Johnathan Dethloff Guitar Lessons

My teaching approach:

Music has made my world go around from a very young age. I first picked up a guitar at the age of 9 and instantly fell in love. I remember coming home from school and sitting in my bedroom playing along to my favorite albums for 6+ hours. I have shared the stage with bands like The Wallflowers, The Foo Fighters, The Shins, Echo and the Bunnymen, Minus the Bear, and many others. I have spearheaded projects of all genres including blues, classic rock, hardcore, indie, folk, metal, and everything in between. Teaching has really become a cornerstone of keeping my world turning.

My influences are:

I am all over the place. When I was a teenager, Jimmy Paige and Stevie Ray Vaughn dominated my world and have never left my core. Since then, I have explored many other styles in both my guitar playing and full-band projects. I grew up on Led Zeppelin, Stevie, AC/DC, and the like. Then moved into heavier sorts like Rage Against the Machine and Disturbed in my later teens. After that I found myself moving into heavier still with Darkest Hour and similar artists. These days, I've mellowed more into finger-style like Andy McKee and folk styles like Local Natives and Lucius. I could go on forever.

My guitar lessons take place in:

The teacher's studio or the student's home

Guitar lessons typically take place on these days and hours:

I teach 5, sometimes 6 days a week, typically. The exact days may shift every so often, but the 5 day a week routine is pretty static and the shift would be minimal. I typically teach from around noon to 9 p.m. Again, depending on the day, those hours may expand or contract to cope with other obligations. I am always willing to be flexible and try and work something out if your only opening falls outside my displayed hours. I'd rather bend a little and pull you into the world of music, then have something as trivial as a little timing issue be the reason you lose your motivation to get going.

Guitar Techniques:

Lead guitar, Rhythm guitar, Open tuning, Fingerstyle, Performance, Improvisation, Jamming Skills, Music Theory, Scales and Exercises, Song Writing, Guidance In Equipment Selection

Your first guitar lesson with me might include the following:

If you are BRAND new to guitar (which I love seeing) then we would probably spend the first lesson talking about what sort of music you like, why you wanted to learn guitar, what you goals are, what you may be thinking learning and playing will be like, etc. Some basics for sure, but I find that a lot of first-timers are anxious and even intimidated at the start. I like to help soften the blow and ease you into it. Experienced players I would ask you to show me what a typical sit-down and jam time might go for you. Based on that, I'd ask you to show me a few things and could assess your level.

A guitar lesson with me might entail the following:

It's important that you feel engaged and a desire to progress. That being said, you would take an active role in what our goal setting would be. We would begin by discussing how your practice went over the week. What you found yourself gravitating towards, what went well, what didn't, and why. I find that it is important to taper the learning of theory and mechanics of guitar playing with fun learning as well. Namely songs, solos, etc. At all levels, the two coexist and intertwine. Tapping into that can make for the best results. With that we would build a solid plan and move forward together.

The qualities I look for in an ideal guitar student might include the following:

My ideal guitar student would be someone that is able to see the rewards of practice and dedication. While I am here to help, I cannot place the skill and knowledge into your mind and hands. This is, after all, not Inception 2: The Magical Guitar Teacher. That means that it is on YOU to make it happen. I will encourage you every step of the way, but I promise that no praise from me can possibly equal the satisfaction you will feel yourself when you see you hard-earned results take shape. It takes perseverance, but the plus side is that you are guaranteed to progress. Practice makes perfect.