Every style · Every level
Guitar lessons for every style & level
Whether you dream of playing the Beatles, and Green Day, the songs of Ed Sheeran or Sinatra, Bach's lute suites, or the fire of Paco de Lucía — Peter tailors every lesson to where you are and where you want to go. Learn in person in the SF Bay Area, or online via Zoom from anywhere.
Choose your style
Rock Guitar
Play the songs that made you pick up a guitar. From the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix to Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Green Day, and Foo Fighters — power chords, iconic riffs, soaring solos, and the rhythm playing that drives every great rock song.
What You'll Learn
- Open chords, power chords, and barre chords
- Pentatonic and blues scales for soloing
- Bending, vibrato, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and tapping
- Palm muting, alternate picking, and tight rhythm playing
- Songs like “Stairway to Heaven,” “Sweet Child O' Mine,” “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Wonderwall,” “Hotel California,” and “Nothing Else Matters”
Pop & Songwriters
Pop guitar is all about the song — the chords, strums, and picking patterns behind today's hits and the timeless standards everyone knows. Play Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Coldplay, and Taylor Swift, accompany yourself or a singer with Sinatra-era ballads, or pick up the cool sway of Bossa Nova classics like “The Girl from Ipanema.”
What You'll Learn
- Open and barre chords in every key
- Strumming patterns, capo use, and chord transposition
- Travis picking and modern fingerstyle
- Singing while you play — accompaniment basics
- Songs like “Wonderful Tonight,” “Let It Be,” “Hallelujah,” “Thinking Out Loud,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” and “Girl from Ipanema”
Classical Guitar
The richest tradition on the instrument — from Renaissance lute transcriptions and the lyrical masterworks of Fernando Sor, Francisco Tárrega, Isaac Albéniz, and Heitor Villa-Lobos to the iconic “Romance Anonymous” every guitarist should know. Classical builds the most solid foundation of any style: precise fingerpicking, dynamic control, and an expressive tone that carries everywhere.
What You'll Learn
- Proper posture and right-hand position (p-i-m-a)
- Sight-reading in standard notation
- Scales, arpeggios, and tremolo technique
- Pieces like Bach's “Bourrée in E minor,” “Romance Anonymous,” Tárrega's “Recuerdos de la Alhambra” and “Lágrima”
- Repertoire from the Baroque era to the 20th century
Flamenco Guitar
One of the most passionate and technically demanding guitar traditions in the world — the sound of Paco de Lucía, Vicente Amigo, and Tomatito. Learn the Andalusian language from the ground up: rasgueado strumming, picado runs, compás rhythmic feel, and the emotional depth that defines duende.
What You'll Learn
- Rasgueado, golpe, and alzapúa techniques
- Picado (single-note) speed and clarity
- Compás — the rhythmic cycles of each palo
- Phrasing in the Phrygian mode (por arriba & por medio)
- Palos and pieces: Soleares, Bulerías, Rumba, and Paco de Lucía's “Entre dos Aguas”
Lesson length
30 or 60 minute lessons, scheduled weekly or bi-weekly based on your goals.
All levels welcome
From never having touched a guitar to advanced players seeking refinement — everyone fits.
In person · SF Bay Area
Serving San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Palo Alto, San Jose, and Marin County.
Online via Zoom
Learn from anywhere with the same personal attention — no commute, just music.
How it works
Book a Free Trial
Register online and schedule your first free trial lesson. No commitment required.
We Create Your Plan
Peter learns your goals, musical taste, and current level to build a personalized curriculum.
Learn Songs You Love
Every lesson is hands-on. You'll play real music from day one and build skills that stick.
Track Your Progress
Access your schedule, video assignments, and lesson notes anytime via your student portal.
Frequently asked questions
How long are guitar lessons and how often should I schedule them?
Lessons are available as 30 or 60 minute sessions. Most students schedule weekly — consistent practice between lessons is where real progress happens. Bi-weekly works well for busy students or those in maintenance mode.
Do I need to own a guitar before my first lesson?
Yes — you'll need an instrument to practice on. For the first lesson, any acoustic or electric guitar works. After a trial lesson, Peter can recommend a guitar appropriate for your goals and budget.
I've never touched a guitar. Is this for me?
Absolutely. Complete beginners are some of the most rewarding students. You'll play your first song in the first lesson — Peter's method is designed so you feel real progress immediately.
What styles of guitar do you teach?
Rock, pop and songwriter, classical, and flamenco — plus Bossa Nova and jazz standards. Think the Beatles, Green Day, Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Sinatra, Jobim, Bach, Tárrega, and Paco de Lucía. Most students explore more than one style — classical technique gives you the foundation to play anything, and the songs you love from every genre become part of your lessons.
Where do lessons take place?
Two options. In person, lessons take place in the San Francisco Bay Area — serving San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Palo Alto, San Jose, and Marin County. Specific location details are shared after registration. Online, lessons happen over Zoom and work just as well — most students mix and match week to week.
How do online (Zoom) guitar lessons work?
All you need is a laptop, tablet, or phone with a camera and a stable internet connection. We use Zoom — a calendar invite goes out before each lesson with the link. You'll prop the camera so I can see your hands and the guitar, and we play, talk, demo, and screen-share notation just like an in-person lesson. Many students find it easier to fit into a busy week with no commute, and homework videos and PDFs land in your student portal either way.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule a lesson?
You can reschedule via your student portal up to 24 hours in advance. We're flexible — life happens, and we'll find a time that works.