Guitar & Ukulele Lessons in Washington, DC
Our Approach to Guitar & Ukulele Lessons
Our guitar instructors teach rock, blues, metal, country and classical styles. The guitar and ukulele are some of the most versatile instruments. They show up in the classical concert hall, commercial pop music, rock and 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.
Middle C Music offers private and pairs lessons in guitar for students of all ages and all abilities! Our guitar teachers hold university degrees in music, and can offer lessons in our studio or online.
Our Approach to Guitar & Ukulele Lessons
GET STARTED01 Guitar & Ukulele Lessons Should Be Fun!
We all know the feeling: you hear your favorite song come on and you can’t resist the urge to play along on your air guitar! Here at Middle C Music, we can help you convert your musical fantasies into reality – while preserving that irresistible sense of joy you feel when playing along. We want each of our students to LOVE their musical experience with us!
Whether you come to us planning on becoming the next Jimi Hendrix or simply wanting to play songs around the campfire with your friends, our top-notch instructors will help you progress quickly toward your goals while ensuring you have fun along the way.
02 We Emphasize Healthy Technique
Regardless of your ultimate goals, our teachers will prioritize strong fundamentals including proper posture, hand positioning, chords, fretting, picking, and strumming. As students progress, these basics will become second nature – and serve as the foundation from which students can apply their skills across a variety of genres and styles.
We want our guitar students to be literate, well-rounded musicians. Beginners and seasoned performers alike will find value in our approach at Middle C Music, coupling technical instruction with elements of music theory and music history in each lesson.
03 We Care About Your Musical Interests
Your unique interests and background will help guide your experience at Middle C Music. We teach beginners, intermediate, and advanced students who are interested in a variety of styles – including rock, jazz, classical, pop, blues, and more. Whether you’re inspired by modern day singer-songwriters or the rockers of the 1970s, we can’t wait to get started with you!
Our seasoned instructors will draw upon years of playing, performing, and teaching experience to guide you in improving your skills and exploring the many possibilities of your instrument, and advancing toward your goals at a pace that works for you.
Our Guitar & Ukulele Teachers:
If you or your child is looking for guitar or ukulele lessons in the Washington DC area, we are 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.
Brock Holmes
Guitar, Bass, Piano & Ukulele
Available Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday Brock Holmes has performed and taught in the D.C. area for more than 30 years. In 2008, he was Music Director of the
Alicia Kopfstein
Guitar & Ukulele
Available Sunday, Wednesday, & Saturday Alicia Kopfstein, Ph.D. is a master teacher (her students call her the “technique queen!”), classical guitarist, folk singer, ukulele player, and classical singer as well as award-winning
Henry Upton
Guitar, Bass & Ukulele
Available Sunday and Tuesday. Hailing from Washington, D.C., Hank Upton has played bass and guitar for more than 25 years. He has toured internationally, playing more than 1,500 live shows in 20
Felipe Zuñiga
Guitar
Available Thursdays. Felipe first picked up a guitar to escape summer boredom when he was 12 years old at the bequest of his father. Initially, Felipe taught himself but quickly grew serious
Nelson Dougherty
Guitar, Bass, & Ukulele
Available Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday Nelson Dougherty is a multi-instrumentalist, improviser and composer. He studied Jazz and classical guitar at Brevard College where earned a Bachelor of Arts with
Esther Haynes
Guitar, Voice & Banjo
Available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday Esther Haynes is a versatile vocalist and rhythm guitarist residing in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Her styles range from vintage jazz to swing, blues, bossas,
Tom Kitchen
Guitar, Ukulele, Piano & Mandolin
Available Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays Tom Kitchen has been straddling musical genres ever since he picked up the guitar. While playing in the Virginia Tech Jazz Big Band, conducted by the
John Linn
Guitar & Ukulele
Available Monday, Thursday, & Friday John Linn is a performing singer and songwriter in Washington, D.C., with 20-plus years of experience playing guitar. Having grown up singing harmony and listening to folk
Nick Fliakas
Guitar, Bass, Piano & Ukulele
Available Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays Nick has worked for years as a multi-instrumentalist and singer in the Washington, D.C., area. He has played music around the world and at such
Joe Gallo
Guitar & Bass
Available Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays Joe Gallo is a guitarist and composer from Baltimore, Maryland. Having studied classical, jazz, rock and blues in depth, Joe provides his students with a diverse
Michael Bard
Guitar, Bass, Ukulele & Piano
Available Mon. & Wed. Michael Bard is an active musician, composer, and teacher who has performed as a soloist and with various musical ensembles throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, North Africa,
Hays Dowdy
Guitar
Available Sundays. Hays Dowdy is a DC based musician performing live as a solo artist along with elite bands in International Musicians League. Rooted in British Invasion rock, bluegrass, and trained in
How it works
Tell us about your musical goals.
Match with one of our expert instructors.
Play music! Parents get progress reports.
Lesson Pricing
Weekly
30 Min Lesson
$230
Monthly
30 minute lessons are great for learning the basics and building a strong foundation.
GET STARTEDWeekly
60 Min Lesson
$460
Monthly
Longer lessons, perfect for motivated, intermediate or advanced musicians.
GET STARTEDFrequently
Asked
Questions
GET STARTEDThe #1 reason to study guitar or ukulele at Middle C Music?
Our instructors are warm and friendly, and get to know each student and parent on a personal level. We work with you to craft a lesson plan that fits your individual needs and the student’s favorite type of music. Whether you’re playing in local bands, a seven year old taking their first lesson, or a fifty year old returning to the guitar after many years, we’ll set goals to achieve your musical aspirations.
What styles of guitar do you teach?
We teach all styles, from rock, pop, jazz, and blues to metal, country and classical guitar – on electric and acoustic guitars.
We also offer bass guitar lessons.
How qualified are your guitar instructors?
Our guitar and ukulele music instructors have received their education from prestigious institutions all over the country. Each is highly qualified to teach and create personalized lesson plans for yourself, or your child.
What will I learn from guitar or ukulele lessons at Middle C Music?
Beginner guitar students can expect to work on chords, simple songs and melodies, sight reading and theory. Our instructors balance musicianship and fun by making sure that each lesson presents a new technical challenges or theory concept, and ends with something fun, such as your favorite riff or song.
We use a variety of guitar method books, and encourage students to bring their smartphone or CDs to their lesson to learn their favorite tunes.
Do I need to purchase a guitar to learn the instrument?
Middle C Music offers acoustic and electric guitars for student lessons (for your convenience, students can use one of ours at their first lesson). But to practice at home, you will need a guitar.