“I've been taking lessons with David for a bit less than a year now and I've already made a big improvement compared to my experiences working with previous instructors, owing largely to the fact that he has very closely fit his teachings to my experiences, interests, and goals as a musician.

David is extremely knowledgeable and experienced, with a real talent for communicating music theory concepts and guitar skills in ways that are easy to grasp, practical, and PRACTICABLE for you. If you’re struggling with something, he’ll help you work through specific exercises to build up that skill and move forward. His instruction has been particularly helpful for teaching me how to practice effectively, which I never could quite figure out before and which made me almost dread practicing - no longer! If you’re interested in songwriting, he’s also great at breaking down songwriting techniques within whatever songs you’re learning to play and teaching how to apply those techniques yourself.

He’s got the zoom lesson format down to a science, which I've super appreciated as someone who’d never taken lessons online before. Would highly recommend him as a guitar teacher, especially if you’re interested in songwriting as well or feeling a bit stuck in your guitar journey.”

– Maggie

“I bought my first guitar in early February 2023, and the first thing I did was look for an instructor. After long hours of searching, I settled on David Hillman, and I don't think I could've made a better choice. We started from the complete beginning, and everything was explained and presented in an easy to understand format. I was given excellent warm-ups and notes to guide my journey, and within a few weeks we were working through my first song together.

The entire time, David has been nothing but attentive, understanding, resourceful, and guiding. He has never raised his voice or expressed disappointment in a lack of practice when other responsibilities get in the way, and has a clear and deep love for what he does.
Just one year later, and I've developed the skills to learn most of the songs I love without as much direct guidance from him. We work together to improve my technique and work through sections I may struggle with, but the fundamentals he's helped me build have been invaluable to me as a guitarist.

This last Saturday, he hosted his first recital for all students, involving us meeting together and playing on a stage with a band for an audience. We all picked a song to play, and David worked with me to ease my nerves and ensure I could play confidently on stage for my first time. The experience was one of a kind and invaluable, and the kind of thing only an instructor who cares about his students development would commit the time and effort into.

If you want a responsible, educated, patient teacher who can elevate your playing, I don't believe there's a better choice than David.”

– Alex R.

“I began taking lessons with David Hillman at Hillman Guitar Instruction at the beginning of 2024, after three years of trying to teach myself how to play. Starting lessons with David has been the absolute best decision for my guitar journey. Over the past six months, I have made significant progress and gained a much better understanding of how to practice effectively and what to focus on.

Recently, Hillman Guitar Instruction hosted their first Student Showcase, where I had the incredible experience of playing a song with a full band in front of a live audience for the first time ever. A year ago, I couldn’t have imagined being able to perform live.

I can’t recommend Hillman Guitar Instruction more highly. David is great to work with – he’s friendly, enthusiastic, fun, and incredibly knowledgeable. If you’re serious about improving your guitar skills, Hillman Guitar Instruction is the place to go!”

– Brandon H.

“Working with Dave has been an absolute pleasure! He has a great way of making music theory on the guitar practical and accessible (quickly too). His experience as a songwriter and performer also shines through in his teaching. On many occasions, I brought songs to our lesson in an attempt to figure out what made them unique. Dave was able to quickly pick them apart and introduce to new musical concepts I could apply to my playing, which was super helpful and fun!

I was initially skeptical about online lessons, but I did not find it to be a barrier. Online lessons provide wider access to connect with talented instructors like Dave!

I highly recommend Dave to anyone who is looking deepen their understanding of music in both technical and practical ways. Musical ability aside, Dave is also a very positive and supportive instructor which creates a great learning environment/experience.”

– Thomas D.

“I"ve had a wonderful experience with David. He is patient, thoughtful and brimming with knowledge about how to learn guitar. As an older person, I appreciate all of that. Starting from nothing, I am having a great time. I also quite appreciate the fact that the lessons are taught via Zoom. If I had to travel to the lessons, I would end up missing many. With these I am able to fit this easily into my weekly schedule.”

– Tripp R.

“Hillman is an exceptional teacher. He cares about getting you the skills that will help your musical journey. He’s the right mix of professional and personable, and he himself rocks and models great playing habits. I wasn’t sure these virtual lessons would work for me, but I’m glad I took a chance. He knows how to make the virtual space work for you and knows how to make sure your lessons work.”

– Marcus T.

“Thanks so much, as always, for being such a great teacher. In addition to having a truly unique capacity for passing along your considerable skills, you also have something much more important going on in your sessions, which is the way you share your joy in the simple making of music, and invite the rest of us in to make a little of our own joy. I know that sounds corny but in our case it’s really true. Both Annie and I are happier people because of taking lessons with you.”

– Pam V.

