Welcome. I’m a guitar teacher in Bloomington-Normal, IL.

Guitar Lesson Information

What is the price and location?

Lessons are $30 – you can pay on a weekly basis or monthly.

(depending on if you want my to hold a regular spot in my schedule or not.)

They’re half-hour private lessons held at the Music Shoppe at 1540 E. College Ave in Normal, IL (next to Kroger.)

I also teach lessons over the internet via Facetime, Google Duo, Skype and Zoom.

I accept cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, Cashapp and Paypal.

Who takes guitar lessons?

I’ve worked with every age and skill level – from kids as young as 6, high school and college students, to retirees picking up a new hobby. I’ve taught many complete beginners learning their first chords to advanced musicians wanting to improve their skills or break out of a rut.

For beginners, I make things clear and easy to understand as possible, so you have a clear direction forward and can make progress quickly. For experienced guitarists, I tailor the content in the lessons to your individual goals.

What music will I learn in lessons?

I’ve prepared a large core curriculum of songs to teach fundamental guitar skills, which draws from a wide variety of genres and styles of guitar playing. I prepare my own sheets for the songs using professional music software (not written by hand) that I print off during lessons.

The song list is currently at over 1500 songs! You can find a complete list here. I’ve found my song sheets are much easier to understand than online sources.

(Note: this list does not include more specialized genres I teach like Classical, Jazz or Worship music.)

I’m very responsive to my students’ interests and students are free to make requests for any songs they are interested in.

How do I set up guitar lessons?

Email me here or call/text me at 309-397-2869 to see what openings I have. I’m also happy to answer any questions you have.

Why take lessons when there is so much information on the internet?

Lessons are not a substitute for learning on the internet – guitar websites and Youtube are obviously a great resource and everyone should use it. But there are significant advantages to taking lessons with an experienced teacher:

What are your qualifications?

I’ve taught approximately 30,000 lessons since 2005 and have three degrees in music – a Bachelor’s degree from Bradley University, a Master’s degree from Illinois State University and a Doctorate of Music from the University of Illinois.

I am currently a faculty member at Illinois State University, teaching jazz guitar. In the past, I’ve also been a faculty member at Heartland College in Normal teaching music classes, Lincoln Christian University teaching classical guitar, Lincoln College teaching jazz band and commercial music and Millikin University teaching commercial and jazz guitar.

My biggest strength as a teacher is my work ethic – I spend considerable time every week preparing materials. I can also figure out songs by ear very quickly and present the information in an accessible way.

Do I need my own guitar?

It is a good idea to own your own guitar, whether its acoustic or electric. For those who don’t own yet, I have a few guitars available to rent for free (for a small refundable deposit.)

What are some of the skills advanced guitarists learn in lessons?