AHMAD GUITAR LESSONS

J K

Ahmad is a fantastic instructor. He begins work by teaching proper technique with the type of music the student is interested in and goes from. He can work with interests from punk rock to classical, electric to acoustic, to theory to complex music theory. A very talented musician and an excellent, encouraging, patient instructor. My son was a music novice with an intense desire to learn and practice (2-4 hours a day). In just 18 months he advanced his music theory knowledge and skills so far that he was able to easily improvise jazz solos. You can't go wrong working with Ahmad!

2022-01-26

Cliff

patient and thorough

2022-01-13

Steven

I've been taking lessons for 3 years now with Ahmad. My guitar ambitions are frequently met with technical and musical obstacles, and Ahmad has always helped me work through them and keep me moving forward. I have also been working on music theory and basic guitar chords - Ahmad has helped guide me to a better understanding and technical proficiency. Lessons are conducted in a friendly and supportive way and his positive attitude plays a vital role in motivating me to keep working at guitar. I think no matter what your guitar goals are, Ahmad can help you move improve and keep taking it to the next level.

2021-12-14

Harry

As someone who has played guitar for over ten years and taken lessons from several other accomplished guitar teachers, I can safely say that Ahmad is the best guitar teacher I've taken lessons from. He determines what you hope to take away from the lessons and what your goals are as a player and is very dedicated to finding a way to get you there that is both educational and enjoyable. His instruction is very flexible and has no hesitation dropping one exercise and focusing more on styles of learning that are suitable for you as a student. For someone who has been playing for a long time he was quickly able to open up a whole new set of possibilities and refresh the instrument for me as well as better my understanding of music harmony and melody in general.

2021-12-04

Shawn

I started taking guitar lessons for the first time 10 months ago and am thankful I found such a great teacher in Ahmad. His positive attitude and love of music helps me stay engaged and lessons are productive and fun. One of the great things about Ahmad is he listens to you and adjusts lesson content based on the feedback you provide. His ability to listen allows Ahmad to deliver a personalized lesson plan that incorporates your goals and gets you excited about what you are working on. Ahmad also has taught me techniques to prevent and address minor aches that come up while learning to play. He takes this seriously and shows you how to prevent and resolve any issues that come up. Overall, taking lessons from Ahmad has been a very positive experience. I look forward to continuing working with him to get better.

2021-11-12

Steven L.

I have been taking guitar lessons with Ahmad. Music has always been important to me and my lessons with Ahmad have been a continual source of inspiration and joy. I love Ahmad's musical philosophy and regardless of what I'm interested in he is always able to help me better myself. I continue to be very busy in my life but always find myself coming back to music. Through taking lessons with Ahmad I have been able to achieve many of my musical goals and know that if I keep practicing I will be able to achieve even more of my goals. Ahmad is extremely talented, intelligent, and friendly and is always there to support me in whatever new musical concept I wish to learn next. He can help anyone looking to better themselves in a wide variety of areas regardless of the style of music you are interested in. I have been studying jazz with him primarily, as my goal is to be able to write my own music and put together a band some day. I have no intention of stopping music lessons with Ahmad as they continue to be something I look forward to every week. Anyone would be lucky to have such a great teacher.

2021-10-26

Patrick

I've had the pleasure of taking lessons from Ahmad for a couple of years. He is a very knowledgeable and patient instructor with the ability to find minor technical flaws in my playing and easily correct them. I really enjoy his philosophy and musical understanding with a really high ability to dissect and explain elements of a song and relate it to music theory that's easily understandable. On top of that he is a super nice guy that exudes nothing but a positive attitude and gives one the impression that anything is possible in one's musical effort that is really infectious. Don't hesitate to give Ahmad a try.

2021-10-11

Dan

Ahmad is no doubt one of the most humble, approachable, and skillful guitar teacher you can find around Seattle. I have been studying with Ahmad for the past 3 and a half months. Ahmad was not the first music instructor I had. He is however, the best one so far by a large margin. Since the first lesson Ahmad has been extremely professional and organized in his teaching methods. He is able to quickly identify my strengths and weaknesses as a player, tailor his lessons to fit my capabilities, and help me improve in great effectiveness. I took lessons once a week with Ahmad, and every week I could see noticeable improvements because Ahmad assigned me homework that was fun and challenging but never frustrating. But beyond this, not only have I become a more skilled guitar player, through Ahmad's help I was also able to apply a lot of the theoretical music knowledge in other aspects. When I hear a piece of music, I find that I am slowly able to identify parts of the music, break it down into logical steps, and connect the music to the fretboard of the guitar. I am a college student with a busy schedule both on and off work, but with Ahmad I was able to greatly improve nonetheless. Thank you Ahmad, I really look forward to coming back and be your student again.

2021-10-02

Benjamin

I have been playing guitar for many years. And before I met Ahmad, I worked with many teachers. However none of them had much of a systematic approach. Ahmad does! And I have come to realize how important it is to study this instrument in the right sequence or something pretty close. The thing I appreciate the most is that Ahmad has taught me musicality. He has taught me how to follow the chords when soloing. Prior to our lessons it was a daunting task for me. Now landing on the "pretty" notes has become very easy. It makes me so happy. I believe such experience is very precious. To me it's the charm of music! He has solid, professional theoretical and practical skills. He is super organized. His explanations are very clear. In addition, he is funny so the process is very pleasant. Whether you are a beginner or an intermediate guitar player, I can guarantee that you can learn a lifetime of knowledge from him.

2021-09-23

Kris C.

After having been a student of Ahmad's for over a year now, I can earnestly say he is a quality instructor unlike any I've had before. He shapes each individual class specifically to what your guitar goals are, creating incredibly detailed and thorough handouts and exercises to help you get there. I am the type of student who learns best with a well-defined regime laid out clearly in front of me. His handouts are a perfect match for my learning style and you can tell the years of experience and knowledge that has gone into creating each one. He is also a very adaptive teacher helping me surpass some rhythm barriers in unique and creative ways. He had helped me gain a new appreciation and understanding for music theory and most importantly he helps keep it fun.

2021-09-04

Tammy J

When my son moved to the area, he began playing guitar for the first time. His job kept him very busy, so he wanted to find a guitar instructor where his time would be well spent. Below is his review of Ahmad. You would be hard-pressed to find an instructor as excellent as Ahmad. With his help, I made an incredible amount of progress on guitar in a matter of months. His lessons are precise and organized, and I always left the lesson feeling like I learned a ton of new stuff. He strikes a great balance between requiring excellence as well as giving encouragement and making sure it's always fun. In a few months, I went from knowing close to nothing about music to being able to play my favorite songs from start to finish. As I have left the area, I will miss Ahmad's lessons, but I'm thankful for getting him to start my journey into the world of music!

2021-08-17

Ryan

If you are ready to embark on the journey of mastering the guitar and learning to truly express yourself through music, you will not find a more dedicated, enthusiastic and organized teacher than Ahmad Ahmad has devoted his life to the art and methodology of teaching the guitar to others. It's not about him and how well he can play or his personal aspirations to be musician. There is no intimidating showing off during lessons - only a sincere desire to be the best teacher he can be. I've always been self-conscious playing in front of great guitar players, but Ahmad creates a safe environment for me to learn and grow as a player. Ahmad's experience has given him true expertise and it shows in his ability to meet students exactly where they are at - no matter what their experience level. His years of teaching experience and vast, meticulously organized archive of personally-created handouts are perfect for whatever the moment calls for. That is a world of difference from one-size-fits all online materials I've struggled with in the past. Or, unprepared teachers who "wing it" each lesson. My window of opportunity to be a rock star closed many years ago, if I ever had one. While I am a dedicated guitar student, work and family come before practice and lessons. Ahmad has been extremely accommodating in allowing me to take lessons as frequently or infrequently as my schedule allows. Yet, he always keeps me making progress and never lets me stall out or drift away from my commitment to learn. Great teachers are hard to find. I discovered Ahmad through searching online and reading his reviews. After over 3 years of studying with him, I know I have a found a superb teacher and an inspiring musical mentor. Begin the journey!

2021-08-09

Lynn K.

Sorry but I'm using my wife's account to post this review...but SERIOUSLY 5 stars!!In just a few short months, Ahmad was able to systematically undo all my self-taught bad habits and incomplete YouTube tutorial learnings of the past and set me on the correct playing/learning path. A path I intend to stay on with Ahmad for a long time. I've "played" guitar for many years (on and off) and it wasn't until my wife gave me a 4-lesson gift certificate with Ahmad almost year ago that I REALLY started to learn the instrument I love. If you are contemplating starting your guitar journey, do not hesitate for a minute longer and contact Ahmad to get started. He has a way of simplifying the concepts and providing the needed context to eliminate the "intimidation factor" of learning. Combined that with on-going encouragement, a plan customized to you and consistent positive reinforcement, Ahmad is able to maximize your enthusiasm and motivation for learning...I only wish that I would have started years earlier. I'm having a blast, thanks to Ahmad!

