Guitar Lessons with a Working Musician – Learn Real-World Playing & Tone

Van 49.94 $ /h

I’m a professional guitarist, composer, and producer with over 30 years of experience in recording, performing, and restoring vintage instruments. My lessons are built around real-world playing — not endless scales, but practical music that builds confidence, creativity, and great tone.

Whether you’re a beginner just picking up the guitar or an experienced player looking to refine your sound, I’ll help you understand not only what to play but why it sounds good.

We’ll cover:

Building solid rhythm and expressive phrasing

Understanding tone, pedals, and gear setup

Classic rock, blues, and modern techniques

Playing with feel and intention

Optional lessons on recording and home setup

Lessons are relaxed, friendly, and tailored to your pace. I teach both in person (Amsterdam) and online, and every student gets a personalized plan that fits their goals — whether that’s playing your favorite songs, improving tone, or developing your own sound.

If you’ve ever wanted lessons from someone who’s been there, both on stage and in the studio, this is for you.

Locatie

Gebruik Ctrl + muiswiel om in te zoomen

Bij de leraar :

1054 HA Amsterdam, Netherlands

Over

Hi, I’m Mike, a guitar teacher and English tutor based in Amsterdam with over 30 years of experience as a musician, composer, and educator.

I’ve worked professionally in recording studios, live performance, and music production — and I bring that real-world experience to my lessons. My guitar classes focus on practical playing skills for real musicians: rhythm, tone, timing, improvisation, and performance. Whether you’re a beginner learning your first chords or an experienced player looking to refine your style, I’ll help you build confidence and develop your own sound.

As an English teacher, I specialize in conversational English, pronunciation, and writing skills for adults and professionals. My lessons are designed to improve fluency and natural communication, whether for daily life, business, or creative work.

I believe that learning works best when it’s personal, practical, and enjoyable. Every student learns differently, so my approach is flexible and focused on real progress — not just theory.

If you’re looking for a guitar teacher or English tutor in Amsterdam who understands how to connect real-world experience with modern learning, I’d love to work with you.

Opleiding

hold a Bachelor of Arts in Literature from California State University, Northridge (1989), which gave me a strong foundation in communication, writing, and analysis.
I also studied Japanese language at Temple University, Tokyo (2012), which deepened my understanding of second-language learning from a student’s perspective.

Leservaring

English Teaching: Years of experience teaching students of all levels at Nova, Gaba, and private sessions in Tokyo. Special focus on TOEIC preparation, conversation skills, and confidence building.

Music Instruction: Over 30 years as a guitarist, composer, and producer. Lessons include practical playing, tone development, and real-world musicianship for all levels.

Content Creator: Host of a YouTube channel centered on vintage instruments and smart, budget-conscious music gear choices.

Leeftijd

Tieners (13-17 jaar oud)

Volwassenen (18-64 jaar oud)

Senioren (65+ jaar oud)

Niveau van de leerling

Beginner

Gemiddeld

Gevorderden

Duur

45 minuten

60 minuten

De les wordt gegeven in

Engels

Japans

Vaardigheden

Gitaar

Noten lezen

Muziekcompositie

Beschikbaarheid typische week

(GMT -05:00)

New York

Bij de leraar thuis

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

00-04

04-08

08-12

12-16

16-20

20-24

English Conversation and Writing with a Native Speaker near Vondelpark.

42.63 $ /h

Are you ready to improve your English in a practical, enjoyable way? My lessons focus on real communication skills—speaking, listening, reading, and writing—that you can use in everyday life, at school, or at work.

Each lesson is tailored to your level and goals. Whether you want to:

Speak English more confidently in daily conversations

Improve your grammar and vocabulary

Prepare for school or university assignments

Practice English for work or business situations

Or simply feel more comfortable living in an English-speaking environment

...I will create a lesson plan just for you.

I’m a native English speaker with years of experience in music, business, and communication, so I bring a friendly, practical style to teaching. My goal is to help you learn English naturally, at your own pace, and enjoy the process.

Come join me, and let’s make English a skill you can truly use!

