Hillman Guitar Instruction

David is great. I started with him in November last year and have been seeing him weekly since. He’s that perfect blend of very, very smart about guitar+music, but down to earth in his style and methodology. He’s also a great guy and makes lessons fun. I discovered David from Unilocal/​Internet then found out that a close friend had learned guitar from him a couple of years ago. She raves about him. Bottom-​line: if you’re looking for quality guitar instruction from a genuine and very capable teacher you can’t do better than David.

I took a couple of lessons from David. I am a novice with the guitar and needed some help. He was beyond patient and helped me gather the basics I needed to begin my long lived desire to learn the guitar. I still have a long way to go, but I feel like he will help me get where I want to go.
Thanks David:)

With only a rudimentary knowledge of music… just basically knowing what I like… and not much else, I walked into David’s studio expecting I’d take a couple of lessons and scratch it off my bucket list. How wrong I was. David’s practical, common sense approach to teaching music had me playing my first song after only one month. And then I was hooked! His laid back style sets you immediately at ease and reminds you that playing music, more than anything, is supposed to be fun. You will not find him waggling his finger at you for not practicing… I think kids especially will find that refreshing… I know my daughter did. But because he is so encouraging and enthusiastic with beginners, you will find yourself wanting to practice just so you can impress him and not suck at your next lesson! His practice routines are simple and straight-​forward. With just 10 – 15 minutes a day and David guiding you along the way in your weekly lessons, you’ll be playing Stairway To Heaven in no time. I think I was on to Blackbird after about 8 or 9 months… that was a big milestone for me… and I chalk that up to David’s teaching, absolutely. He is game to teach pretty much any song in any genre you might be interested in, even if he’s never played it before. He’ll take the time to learn along with you, breaking the song down into easily digestible parts until you’ve mastered it. And he is equally adept at selecting songs based on your skill level and genre of interest… often suggesting songs you might not have initially considered. I have a number of songs in my repertoire that I never even knew I liked and now I play them all the time. He is also not shy about pushing you if he thinks you can handle tougher songs. And that’s what all great teachers should do… inspire students to do their very best. Although David’s modesty would prevent him from saying, he is an incredibly accomplished and talented musician in his own right… and is virtually a walking encyclopedia of music history and theory. I am certain you will enjoy learning and playing guitar with David. I know I did!

Dave Hillman is an extremely patient and mindful teacher which makes him perfect to teach children. Especially children like my son. My son has behavior and attention challenges that make focusing close to impossible. He has been learning to play guitar with Dave for nearly two years. In this time he has made amazing progress even though he refuses to practice. He can play several old rock songs from beginning to end. Dave has taught a difficult child a difficult task. Dave has given my son an outlet for frustration, a much needed coping skill, and hope for success in his future. We are very grateful. I’m looking forward to seeing my son play his guitar on a stage someday (even just a high school talent show). Thank you, Dave. Highly recommend.

I have studied with David for almost two years now. I started as someone who had taught himself guitar, with three years of irregular practice. I knew the basic chords, bit of finger-​picking, strumming, a handful of half-​learned songs. Basically my learning wasn’t going anywhere and had hit a plateau.
On the first class, David did an assessment of what I knew and said that we could soon have some fun. He asked me what I wanted to learn and like any young wide-​eyed guitarist, I said «lead.» And that’s what we did.
Now, I had seen the minor pentatonic many times and had tried to learn to improvise by just playing the scale up and down. It never helped. But David showed me a path on how to improvise. I learned to apply the basic improvisation concepts of slides, hammer-​ons, pull-​offs, bends and rakes. Soon enough I was trying to figure out licks and creating my own.
Once I had enough of the minor pentatonic, I went on to learning some new songs. David has a huge song repository and will work with you on trying to learn a song of your choice. I also felt that if asked to pick, he would teach a song which was challenging enough. Such that you may not figure it out right away, but you would after a few days of practice.
I had always played on acoustic. David help me learn the electric as well. He guided me through the various knobs on the amplifier. Teaching me about effects pedals, whammy bars and a whole lot more.
David’s teaching style is friendly and approachable. I found him flexible when it came to rescheduling classes. His studio on Westlake Ave is really nice.
I have learned a lot from David and my guitar playing has improved quite a bit. I would highly recommend him.