2021-07-16

Gregory L

Ahmad is an excellent guitar teacher. He's a very experienced and dedicated teacher that will no doubt improve your level of play. I recently relocated to Bay Area after happily taking guitar lessons in CT (where I went from absolute beginner to campfire strummer). So the bar was set high for finding a new teacher and, like you, I started reading numerous reviews. Every one of Ahmad's reviews were extremely positive from all levels of students. In addition, his experience (30+ years of teaching) and education (Guitar Institute) were top notch. So I decided to take a lesson with Ahmad and couldn't be happier right now. From the first lesson Ahmad was able to quickly assess where my level of play was and jump right in. Ahmad focused on teaching good habits and guitar fundamentals, all while improving my timing. He is very organized, and has thousands of handouts right at his fingertips (so no time is wasted writing down your lesson). He is very encouraging as you tackle new material, and also reads you well to know just the amount of new material that will appropriately challenge you. He will also create as many additional handouts as necessary to bring you to that next level. And in a little over a year, Ahmad has indeed brought my guitar playing to a new level. His exercises made it fun to learn scales and the guitar fretboard, and I'm now able to identify keys and understand the intervals of a chord. So when improvising to a chord progression, this allows me to make the changes (ie playing the most melodic notes to transition from one chord to the next). Ahmad's teaching has also brought my rhythm and timing to a new level. I'm able to play more advanced rhythms with an even tighter timing. I'm quite pleased whenever I go back to an old song and see how much tighter the rhythm is now. I'm also very pleased how quickly I'm able to learn a new song or riff now (where some would have been too advanced for me only a year ago). His lessons will also improve your picking, ability to move up and down the guitar neck, hitting the desired strings and much more. In addition, Ahmad if very nice and friendly, so it has been a pleasure to take lessons with him. I'm very excited to see where Ahmad takes my guitar playing as I continue lessons with him, and highly recommend him to anyone looking for a guitar teacher.

2021-07-06

Ben R.

I have been meaning to write this review for a while. I have been coming to Ahmad for lessons for about 6 months. I have tried on two occasions to learn guitar from other instructors but quickly became frustrated and gave up. My time with Ahmad has been a completely different experience. He is a fantastic instructor and he focuses on building the fundamentals. Using a foreign language as an analogy, my other instructors started by just teaching me how to pronounce different phrases, without teaching what the individual words meant or how to modify the sentences. Ahmad starts by teaching the vocabulary and how to construct any sentence you want. He is very patient, sends you home with excellent lessons to practice, and once you get to the point where you simply need time to improve technique before you can advance any further, he switches to teaching basic music theory, so that you can continue to learn while you wait for your hands to catch up with your brain. If you want to spend the least amount of money on guitar lessons, I would encourage you to go learn from some college kid, as you will spend $80 on one or two lessons and then just give up. If you want to actually learn how to play guitar, come see Ahmad.

2021-06-18

Tim

I have been working with Ahmad for over a year now. I spent some time trying to learn guitar myself, from books and from online teachers, but was never able to make any real progress until I met Ahmad. Immediately he was able to move me in the right direction through 1 on 1 tutoring and by providing me with the right materials to build my confidence and skills. As a person with a family and somewhat demanding job it's always tough to find the time to work on guitar practice, but Ahmad works with me and paces everything well to build my skills while keeping it fun and challenging. It's always a delight to join Ahmad for lessons - his studio is convenient (with easy free street parking) and comfortable with nice natural light. I can't recommend Ahmad highly enough - He's an absolute pleasure to work with. He's friendly, considerate, and an amazing guitar teacher. Since starting guitar lessons with Ahmad my playing has risen to a new level and my enjoyment of guitar in general his increased exponentially. I find myself always looking forward to my lessons!

2021-06-09

Ivan L.

Ahmad brought my playing to a new level in a very short period of time. I had been stuck and not making much progress with my improvisational skills for the better part of a year when I first started lessons with him. I was impressed by his ability to quickly analyze my playing and knowledge and suggest some focus areas. After working on various intervals, I began to feel a magnetic pull in my fingers when playing. The intervals enabled me to make the connection between the licks and lines in my head and the physical fret board on the fly during improvisational sessions. Ahmad is extremely organized. He has folders full of exercises for every topic imaginable. His exercises are clearly written with specifics on how to effectively practice them, and they progress in an incremental and logical fashion. This level of organization allows you to get the most out of your time with Ahmad. He can quickly retrieve exercises for a topic, without having to stop and think, or waste time on transcription. I have a demanding schedule which only allows me time for lessons once a month. Even at such a low frequency, I leave every lesson with more than enough material to keep me busy. Ahmad has been very flexible working with me and changes that arise in my schedule. On top of all of this, Ahmad is a genuinely pleasant person to spend time with and I really look forward to our time together. For me, I was an intermediate player looking to get to the next step. But I'm confident that Ahmad could accelerate anyone's playing at any level.

2021-06-02

Christine

Do you see all of these 5-star reviews? Read on and BELIEVE THEM. Ahmad is the best! I am a total beginner and started taking lessons from Ahmad in the Fall of 2019. I am amazed at how much I have learned already! Not only is Ahmad patient and kind, but he is very thorough and knows his stuff. He was destined to be a musician/teacher...and we all are so blessed to have him around! His teaching style is very organized and sequential and he explains things and gives examples so the concepts are easy to understand. He provides handouts during each lesson for you to take home and practice between sessions. I will add more to this review as time progresses. But for now, I just want to let all the beginners out there know that lessons from Ahmad are totally worth your time and money. He makes learning fun and I look forward to our weekly sessions. Ahmad is just a super cool dude. Don't waste your time trying to learn through YouTube videos- you will spend most of your time scrolling through videos that don't teach you proper technique, form, terminology, timing, concept, etc. If you are serious about learning how to play guitar, then Ahmad is for you!

2021-05-26

Rajeev

Taking lessons with Ahmad has certainly been one of my best decisions! I've always wanted to play the guitar, but I couldn't afford to start until I was 30. I tried learning on my own unsuccessfully using the internet. I had almost given up when I contacted Ahmad on a whim, as a last ditch attempt. I have been taking lessons for a year and a few months now. Ahmad's superpower is providing me with the right material at the right time. He is the rare combination of someone who is a great teacher in addition to being a great player (other reviewers have gone over his excellent credentials). He has spent decades focused on developing exercises and tips to teach people of all skill levels, and has handouts prepared for every scenario. Each class, he provides me with handouts carefully designed to be challenging enough to sustain my interest, without becoming overwhelmingly difficult. Each lesson builds on the lessons before it, so that I can make good progress while making the most efficient use of my practice time. Since the first lesson, Ahmad has emphasized strong fundamentals and playing in time, and this makes practice engaging and fun! We began with how to play simple sequences of notes, and moved on to power chords, open and barre chords, simple rhythms and rhythmic notation, and pentatonic scales. After a few months there, we moved on to the major scale, more complex chords, and pop, rock and funk rhythms. Along the way, I also learned techniques like hammer-on, pull-off and bends, and example riffs from songs. Ahmad is also familiar with the rhythmic tradition and scales from many styles and cultures, so at times we were able to apply several rhythmic and melodic concepts in both a Western context and an Indian (Carnatic/Hindustani) context, and have a lot of fun exploring bridges between cultures. Throughout, Ahmad has remained very positive and encouraging. A little more than a year ago I thought it impossible that I could progress this much, starting from scratch as an adult, given my usual commitments. But thanks to Ahmad, I have progressed far beyond my expectations. While I still have a very long way to go, I have now found a friend for life in the instrument, and I look forward to continuing my journey.

2021-05-19

Side

17 years ago I took lessons from Ahmad (maybe 4 or 5 at most due to moving out of state then as well). Fast forward to this year when I came back for a work contract and decided to give him a call. It just so happened that due to COVID the day I called him was the day he was starting to teach in person again. What great timing!!! Unfortunately I only had about 2.5 months of lessons from him this time, but I have learned so much in that short time. Ahmad is by far the best guitar teacher I've ever had the pleasure of taking lessons from. The cost of the lessons are completely worth it in my opinion. His ability to break things down , his patience, and his willingness to ensure you have the understanding of the days subject is unparalleled. If I weren't moving out of I would 10000% continue going to him. Definitely do yourself a favor and see what he has to offer.