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I studied violin degree at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Vigo in Spain and viola in Spain and at the Utrechts Conservatorium. The research of my final exam was about well-being and phisical education to improve and accelerate the learning process.
I want my students to be aware of the importance of good posture and technique in order to enjoy the learning process without problems.

Katie

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Hi! I have over 7 years of teaching experience from young kids to adults of all levels and I love it! My goal is for my students to find joy in playing an instrument and have fun during the lessons. I also aim to make every student come out of the lesson feeling motivated to carry on learning, and tailor the lessons to what they want to learn and how to achieve their goal.
I can also help students prepare for their piano exams and theory exams.

Manon

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Cello and/or Music theory lesson for children, adolescent and adult of any level, from beginner to advanced level.
The lesson will be in English or in French.
The most important things to me is to combined pleasure, hard working and sharing.
I will try to make my student play with each other as often as possible and try to organised some small projects like student concerts with maybe some rhythmical workshop, solo pieces or ensemble pieces.

Khrystyna

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Hello! My name is Khrystyna. I finished Bachelor and Master degree in Conservatory van Amsterdam and Utrecht. I can help and teach you to play the cello. It will be very interesting to open the musical world with you if you are a beginner. As well as if you would like to continue studying or have any problems with this. I already had experience of teaching. We have a huge diversity of cello repertoire to work with. But we also can take some specific piece. It depends on your wishes and goals.
My goal is to make your studying interesting, resultative and easy.

Hallo! Mijn naam is Khrystyna. Ik heb mijn bachelor en master afgerond aan het Conservatorium van Amsterdam en Utrecht. Ik kan je helpen en leren cello te spelen. Het zal heel interessant zijn om de muzikale wereld met je te openen als je een beginner bent. En ook als je wilt blijven studeren of problemen hebt met dit. Ik heb al ervaring met lesgeven. We hebben een grote diversiteit aan cellorepertoire om mee te werken. Maar we kunnen ook een specifiek stuk nemen. Het hangt af van jouw wensen en doelen.
Mijn doel is om je studie interessant, resultaatgericht en gemakkelijk te maken.

Duleen

5.0

(17)

I am a student studying classical viola in the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
I like to teach and share my passion of music amongst others. I can teach classical, pop and jazz music-whatever you find most suitable. For me the most important, is for you to come out of the lessons feeling inspired and enriched by music. If you are an absolute beginner, do not worry, we can find the best starting point for you.

Kerttu

5.0

(17)

Currently I am studying Classical Clarinet in the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
I like to teach and share my passion of music amongst others. I can teach classical, pop and jazz music-whatever you find most suitable. For me the most important, is for you to come out of the lessons feeling inspired and enriched by music. If you are an absolute beginner, do not worry, we can find the best starting point for you.

Pauline

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(17)

Learn to play the piano. Find pieces you want to play. I speak Dutch, English, Cantonese and Mandarin. I have studied piano with Royal Schools of Music and Trinity College, so I can help you with your practical and theory exams, if you like.

Alberto

5.0

(17)

Playing the trumpet is very exciting!
Are you looking to start learning the trumpet? Perhaps you already play for some years but want to improve your technique, breathing skills, or learn a new genre? I am Alberto, and I will help you achieve your musical goals with a tailor-made program. My approach is to find suitable music for your technical and expressive level and work specifically on the challenges that it represents.

Music is for everyone! Kids and adults
Perhaps you want to surprise your couple playing a bossa-nova. Or maybe you want to become the next solo trumpet at the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Everyone has different goals when playing the trumpet, it is my job to help you achieve them. If you don't have clear objectives yet, I will be guiding you and exploring the possibilities of trumpet playing with you. Also, especially for kids, I can help you find a nice pTrumpet. They are lightweight plastic trumpets made with great quality and available in different colours!

Good technique, and a lot of fun
The most important lesson I have learned in my career is that making good music is only possible when you enjoy the process. Of course, good technical skills are crucial but studying exercises that you find boring is not the best way up to proficiency. Instead, finding your unique best approach to improve your skills will get you to the moon! For improving your tempo awareness, would you practice with a metronome or would you rather use a drumbeat sample?

