Our Approach to Guitar and 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.
Guitar 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 The Music Room, 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.
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 The Music Room, coupling technical instruction with elements of music theory and music history in each lesson.
We Care About Your Musical Interests & Goals
Your unique interests and background will help guide your experience at The Music Room. 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.
If you or your child is looking for guitar or ukulele lessons in the Palatine 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.
The Music Room 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 Guitar Teachers
Alex Bracy
Guitar
Alex studied jazz and classical music at Harper College for two years and received an Associates in Fine Arts Music degree. He is a licensed sound engineer. Within the last five years,
Luke Chandler
Piano, Guitar, Trumpet
Luke Chandler received his BA in Music in 2006 from his hometown’s University of Texas at San Antonio and his MA in Music Therapy at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. He comes
Luke Lykken
Strings, Guitar, Bass, Banjo, Upright Bass
I was a music teacher at Karnes Music, teaching all stringed instruments for 24 years. I also taught music at Palatine Music for 32 years, and El -Rey Music for 20 years. I
Nanae Fujiwara
Guitar (Classical)
A semi-finalist in the 2013 Wilson Center Guitar Competition, Nanae Fujiwara received her associate’s degree in Music from William Rainey Harper College. While studying with Steve Vazquez, Nanae first learned how to
John Monaco
Guitar, Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Violin
I have always had a passion for music since I could remember. When my family and I moved to Chicago from New York I started playing guitar. Ever since then I’ve had
Bob Thompson
Guitar, Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Piano
Bob Thompson’s first musical experience was in his early teens when he decided to take guitar lessons. He developed basic fundamentals in music theory by learning to play songs and then analyzing
Sean Carolan
Bass Guitar, Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Strings, Banjo, Mandolin
Since beginning the study of guitar, bass guitar and cello in 2005, Sean Carolan quickly developed his skills to become a working musician, performing throughout the Chicagoland area. He has performed in
Steve Kaiser
Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Banjo, Mandolin, Piano
For nearly a decade, Steve Kaiser has enjoyed working with students of all ages, skill levels, and musical interests. As an instructor, he is committed to helping each student reach his or
The #1 reason to study guitar or ukulele at The Music Room?
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 The Music Room?
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?
The Music Room 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.