It's Not Too Late to Finally Play Guitar the Way You Always Wanted.
Welcome to Guitar Lessons Geauga. If you’re looking for the best guitar lessons in Geauga County / Northeast Ohio—you’re in the right place! I’ll help you fast-track your progress while keeping things pressure-free and fun, so you enjoy learning to play guitar.
You’re in the right place if:
- You're brand new to guitar and have no idea where to even start.
- You're the type of person who wants to learn something right the first time, so you don't have to spend months undoing the bad habits that form when you try to teach yourself.
- You've played for years and you're stuck in a rut. You're sick of playing the same few songs and licks over and over, and you feel like you should be much further along by now.
- You're overwhelmed by the endless (and often generic) free online advice, with no way to tell what's actually right for you.
- You struggle to make real progress on your own and wonder if you're too old, or just not musical enough, to ever really get it.
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone — and it doesn’t have to stay this way. Most players are stuck not because they lack talent, but because they lack direction and structure.
There's A Better Way.
If you’ve been teaching yourself, you’ve probably picked up a few habits that are holding you back. That’s not a failing on your part — it’s what happens to almost everyone who tries to learn to play guitar without a trained instructor, and it’s completely fixable.
With me, you’ll learn what skills you need to work on to be able to play the songs you love, and the most effective ways to practice them, so your practice time starts paying off instead of adding to your frustration.
For over thirty years, I’ve helped people just like you learn guitar faster and skip the wrong turns that cost most people years. You’ll have steady, encouraging support the whole way, so you always know you’re on the right track — and you actually enjoy the process.
Know Exactly What To Practice To Get The Best Results
These days it’s easy to spend months, even years, trying to figure out how to play the guitar by piecing together random tips from YouTube or following well-meaning but off-base advice from friends who play. With so much conflicting information out there, it’s no wonder you feel stuck.
If that sounds like you: you’re normal, and it’s not your fault.
Most people can’t diagnose the weak spots in their own playing — and it’s not for lack of trying. You’re doing too many things at once: picking, moving your fingers, keeping time, remembering the notes. So when something sounds off, you know it’s wrong but struggle to figure out what’s wrong. It could be how you’re holding the guitar, a finger angle, your timing, or tension you’re carrying in your hand or shoulder that you didn’t even realize was affecting your playing. I’ve seen each of these thousands of times, so I spot it in seconds and know how to fix it. More often than not, it’s a smaller fix than you’d think — a few adjustments that clear up something you’d been fighting for months.
Most people who feel stuck start to believe they’re the problem. They tell themselves:
- “I’m too old to learn.”
- “My hands are too small — or too big.”
- “I don’t have rhythm.”
- “I’m not creative.”
- “I don’t have enough time to practice.”
- “I just don’t have ‘natural talent’.”
None of these are the real reason you’re stuck. I’ve taught people of every age, from kids to folks in their late seventies — people with small hands, people concerned that their fingers were too big because they kept muting the next string or buzzing every note, people certain they had no rhythm, people nervous they were starting too late in life — and every one of them made real progress once they had the right plan.
The problem isn’t you — it’s the method you’ve been using. What you need is a teacher who helps you uncover exactly what’s holding you back, shows you step by step how to work through it, and keeps learning to play guitar enjoyable along the way.
Too many people spend years spinning their wheels, or worse yet, give up entirely, without ever getting where they wanted to go. It doesn’t have to be that way for you.
There’s a sign in my studio that says there’s no such thing as falling behind. Everyone learns differently, and that’s fine — you’re never measured against another player or a timeline. And you don’t need hours a day. A few focused minutes, a few days a week, are enough to keep getting better, as long as you know exactly what to work on. Figuring that out is on me, so every minute you practice counts.
I know how overwhelming it can feel learning to play the guitar, because I’ve been there.
When I first picked up the guitar, I tried everything — books, videos, and even took lessons from four different local teachers — hoping to find the one missing piece that would finally make it click.