Your health is important! Body awareness and breathing techniques
Not only wind players benefit from doing sport, acquiring good posture habits, and being aware of their breath. It helps everyone in every single aspect of their lives. A good breathing technique will let you play easily, run for a longer period of time, or sleep better at night. On the other hand, body posture awareness helps with productivity and saves money on the fysio. Life hacks that you cannot miss!

Improvisation and open-mindedness
That very feeling of creating art on the spot. Only a few experiences can relate to it. When we explore and create, our flow state gets triggered. We are fully immersed in the activity and the world surrounding us vanishes. If you like, we will go on a journey discovering new emotions, colours, sounds, harmonies, textures, styles, genres. And improvising on them. Let's get creative!

Technology in music. Recording and producing
Let's face it, we are in the 21st century and the possibilities of technology are endless in the audiovisual field. Recording for auditions, producing and releasing your first single, live looping, use of effects... You can learn all that with me. Are you curious? Book your lesson now!

Ok but, how will my lessons look like?
Breathing practice is one of the best ways to start warming up. It will take the first 5 minutes of your lesson and your body will be prepared to start playing.
Then, we would go into working on your specific goals. Perhaps, we are practicing music that demands improvement on the higher register, maybe we are working out different scales for improvisation, or it might be the case that you want to discover a new genre and go deep into it. Reading music, ear training, phrasing, music theory, buzzing and embouchure position, articulations (legato, staccato, accents), dynamics... These are only an indication of what we might work on.
The final minutes of your lesson will be the moment to relax. We can get creative, play some tunes together, improvise, or even talk about a specific topic like musicality, art, creativity, technique, theory or the music industry for instance.

Group lessons and ensembles
Making music alone is fun, but playing with people brings it to the next level! If you like the idea, I will bring you together with other fellow students for technique workshops, jam sessions, duo with piano, or whatever other activity we might find interesting for you.

When and where
I offer flexibility in my schedule so your trumpet lessons fit into your agenda. I can come to your place, or perhaps you prefer visiting my teaching room in Utrecht. I will have some coffee or tea waiting for you.

Online trumpet classes
Online has become a new trend. I will help you set up your equipment and focus on what is important, music. Book a lesson now!

Alberto, the eclectic brass player based in Utrecht
I am a brass performer and teacher that has performed in classical and modern music ensembles for more than 15 years. During this time, I attended innumerable masterclasses and had great fun in various professional experiences such as performing at Tomorrowland, an avant-garde music festival in Malta, or the great symphonic masterpieces with symphonic orchestras in Spain and the Netherlands.
I hold a bachelor's and a master's degree in music performance and a master's degree in music education during my official studies in Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Nowadays, you can still find me teaching brass in the Utrecht area, composing and producing my own music at home, playing tuba with a symphonic orchestra, trombone in a reggae band, or improvising trumpet over a techno track.

Santiago

5.0

(17)

Learning to play the guitar can be an amazing experience at every stage of the process! My ultimate goal is to help my students to develop their skills and musical understanding by learning and playing music that they like.

Therefore I adapt my teaching methodologies to the tastes and needs of every student. Throughout every lesson, we will work on three main courses of development: technical aspects, theoretical knowledge, and performative practice.

My classes are open for anyone who would like to enjoy exploring the universe of music: beginners and advanced, children and adults, you are all welcome to book the first lesson.

Oleg

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(17)

I am a professional musician who graduated from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam (Master's degree, Jazz Department). I have a wide experience of teaching and performing which I would be glad to share with you.

I can teach various topics of Music Theory from the first level to advanced:
- Jazz and classical harmony
- Improvisation
- Arranging
- Composition
- Piano comping
- Ear training

I am flexible in the process of teaching. I can offer a systematic and personal approach. According to your level, needs, and interests, we can:
- Make a plan of lessons and learn topics step by step.
- Work with specific questions and material you choose.
- Prepare for exams. For example, the entrance exam in the Conservatorium.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to send them to me!

