Guitar Lessons in San Francisco CA - Musika Music Teachers

Featured Guitar Teachers Near San Francisco, CA

4306 5 STAR Musika Reviews

Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Guitar lessons in San Francisco . Whether you are looking for beginner guitar lessons for your kids, or are an adult wanting to improve your skills, the instructors in our network are ready to help you now!

Austin C

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin

I am an experienced musician who has a passion for music and a passion for teaching. I have performed playing the violin, piano, guitar, viola, bass guitar, and the drums. Even though I play many instruments, I am only interested in teaching piano, violin, and guitar. Outside of being a music teacher, I am currently earning my Master's Degree in Mathematics. I was formerly a high school math teacher, but I want to earn my Master's degree in math so that I could teach math at the college level. Read More

Cortnee L

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Violin Viola Ukulele Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Music has always been a part of my life. I became involved in music, theater and dance at a young age, performing in countless professional productions. In my teens and early adulthood, I began writing and recording music and became involved in a number of recording projects that led me to teaching. I gave my first lesson over a decade ago and I continue to perform when I can. I graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy with concentrations in Theater and Music, and I worked for Women's Audio Mission in San Francisco. Read More

Yehoshua J

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Drums Bass Guitar Organ

It is important that each student progresses at their own pace with reasonable and realistic goals that they can reach. Acknowledging accomplishments helps fuel a students desire to achieve even greater challenges. My desire is to find what motives the student and create a curriculum that will refine them based on their desire. Read More

Jake N

Instruments: Guitar Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For all of my students, I like to blend what they need to know and what they want to know. I find that especially teaching guitar, learning it is very goal oriented. My students and I always come up with their goals during each lesson so they can have something to work up to for each week. Practice does make perfect, so I do strongly encourage practicing at least a couple hours a day. Read More

Michael L

Instruments: Guitar Trumpet

I have played and taught a wide range of styles throughout my life. I graduated from the University of Washington in 2010, majoring in Guitar performance. I have had the opportunity to play in rock bands, jazz ensembles and as a solo performer. I am currently getting my music ed credential at SJSU. I still play frequently in town with my jazz ensemble. Read More

Rick D

Instruments: Guitar Voice

Teaching people what they want to know and feeding their enthusiasm has been the best thing about teaching for me. Understanding what a student already knows, seeing where there may be gaps to fill and what new material they are ready for makes it a exciting experience for both the student and me. Using material that interests them and moving ahead in a way that encourages and rewards their effort gives them a true sense of accomplishment and heightens their enjoyment of the lessons and their own improved ability. Read More

Matthew I

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

I have been playing guitar for 21 years and teaching for 14 years. I started taking private guitar lessons as a teenager for several years and played in my High School Jazz Band along with other original rock bands. While in high school, I was able to study with popular Chicago rock guitarist Kevin M. Buck where I first learned music theory, which inspired me to be more studious with the guitar. Read More

Teacher In Spotlight

Robert L

Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
I believe the more practice the better... but it may be a good idea to not put too much pressure on yourself (or your student). Instead of thinking you need to practice 30-60 minutes every day, just think about sitting down and up picking up your instrument for 10 minutes... 10 minutes of focused practice of lesson material will be beneficial. And there is a pretty good chance 10 minutes turns into 15, 20, 30, or more... And this will be easier to achieve without the overwhelming pressure of having to practice for hours, and hours.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
If your child can sit still, be attentive, and try his/her best to do what the teacher is showing, they can be ready and able to do lessons. But the child has to be interested and excited about learning to play the instrument. Students and parents should realize it takes hard work and dedication to become proficient on an instrument such as guitar. There will be pain in the finger tips, mental fatigue and self-doubt... The student must have the mental strength to overcome such obstacles. And the desire must come from within.

When will I start to see results?
Typically every student is different and rate of progress is directly proportional to the amount of time spent practicing. If the progress is coming slow take a look at how much they are practicing. If week nights are busy and they don't have enough time to practice, parents should help students manage their time so they have enough time to finish school homework and get at last ten minutes of focused practice per day. You really have to treat music class like any other class you take in school. Study and learn and practice everyday and you will see progress. It can often take 1-2 years to become proficient and adept at playing songs well. But again it depends on the students' determination, perseverance, and desire to pick up the instrument. The desire cannot be forced and must come from within.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
I suppose my Father inspired me to play by having guitars and playing while I was growing up. I saw how much fun and enjoyment he had when playing music alone or with friends. I began taking guitar class in Junior High School and playing along with my Dad and his friends. I think it was the challenge of mastering guitar itself that inspired me to keep working and learning. I didn't even think about it. It seems I was naturally drawn to it. I had the determination to learn what to do and then practice it until it sounded good. I also learned that playing songs over and over for fun is also good practice. The repetition will help you master chord fingering, chord changes, and rhythm patterns. Studying the composition of a song will give you insights to what chords sound good together and what kind of dynamics can be used over the course of a song. With a general understanding of the basics, you can take what you've learned and begin to create your own sounds. The sky is the limit for musical creativity and that's what truly inspires me.