Two of them were local guys just out of high school who could really play. The other two taught out of music stores. A couple put me through method books that had nothing to do with the music I wanted to play. Another just showed me what he liked to play, all of it too advanced for where I was at the time. One sat and ate his lunch while I practiced in front of him — I took two lessons from him and never went back. And the results were about what you’d expect.
None of them were bad players, but here’s what I didn’t understand back then: being able to play doesn’t mean being able to break things down and teach it. Those are two different skills, and most guitar teachers only have the first. Almost none are trained to teach — they’re good players who got asked to help someone they knew, or to fill an open spot at a local shop. No teacher training required to start.
So I never improved the way I’d hoped — and I started to wonder if the problem was me.
After all that, I finally found a teacher who changed everything. He helped me identify and fix my bad habits, showed me exactly what to focus on, and taught me how to make the most of what I already knew. Suddenly, playing the guitar became exciting and fun again — because for the first time I had the right guidance on what actually mattered.
You can save a lot of time and avoid frustration when you study with an expert guitar instructor.
At Guitar Lessons Geauga, you get specialized instruction designed to fast-track your progress. Your lessons are tailored to give you the right information and teach you the essential skills you need to play the music you love. But it’s more than just learning chords, scales, or techniques — you’ll learn how to structure your practice and build real confidence in your playing.
No more doing this alone. I’ll be right there as you play, catching the little mistakes before they turn into habits and showing you the fix on the spot — so you’re never stuck practicing something wrong. Together, we’ll make learning guitar rewarding and fun.
Don't spend another year stuck. Let's get you playing the music you love.
Get A Highly Trained, Professional Guitar Instructor
Here’s something most people never think to ask before signing up for lessons: how was this teacher trained to teach?
It matters more than how well they play. Being a strong player and being a strong teacher are two different skills — and most guitar teachers have only ever worked on the first. No training is required to start teaching students, so most never get any.
That’s why so many well-meaning, talented players can’t help their students see real progress. They teach the wrong things in the wrong order, move on to new material too soon, and can’t spot the real problem — because the basics became automatic for them so long ago they no longer see what a struggling player is actually doing wrong. Their students practice, try hard, feel like they’re getting nowhere — and start to believe the problem is them.
So when you’re choosing a teacher, ask the question: “How were you trained to teach?” Here’s my answer.
I’m a member of EGTIC — the Elite Guitar Teacher Inner Circle, an international group of instructors trained in how to teach.
- I’m the only guitar teacher in Geauga County and Northeast Ohio with Elite Guitar Teacher Inner Circle training.
- You’ll learn from someone who studies year-round under one of the world’s top guitar educators, so you get the best training every lesson.
- I put real time and money into my training every year, so you’re only ever taught the most effective, proven methods.
What this means for you: you’ll finally know exactly what to work on, and you’ll hear yourself getting better faster than you’d expect. All I need from you is a willingness to try things a new way — even when it’s different from how you’ve always done it.
That’s the one thing the people who do best at Guitar Lessons Geauga have in common: they do what I show them, give it a little time, and the results come. I’ve spent thirty years figuring out the shortest path for people like you — my job is to hand it to you, and yours is just to trust it enough to try.
If you're ready to find out what's actually been holding you back, let's talk.
What Sets Guitar Lessons Geauga Apart?
✅ Learn the right skills in the right order so you can confidently play the music you love.
✅ Flexible scheduling — you have the option to choose different days and times each week when life gets busy.
✅ Save time and money by learning from a trained teacher who catches and fixes mistakes on the spot, so you’re never practicing the wrong thing.
✅ Efficient practice routines that get you more progress from the time you have.
✅ Get instant answers to your questions so you always know you’re on the right track.
✅ Time to practice and train with me during the lesson — you’re never just handed new material and sent home to figure it out alone.
✅ Every part of your playing grows together, so no weak spot holds the rest of your playing back.
