Gare Hofstad Guitar Lessons

My teaching approach:

I like to be aware of student's goals and tailor my teaching plan to help them achieve those goals. I am usually able to impart music theory, and technique using materials that the student brings in and has an interest in learning how to play.

My influences are:

Guitarists I admire include, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Fahey, Ralph Towner, Django Reinhardt, Barney Kessel, Joe Pass, and Derek Bailey. Other non-guitarist are to numerous.

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:

Monday through Thursday, 3 pm to 9 pm. For home students the choice of days is more flexible with a possible Friday or Saturday.

Guitar Techniques:

Lead guitar, Rhythm guitar, Fingerstyle, Slide Guitar, Vocal Accompaniment, Performance, Improvisation, Jamming Skills, Reading Music, Music Theory, Scales and Exercises, Song Writing, Guidance In Equipment Selection

Your first guitar lesson with me might include the following:

I ask them what music they like and want to learn to play. Then I ask them what musical experience they have had which would include, band and orchestra instruments, choir and other musical studies. Then I ask if they want to learn to read music or play by ear. In my experience, playing by ear leads to wanting to read music and reading music leads to wanting to play by ear.

A guitar lesson with me might entail the following:

The student brings music either in the form of charts, scores or recorded media which I will deconstruct to help the student learn. In the case of written music, I try to explain the under lying structure while they learning the piece. If it is a recording, I transcribe it with the student so they can eventually acquire the ability to do it themselves.

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

My ideal guitar student knows what their goals are and is therefore self motivated. I teach people on all levels of ability and have taught developmentally challenged students. As long as the pupil is friendly and interested the learning takes care of it's self.