save time by not having to drive yourself or your child to and from lessons which in turn saves you money on gas.  Lessons through webcam with me have been proven to be just as effective and efficient for learning the guitar or bass as lessons in person.  Lesson material will be provided to you through e-mail.  Payment for lessons will be made through paypal.

Clinics, Workshops, & Masterclasses

• Alex has taught various clinics, workshops, & masterclasses on the topics of guitar/music, and guitar repair at many public schools and events in McHenry, Cook, and Lake Counties.  There will also be clinics done live online.  Please sign up for Alex's newsletter (top right hand corner of this page) so he can keep you updated with information on this as well as other learning opportunities and events.

More Testimonials

Watch this video compilation of my students and hear what they have to say

"What I like most about lessons with Alex is that I learn about music theory and composition."
-Ryan Zarrillo, age 16, 3 years of lessons

"Alex is a very calm teacher who does not only provide me with information, but also shows me how to use it...and he is cool."
-Angelica Rodriguez, age 14, 2 ½ months of lessons

"Alex doesn't just teach you the song he teaches you what's behind it."
-Jordan Bohme, age 17, 8 months of lessons

"I appreciate Alex's patience, and that he teaches me how to practice in a way I haven't been taught before even after 10 years of piano, and it works for me."
-Kim Nix, age 26, 8 months of lessons