2021-05-12

Matthew

I've taken lessons with Ahmad a few months now and I've made more progress in that short time than in any period during my 25 years playing guitar. He's helped me tackle the biggest technique issues that were slowing me down, and greatly expanded my knowledge of the fretboard. These improvements are making me a more confident player. Now I look forward to playing live (post COVID-19!) and recording, whereas in the past I had a lot of anxiety about pressure situations. I look at the improvement I've made in such a short time and get excited about where I could take my playing in the time to come. Ahmad is professional and dedicated to teaching: He provided me a practice binder that he fills with exercises as I progress, and it's clear a lot of thinking has gone into the order of exercises, the suggested fingerings (often with several alternatives), and the presentation. When asked about theory or technique issues related to the exercises, Ahmad responds with clear explanations, so I'm confident he has deep knowledge of his subject. He's responsive over email between lessons when I have questions too. Also, if you're worried about in-person instruction during the pandemic like I was, Ahmad is on top of it. While he's professional, Ahmad's demeanor is very friendly and conversational, and there's a casual atmosphere at his studio. Further, if you're worried about a teacher forcing you to learn things you're not interested in, there's nothing to fear here. Ahmad always checks in with me when presenting something new to make sure we're going in the direction I want. Thing is, I feel confident enough in Ahmad, and had such great results, I tend to follow his suggestions to the letter.

2021-05-05

Kai

Stellar teaching every time and the nicest guy to boot! Trust Ahmad, he will save you YEARS! I have been playing the drums for more than 15 years but was always infatuated with the guitar (acoustic and electric). In my youth, I managed to figure out some basic campfire chords and riffs by my favourite bands but that was about it. 2 years ago I decided to get back to guitar, but did not make much progress trying to learn from online courses and Youtube. I was never able to adhere to a schedule or a lesson plan and I eventually found myself frustrated with practicing. I was always second guessing myself and unsure of my technique, which led to a drop in confidence. In addition, this attempt at self teaching led to MAJOR gaps in my fundamental music theory knowledge and did way more harm than good. But I still could not put out this desire to learn the guitar. I was lost and decided that I needed to completely reset. I started looking for a teacher who would be able to understand my situation. I wanted to find a teacher that would help me cultivate accountability, meet my expectations for regular progress and reach my musical potential. And I am so lucky to have found Ahmad! In the first session itself, Ahmad was able to assess my playing level, goals and recommended a path forward for me in my quest to get better! At every lesson, he knows exactly what to focus on so that practice stays fun while ensuring steady progress and while avoiding bad habits and detrimental shortcuts. Ahmad provides detailed lesson handouts that I can refer to when practicing at home. The rhythmic notation and phrasing are always included. What really benefited me is that Ahmad provides the fingerings along with the lesson tablature, this way I am able practice exactly how I should be and build the proper muscle memory in my fingers. I am finally learning guitar the right way! Ahmad's philosophy is to understand 'why' and 'how' instead of memorizing notes and patterns. The knowledge he imparts will be useful and will stay with me for the rest of my guitar playing days. Fast forward a year under Ahmad's tutelage I feel so much more confident and capable in my playing. I am now able to understand how the notes are mapped out on the guitar and how they are related to each other, it just makes sense now! Ahmad is continuously helping me build a strong fundamental knowledge and technique base that I can build on. My lessons with Ahmad are always fun and mentally stimulating as he actively challenges me and keeps me engaged as we tackle harmonized scales, chord building, triads and technique. I especially like how he shares his experiences and precious personal tips from his time at G.I.T (Guitar Institute of Technology) in Los Angeles! I absolutely believe that what I have learned from Ahmad, I would have never learned anywhere online. There is a renewed and sustained feeling of excitement every time I pick up my guitar. I highly recommend Ahmad to anyone who is looking to learn to play guitar well. I hope that others will find the same joy that I have found in learning to play guitar with Ahmad.

2021-04-26

Kris

Ahmad really knows his theory. He designs lessons around what you want to learn and helps get you where you need to go. You can tell he actually cares about the preparation. Ive been taking lessons from him for about 4 months and have definitely stepped up my chops.

2021-04-19

J C

Ahmad is exactly the kind of teacher I've been looking for. I bought a guitar seven years ago thinking I could teach myself how to play (I played other instruments as a kid and figured, how hard could it be?). After several false starts, I never really made any progress until starting to take lessons this year. Ahmad is a terrific teacher - patient and encouraging, but also challenging you to do the things that seem difficult. He really listens to where you're at and what you want to accomplish and develops lessons around that. I already feel like I've made more progress in a few weeks than I had in seven (granted, largely not focused on guitar) years and am really excited to practice and learn more. Highly recommend!

2021-04-06

Anya

Ahmad is the best guitar teacher in the Bay Area, period. Not only is he ridiculously gifted as a musician, which definitely helps in the inspiration department, he really cares about tailoring the lesson to the student. Our first lesson he asked what direction I wanted to go in, my favourite music, and determined exactly what I wanted to do. He helped me get my gear together, giving me great advice along the way, and his lessons are just awesomely fun! I've had two lessons - two - and I'm already playing one of my favourite songs. Very slowly, but I'm playing it! He is amazing!!!

2021-03-30

Suzie

Ahmad is a great teacher. He tried to get a sense of your style of playing and musical interests and teach you things that you want to learn. He's very flexible and accommodating. He helped me get ready for my first solo shows (which went great!). I couldn't have done it without him!

2021-03-23

Michael L,

I've been playing for three years this coming Nov. I can truly say that there is NO WAY I would have progressed this far without my lessons from Ahmad. And of course, it's been very enjoyable as well. Both my lesson time and the time spent on my own taking what I have learned and using it. A+ all the way.

2021-03-13

Jenny D.

I've been taking lessons with Ahmad for a year now. When I started, I was an absolute beginner having just taken a few guitar classes in high school. Now getting my Master's, I've been around A LOT of teachers and it's always clear early on whether you are lucky enough to have a great teacher. Some teachers, although they have excellent credentials, don't have the ability to convey their knowledge to their students in positive and effective ways. In 6 months I've learned over two dozen chords, chord progression, strumming and playing in rhythm. I've learned my favorite songs from the Foo Fighters to Jenny Lewis. I definitely wouldn't be at this performance level without him. I've gone weeks without practicing and he would still be encouraging, adjusting his pedagogical approach so I can learn better or he would have suggestions for making my practice time more productive. Ahmad has such enthusiasm for music and teaching and it shows in his playing (iTunes) and instruction. It's really inspiring as it's been a huge motivation for me to keep practicing to become confident enough to create my own music one day I think whether you are a beginner or more experienced, Ahmad has a good intuition of what a student needs to help them progress. The pacing for me is perfect, as I never feel like I have too little or too much to practice each week. Lessons are always light hearted but focused and educational. I'm always looking forward to the next one.

2021-03-06

Pat L.

I fell into the pattern of doing the same thing over and over on guitar and needed help getting a fresh perspective. Ahmad is an excellent teacher. He taught me a lot of new theory to make my playing more interesting, as well as different techniques to change up my sound. Highly Recommended!

2021-02-18

Lauren B.

Wow ! So excited I started taking guitar lessons with Ahmad,and he has been so easy to work with ! Ahmad has been able to teach me and my son acoustic guitar - so much progress in just a short period of time ! Beyond professional and highly trained Ahmad is able individualize the lesson to your learning style and music preferences! Highly recommend !

2021-02-10

Duke L.

I've been seeing Ahmad for about 2-3 months now, and thought a review might be in order to help those looking for guitar lessons. First off I'm an intermediate player, who has successfully avoided theory since I started playing. Coming to Ahmad for some help to hit the next level, he's cunningly introduced theory into the curriculum, but made it fun to do so with creative exercises I can take home and work on. For the last month I've seen my understanding of playing the guitar improve, and he's also helped with the creative side using the tools I have at my disposal. I've been through a few teachers in my time, and Ahmad's understanding, patience and vim for guitar really shine through. Would definitely recommend for whatever stage you're at.

2021-01-20

Lydia

HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Ahmad is a wonderful teacher! He gives you the why when he teaches you something new which is very helpful. I enjoy our lessons very much and know I am learning faster than I normally would because of him. He also gave me great advice when buying a guitar and helped me pick one out.

2021-01-14

Brad

Ahmad has been fantastic. I'm an experienced player and he still introduces me to new ideas and ways of thinking about the guitar and music in general. His lessons have reinvigorated my passion for playing and for songwriting. I definitely recommend him.

2021-01-05

Sahir

5 stars!

2021-01-05

Dave L.

