The Guitar Consultant

Steve is TERRIFIC! We are both beginners, and wanted to learn to play guitar for our love of music. We both felt comfortable with Steve from the first lesson. Steve’s approach is unique in that he adapts his teaching to match both the student’s technical ability, and learning style… you see results quickly, and stay motivated for the next lesson. We both look forward to our lessons, and are enjoying a great new hobby!

Let me star by saying guitar has always frustrated me. I’ve tried to learn on several occasions and failed miserably.
Lessons with Steve is something completely different and my guess is his lessons or lesson plans are all as different as his individual students.
There is no book. No judgements. He focuses on whatever little pieces my tiny ADD brain can grasp and manages to keep me motivated. I look forward to the lesson time, while before it has always been dread.
I’m actually learning to play the guitar. Not some horrible note by note version of happy birthday and I don’t feel like I am beating something to death. The songs– chosen from a list of my favorites– are a means to the skill.
It’s a fun hour each week and Steve is a real teacher, not just a good player.

While I was living in Austin, I took guitar lessons from Steve for two years. His talent for playing and instructing is only matched by the humble approach he takes to his lessons – my god he is talented. Each and every lesson gave me a new challenge and kept me motivated to learn.
Music is a challenging discipline so you really have to make learning an enjoyable process. Steve kept me engaged by making sure I was having fun and learning the kinds of songs I wanted to play. Apologies to Steve for making him listen to Pete Doherty songs every week (ok I’m really not sorry haha). He has such a knack for transcribing music of any genre – really, that isn’t an exaggeration, his range is unbelievable. Teaching music and teaching it well is what he does, period.
Now that I’m out in SF, I really miss the weekly ritual of his lessons and I also really miss his upbeat personality. Thank you so much Steve, it was a blast learning from you and discussing everything from Paul Simon fingerpicking patterns to Medieval literature. Anyone in Austin looking to become a better guitarist, Steve is your man.

I have been taking lessons with Steve for almost 3 years now. When I first started, I was a bass player who mainly liked to mess around with rock and pop and had very little understanding of any styles outside of that. 3 years later, i play upright bass at jazz clubs several nights a week and i am in the process of obtaining my degree in Jazz Performance at the University of Texas at Austin. Much of my improvement can be attributed to Steve’s excellent teaching skills. Many aspects of jazz were particularly difficult for me to grasp and Steve would give me 4 or 5 ways to try and comprehend something and if none of those worked, he would keep suggesting other ideas. Steve is a phenomenal musician with great chops on guitar but his greatest skill is his ability to adapt to any situations. Numerous times i have come to him with a problem he was either unfamiliar with or not particularly proficient at and every time he damn near became an expert on the subject with shocking ease. He never claims to know something he doesn’t and never turns down a request. Best man in town if your trying to learn bass or guitar.

So i’d been talking about playing guitar for years. On a whim one day, I went out and bought one and thought, «how the heck do I begin?» I was referred to Steven by my then chief of staff who was paying for his son’s classes through Steven. My chief spoke high praises. I gave it a shot. I had to start from square one. I mean, Steven literally had to teach me the strings. But he’s very patient and über knowledgeable. I have now been with Steven for about a year and a half. Very pleased. He can decipher a song live time, on the spot, like voodoo. I’ve been at gatherings or friends houses who have played for years and I’m far more advanced. Steven is very worth it. From those who don’t know what a «high E string» is to those who are perfecting techniques, this is your guy. Not only is he formally trained, he has the common touch and makes it easy to understand. 5 stars!

I’ve been taking classes with Steven for almost two years. He is amazing.
I’m a singer and I wanted to learn to play guitar. He is a great teacher. Not only I’m learning very fast, but also in a fun and easy way. I’m constantly bringing new songs to play in the class. There is nothing Steven can’t play. From Tango to Rock to 80’s, he can play and teach everything…
Also, he is very good at songwriting. He gave me a few tips that really changed my way to write in a very positive way. I really recommend him!

I took bass lessons with Steve for four straight years, and the only thing that could drag me away was a cross-​country move for work (and even then, begrudgingly).
In that time, Steve not only equipped me to master the fundamentals of the bass, but helped me to pinpoint exactly what it was I Ioved so much about the instrument (disco basslines!)
During lessons, he is consistently good-​natured, on-​point and willing to field any type of music question, whether it directly relates to the instrument in your hands or not. He tailors all of his lessons to his students’ abilities, works with you to accommodate difficult work and travel schedules, and encourages you to bring in your own material to study, even if it means several years of transcribing the Village People. :)
There is no equivalent to Steve where I am now, and I realize just how lucky I was to have him as a teacher for as long as I did. Austin is full of cut-​rate musicians and burnout guitar hacks, but this guy is not one of them. He is legit, dependable, brilliant and totally dedicated to his teaching. I did a lot of research before committing to a weekly bass lesson, and it was worth every day I spent sifting through emails from idiots to find him. Do it right the first time, and you will be able to spend your lessons focusing on what you truly love about your instrument, rather than fixing second-​rate techniques you’re likely to pick up elsewhere.

Steve was a great teacher. He took the time to figure out what would make learning fun and how I would best learn to play. His techniques and insights really helped me progress.
He was also extremely reliable and communicative. Also, his sense of humor really helped make the lessons more enjoyable. I can’t recommend him highly enough.

All thing wonderful describe lessons with Steve! Beyond the obvious, like his patience, ability to take you where you want to go, his technical understanding of the instrument and his ability to break it down in terms anyone can understand (all of which are true) it’s bears mentioning that Steve is in fact a PROFESSIONAL GUITAR TEACHER.
This means that he’s not doing it as a side gig ie, doesn’t disappear for three weeks because his band is going on tour (a common occurrence in Austin). He won’t call last minute and cancel because he landed a gig… Can you tell I’ve run the gamut with instructors before Steve? I’ve been his student for several years and honestly can’t believe the level I’ve achieved at my age!
Do yourself a favor and give Steve a call and get going now, your only regret will be that you didn’t get started earlier!