Hi, I’m Damon.

I work with all levels.
If you’re a beginning player who’s never picked up a guitar before, I want to work with you. If you've been trying to learn how to play on your own and you're starting to feel like maybe this is something you just can't do, I want to work with you. If you're an experienced player who’s feeling stuck or uninspired or if there are things you hear in other people's songs that you can't figure out how to do with yours, I want to work with you too.

My method is comprehensive.
My method is all about establishing a solid foundation of the fundamentals of the western musical system, showing you how the guitar works with and relates to that system, and then teaching you to use those paired understandings to artfully create or re-create anything you hear out in the world, in your head, or in your heart. I've developed an entirely unique holistic approach to teaching music in general and the guitar in particular: I believe it to be superior to all others, and I am super stoked to share it with you!

My approach is bespoke.
No two people learn in exactly the same way, and all of us - whether or not we're aware of it - develop our own unique perspectives and contexts for understanding and relating to music. As a music teacher, my first job is to figure out what you do and don't already understand and how you look at, relate to, and contextualize what you know. Then I work to suss out your innate talents and hidden skills, whatever they may be, and train you to play to those strengths to help you better reach your goals.

I focus on fundamentals.
I teach strumming, flatpicking, fingerpicking, hybrid picking, and soloing skills such as single string bends, double string bends, pedal steel bends, double-stops, licks, scales, and arpeggios. I work with students to level up their rhythm, lead, and accompaniment playing. I help them gain confidence and skill with singing while playing and playing with others. I also explore more advanced topics like songwriting, alternate tunings, and key transposition. I place a strong emphasis on musicality, phrasing, ear training, and mastering the rhythmic fundamentals of meter, time, and feel.

I teach a broad range of styles.
The styles I have the most experience with playing and teaching fall pretty squarely within the realms of folk, Americana, country, blues, classic rock, classic R&B, classic soul, Motown, indie rock, new wave, punk rock, psychedelic rock, shoegaze, post-rock, and most styles of jazz.

I teach a whole bunch of other stuff too.
For my electric guitar students, I cover the creative use of pedals and amplifiers. I also cover smart power management and signal flow for pedals, and I’m more than happy to provide advice on buying gear and building pedalboards. No matter what kind of guitar you play, I can show you how having a proper setup and making simple adjustments to your guitar can greatly improve how it plays and sounds.

Have a look around!

Learn a bit about my method, familiarize yourself with my policies, and flip through my FAQ. If you like what you see and you think we might make a good fit, then I hope you'll consider booking with me.