I was looking for advanced guitar lessons and came across David Hillman purely by chance. I wanted to get a better grasp of theory and self study wasn’t cutting it, mainly because I wasn’t disciplined enough and figured paying someone to teach me would make me study harder.
David’s got amazing skill and patience. I would often go in early and listen to him teach students new to guitar and be amazed at how well he was able to get them to understand the concepts behind what they were trying to do. David certainly helped me out.
A year later, I’m playing better than I had been before. I’ve got a much stronger grasp of music theory, it’s helped me with my song writing and I’m happy with the direction I’m going.
Do go to Hillman Guitar Instruction if you’re looking to get better and learn quickly. Even the 30 minute classes are very helpful. You won’t regret it.

Mike is a great teacher who knows how to tailor a lesson to how each student learns. He is patient and has opened up creativity I wasn’t aware I possessed. Not only is he a great teacher but extremely knowledgeable about the music industry. I had never played guitar before but always wanted to learn. I come out of each lesson excited to practice what I’ve learned.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! I’ve been taking lessons from David for about 6 months, and I can actually play the darn instrument now. Amazing. David is a complete treasure — skillful and smart, but laid back and fun. He seems to know exactly how to much to push without ever having to ask.

My favorite night of the week is what I call «guitar night,» and it is my favorite because David is the best teacher I’ve had in just about anything (sorry, erstwhile college professors). The guitar can be intimidating, especially if you’ve put it off until your 30s like this gal. David makes the whole thing cake. His space is gorgeous – I particularly enjoy the proximity to pricey yachts and the Lake Union views. I’ve taken lessons in music shop sweat boxes, caged like an animal in a windowless room under fluorescent bulbs. David, on the other hand, has created a space reminiscent of the Rolling Stones recording sessions in France for Exile on Main Street (only in Seattle on the Lake). I was playing a song by my second lesson. When I am occasionally downtrodden by what I feel like is the futility of a guitar in my grubby, fat hands, David, like a sensei, helps build me back up, developing my skill and pointing out what is, in fact, a burgeoning talent. It takes time. It takes practice. And I feel lucky to have chosen David as my instructor for his easy nature, graciousness, and what you can tell is a true love for the guitar that is infectious. Put it this way: I feel like there isn’t anybody he can’t teach. Even my significant other has remarked upon the tremendous progress I have made and the increasing confidence in my playing. It’s a pleasure to be his student. I might even say an honor.

Playing the guitar has been on my bucket list for a long time and I finally started taking lessons. I am so happy my first try was with David. I have been with David about a year and half, maybe more. David has so much knowledge and experience I get a really deep instruction from him, from chord formation and music theory and primarily practical practice learning my favorite songs.
David is relaxed and kind and that goes along way too.

David is an exceptional musician and a great teacher. He tailors the lessons to fit your needs and works hard to find out what teaching methods works best you.

We can’t believe our good fortune in finding David; he’s a top-​notch teacher and musician. He teaches my 11 year old, and the progress he’s made in just under a year is really unbelievable. David is patient, flexible and easy going, yet keeps my high energy kid focused and motivated.
Can’t imagine going to anyone else!

I had been wanting to learn how to play the guitar for years and for my B-​day my girlfriend bought me some lessons. She couldn’t have picked a better place to buy the lessons from.
David makes you feel comfortable and really understands the way that people learn and how to teach in the most effective way. The guitar is a tough instrument to learn and you want to learn from someone knowledgeable and patient and that’s exactly what David is.
Rock on!