Adult Student Testimonial
I’m a 72-year old who’s been playing guitar since I was in high school. I had taken some lessons for a few months when I first started, and have played ever since. Even after joining a band and playing gigs, and playing quite a bit for my church, I felt like I had really been stuck on the same plateau for a long time. So about 4 months ago, I started taking lessons with Mike.
He worked with me to come up with a good plan – in my case, the focus is on learning how to improvise leads, adding some finger-style patterns and skills, and learning how to write songs. Thanks to his excellent teaching, I’ve made progress on all three fronts.
Mike brings lots of experience to the party – both as a teacher and a performer – and has a library of jam tracks, tabs, and videos that provide a great foundation for learning. He’s a terrific guitarist, and can demonstrate and explain in a very clear way.
Mike teaches lessons via FaceTime, which is very convenient. He’s very flexible if you need to reschedule, and the cost of lessons is very reasonable.
Best of all, he’s a joy to work with. He takes a genuine interest in his students, is relentlessly positive, and it’s obvious that he’s rooting for his students to get better.
So regardless of whether you’re a beginner or a guitarist who’s been playing for a long time who’s looking to raise your game, check him out!
Adult Student Testimonial
I am a 70 year old retired middle school teacher. I thought it would be fun to learn how to play the guitar to accompany myself. I enjoy singing for my church and for friends. I took a few lessons from a young man in my church but it was very sporadic. Basically, I learned a few chords here and there. After a few months, I felt I was just staggering, going nowhere with my playing. I knew nothing about strumming or picking or even reading notes on my guitar fret-board. Even though my teacher was a relative decent guitar player himself, he seemed to lack the ability to teach it.
When I met Mike Rogers, I immediately felt that I could actually learn to play the guitar well. He has very deep technical and practical knowledge of the guitar and has been playing for over 60 years. He is very organized and encouraging, not to mention passionate about his art, which is intoxicating. He emphasizes the importance of practicing properly, even if it's only for 10 minutes. He goes over posture; hand and finger stretching; using the metronome for the correct beat; and many many other detailed advice of how not to be a sloppy player but a great player. It's important to practice notes correctly before moving on to the next stage. He has an incredible curriculum and lesson plans that help the student naturally gravitate to the next stage of professionalism. After each guitar lesson, he writes up a detailed report for the student so he can remember what he has learned and what to practice for the next lesson.
Already in a few months, my husband and friends have noticed a considerable improvement in my playing. I am very hopeful that I will be able to play the guitar well. Also, I am fortunate to have found the best guitar teacher I could ever had asked for. I feel very confident that I will achieve my goals! I'm also having loads of fun.
Patsy C.
Adult Student Testimonial
I spent several years teaching myself jazz guitar before realizing that I’d made a bad mistake in not finding a good teacher at the beginning. My playing and study habits were weak, there were huge gaps in my knowledge of music and technique, and I spent way too much time generally floundering about and chasing up blind alleys. Searching for guidance, I rediscovered an ancient truth: there are lots of great guitarists out there, but very few great guitar teachers. Fortunately, I found Mike’s Guitar Studio. Mike is that rarest of people, an excellent guitarist who can actually teach. He spent an hour up front talking to me and assessing my needs, then developed a rough syllabus for the months ahead. He has come to every session prepared beforehand with the day’s goals, followed up each lesson with written comments and homework, tracked my progress from week to week, and has been very organized and professional throughout. He’s been great. After only a few weeks with the Studio, I’ve seen clear improvement in my playing, and those embarrassing gaps (“What’s an open chord?”) are gradually filling in. My only regret is that I didn’t find Mike ten years ago. I can highly recommend Mike’s Guitar Studio. If he had stars on his rating page, I’d give Mike five."
Kevin L.