✅ You get a dedicated teacher who does this full-time and is genuinely invested in your progress.
There are no mandatory recitals, no concerts, no performances — ever. If you only ever want to play for your own enjoyment, that’s completely fine, and it’s what plenty of the people I teach do.
And if you ever want to play for other people, there are open mics all over Geauga County — a couple of them run by my own students. I’m happy to get up and play alongside you, if that makes it easier to take the first step.
Whether you’re picking up a guitar for the first time or you’ve played for years and stalled, the free introductory lesson is how I see what will help you most right now.
It takes around 45 minutes. Come exactly as you are — don’t worry about impressing me. I need to see where you actually are so I can spot what’s holding you back. Give me those 45 minutes and you’ll leave playing better than you walked in — guaranteed. You get to meet me and see if it’s a good fit — and if it is, we’ll go over how to get started.
I have a limited number of spots available. When I’m full, I’m full — so if you’ve been thinking about it, now’s the time to reach out.
Don't put it off any longer. Reach out today.
I had the pleasure to work with Brian in the creation of an online course for rhythm guitar, and I have been amazed at the ideas and competence that Brian brought to the table.
Brian is a veritable expert on a number of topics on guitar teaching - especially on rhythm and its applications -and genuinely enjoys teaching people and seeing students improve.
I recommend Brian to any guitar student who is looking to improve their skills at playing guitar, whether they are beginners or advanced students. Any student would be lucky to have Brian as their teacher"
Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT SKILL LEVELS DO YOU TEACH?
Everyone, from complete beginners who’ve never held a guitar to advanced players with 50 years behind them. Wherever you’re starting, I’ll meet you there.
WOULD IT BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO LEARN SOME BASICS ON MY OWN BEFORE STARTING LESSONS?
No — and if you haven’t played a note yet, that’s good news. It means no bad habits to undo, nothing learned out of order, and none of the confusion that comes from piecing together lessons that contradict each other. We’ll build a solid foundation from the start, so you’re playing real music sooner.
And if you’re thinking “I’ll learn a few things first, then reach out” — don’t wait. The stuff you pick up on your own in the meantime is usually the exact stuff we’d have to undo later. Come as you are, and we’ll make sure you’re learning the right things in the right order from day one.
HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO BEGIN GUITAR LESSONS?
I start students at age ten.
AM I TOO OLD TO LEARN GUITAR?
Not even close. Some of my students didn’t start until their 60s or 70s, and they’re playing music they love today. If you can sit in a chair and hold a guitar, you can do this. “Too old” is the excuse that stops way too many people from ever starting. Don’t let it be yours.
WHAT KIND OF GUITAR SHOULD I BUY?
Kids should always start out with an electric guitar.
Adults and teens should think about the type of music they wish to play, as this can really help in selecting the ideal guitar for them.
I still suggest starting off with an electric guitar because its smaller body makes it super easy to see and reach the fretboard, and the thinner strings make them much easier to press down.
You can begin by buying the guitar now and purchase the amp and other supplies later.
That being said, you should buy the type of guitar that fits you best. If you’re eager to learn acoustic guitar, then buying an acoustic is the way to go.
Feel free to contact me, and I can help you choose the guitar that best suits you.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE ME TO GET “GOOD”?
That depends on you — what you’re after, how much you practice, and how often you come in to train with me. “Good” isn’t one thing, either. Learning to strum a few songs you love is a much shorter road than becoming a fluid improviser who can solo over anything confidently.
With the right guidance, even 10–20 minutes a day, a few days a week, adds up fast — and when practice is actually fun instead of a chore, you’ll want to pick up the guitar, which is when real progress happens. The more we work together, the faster it comes. Either way, you’ll come away understanding the instrument, not just memorizing pieces.
HOW LONG SHOULD I TAKE LESSONS FOR?
As long as you still have the desire to learn and improve, I have students who have been with me for over ten years and still continue to master their instruments and improve their skills.