Testimonials
"Nick is a gifted teacher. He understands the guitar and music inside
out, but equally important he understands the individual needs and
personalities of his students. He tailors the pace and subject matter
depending on each student’s interest. When I began the guitar I was a
stumbling player, but Nick offered a safe space to learn – offering
encouragement and helping give the confidence to advance week by week,
and even try out some new things. If you’re looking for a teacher who
knows his discipline and has the people skills to guide you along and
open you to the world of the guitar, Nick’s your man."
John K.
South Freeport, Maine
"Nick's knowledge of the guitar is truly an inspiration. What makes his teaching style work for me is his ability to go back to basics, regardless of his expertise, to help me learn the fundamentals of playing. He allows me to lead the lessons based on my comfort level while also challenging me each week with new material. Nick has already increased my confidence in my guitar playing abilities."
Stefani A.
Portland, ME
"Nick has an intuitive approach to teaching. This intuition helps him to know just when to emphasize technique versus theory according to the students wants and needs. His "teacher's patience" is evident in his natural approach to know his student by listening and understanding them on a personal as well as musical level. A teacher's success is measured through the student's success. I noticed an almost immediate improvement in my playing ability and confidence when playing my guitar. I think more than anything, Nick has helped me to confidently apply what I know in my head to my instrument."
Dave B.
Portland, ME
"As a beginning guitar player, I was not having much success trying to teach myself. I knew I needed direction, and was fearful lessons would teach me nothing but "Mary Had a Little Lamb". During my first lesson with Nick, I was very happy to learn a few chords and some typical blues progressions. This approach was key for me as it made practicing fun! In addition to the right approach, it was easy to see that Nick is a professional AND a teacher. There were many times when he used musical terminology to explain concepts, but instead of me being confused and losing the message, Nick was always successful in translating his thoughts into lay-person wording. I always left the session feeling like I learned something! I would recommend Nick to any other aspiring guitarist!"
Justin S.
Portland, ME
"Taking lessons from Nick was a great decision. He is extremely attentive, intelligent and very personable. He immediately puts someone who has no musical background completely at ease and makes learning a very enjoyable experience."
Craig H.
Falmouth, ME
"Nick has a firm grasp on what makes a guitarist better no matter what level they are at or how long they have been playing. He focuses his attention on the basics of music theory, ear training, and playing technique. To help the student apply these concepts he focuses on learning a particular piece until the new concept becomes second nature. Not only does this help the student understand what they are learning but it also allows the student to build up the list of songs "they know and makes every lesson enjoyable."
Mark A.
Portland, ME
"I've taken lessons with Nick for five years. He is extremely personable and has a seemingly infinite musical knowledge, ranging anywhere from hip-hop to jazz. One of the best aspects of taking lessons with Nick is that he essentially creates a "custom fitted" lesson plan. This made the lessons fun because i was learning how to play the way that I wanted to."
Nick H.
Scarborough, ME
"Nick is a great teacher and mentor for all levels and ages of guitar players. In my case, being an adult student, Nick was able to very quickly assess my level of skill and we dove right into material that was interesting and challenging. I've had guitar teachers in the past who had questionable skills and liked to spend most of the lesson chatting. This is not the case with Nick. It became obvious in the very first few minutes of our first lesson that Nick is a professional musician with in-depth knowledge of technique and theory. Not everyone has to dive into jazz theory, but if you want to, Nick is a teacher who'll have the knowledge to guide you along. He makes lessons interactive and interesting. Nick is also able to figure out and utilize the teaching methods that work best for his students, whether that's writing up tabs for a song, helping with site-reading or recording melodies that I could use later at home while practicing. I can confidently recommend Nick to students of any age or skill level. You'll have a great time playing and you'll be a better guitarist than you thought you could become."
Andras V.
Portland, ME