Adult Student Testimonial
My daughter was struggling with guitar in college, and she was told by an advisor that she would have to leave her program due to her weakness in guitar. Over the summer, Maddie began working with Mike twice a week. After the first lesson, I knew she was in good hands. She left her lesson smiling and over the course of a few short weeks, she gained so much confidence. His patience, attention to detail as well as his high standards have given her the skills to succeed in guitar. She doesn't have to leave her program, and she is going to continue to work with Mike while she is in her music therapy program. Mike is extremely patient and unlike her professors, takes great care to break down guitar into manageable steps. It is obvious that he loves teaching and knows how to teach a complicated instrument to someone who has never played an instrument before. Maddie has worked very hard over the summer to ensure that she can pursue her dream of becoming a music therapist. She would not be able to do so without Mike. I cannot recommend him enough.
Cassandra P.
Adult Student Testimonial
I started playing the guitar two years ago at the age of 67. I had never touched a musical instrument before that. I first started with online, for-fee access to structured video tutorials. That was useful but provided no feedback. Next I tried a 10-week, $100 adult education course. It was taught by a great guitarist who was a horrible teacher. I then tried a national guitar chain for private instruction. Same story. He was a good guitarist who had no idea how to teach. Then I stumbled upon Mike and was impressed by the testimonials saying he forced you to learn new skills. That was just what I needed. I had become competent at strumming a lot of “cowboy chord” songs but couldn’t use a metronome or even tap my foot to the beat. Mike has forced me to learn picking, blues shuffle, double-stops, correct pinkie placement, and much more.
These new skills are all things I had no intention of learning. I just wanted to be a better campfire guitarist but Mike provided the confidence and inspiration to make me think I could actually learn some more challenging techniques through his structured practice sessions. A key difference in Mike’s instruction is that after each lesson Mike sends individualized and detailed “Lesson Notes”. They review what we’ve studied and what I need to focus on in the next week. In summary, Mike’s teaching style, structure and constant pushing me to test the limits has made me a better guitarist than I had hoped I could be. I'm really happy Mike is my teacher.
Dave H.
After a 20+ year hiatus from the guitar, I decided to give it another go. At the age of 60, I was somewhat reluctant and very nervous. But after three months with Mike, I am encouraged and very excited to continue the journey. He is extremely knowledgeable, an excellent guitar player, and, most importantly, very patient. I cannot recommend him and his teaching enough. He has re-sparked my love for learning new instruments and my love for music! I will forever be grateful.
Adult Student Testimonial
I decided to give guitar lessons another try after being self taught and feeling very limited in what I’d been able to teach myself, which is, admittedly… not a whole lot. I have to say, Mike is an absolute joy to work with and a wonderful teacher. I’m only on my 3rd lesson, but I can see clear improvement with my playing and I feel like I’ve learned so much already (and its not overwhelming, its just fun). My lessons with him have quickly become the highlight of my week and I find myself truly looking forward to my next lessons. I’ve tried a few teachers in the past but they never really seemed to understand I wanted to learn my instrument- not just a few songs to have in my back pocket. Of course learning songs is the ultimate goal, but I truly appreciate that Mike takes the time to use songs in order to teach the instrument itself and goes beyond just learning how to play some chords around the campfire that sound good. He also took the time to learn what I wanted to get out of my lessons and took into account the styles of music I wanted to play. He’s unbelievably patient, kind, clear, organized and supportive (which is huge for me because building up confidence with my playing is a major goal of mine). I just can’t say enough about how awesome he is and I feel like the sky is the limit with my playing now that I have found someone who is so knowledgeable and obviously loves being a teacher. Trust me, he rocks.
Jane L.
Adult Student Testimonial
I am still a beginner on guitar, playing only for a couple of months. However, playing a few things for family and friends, they always ask “I always wanted to know how to do that. How did you learn?” To which I confidently answer, “Get a good teacher!” Mike has done a great job teaching the fundamentals and correcting bad habits, all in the context of some classic songs. Learning guitar definitely requires a solid teacher and structure based on the objectives that Mike will guide you towards. With Mike, you will *learn guitar*, which is an art beyond strumming a couple of cowboy chords to campfire songs. If you really want to learn guitar, get a teacher. And if you get a teacher, get Mike!
John M.
Adult Student Testimonial
Mike has been helping me get back to playing guitar since a little over a month and is been great! His lessons cater to your knowledge level while also giving the right path to improving. Would highly recommend for a player at any level looking to up their playing skills.
Sharookh D.