“David is a great instructor. He’s patient, encouraging, kind and knowledgeable. He tailors my lesson to what I want to know and songs I want to play. Although he’s an accomplished guitarist he hasn’t forgotten what it’s like to be a beginner, and he clearly and patiently explains the concepts, often many times over. He’s also very timely in getting back to me whenever I have a question between classes. He obviously loves the guitar and music, and his enthusiasm is contagious. I’m a new student to the guitar and in just a month I’m playing chords, working on songs and learning music theory. David gives me just the right amount of instruction for it to be challenging but not overwhelming. I’m thoroughly enjoying myself and look forward to each lesson.”

– Jennifer J.

“David is a calm, understanding teacher who reinforces practice positively and teaches kids how to connect with and create their own music in addition to teaching traditional methods. My child has never been bored and has learned the art of improvisation along with sight reading.”

– Meg V.

“David is awesome! He is a gifted musician and a fantastic instructor. Despite a wild schedule that sometimes interferes with my practice time between lessons, I always see progress after a 30 minute lesson with David. He is patient and really understands what motivates the adult learner.

I’ve also had the opportunity to overhear the end of his sessions with younger students, and it’s clear that the kids love working with him as well.”

– Dana E.

“David came highly recommended to us by the music teacher at my kid’s elementary school. It is my understanding that David had previously given the music teacher a guitar lesson. Deep in my heart I believed that my son would soon lose interest in playing guitar once the mystique wore off and the work began. Happily, that has not been the case. Thanks to David’s patience, easy going personality and sense of humor, my son is still going strong after five months of instruction. He now also has an electric guitar as well as his acoustic and David works with him on both. We have even gone to some of David’s all-ages performances to watch him and his band perform and this has no doubt fueled some dreams for my son. David really has been the perfect match for my son and has given us both quality instruction without the angst that I remember from trumpet lessons as a kid. My son always looks forward to going to his lesson because he has a friend in David. I cannot recommend him highly enough.”

– John W.

“David’s style of teaching combines professionalism with fun! You get to learn at your own pace, jam out with him like a rock star (even if you only know one note!) and dig in for some really good understanding on how music works. He is truly committed to making your learning experience what you want it to be while encouraging you to push yourself.”

– Kristi S.

“I have such a good time at my lesson. David is funny and easy to be around. Very patient and obviously enjoys teaching people what he knows, which is a lot. It is easy to feel silly when you are learning how to play and making mistakes but David is very encouraging and supportive. Even when he knows you haven’t practiced 😉”

– Greta B.

“David is patient and inspiring. As an older, in my 50s, student who has come back to playing guitar after stopping in high school it has been a wonderful experience. David has a very pleasant and personal style that teaches you the basics, he shows you tricks he has learned as a musician and has a clear understanding of who you are, how you learn and is very sensitive to your schedule. I plan to be with him for years. He is insipring and learning is fun!”

– John T.

“I had wanted to take guitar lessons for a while so after some research, I found David. I’ve been taking lessons from him for a little over 4 months now and I can’t believe the results. He is by far the best instructor. He allows you to learn at your own pace and has something new to teach every week. I had no experience playing guitar before I started but after a few lessons, I was playing songs that I had always wanted to learn.
The fact that he is one of the most inexpensive teachers is just a bonus. I couldn’t find anywhere else that offered his price. Anyone wanting to learn guitar or get better at playing should definitely go to David.
You won’t be sorry and you will actually see results.”

– Spencer S.

“My 9 year old has been taking lessons from David for almost 2 years. He is patient, creative and a talented instructor. He is always encouraging and I am always impressed that he knows just the right new tip or trick to keep the learning exciting. We highly recommend him!”

– Carol B.

“David’s great! He has a way of quickly finding your level and figuring out what you know (or don’t know), and helping you break through your boundaries. He’s also the teacher that will help you explore where you want to go with your ideas, and help you polish them. I’ve been playing off and on for about 18 years, and after a month or two of lessons he’s already kicked me up a few notches. His presence is relaxed and feels great to just sit and learn the guitar. I wish I had been taking lessons from this guy when I first started playing.”

– TMRK

“I started taking guitar lessons with David for 8 months and I am amazed at how much I have learned. What I love about the lessons is that I am pretty much in charge of what I want to learn. David can teach anything! And I mean anything. I pick the songs that I want to learn, and usually learn them in a week. (If I practice enough) After 8 months of lessons I can play some songs right off the bat. Guitar has become a huge part of my life, thanks David!!!!”

– Becca P.

“David makes you feel totally comfortable learning how to play the guitar from day one. He makes you unafraid to ask questions and makes theories and concepts easier to learn by finding out how you learn things best and trying them in different ways. It felt like i was jammin with a buddy the whole time while i was learning. He is such a knowledgeable and easy going teacher. You WILL learn a tremendous amount from him and you will be sounding amazing before you know it. Highly recommend him!!!”

– Samuel H.

“David has been great. Not just with the technical aspects of playing the guitar, but with a real depth of understanding of the music theory behind it. At the same time he maintains the ability to teach it so that it is clear and accessible. I would recommend David for anyone from beginner to advanced, closet player to song writer.”

– Ted C.