Tamara

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I'm Georgian violinist, currently studying at the concervatory van Amsterdam. I have a lot of experience to play on stage as a soloist as well as in ensembles. I am winner of many national and international competitions. I have had many opportunities to get lessons from many well known teachers, musicians from all over the world. Currently, I get lessons from Prof. Ilya Grubert.
It's my pleasure to share my knowledge to others and have a nice music atmosphere!

Diana

5.0

(17)

Hallo! If you love cello, it is the right time to start learning!

As a teacher with 12 years of experience I offer private lessons for all ages and all levels.
I have learned my teaching skills from famous cello pedagogues from all over the world. I have experience in teaching to children as well as adults and I consider essential that we both have fun while learning such a wonderful thing as playing music! Lessons will be adapted to your needs and we will develop together your musicality and technical skills.
Also possible to ask for academic support with the instrument, music theory or history.

Lessons can be in English, Spanish, French and Dutch. If you still don't have an instrument yourself, I can give some suggestions about where and how to find it - please don't hesitate to contact me if interested!

Hope to hear from you soon!
Diana

Daniel

5.0

(17)

Hi I'm Daniel, an enthusiastic and dedicated guitar teacher who loves meeting his students' own goals. By combining my 6 years of experience in teaching guitar with my students' own interests, I help my students make progress in the most engaging way possible.

I provide my students with a grounding in the basics of technique and theory to make sure they develop good habits, enabling them to make use of the near-infinite resources online when they want to play and learn more in their free time and later in life. I believe a good teacher is one who makes their students able to go on independently and with joy and passion for their instrument.

Learn your favourite songs, demystify music theory, learn how songs are written (and get help writing your own), learn to play songs by ear, explore a range of genres... I look forward to helping you with your own musical journey!

Magnus

5.0

(17)

Hi there! I'm Magnus.

I have studied and played music in Norway and Amsterdam, and I specialize in drum lessons. With me you will learn to play drums on a high-quality drum set with excellent cymbals, perfect for both beginners and advanced players. Whether you want to learn simple beats or expand your skills to more complex rhythms, my lessons are tailor-made to meet your needs. Join us for practical, no-nonsense drumming lessons in a professional setting!

Hello there! I'm Magnus.

I have studied and played music in Norway and Amsterdam, and I specialize in drum lessons. With me, you will learn to play the drums on a high-end drum kit with excellent cymbals, perfect for both beginners and advanced players. Whether you want to learn simple beats or expand your skills to more complex rhythms, my lessons are tailored to meet your needs. Join me for practical, no-nonsense drum lessons in a professional setting! Lessons are available in both Dutch and English.

Marlou

5.0

(17)

Hello, my name is Marlou. I was nine years old when I first held a guitar. It was love at first sight. I always have my guitar with me. I've been teaching for ten years, and after a year of lessons, one of my students uttered the unforgettable line: "My guitar is my soulmate." With a guitar, you have a friend for life. I want everyone to experience that.
Everyone learns differently. Some people want to learn notes and visualize sheet music, while others play by ear. Some want to hear a song first and sing it without a guitar, while others want to play along right away. It's all possible. In your first lesson, you can tell me what you want to learn, and I tailor my lessons accordingly.
After each lesson, I'll give you exercises to practice at home. The more you practice at home, the faster we'll progress. If you'd like, you can record the lesson so you can listen to it again at home and practice along with it.
I'll teach you all the basic chords. I'll pay close attention to your guitar posture and the way you place your hands and fingers on the guitar. The better you master the basic chords, the easier it will be to learn new and more complex things later. I can also teach you how to strum the guitar. And if you're interested, I can teach you how to read music.

If you'd like to learn to sing while you perform, I can teach you simple tricks to make singing easier. I'm not a singing teacher, but thanks to my initial training in speech therapy, CVT (Complete Vocal Training) singing lessons, and my stage experience as a singer, I have extensive knowledge of learning proper breathing and training your breath support. I can also teach you how to overcome your shyness, if that's your problem. Playing and singing at the same time will then become a lot of fun.