I've been seeing Ahmad for about 2-3 months now, and thought a review might be in order to help those looking for guitar lessons. First off I'm an intermediate player, who has successfully avoided theory since I started playing. Coming to Ahmad for some help to hit the next level, he's cunningly introduced theory into the curriculum, but made it fun to do so with creative exercises I can take home and work on. For the last month I've seen my understanding of playing the guitar improve, and he's also helped with the creative side using the tools I have at my disposal. I've been through a few teachers in my time, and Ahmad's understanding, patience and vim for guitar really shine through. Would definitely recommend for whatever stage you're at.

2020-12-28

Hiro

Excellent!

2020-12-20

Rajeev C.

Absolutely incredible, I questioned whether online lessons could work but he's a better instructor online than any in person teacher I've ever had. Can not recommend highly enough!

2020-12-07

Dave

Ahmad is an exceptional teacher! Great with any song or style, and great at using technology: recording video tutorials, using GDocs for sketching out songs, and using Skype and Zoom for lessons.

2020-11-27

Rich

I have been taking guitar lessons from Ahmad for a few months. He's a fabulous player whose musicianship and enthusiasm are worth making time for. Ahmad's taste in music is so broad that he can take you anywhere you care to go. I'm beginning to transcribe and use music editing software to write out guitar parts. Ahmad is helping me with this.

2020-11-20

Samantha

We love Ahmad! We have been taking lessons with Ahmad for about 2 years now and have seen great progress. I have in the past and would recommend again Ahmad for well structured and fun music classes!!

2020-11-12

Sunny

I have taken lessons with Ahmad for a number of years. He has been very accommodating to my music interests and allowed me to work and learn at my own pace. Ahmad is friendly, helpful, very skilled musically, and good with kids. I have worked with Ahmad for a while, and he is a great guitar player with a wide range of interests and knowledge about music. He has made music easy and fun to learn.

2020-11-05

Liza

I used to take private lessons with a different school, but I have switched to Ahmad during COVID19 quarantine. He offer lessons on zoom or skype which has helped keep me occupied at home. So far I have enjoyed the experience. Ahmad has been helpful and has made interactions over video calls productive. It seems to be a good replacement to in person lessons. Looking forward to coming in and continuing lessons in person once quarantine is over.

2020-10-28

Katy

Ahmad offers great lesson that make it easy for me to have my children learning a lifelong skill while they're having fun. The environment is fun and encouraging there which makes me feel confident that my kids are being taught well. I've even heard from friends that Ahmad is handling the online lessons really well!

2020-10-19

Krstina

Ahmad has been great for my daughter who loves the guitar. He has great teaching experience and really help my daughter learn the music. She is definitely developing her own style now!

2020-10-13

Danny B.

Ahmad is awesome! I've been taking guitar lessons for a few years and Ahmad is a real musician teaching you how to play real music. No matter what style I've been interested in he've helped me learn it.

2020-10-04

Francisco S.

Ahmad is awesome. He's very patient and didactic. He easily picked up what was my playing level and what were my objectives. He then started with a plan adjusted to what I wanted to accomplish and in only 5 lessons I feel like I've learned a lot already. He wants you to have the foundations first, the building blocks from which you can improvise or create something new. Thanks a lot, Ahmad!

2020-09-09

Brandy

If only this fit into my lifestyle better. I had lessons for several months with Ahmad and he proved to not only be an outstanding teacher but a gentleman and a scholar. He is flexible with schedules and can certainly accommodate if a weekly lesson isn't possible. If you want to do lessons with Ahmad, don't hesitate. Get as many as you can!

2020-08-31

Amie

My son has been taking lessons from Ahmad for four years and he loves it. It's amazing to see a kid continue to be motivated about something that requires hard work and dedication and I truly credit Ahmad with his talent as a teacher for inspiring my son. Ahmad moves kids at their own pace and with just the right amount of pressure - not too much, not too little. He says that hard work is more important than talent and I think he's right. He's also just a hip kind of guy and my son likes hanging out with him. We've seen Ahmad play live and we have his CD's - he is incredibly talented. Ahmad continues to inspire my son and keep him excited about playing even though he is in high school now and has a lot of other stuff going on - he never wants to miss a lesson no matter how tired or busy he is.

2020-08-19

Beth

Here's why I dig Ahmad. The atmosphere is casual, personable and relaxed, but he is a real professional who know what they're talking about and don't just give you Green Day tabs (unless you're into that, I'm sure). I've taken all kinds of music lessons with all kinds of folks in all kinds of places and settings and what I learn with Ahmad is comparable to what I could get at any serious school without the pretentiousness. My lessons with Ahmad have been illuminating. I totally appreciate his willingness and ability to work through my various neuroses with patience, grace and clarity. Ahmad brings a refreshing combination of content knowledge, adaptability, professionalism and humanity to his instruction--the cherry atop my Tuesday evening parfait.

2020-08-10

Erik

Ahmad does a good job of teaching. Ahmad has a nice way about him and his calm demeanor makes the learning experience nonthreatening and enjoyable. Ahmad's background and current music career outside of the school also impressed me and I have seen him play live on a number of occasions which is also inspiring to this frustrated musician! Who says "those who can't do, teach"? Ahmad does both exceptionally well.

2020-08-03

Nancy

My kids had great lessons with Ahmad. A friendly instructor with a definite love for music and teaching evident. I think he is a very approachable person for anyone nervous about improving their musical skills.

2020-07-24

Dean

I began taking singing lessons with Ahmad from an online coupon and had a great time. My guitar playing got consistently and measurably better and I felt like I was given quality instruction at the lesson as well as good ideas for practicing at home. Ahmad is laid back and friendly and a great instructor. Thank you!

2020-07-16

James

Ahmad does a Solid Job. My 11 year old son likes coming to hangout and play. I make this a priority for him.

2020-07-09

Terry

Ahmad is so amazing and great!. He is very flexible, can schedule classes via email and is totally approachable. I am learning a ton already.

2020-07-02

Marc

Recently, I joined an 18 piece jazz band as their guitarist before realizing I was in way over my head. The speed and complexity of the chord changes were bit too much for me even though I have been playing at home for some 40 years and now I'm in my 50s. Freaking out and not wanting to be a quitter, I decided to ask for the best jazz guitar instructor in Seattle so that I could learn whatever I could in two months (our first gig.) I was told that Ahmad would be a great match for me. I sent him an email and received a response the same evening with the days and times that he could fit me into his schedule. What a relief, I thought, and began to relax. Sitting down with Ahmad, I realized how much I didn't know about music theory and the guitar fret board and decided to begin lessons twice per week. It's been just over a month now I cannot believe how much sense music theory and the guitar fret board makes to me right now. Ahmad has really laid it out a good foundation so that I can see how everything fits together like never before. Ahmad not only understands jazz guitar, but he also knows how to teach according to the way a person learns. Recently, the stress of playing with a big jazz band has gone away. After talking with several other students of Ahmad who were waiting for their lessons to begin, I learned that he was a really great instructor for all sorts of guitar lessons. And everyone seemed very pleased. I've have been to other guitar instructors in the past and I will highly rate Ahmad for jazz guitar, a solid 5 stars.

2020-06-08

Uma

Ahmad is an amazing teacher. My daughter took guitar from him for over a year and she progressed quickly both in skill level with guitar, but also in confidence and social skills. My daughter has some issues relating to other people, including some speech issues, and I was upfront with Ahmad about this before signing her up. He was amazing the whole way. Always positive and always a great communicator both in person and via email.

2020-05-19

Ronald

I love Guitar Lessons with Ahmad. Going on my second year of guitar lessons with Ahmad. Great atmosphere and great teacher.

2020-05-12

Susan

Damn. I was impressed by Ahmad. He is active in the music community and masterful! I was able to master some of the techniques that I was stuck on guitar. Now I don't embarrass myself when I perform.

2020-05-05

Ellen

I cannot say enough about Ahmad! Ahmad provides an incredible opportunity for kids to learn about music from a phenomenally talented musician, how to create their own band, how to record, and most importantly how to have a blast while doing it!

2020-04-15

Ella

Ahmad is an awesome guitar teacher! I just recently started taking lessons with Ahmad and was immediately impressed with his talent and skills, passion, professionalism, and attitude. I have always been a bit shy about playing guitar but I feel at ease with Ahmad. I was also impressed with how quickly and competently he was able to assess my current skill level and provided specific exercises and tips to help me progress from exactly where I'm at today. I left my first lesson feeling empowered and inspired. I have worked with other guitar teachers in Seattle - some very awesome talented musicians and teachers - and I have to say, Ahmad is exceptional. Also, his fee's are very reasonable and his flexibility with online lessons is great.

