Bend, Oregon is home to many great guitar teachers including La Di Da Lessons and School of Rock, which are especially suited for younger guitar students. I offer premium guitar lessons for anyone who is interested in beginning to learn an instrument and those who are seeking intermediate to advanced learning.

I offer music theory lessons, and frankly it’s one of the aspects of music that excites me the most. During my Classical Guitar degree program at Austin Peay State University, I received “straight A’s” in all 16 music theory courses. (The professors often referred to me as “The Curve Breaker” since I prevented them from grading on a curve for other classmates sake. For the 20 years since then, I have continued to diligently study and teach music theory. I explain theory in simple terms that is relevant to your specific goals and instrument.

I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Classical Guitar from Austin Peay State University. During my time at University, I studied with Dr. Stanley Yates for 4 years and have maintained an ongoing mentor/mentee relationship with him throughout 20 years. Matthew Gwinup is also a qualified classical guitarist in the area.

I offer an array of scheduling options for music lessons. Typically, a student will prefer to meet on a weekly basis. However, I also offer once monthly or twice monthly lessons.

Local programs such as School of Rock or Cascade School of Music cater to mostly younger learners. I offer lessons for everyone from beginners to professional musicians. Many of my former students are currently professional musicians and or music instructors.

Many music instructors in Bend personalize guitar lessons. Music programs often aren’t as personalized since they’re typically following a syllabus. In the first lesson, I discuss the student’s goals, assess where they currently are in terms of their playing and understanding, and then we make a personal plan to bridge the gap between where the student is today versus where they want to be.

If you’re interested in my rates and scheduling, please use my contact form to reach out to me.

Currently, I offer one-on-one lessons for guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo, songwriting, music theory and music production. In the future, I may offer group classes.

Yes, you might enjoy this blog where I explain how to play more than a dozen songs with just 4 easy chords. https://www.derekwilliamsguitar.com/post/easy-guitar-songs

I teach classical/nylon string guitar, steel string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, baritone guitar and bass guitar in addition to several other stringed instruments. I offer lessons in every genre of music, including rock, blues, bluegrass, country, jazz, classical, pop, heavy metal, indie, singer-songwriter, piedmont style, slide guitar, Travis picking, bluegrass flat picking and more.

Many of my students have expressed their dissatisfaction with learning from online courses. The benefit of learning a musical instrument in person is immeasurable. I provide real-time feedback, focus on anatomy and posture, and I offer information that cannot otherwise be found online (as it turns out, even the most forthright guitar instructors online withhold some of their methods which have been shared to me personally by many of them).

I have an array of guitars and other instruments as well as guitar amplifiers at my home studio in Bend, Oregon. All you need to do is show up if you wish. To make the most of music lessons, the student should arrive slightly early with the instrument in tune and should have all written materials in a folder or on their device if preferred.