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BELLEVUE IMPROVISATIONAL GUITAR LESSONS

Learn How To Improvise In Any Style, In Any Key

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Over 40 Years Of Experience

Learn How To Solo In Any Given Situation

And To Write Songs Off The Top Of Your Head

Improvising is the art of making up music as you go, right there on the spot. It’s not as hard as you think, and it’s definitely one of my favorite activities and things to teach. I have spent many years in an improv band with good friends. We have hundreds of hours of recorded material. Some of it is great. Most of it is so so. Some of it is absolutely horrible. But you get better at it the more you do it, and one of the greatest joys for a musician can be to fall into a sweet improvisational jam.

For the most part, music is a simple and elegant system. A big part of good improvisation is trusting the deep, natural, instinctual understanding of music theory that all humans possess.

David Hillman smiles in home studio during online guitar lesson in Seattle
David Hillman strumming guitar during guitar lessons in studio
Closeup of female musician learning to play an acoustic guitar

Improvisational Guitar Lessons

What You Will Learn

1

Understanding How Music Works

Knowing how chords and melodies are built and how they work together is the first step. Understanding what it means to be in a key is paramount.
2

How To Research And Investigate

A great place to start is simply making a list of the songs that contain your favorite guitar solos and guitar moments. Tearing these songs and solos apart to see how they work, and then comparing them with other solos and songs, are all part of a program that gets you improvising right away.
3

Understanding Music History, Theory, And "The Rules"

Music has been written the same way for centuries. The parameters for what makes good music are limited, and this forces everyone to re-use, recycle, borrow, and steal. Music Theory is not so much a bunch rules, as it is a way to describe and record what is happening in a song. The only real rule is a question: "Does it sound good?"

My Approach & More Lesson Information

I’ve taken hundreds and hundreds of guitar and vocal lessons in my life, and with over 33 years of guitar teaching experience, I have a firm grasp on what it means to both student and teacher.

Playing music both by yourself and with others is one of the most joyous and satisfying endeavors one can embark on. Music should be fun, and I embrace this ideal.

I always want students to have a good time at their lesson, even when they haven’t practiced. There is always something fun that we can work on. Over my many years of study with different instructors, I did not appreciate it when a teacher would yell or scold because I was not practicing enough, or was too slow to comprehend certain concepts or ideas.

I have always provided a calm, fun, nurturing, and relaxed atmosphere for my students to learn in. My job is to teach you what you want to learn, and to make sure that you have a good time doing it.

So, whether you’re located in Bellevue or anywhere else, I think that you’ll find my online lessons enjoyable, entertaining, informative, and tailored to your needs.

Don’t just take my word for it. Check out my reviews, not only on this site, but on Google and Yelp as well.

What To Expect With Online Lessons

I have found online guitar lessons through Zoom are just as effective as in-person lessons. The process of overcoming the challenges associated with online learning has led me to discover new teaching techniques and new insights into how people learn. In addition, the extra time gained by not having to travel to the lesson each week, find a parking space, wait for a ride or bus obviously means extra time for practice or anything else that a student wants or needs to do.

Taking a lesson in the comfort of your own home (in your PJs if you want!) also reduces stress for many people. I’ve even given lessons to students while they are on vacation. I now have students all over the US and the world. Currently I give online lessons to students in New York, California, Texas, Kansas, Canada, Australia, Europe, and India.

My over 33 years of guitar teaching experience and my over 40 years of experience as an audio engineer have made the online lesson experience every bit as rich and fulfilling as in-person lessons. During online lessons, the smiles, the laughter, the fun, and the joy of making music together are present and every bit as real.

I have always offered an easy, affordable way for you to try 3 lessons. This gives you the chance to see if Zoom guitar lessons are for you. Send me a message through the contact page and we can find you an open time slot and get started.

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