2020-04-08

Kenneth

I have been a student with Ahmad for about 6 months doing beginning acoustic guitar. I decided to try Ahmad based on the reviews, and am glad I did. Of all the music teachers I have had (previously I took piano lessons), I enjoy Ahmad's teaching style the most. He has taught me a good blend of theory and practice. This has kept lessons and practice interesting, while still letting me feel like I am learning all of the important fundamentals. Ahmad's flexibility with make up lessons is also appreciated. There have been times where my work schedule has been hectic, so I had to miss a lesson, and he was able to squeeze my lesson in later in the week. There have also been a few times where I have had follow up questions about a lesson, sent him an e-mail, and gotten a response within a few hours. I recently wanted to get an electric guitar, but had no idea what to look for, so I asked Ahmad for some recommendations. Instead of just giving me recommendations, he offered to go to a guitar store with me to try some out. We went and he helped me pick out a great beginner electric guitar! Ahmad is clearly passionate about music and willing to go above and beyond for his students. I highly recommend Ahmad to anyone who is thinking about taking guitar lessons.

2020-03-31

John

I've been playing guitar for about 15 years and I've had a few guitar teachers. Ahmad is the best teacher I've had. He is always excited about guitar and music in general. Taking lessons from him has vastly improved my knowledge of music. He is a great teacher and musician!

2020-03-20

Arlette

Ahmad is very knowledgable in the wide world of music and we can work from classical to rock to ambient! I started taking electric guitar lessons last year and connected immediately. Although I am adult beginner on electric, I did play classical in HS. This is the best mid-life crisis activity and I realize how much fun it is to have this diversion. Ahmad makes me feel like a rock star! If you ever thought about coming back to guitar or are new to the area, I think you will be very pleased! I do online mostly but the location is also central and easy to get to.

2020-03-13

Mona

Ahmad is incredibly skilled not only as a musician, but as a teacher. My 10yo son started studying electric guitar with him as a complete beginner, and his progress within a couple months has been amazing. I appreciate Ahmad's thorough approach which ensures that my son is learning all the different skills needed to become a competent guitarist, including reading tablature as well as traditional notation on the staff. At the same time he makes sure to teach power chords from the get-go that allow my son to play rock songs which inspire him and give him an immediate feel for what it is like to really play the instrument. Equally important, Ahmad is a kind and patient teacher who is excellent at working with kids, doesn't speak down to them, and has the gift of being able to relate to them where they are. My son comes away from every lesson excited and inspired. I'm a professional musician and teacher myself, and know how difficult it is to find a truly competent, dedicated, and inspiring teacher, especially for children. I am thrilled that we discovered Ahmad - he is a true gem.

2020-03-05

Alexander

Ahmad has been teaching our 6 year old for about 6 months. He is reading music, playing chords, and even the Pokemon song. Ahmad is great encouraging him and keeping him engaged.

2020-02-24

Erin

I highly recommend taking guitar lessons with Ahmad. I've had instructors in the past who I realized weren't the best match for what I was I was trying to accomplish and the first lesson gave me the space to feel out if Ahmad was going to be a good match for me! After the first lesson I immediately knew Ahmad was going to be professional, skilled, easy to work with, and open-minded. I really appreciated that Ahmad was down to go outside of your standard lessons in music theory and cater my experience in a way that would fast track me to what I wanted to accomplish within my lessons. As a self-taught musician who has been playing in touring bands for about the last 4 years I had a lot of different strengths and weaknesses. Ahmad helped me hone in on areas that would allow me to boost my confidence in practices and live performances while developing skills to better communicate musically with my bandmates. I believe Ahmad is the perfect instructor for all skill levels and backgrounds. He is an extremely talented and versatile musician. In addition to his abilities as a musician and instructor, he is patient, easy to communicate with, motivating, and understanding.

2020-02-10

Natasha

I purchased four weeks of lessons and loved working with Ahmad so much that I continued weekly sessions with him after! I am a beginner and Ahmad did an incredible job walking me through the basics but in a way that was still interesting - we chose songs that I actually wanted to learn and that made it much more fun to practice. He took advantage of every minute of the lesson and often times went over - really nice when you only have 30 minutes sessions. Plus he is hilarious! If you are thinking about taking lessons with Ahmad, no matter what level, do it! :)

2020-02-03

Lawrence

Ahmad is a wonderful instructor and musician. He connects with people of all levels and is able to break down complicated ideas into more easily digestible pieces.

2020-01-25

Emilie

My son has only recently started taking lessons from Ahmad, but we are all impressed! He is so kind, friendly, and encouraging of my energetic 7 year old and is able to keep him focused, motivated, and learning for the whole 30 minutes. Working with little kids isn't easy, but Ahmad is a natural.

2020-01-09

Marty

I've been taking lessons from Ahmad for a few months now. It's great. He adapts himself well to my pace. There's a good balance between music theory, real world examples, and practice exercises in his lessons. I really feel I'm learning from someone who has an incredible amount of knowledge and experience.

2020-01-02

Katie

My family gifted me lessons with Ahmad and I'm so glad they did! Ahmad is really friendly, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and encouraging. He knows just how to keep a beginner, like me, motivated and I'm sure he could help folks with experience improve upon their skills. He has worked with me on songs that I really love, which makes practice fun. He makes sure you get the most out of the sessions. I'm even continuing with lessons after the gift period is over.

2019-12-23

Nan

I was excited, but intimidated going in because I'm convinced I am musically-challenged. As a beginner, Mike made it easy not to get discouraged so early on. Ahmad covers a lot in 30 mins. I like that he gives a variety of things to work on, and provides ample feedback on ways to improve. This is perhaps the best lessons I've ever found.

2019-12-13

Jenny

I never thought I would spend money on guitar lessons given the number of free tutorials you can find online. Even as frugal as I am (extremely), after my trial lesson I knew lessons with Ahmad would be worth it. Lessons with him are literally the only fun purchase I make room for in our budget. If I hadn't signed up, I'd probably still be playing the same few songs, watching random videos and not actually improving. Instead, each week we choose songs I want to learn that also introduce valuable concepts and skills. After a lesson, you leave feeling motivated, encouraged, and excited to practice a new song! If you want to actually progress beyond beginner, take lessons with him!!! Can't recommend him enough!!!

2019-11-28

Gary

I started lessons with Ahmad last year as a birthday present from my wife, and I can I look forward to my lessons as much now as I did then! Ahmad has provided the exact style of instruction I need and has continued to help me grow as a guitar player. Ahmad is able to connect with his students to understand their goals and objectives with lessons. I appreciate how he is able to tailor his teaching style and method to each individual and adjust as needed. His knowledge of music is superb and his musical interests are wide. Ahmad can flex between jazz to classical guitar to the newest pop single as easily as changing radio stations. As a classically trained musician he can not only play the music, but also knows the music theory. I look forward to my lessons every week, and I can't recommend Ahmad highly enough!

2019-11-19

Kent

Ahmad is a fantastic instructor. He begins work by teaching proper technique with the type of music the student is interested in and goes from. He can work with interests from punk rock to classical, electric to acoustic, no theory to complex music theory. A very talented musician and an excellent, encouraging, patient instructor. My son was a music novice with an intense desire to learn and practice (2-4 hours a day). In just 18 months he advanced his music theory knowledge and skills so far that he was able to easily improvise jazz solos. You can't go wrong working with Ahmad!

2019-11-12

Harry

As someone who has played guitar for over ten years and taken lessons from several other accomplished guitar teachers, I can safely say that Ahmad is the best guitar teacher I've taken lessons from. He determines what you hope to take away from the lessons and what your goals are as a player and is very dedicated to finding a way to get you there that is both educational and enjoyable. His instruction is very flexible and has no hesitation dropping one exercise and focusing more on styles of learning that are suitable for you as a student. For someone who has been playing for a long time he was quickly able to open up a whole new set of possibilities and refresh the instrument for me as well as better my understanding of music harmony and melody in general.

2019-10-29

Steven

I have been taking guitar lessons with Ahmad Since 2011. Music has always been important to me and my lessons with Ahmad have been a continual source of inspiration and joy. I love Ahmad's musical philosophy and regardless of what I'm interested in he is always able to help me better myself. I continue to be very busy in my life but always find myself coming back to music. Through taking lessons with Ahmad I have been able to achieve many of my musical goals and know that if I keep practicing I will be able to achieve even more of my goals. Ahmad is extremely talented, intelligent, and friendly and is always there to support me in whatever new musical concept I wish to learn next. He can help anyone looking to better themselves in a wide variety of areas regardless of the style of music you are interested in. I have been studying country and jazz with him primarily, as my goal is to be able to write my own music and put together a band some day. I have no intention of stopping music lessons with Ahmad as they continue to be something I look forward to every week. Anyone would be lucky to have such a great teacher.

