The Lord of the Strings

Gabe did a great job at figuring out where I was as a guitarist and giving me helpful instruction from there. He’s knowledgeable about everything you’d want to learn about jazz music. In less than a couple months, I have a much greater understanding of music theory. I look forward to learning a lot more! Recommend him big time to anyone wanting to take guitar lessons — not just aspiring jazz players. Also, he can teach the ukulele well too!

Gabe lives up to all the aforementioned praises. Whether you are a beginner with no prior experience (like myself) searching for the basics or a vet looking to sharpen your skills, Gabe will be able to help you. He’s a great teacher for all skill levels and most importantly, very patient. He has a great talent in breaking down complex ideas into terms a beginner would understand. I feel the lessons are customized to my interests, strengths and weaknesses. He has a flexible schedule, also. After a year under his tutelage, I can confidently say I can play the guitar. Although, it might be a little while longer before I am headlining. Definitely a class worth taking!
PS. Did I mention he is patient!

Gabe is an amazing musician and it shows.
I on the other hand just picked up a guitar to spend sometime by myself, in a room, away from work, two crazy little kids and all of the other stuff that keeps me from simply relaxing. That worked for a few weeks and then I got bored of the books or online videos.
So I searched around and found Gabe (he had a kick ass deal for the first lesson!). The first lessons I assume were the typical lessons for someone who didn’t even know how to hold a pick. Fingers here, look there, this is how you tune and oh hey, it’s probably not working cause your amp isn’t on. Seriously, I had no idea what I was doing.
It’s a year later and I love my guitar more than I ever thought I could. I play almost every night and it’s not because I’m amazing at it but simply because Gabe challenges me. Of course I’ve improved, but more importantly I’m having a great time playing. Sure, the lessons are still a bit of work between a teacher and student… but after every lesson I get better and have more fun than before.
After we got past the basic stuff I began to ask certain questions about things. I was curious about: scales, this song or that song, Hendrix or The Beatles, etc. etc. Usually it was just curiosity of something or maybe a song that I could play if I just learned the simple way to play it. But Gabe, in his own very unique way, would basically push me to play the song the correct way… showing me piece by piece how to play the entire song. Sure, I still think Hendrix and John Frusciante are gods among mortals… but I can take a hack at some of their songs and have fun doing it!
Let me be clear, Gabe isn’t pushy by any means… he sorta just shows you that the song you thought was impossible… isn’t. And then walks you through it until you can pick it all up with the skills (and new confidence) he just gave you.
Gabe as a teacher is awesome… but is seriously impressive as a musician. I ‘ve mentioned countless songs to him and he just breaks them out without even needing to look at the music or hear the song. If he doesn’t know the song you’re talking about, once he hears it he usually can pick it up by ear. And don’t even get me started on how good his beer brewing skills are!
An overall guitar savior for us mere mortals.

I’ve been fortunate to receive lessons from Gabriel for little over a year and half and the very first thing you will notice about his teaching methods and what separates him from the vast majority of other guitar teachers is that not only will he cater to what you specifically are trying to improve upon but he also really pays attention to the way you play as a whole and will provide with you tips/​lessons on the entire aspect of guitar playing, even areas that you had not brought up with him. As a UCLA music student, I can’t stress enough not only how incredibly talented he is just at playing the guitar but the vast knowledge of guitar playing, guitar tone, guitar «tricks», that really encompass all of the stuff a student would yearn for in a lesson. And the direction of the lesson is completely up to you, I’ve stopped Gabriel before and questioned him on why he played something a certain and he gives you a detailed opinion on why he is doing it but also variations that might you suit you better a player. Furthermore, with his extensive background in music he can provide you with not only just the fundamentals and mechanics of guitar playing but crafting songs, music theory, and the structuring and of soloing. Not to mention I think he’s got every issue of guitar player magazine dating back to the 80s. I’ve taken lessons from nearly ever part of California (Sacramento, San Francisco, San Diego and LA) and I’ve yet to meet someone with his level of playing and dedication to his students. It’s been a great pleasure to learn from him, watch him play, and any student looking to advance his skills need not look any further. Simply put, you’re wasting your time going any place else, I know because I’ve been there.

When I started taking lessons with Gabe, I had never even held a guitar before! Now, four years later, I can strum just about anything at a campfire, play through many of the classic rock standards (Stairway to Heaven, Hotel California, etc.) and am working on my confidence for improvising as blues lead guitar. Gabe is a patient and encouraging teacher. He knows a lot of music history and theory, which gives me a deep understanding of why we play what we do. This knowledge allows me to go beyond mere imitation toward (eventually) new musical ideas.

Gabe is incredibly knowledgable at his craft, and can explain what he’s doing in a way suitable for everybody. Gabe introduced me to some exercises for speed and creativity that I use almost everyday to keep my fingers loose. Watching Gabe play is inspiring, to say the least. You can see on his videos online just how fast and accurate Gabe plays — it’s a thrill to sit in a room which that kind of talent. He’s also got a cool cat that really likes my guitar case. Go see him and definitely practice ALL THE TIME — if you do, Gabe can turn you into a serious player.
Oh, and he’s a cool guy, too. Easy to talk to and ask questions.