“My experiences have traditionally proved that those who instruct rarely have an effective and efficient way for teaching new students. Fortunately for me and all of David’s other students, this is not the case. I walked into David’s studio having never picked up the guitar (with the exception of Guitar Hero) and with little to no experience in music. David’s patient and methodical approach to instruction provides an environment in which anyone, regardless of skill level, can learn or improve at the guitar. Using his nearly 30 years of experience, David offers great advice on how avoid the common pitfalls new students would succumb too and encourages good habits early. Before taking lessons from David, I would have never imagined being where I am today without this instruction. His relaxed and funny nature makes the whole learning experience an absolute pleasure and something any student can look forward to each week. I would definitely recommend David to anyone looking to learn to play the guitar!”

– Matthew G.

“Going to David has been the best experience. He is able to teach guitar in such a way that someone with little musical knowledge, such as myself, can easily and quickly begin playing. I enjoy going to see David every week and learning something new. At each lesson I can tell that my skills progress and David leaves me with a plan for practice for the week, which makes my playing time much more productive. I highly recommend getting lessons from David if you’d like to see instant improvement in your playing abilities.”

– Jason

“I recommend David very highly. The lessons are very low key and laid back. This works well for me, as I don’t learn well under pressure. David is very good at explaining things in a way that can be understood, and if that doesn’t work, re-explaining in a different way. The lessons follow each other in a logical, organic way. My partner and I are taking these lessons together, and David is very good at engaging our different learning styles and interests during the lessons. We are very pleased with the progress we are making.”

– Steve L.

“I had been wanting to learn how to play the guitar for years and for my B-day my girlfriend bought me some lessons. She couldn’t have picked a better place to buy the lessons from. David makes you feel comfortable and really understands the way that people learn and how to teach in the most effective way. The guitar is a tough instrument to learn and you want to learn from someone knowledgeable and patient and that’s exactly what David is.”

– Adam Z.

“I was searching for a hard-to-find baritone ukulele instructor and David graciously agreed to teach me the basics and learn the instrument along with me. Since the baritone uke is strung like a guitar and I’m a complete beginner who needs a lot of background information and also want to learn music theory, the arrangement is perfect.
Every time I leave a lesson I’m energized and enthusiastic to keep playing. David is patient and his instructions and explanations are clear. He is encouraging without being condescending, and introduces plenty of new material without overwhelming me. He’s also incredibly flexible, a real bonus for someone with an unpredictable schedule.
Overall I’m thrilled to have found him and always mention my great instructor when telling friends about my new hobby.”

– Elizabeth A.

“My favorite night of the week is what I call “guitar night,” and it is my favorite because David is the best teacher I’ve had in just about anything (sorry, erstwhile college professors). The guitar can be intimidating, especially if you’ve put it off until your 30s like this gal. David makes the whole thing cake. His space is gorgeous–I particularly enjoy the proximity to pricey yachts and the Lake Union views. I’ve taken lessons in music shop sweat boxes, caged like an animal in a windowless room under fluorescent bulbs. David, on the other hand, has created a space reminiscent of the Rolling Stones recording sessions in France for Exile on Main Street (only in Seattle on the Lake). I was playing a song by my second lesson. When I am occasionally downtrodden by what I feel like is the futility of a guitar in my grubby, fat hands, David, like a sensei, helps build me back up, developing my skill and pointing out what is, in fact, a burgeoning talent. It takes time. It takes practice. And I feel lucky to have chosen David as my instructor for his easy nature, graciousness, and what you can tell is a true love for the guitar that is infectious. Put it this way: I feel like there isn’t anybody he can’t teach. Even my significant other has remarked upon the tremendous progress I have made and the increasing confidence in my playing. It’s a pleasure to be his student. I might even say an honor.”

– Kristy G.

“I’m the first to admit, I have trouble practicing every week – David always works with whatever I’ve got to bring to the table, whether I made progress on my own that week or not. I started almost brand new to the guitar, and over the course of 6 months David’s helped me build a song repertoire of both simple and challenging songs that I can play along with – mostly my suggestions of songs I want to learn. His knowledge of guitar techniques and music theory is great (I’ve asked about both during lessons and was impressed by the responses), and I always walk away ready to work on something. I highly recommend lessons with David!”

– Alaina D.

“David is awesome! He is a gifted musician and a fantastic instructor. Despite a wild schedule that sometimes interferes with my practice time between lessons, I always see progress after a 30 minute lesson with David. He is patient and really understands what motivates the adult learner.
I’ve also had the opportunity to overhear the end of his sessions with younger students, and it’s clear that the kids love working with him as well.
If you’re one of those people who gets bored if you’re not instantly picking something up, you will love working with David. I am completely “musically challenged”, and I was picking up enough to play along with the songs after a few lessons. I also love that he constantly works with me to find new songs or new approaches to keep me interested and excited about the learning process.”

– Dana E.

“David is an exceptional musician and a great teacher. He tailors the lessons to fit your needs and works hard to find out what teaching methods works best for you.”

– Larry G.