2019-10-09

Pat

I've had the pleasure of taking lessons from Ahmad for a couple of years. He is a very knowledgeable and patient instructor with the ability to find minor technical flaws in my playing and easily correct them. I really enjoy his philosophy and musical understanding with a really high ability to dissect and explain elements of a song and relate it to music theory that's easily understandable. On top of that he is a super nice guy that exudes nothing but a positive attitude and gives one the impression that anything is possible in one's musical effort that is really infectious. Don't hesitate to give Ahmad a try.

2019-10-02

Damien

Great teacher...I would highly recommend Ahmad as a Guitar Instructor. Each week I am getting better at playing the guitar. I just gave a Gift Certificate to my friend to get a guitar lesson from Ahmad.

2019-09-20

Dave

I've been working with Ahmad for a little more than 2 years. I'm one of those folks that had the intention to learn guitar for many years, but never got over the hump. The Summer that I started taking lessons with Ahmad, it really took off for me. He's fantastically talented and skilled, but he makes it clear that his abilities came with a ton of work, and he gives you a system to get the best results out of your own practice time. He'll work with you on any song, and seems to have a taste for just about any genre of music (especially if its got some good guitar). He'll teach you some theory and get you to read music, but patiently diet this out while recognizing your excitement to learn songs (at least, this is what I'm putting him through, and I imagine others would to). He'll give you practical drills for learning scales, chords, rhythm, etc., and find ways to overlay them so you can start to stitch things together. "Putting it all together" is still a work in progress for me, but I've been pretty happy with the results over the past 2 years, and I've iteratively "ratcheted up" my expectations for where it can all go, heavily due to Ahmad's encouragement. I hope to keep getting lessons from him for a long time!

2019-09-12

Janet

Ahmad is the BEST! I usually feel pretty self-conscious when learning something new, but never the case with Ahmad. Weekly lessons were always super fun and a great escape from work. He individualizes his classes and keeps your preferred genre in mind. He even wrote out the music based on youtube videos of my favorite songs (guitar or not!) Very talented and knowledgeable about his craft. Cannot think of one negative thing. SUPERB!

2019-08-29

Gilbert

Guitar lessons with Ahmad were my weekly retreat from a hectic workweek. Ahmad is super patient with you every step of the way. Somehow he manages to urge you to practice (something I have trouble with) without being naggy or making you feel guilty. He listens to your concerns and musical tastes and incorporates them into each lesson. He lets you pick the genre and even songs that you'd like to play. His classical training means that you get experience in sight reading music and musical theory. I'm a bit of weird bird that I like blues and punk rock. He taught me the basics in both so I can have a great time just jamming out with him or with some of my talented friends. Overall, if you're looking to invest some money in lessons, Ahmad is the place to go.

2019-08-20

Caitlin

I have been taking guitar lessons with Ahmad for at least five years now and have become not only a much more knowledgeable guitar player, but also a more confident one. My favorite thing about lessons with Ahmad is how he teaches in a multifaceted way while also catering to your musical interests. You are never simply learning songs - you are also learning how to read music and the theory behind the music you are learning. I would highly recommend Ahmad to any beginner or even an intermediate to advanced musician - Ahmad is immensely talented and you will never leave his lessons without learning something new! He is far and away the best guitar teacher I have ever worked with!

2019-08-12

Kai

I've been taking guitar lessons from Ahmad for about 2 1/2 years now and I couldn't be happier with the quality of his instruction. He really understands that learning an instrument, and music in general, is more just than just learning technical proficiency but all about learning a new language, which requires a very holistic approach to teaching. Ahmad does an excellent job of providing me with the tools to improve my technical ability, understand music theory, and read music, all of which has made me a much more well rounded musician. He also does a terrific job of structuring his teaching around your musical interests, influences, and ambitions. I would recommend him to beginner, intermediate, and advanced musicians alike.

2019-08-05

Jack Z

Ahmad is a stellar guitar teacher. For starters he has a complete and thorough text book chock full of examples and exercises. He supplements that with practice loops and online videos. More important, Ahmad provides an excellent foundation for playing guitar. He patiently works through all of the essential steps to playing guitar. And, he makes it fun by adding real riffs and licks from luminaries such as Jimmy Hendrix, Muddy Waters, Pat Metheny and many others.

2019-07-25

Charline

Ahmad is basically the best guitar teacher I have worked with. I've learned more about music from him in a year's worth of lessons than I did from five years in band. His books are both comprehensive and accessible in addressing beginning to advanced musical concepts, and he's a very patient teacher who also works well with whatever your style is. Through supplemental songs and riffs, he makes the driest aspects of musical theory and rhythm entertaining. No matter what your background is, you'll quickly become a much better musician through taking lessons with him.

2019-07-18

Bernard

OK, so here's the scoop. Ahmad is the best guitar teacher around, and I know because I had a deep background in piano and music theory, playing pretty much any sheet music you put in front of me. I took LAST summer 4 lessons with some guy and I got nowhere, fast. Then this August I started with a 5-pack from Ahmad, just to get started, and within 5 lessons I was already learning how to play REAL songs but with the foundations and skills (all those scales-drills) that you need to actually UNDERSTAND the guitar and see how it all comes together. Ahmad is an amazing teacher, his teaching space is great, and he's just a great guy. He will help ANY person start playing real guitar in a short time, and now I'm working with him for a long time trying to really become a PROFICIENT guitar player that can entertain people. If you're thinking about guitar lessons, get them from Ahmad. Totally affordable, and totally a good use of your time.

2019-07-17

Carolyn

Ahmad is an extraordinary teacher and musician. His patience, insight, knowledge and talent know no bounds. Aside from a keenly intelligent approach to teaching, Ahmad has a way of helping his students discover a true passion for music. He has immense respect for his students, and he wants them to succeed. He manages to help them understand the fundamentals while allowing them to explore their creativity and realize their potential. My son spent only a couple of years training with Ahmad, and he still regards him as one of the most influential people in his life. He taught him, he listened to him, he believed in him, and he contributed to his lifelong dedication to music. Whether you are a beginner or an accomplished musician, learning from this amazing guitarist is the best thing you can do for your pursuit of music!

2019-06-19

Tracy L

I was fortunate enough to take lessons with Ahmad years ago and I can say he is the most committed and focused guitar teacher I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I've sorted through more than a few. When I returned to the area after a few years in a job out of state I very quickly looked Ahmad up and began working with him again. I believe he has a real skill at determining what his students need to focus on to arrive at their goals and he is equally adept at presenting the material in the right amount at the most beneficial time. His instruction bolstered my confidence as a musician and enabled me to achieve longstanding goals of playing with other musicians, in key and on time;) it is also very clear that teaching guitar is Ahmad's passion and I found that very important, it's what he does for a living sure, but his dedication is rooted in something deeper and it shows. There are many tips, licks, and tricks instructors out there and that can be fine, but a true teacher is rare indeed. If you follow his lead he'll make you better.

2019-06-09

Rachel M

Ahmad is such a fabulous teacher!!! Super organized, always *always* keeps me on my toes, all while being incredibly kind, patient and encouraging. He's always got several ways to teach me the material, so when I am struggling there's another angle I can make progress in. So glad I found him, I have learned so much!

2019-05-30

William H

As someone who has played guitar for over ten years and taken lessons from several other accomplished guitar teachers, I can safely say that Ahmad is the best guitar teacher I've taken lessons from. He determines what you hope to take away from the lessons and what your goals are as a player and is very dedicated to finding a way to get you there that is both educational and enjoyable. His instruction is very flexible and has no hesitation dropping one exercise and focusing more on styles of learning that are suitable for you as a student. For someone who has been playing for a long time he was quickly able to open up a whole new set of possibilities and refresh the instrument for me as well as better my understanding of music harmony and melody in general.

2019-05-22

Brent K.

I have been taking lessons with Ahmad since June 26th, 2011 - I was referred by a mutual acquaintance. I bought myself a guitar for my birthday a year ago and realized I needed some outside motivation to play it. While I'm relatively new to guitar and this is my first time taking guitar lessons, I have been drumming for 13 years with private instruction and university courses. I would highly recommend Ahmad. He is inspiring, professional, informative, and patient; a shining example of what a great teacher should be. Over the past five months, I've already seen significant improvement in both my guitar performance as well as my understanding of the guitar and music in general. Ahmad is very good at balancing the scale between creativity and technique, while never losing sight of what your goals are as a student. As with any learning process, I would suggest you understand your own goals and level of commitment before jumping in to lessons. As I've seen, Ahmad will probably motivate you to practice more than you originally thought, which I really appreciate. It's with practice and strong understanding that I've gotten to a point where I am proud of my abilities on the guitar. Work with Ahmad and I hope you find the same!

