If you or your child is looking for guitar lessons or ukulele lessons in the Las Vegas area, Brill Music Academy is here to serve you. Our roster of teachers includes guitar players in a wide variety of genres. We have teachers experienced in classical guitar, folk guitar, jazz guitar, and all manner of pop styles. Some of our teachers are accomplished singer-songwriters and can offer instruction in singing while playing, too.
All music lessons at Brill Music Academy take a well-rounded approach. We don’t create instrumentalists; we create musicians. And we do this in a warm, inviting setting. Students and teachers alike have plenty of fun as students hone their skills.
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Our Staff
Rob Kemerson
Guitar
A native of Port St. Lucie, Florida, Rob Kemerson discovered his passion for music at the age of 12 years old. By the age of 16, he began giving private lessons to
Tom Brill
Guitar
Tom Brill is a guitar instructor in all styles at Brill Music Academy. Tom also teaches other stringed, fretted instruments including banjo, ukulele, and bass guitar. Growing up outside Milwaukee in Oak
Lesson Pricing
- Weekly 30 minute lessons: $130/month
- Weekly 60 minute lessons: $255/month
Our Approach
The guitar is one of the most versatile instruments. It shows up in the classical concert hall, it’s a staple throughout commercial pop music, and it’s found in folk music all around the world. With such a diverse set of applications, it’s not surprising that approaches to teaching and learning guitar vary widely. Our approaches do, too, depending on the student’s goals. That said, here’s a basic outline of our approach.
We Teach Proper Technique
Whether you want to be a rocker, a Flamenco guitarist, or play in the band at church, basic technique is the same. No matter your genre, proper posture while playing, proper picking and strumming technique, proper fretting technique, and the standard fingering for basic chords are always the same. Through private guitar lessons, you’ll get technique instruction that’s hands on and one to one. Feedback from an expert teacher helps you make instant corrections in a way YouTube videos and your bandmates never could.
We Teach the Fundamentals
Every musician—guitarists included—needs to learn the fundamentals of music. Guitar and ukulele lessons at Brill Music Academy include basic instruction in music theory, rhythm, and even music history. Students will also learn to read guitar music (tablature, standard notation, or both).
We Tailor Instruction to Your Goals
Once proper technique and basic music fundamentals are well in hand, you’ll be ready to pursue your guitar goals. This is where the teaching approach diverges. If you’re going for a singer/songwriter approach, you’ll learn the customary guitar styles used in indie and pop music. You’ll also learn basics of good breathing for singing, as well as how to manage singing and playing simultaneously.
If you’re interested in classical technique, you’ll learn what’s different as well as what’s the same. Your teacher will select a repertoire for you to study that’s in the classical tradition.
Whatever else your goals might be, whether you want to be the dynamic lead guitarist in a band or a technical wizard that can play any chord in any key, our experienced teachers will tailor instruction to your goals.
What’s the Right Age to Start Guitar and Ukulele Lessons?
While guitar is in many ways a simpler instrument to learn than some others, playing the guitar requires pressing down on the strings fairly hard using only the tips of the fingers. Also, very small hands will have a difficult time forming even simple chords. For this reason, the youngest we start guitar instruction at Brill Music Academy is eight years old.
The ukulele is a similar instrument, but it has neither of these limitations and is certainly playable by most small children. If your child is interested in starting ukulele lessons younger than eight years old, let’s chat.
Of course, you don’t have to be a kid to start guitar lessons or ukulele lessons. The beauty of these instruments is their simplicity. We start teenage and adult students all the time on these instruments, and many of them develop a high level of proficiency.
In short, whatever your age (eight and up), we’re here for you.
What Sets Us Apart
Everyone knows someone who plays guitar or ukulele, it seems. We know there are plenty of places you could go to learn the basics of these instruments or even to take guitar lessons or ukulele lessons. Why us? Because we’re different.
First, we’re a real music school, and that gives us some real depth. Neither your child’s general music teacher nor that one friend that’s in a band can offer depth. They can teach your child something about how to play a guitar, but it will be limited. The general music teacher will almost certainly follow a generic methods book. Your child’s buddy will teach your kid three, maybe five chords, because that’s all he knows.
Taking lessons here is nothing like that. We offer real, deep instruction that’s tailored to each student’s abilities and goals. We have the depth to train each student in whichever genre or genres he or she wants to pursue.
Second, we’re open-minded enough to support students as they support their guitar goals. We don’t attempt to force all students into the same mold. We know some students are only looking to reach a decent amateur level of guitar-playing ability, while others want to perform at a very high level. Some want to pursue classical; others, jazz or metal.
Third, our location is inviting and convenient, and we strive to make music-making fun and enjoyable. If you’re worried that taking lessons means subjecting yourself to a grueling conservatory-like experience where fun is forbidden and only excellent technique matters, then you don’t know Brill Music Academy. We do both: we have fun and we teach great technique.
Still not convinced? Stop in sometime and see for yourself.
Ready to Start Guitar Lessons or Ukulele Lessons in Las Vegas?
Are you ready to start taking guitar lessons or ukulele lessons in or near Las Vegas, or is your child ready to do the same? If so, let’s talk. Don’t just get a few pointers from your buddy’s band. Come learn from one of our experienced pros and get meaningful guitar or ukulele instruction that’s tailored to your specific needs and goals. Contact Brill Music Academy today to find a teacher that suits your style.