Buying a Guitar

Young students are encouraged to start their guitar lessons by playing half size or three-quarter size acoustic guitars. Using an electric guitar is a viable alternative for older students who are able to hold the instrument with comfort. A student model guitar bought from new will cost in the vicinity of $150 - $200. For electric guitar players, amplification and guitar cables are required, which will need to be purchased at an additional cost. As a general rule, the higher the quality of the instrument, the easier it is to play. This is important as it affords the student the best possible chance of enjoying playing and learning the guitar.

Adult Guitar Lessons

At Musika, we suggest that adult students looking to start guitar lessons do so with a specific aim or goal in mind. Beginners may have goals such as learning to play their favorite songs or to write their own music, whereas advanced students might want to develop a particular technique or aspect of their guitar playing. Irrespective of your experience or level, the teachers in our network can help you to achieve your goals. Remember, developing playing skills can take time. The best way to ensure you achieve your goals is through regular lessons and consistent practice.

Guitar Lessons for Kids

At Musika, we offer guitar lessons to students as young as 6 years old. A nylon stringed, half-size classical guitar will be the easiest and most comfortable model for younger students to play, and at this age students will be learning to play simple tunes on the top strings. By about 7-8 years old, students will be forming different chords and playing along to their favorite songs. For students in the 10-12 age range, they are likely to want to learn how to play rock music on an electric guitar, and should be comfortable playing a full sized guitar.

Recent Articles from the Musika Blog

How To Tune A Guitar

...to the correct alternatively-tuned pitch. Below, we’ll highlight how to tune a guitar to some important and easy-to-play-in alternate tunings.   D-A-D-G-B-E   Drop D tuning is the probably the easiest alternative tuning. In this tuning, guitarists tune their open 6th E string to D by using the open 4th string as a reference point. Many punk and rock guitar parts feature Drop D tuning.   D-A-D-G-A-D     This is a phenomenal open tuning that is simultaneously easy and difficult to play in. Playing in the key of D Major is a breeze in this key, but playing in... Read More

How To Practice Piano with Correct Technique

...v VI VII     To help test your knowledge of scales and keys, write a simple 4-chord progression and learn to play it in various keys around the piano. For example, you could play a I-IV-vi-iii chord progression in the key of C to start and the move it to gradually more difficult keys like D, E, and then F#. The basic idea here is to teach you how to add every scale, key, and chord to your musical toolkit. This knowledge can help you whether you’re a concert pianist or an aspiring songwriter.   Piano exercises are important ... Read More

Soloing Over Blues Changes

...blues progression in your ear. These exercises alone do not make for a cohesive and convincing solo. First, you should play each scale straight over each chord. Then, use the examples above or apply some of your favorite scale patterns.   This example uses the blues scale. Remember when we talked about the blues scale, we figured out that one blues scale could be used over the entire blues progression. This example is simply the same two-measure line repeated six times. Try coming up with your own two-bar or four-bar blues line and playing it over the blues progression. Pro jazz musicians do this. ... Read More

How Music Theory Can Improve Your Songwriting

...if you want to improve your songwriting prowess. Like chords, scales can be built with simple formulas. To build a C major scale, start with middle C and play every white note until you reach the C an octave above (8 whole steps). All major scales are built off of a pattern of whole and half steps. A whole step covers two half steps and spans the distance from C to D. The formula to build major scales is whole step – whole step – half step – whole step – whole step – whole step – half step. You can use this formula ... Read More

Encouraging a Love of Music Outside the Classroom

...Ask: What instruments do you hear? Is the song fast or slow? Happy or sad? If you had to draw a picture to go with this song, what would it look like? Play games. Most young children learn through play. Some songs, particularly folk songs, lend themselves easily to games. It’s fun for kids if you can incorporate movement into the music, and you know better than anyone what your child finds enjoyable! Attend live shows and concerts if you can. You don’t have to break the bank bringing your child to see a touring professional orchestra (although most orchestras do offer ... Read More

How To Tune A Guitar

How To Practice Piano with Correct Technique

Soloing Over Blues Changes

How Music Theory Can Improve Your Songwriting

Encouraging a Love of Music Outside the Classroom

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Guitar Lessons in San Francisco, CA

Featured Guitar Teachers Near San Francisco, CA

4306 5 STAR Musika Reviews

Austin C

Cortnee L

Yehoshua J

Jake N

Michael L

Rick D

Matthew I

Teacher In Spotlight

Robert L

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More Information About Guitar Lessons

Buying a Guitar

Adult Guitar Lessons

Guitar Lessons for Kids

Popular San Francisco Lessons Offered

Popular Lesson Location

Recent Articles from the Musika Blog

How To Tune A Guitar

How To Practice Piano with Correct Technique

Soloing Over Blues Changes

How Music Theory Can Improve Your Songwriting

Encouraging a Love of Music Outside the Classroom

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