2019-05-13

Shawn D

I started taking guitar lessons for the first time 10 months ago and am thankful I found such a great teacher in Ahmad. His positive attitude and love of music helps me stay engaged and lessons are productive and fun. One of the great things about Ahmad is he listens to you and adjusts lesson content based on the feedback you provide. His ability to listen allows Ahmad to deliver a personalized lesson plan that incorporates your goals and gets you excited about what you are working on. Ahmad also has taught me techniques to prevent and address minor aches that come up while learning to play. He takes this seriously and shows you how to prevent and resolve any issues that come up. Overall, taking lessons from Ahmad has been a very positive experience. I look forward to continuing working with him to get better.

2019-05-03

JB L

I strongly recommend Ahmad as a guitar teacher for all skill levels. I am highly satisfied with the music content and his clear, accessible teaching style. I also play clarinet and piano for the fun of it, and can read music, but the guitar has its own unique rewards and challenges. I love anything that has to do with the guitar, and Ahmad thoughtfully passes on information about players, recordings, gear, and websites that he feels might be of interest or use to me. Ahmad customizes each of my biweekly lessons to my current level of understanding and practice. As a result, I have steadily made progress. So far, we have covered basic rhythms and playing technique, scale patterns in preparation for playing lead and eventual improvisation, chord forms, including barre chords, and songs that are challenging to play, but in a motivating, not discouraging, way. Two things that struck me right off in studying with Ahmad is that, one, he really emphasizes practicing and playing music in proper time, which is crucial to playing well with other musicians, amateur or professional. The other thing is that he strongly urges students to practice in between lessons, which leads without fail to better playing and musicianship. With Ahmad, I am motivated to practice at least 15-20 minutes per day, 3 or more days per week. Also, he is quite patient with questions or challenges I may have with a lesson, and thoroughly addresses them before we move on. I'll close with how impressed I am with Ahmad's musical knowledge and guitar mastery, Over the years, he has developed an extremely comprehensive system of teaching harmony, and for me, it is the perfect approach to advancing my understanding of chords, scales, and the art of improvisation.

2019-04-19

Randy Townsend

Ahmad is very patient and focuses on creating good habit patterns when learning the guitar. I had never played this instrument before, although I had 50 year experience playing others. I thoroughly enjoy his lessons. He is quick to respond to questions via email. He is superb.

2019-04-15

Gregory M

I started taking classes with Ahmad about 18 months and have made steady progress on my technique as well as my understanding of music in general. Outside of being an outstanding guitar player, Ahmad has developed a truly effective teaching method that can accommodate students at any level of expertise. Good for me since I was a beginner when I started. So we started with the basics of rhythm & timing and I got the help I needed there. So eventually we moved into lead guitar techniques and harmony in general. I should note that I am in my early forties and thus have limited time to practice. Because of Ahmad's approach, I have been able to maximize my practice time by focusing on the exercises and techniques that are most important. I would also like to mention that Ahmad is very patient with me and easy to work with. It's been a blast working with Ahmad, I really enjoy practicing the material and experiencing steady improvement in my playing.

2019-04-12

Tom

Ahmad is Awesome! Lessons are a must. Before I started lessons, I would find tabs online and it was fun but I was wasting my time. I wasn't progressing and I didn't have any concept of timing and other essential basics. As a result, I was playing the proper notes but I wasn't playing them correctly and I couldn't improvise at all. Ahmad takes difficult concepts and breaks them down into small, easy to understand pieces. Harmony concepts that I thought I wouldn't be able to grasp, I understand fully and use every day. He has a ton of tips that make learning so much faster. For instance, you learn how to find any note on the neck quickly without having to memorize the whole neck, which is crucial skill. Another great thing is that he uses tablature in his lessons. So, you don't have to know how to read music to get started. If you ever want to write your own music or play with other people, call Ahmad now. He will make sure you learn the right way. I'm writing music and playing/improvising solos, at a level I thought I would never be able to achieve. Every lesson opens new possibilities.

2019-04-05

Jack Y

Ahmad is an amazing teacher to say the least!! I've playing guitar for years with never a full grasp of harmony, and within a few short hours he caught me up on some of the most vital information I was missing. A true expert teacher.. Give him a chance... You won't be disappointed!!!

2019-03-28

Lydia H

I started taking lessons with Ahmad over 5 years ago as a wee beginner. Looking back at where I started, I'm surprised at how much progress I have made and have learned more than I ever expected to. It is obvious from the start that Ahmad is not only an phenomenal guitar player, but also, and more importantly, displays a strong passion and dedication for teaching. Each lesson is carefully designed and structured to build off of techniques previously learned and Ahmad has a knack for making even difficult concepts easy to digest. He imparts simple tips and tricks, mined from years of experience, that have helped me master techniques and avoid tedious memorization exercises which would have made the learning process agonizingly painful. Having one-on-one lessons also allows Ahmad to give me the personal attention needed to provide feedback, positive and negative, and nip bad habits in the bud before they become ingrained. Additionally, each lesson comes with handouts which are handy to practice with and use as a reference (I have 400+ pages of material so it's important to keep it all organized). Ahmad has a diverse set of musical tastes and a secondary benefit of taking lessons with him is that he's exposed me to a plethora of great music that I would not otherwise have discovered on my own. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate, advanced, or think you can rival Joe Satriani, there's something for you to learn from Ahmad. Also, I've found that lessons are very motivating in terms of encouraging me to keep practice because, yes, I do get lazy sometimes. With Ahmad, if you put in the time and effort, you will be rewarded greatly with the freedom to be as creative as your heart desires and you will have more fun playing the guitar than a mouse running loose in a cheese factory. Oh, and Ahmad's a super cool guy too.

2019-03-22

Craig S

I was fortunate enough to take lessons from Ahmad for a number of months last summer. Unfortunately I wasn't able to continue due to personal reasons, but my experience with him was wonderful and very fruitful. I've been playing for a very long time, and sometimes in my position its hard to recognize your weaknesses and figure out where to make progress. Ahmad was able to talk to me openly and honestly about where my deficiencies were without making me feel bad in any way. He was encouraging and had a plan! I was able to make immediate progress on some very fundamental aspects of guitar that had been holding me back for a long time. I don't think I've ever seen a more organized and efficient instructor, and it really helps in making incremental progress over the short term, and taking major strides over the long term. I'd highly recommend Ahmad to anyone looking for guitar lessons with disciplined and well-thought-out lesson plans. His focus on technique and fundamentals can help anyone through any style.

2019-03-13

Norman J

Great guy to work with. If you have been playing for a while and the playing is getting no where. See Ahmad! He has tips that will make you a better player.

2019-03-02

Roberto P

I have been taking lessons from Ahmad for nearly a year now. Ahmad is a fantastic guitar player, but more importantly to me he is an experienced and effective teacher. From the first lesson he has been clear, concise, encouraging, motivating and serious about my progress on the guitar. Ahmad displays a strong passion for guitar playing and teaching and his in depth understanding of the subject comes across in his lessons. His lessons are very well thought out. Over weeks of teaching, you can look back and see that each lesson has clearly built on the last, and nearly every week I have been amazed at the things that I can play and how easy it has been by taking incremental steps to improve. The one on one time with Ahmad has been a great help. He pays very close attention to every little thing I do to make sure I am doing things the right way all with the intention of making sure that I avoid any roadblocks or technical issues that can lead to plateaus. Ahmad's clear gift for teaching and his amazing talent on guitar are a killer combination for a guitar teacher. I would highly recommend anyone who is serious about improving on guitar both technically and harmonically look to Ahmad. You definitely get the impression that he can teach just about anything.

2019-02-20

Jimmy L

I work in a guitar store and get the chance to refer teachers to students regularly. I have been sending students to Ahmad since he moved to the Bay Area from Los Angeles. He Has an amazing system of teaching that really works. If you want to really learn to play and have fun at the same time then go to Ahmad!

2019-02-09

Andy G

I started out trying to teach myself to play the guitar using beginner books and free online lessons. At first I was enthused to be taking the plunge and learning some chords. What was missing was an understanding of the structure behind what I was learning. For example, I didn't want to just learn the chords to popular songs but rather why those chords could be used together and why. I soon realized that trying to teach myself was going to be a long and potentially error prone process so I decided to seek out private instruction. I wanted to be able to ask "why" and get an answer and not have to guess or poke around in the dark and hope to stumble on understanding. I needed a guide. Having spent a fair amount of my adult life in various universities I knew that mileage can vary when it to comes to instruction. After spending some time looking over various local online search results I found Ahmad site. I was immediately struck by the difference in his presentation from the rest of the offerings. Instead of a bio and picture there was a complete presentation of his approach to guitar instruction. The emphasis on an understanding of harmony struck home with me and I gave him a call. I've been taking weekly one hour lessons with Ahmad for four months. If I had to find another teacher it would be like having my world turned upside down. In the first few minutes of my first lesson, Ahmad identified what was my biggest fear, rhythm and timing. Ahmad immediately recognized that I didn't play to any particular tempo and how crucial that is to making music. I've come to expect Ahmad's keen attention to how I am playing my exercises. There is no indifference or laziness here, he watches, assesses, then instructs. Ahmad writes his own lessons, he doesn't borrow pages from books or other sources (each page has an idea or purpose that is clearly defined, each a building block of understanding) . His energy to embellish his own written material with written impromptu notes and clarifications are the norm for each lesson. My curiosity about music theory was met with much enthusiasm. Even though I have only been playing for a few months my understanding of harmony and how it relates to the guitar fingerboard still astonishes me. Granted, I ask a lot of questions and because of my math background I can absorb concepts quickly, but regardless, Ahmad has the answers and you can sense his excitement when he shares ideas that open up your understanding about music and especially the guitar. Looking back at the last few months I realize I take Ahmad's knowledge for granted, he never has to look something up in a book or get back to you on some idea. Some of my favorite lessons have been when my head was full of questions and getting access to Ahmad for an hour. If there is a rhythm I just can't get down or an idea that is foggy for me Ahmad has the patience and experience to present the material in a way that makes it seem easy. Ahmad is great at sensing when something is shaky in my playing or my understanding and quickly focuses on solving the problem. He places a lot of emphasis on the importance of the fundamentals and how that will ultimately lead to real enjoyment as I grow as a guitarist. Ahmad has made me aware of how important it is to learn something correctly the first time rather than trying to retrain yourself down the road (I honestly feel I will be saving countless wasted hours by learning material in an order that makes sense for my experience and by learning good technique from the start). I feel so fortunate that Ahmad is available in this time and this place to take lessons from. I feel that Ahmad has a real talent for teaching. I feel it is something he is both talented at and genuinely loves to do. I look forward to my lesson each week with excitement, knowing that I am steadily growing as a guitarist. I always leave my lessons with a smile on my face and looking forward to the days ahead with a guitar in my lap.

2019-02-03

Jamie

Ahmad is incredible!! I could tell from day one he was going to make a huge difference in my guitar playing. His lessons are prepared in advance so very little time is spent penciling out lesson material. His teaching studio is a very clean and professional, and his super well organized library of teaching materials allows us to maximize our learning time. I love playing his teaching material! None of the guys I took lessons from before had such an effective approach. I have so much fun with it! His lessons have introduced me to various pop, rock, country, metal, and jazz concepts from very popular musicians. He has a unique way of teaching rhythm that has helped me capture phrasing and keep songs in time. Recently I've started taking his harmony classes. These classes have given me the knowledge to confidently play with other musicians and create great music. I would highly recommend Ahmad for anyone that desires to learn more about the guitar. I am moving back to Arizona for work (and sun!). I wish I could take him with me!!

2019-01-24

Richard K

This is the guy you are looking for. At 42 I finally got around to buying my first guitar (no musical background other than fan) and set about teaching myself with books and videos. 10 months later I realized that in spite of working at it every day I was going to get to the 1-year mark and not be able to play a single song all the way through (of the 70's and 80's hard rock that I love, I could play "Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star" pretty well). I was rapidly becoming "that guy" who can play sloppy intros to 300 songs, but nothing else. I looked around the web, and settled on Ahmad because of his credentials and reviews, and I could not be happier with my choice. The thing that makes Ahmad special is that he put as much effort into becoming a great guitar teacher as he did in becoming a great guitar player. Every lesson is tailored exactly to my ability at that time. If ever I have had particular trouble with something Ahmad is ready with additional material, alternate ways to learn it, different ways to explain it. No matter what the technique or concept, Ahmad has seen this mistake before and knows just what to do. Some days I leave with many pages of material to master, and some days just one or two. It is all about how slowly or quickly I am picking up the new thing, and all about learning things the right way so that the foundation is solid when I am ready to advance to the next level. There is no schedule or competition (except with myself) and the only objective is to learn more and get better. To show examples in action Ahmad routinely finds 70s and 80s hard rock for me (not every single note is from Guns-n-Roses of course, but if a particular concept relates to something in a familiar song from the genre, that's the one Ahmad will pick for me to master). You do not have to learn jazz! (I mean if jazz is your thing I am certain that Ahmad can teach you that.) I really doubt that there is a player at any level (or in any style) who would not learn a lot from Ahmad (that is if you are prepared to be humble and possibly review some foundational material you think you know already... if you knew it, Ahmad would not be teaching it to you... he can hear that your timing is off, or if you didn't hit all of the strings in that chord, and so can your audience). (Once, while I was performing an exercise from the previous lesson, Ahmad had his back to me digging in his filing cabinet for my next materials and said "Did you play the fifth note with an upstroke?"... He heard that, it was supposed to be a down stroke and he heard a difference so slight I didn't even know I was doing it.) If you are a beginner as I was, my advice is to commit to four lessons with Ahmad. By the end of that time you will hear that you are advancing, and more importantly you will understand where you were and where you are going. It might seem kind of basic at first (which is why I say to go with at least four) but it does not take very long to understand how much better you will be with strong fundamentals. If, instead, you learn to play badly, and you practice regularly, eventually your speed will improve... and then you will play badly fast which actually sounds worse than playing badly slow... all that work for less than nothing. I have been taking lessons for about a year and half. I can play some Lead Guitar now. And I can play some real songs now. Even those 300 intros are getting tight, that is to say I now play them with the right timing, technique, phrasing and feel! PS - If Ahmad says "it's time for the Harmony Classes", do it! Like most things Ahmad has taught me, I have resisted it in some way at first, and the harmony lessons are no different. Like everything Ahmad has taught me, the harmony classes have immediately made me better at playing guitar, and have provided a foundation that makes the next thing and the next thing and the next thing easier, faster, and better.

2019-01-16

Mike P.

Ahmad is an excellent guitar teacher. I have been taking lessons from Ahmad at his place in for several months now and I'm continually impressed with Ahmad and very pleased with my progress on the guitar. Ahmad has a relaxed and friendly attitude, but it's clear that he's exceptionally good at his trade. He has years of experience and teaching materials on hand, and I enjoy that Ahmad customizes what he teaches to each student's skill level and goals. He has developed a very effective teaching method that works well for me. I've had plenty of music education previously in my life and Ahmad quickly recognized that we could move quickly over the basics of reading music, rhythm notation, etc. and he's always prepared with an exercise or two for me to take home and practice to expand my skills further. I found Ahmad via his web site and called him and he was very professional and courteous leading up to our first appointment. He's got his teaching down to a science and Ahmad is very efficient with his administrative matters. I'm grateful for this because it leaves a lot more time for the guitar lesson itself. Ahmad charges a reasonable fee for his service and I'm looking forward to learning from Ahmad for a long time to come.

2019-01-09

Fred

As a complete beginner, I began searching for a guitar teacher. Upon meeting Ahmad, I was struck immediately by his passion for music and teaching. That was what kept me coming back to the lessons. Having now spent a year and a half with Ahmad, my progress has been phenomenal. As a former music major studying saxophone, I have had my share of music teachers. I can say that Ahmad has been the most influential and effective of all. His manageable lessons challenge you enough to make you better without overwhelming you with techniques and theory that you don't understand. Every lesson builds on priors so that you are not wasting time learning scattered and incomplete lessons that you may find in books or video lessons on youtube. We began simply learning pentatonic scales to build basic right and left hand technique. After spending months learning this, we moved onto major scales, and understanding harmonizing and more music theory. Throughout this, we have also spent time on learning basic rhythms. Finally, we have moved onto modes, arpeggios, and blues. Although there was a lot of work learning to play scales and arpeggios, it was absolutely necessary in order to understand how to solo over rock and blues music. While I have a long way to go with the instrument, it is so satisfying to have the tools to write music, play solos, and make them sound like you know what you are doing. I would have never been able to do this without Ahmad. Ahmad is not a magician--you have to put in the work yourself. But he makes your practice efficient so that your time is spent learning valuable skills, instead of bad habits. If I had to do it all over again, I would have started sooner!

2019-01-02

Evan

Ahmad is a fantastic teacher, and not just for beginners but for experienced players as well! I've been playing guitar for about 20 years, but haven't taken any formal lessons in the past 15 of those. I felt like I was in a rut with my playing so I started taking lessons with Ahmad a few months ago. He was able to immediately help me improve my technique and help me correct some inefficiencies that I didn't even notice I was doing. The word "inefficiencies" in the last sentence was chosen very deliberately because Ahmad has a great way of showing that there are multiple ways to play the instrument and not one specific "right" and "wrong" way. I feel like I've made more progress in the last 4 months than I had in years.

2018-12-27