Learning from Mike has been a great experience. He has selection of music to choose from. He starts at the beginning and builds on the basics. He can tell very quickly your strengths and weaknesses and builds the lessons to give you what you need at your level. I highly recommend Mike to anyone who is serious about playing.
George L.
Adult Student Testimonial
Chris Z.
Adult Student Testimonial
I've been taking acoustic guitar lessons with Mike for the past few months. I am self-taught and played a lot in my teens and twenties, but less so in the past decade or so. I decided to pick it up again as my kids have gotten a bit older, and I've found myself looking for something to occupy my time and mind during Covid. Mike has been playing and teaching for a long time. He has a firm grasp of both the technique and underlying theory, and he enjoys imparting his wisdom to his pupils. Mike has a no-nonsense attitude towards guitar and believes you get out of it what you'll put into it. After the first 2-3 lessons, he provided me with a detailed lesson plan that starts with learning of some half-dozen songs, roughly one per week, each of which are great to be able to play but also teach important techniques (bass runs, double-stops, finger-picking, etc.) that can be incorporated into ones repertoire over time. He's been demystified some concepts that I thought were far more complicated then they actually are, including connecting different pentatonic patterns and transitioning from playing scales to cool-sounding licks within scale patterns. He recognizes that concepts need to build upon one another, but that you can also advance pretty quickly if you're willing to put in the effort. Things that require effort, like playing with a metronome or practicing alternate picking, ultimately become second-nature and make you a better player. As he likes to say, practice doesn't make perfect. Practice makes permanent. You decide what you want to be your playing style (sloppy or clean) based on how you build it into muscle memory. Everything builds upon itself.
Joel S.
Adult Student Testimonial
After two years of self-taught guitar I was struggling to continue to improve and decided to find a teacher. In our first lesson, Mike assessed my abilities and we were immediately working on new skills. Each lesson is focused, each week I know what I am working on, and so my practice is rewarded with tangible progress. In the two months I've worked with Mike I have seen dramatic improvements in both technique and "musicality"---I'm playing songs that just a few months ago were way beyond my abilities. Most importantly, I'm enjoying my guitar more than ever.
Greg. F.
Adult Student Testimonial
As a middle age learner I had been taking classes for a year without a clear path before I found Mike. I've been taking lessons from him for 6 months and I've advanced so much I can't believe it! My finger-picking was unsure and slow before I started lessons with him. His method of teaching builds up in such a way that you gain knowledge and speed in a natural way. He has a deep understanding of music and the guitar and he clearly loves teaching, all of which make learning from him a great experience plus great fun. With him all the different parts of learning guitar have come together.
Mercedes V.
Adult Student Testimonial
I’m a 60-year-old beginner and after trying to self teach for several months, I decided I needed some more structure and help. Mike has been amazing! He laid out a plan during the first lesson, reviews what we do through follow up emails, and has been extremely helpful every step of the way. There are two things that I’d especially like to point out: Mike is extremely knowledgeable about the guitar and communicates his knowledge in easily understood terms. The second thing is more important to me, I think, and it’s that Mike really builds confidence. To me that’s important because as a beginner progress can seem really slow,but every time I have a lesson with Mike, I leave inspired and ready to play more. Mike is a really great instructor, and I would recommend him to anyone who is looking to learn to play or wants to improve their current level.
Tom F.
Adult Student TestimonialI took lessons for a year before I contacted Mike about lessons. I’m thankful I contacted him. In four lessons I’ve advanced further than I had in a year. He is very patient and knowledgeable and is a very good communicator. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that if I practice the way Mike instructs me too, I will be playing in a very short amount of time. I would highly recommend Mike.
Ben G.
Adult Student Testimonial
I am a 59 year old with no previous musical background. I have been working with Mike since January. In the past I have worked with two other instructors and had very limited success. Since working with Mike my progress has been amazing! I am actually playing songs and having fun doing it. Mike makes the lessons challenging but fun. He knows how to listen to your struggles and helps you over come them. I look forward to my lessons every week and can't thank Mike enough.Dave C.
Adult Student Testimonial
As a self-taught, rhythm guitar player of over 12 years, I had given up trying to learn lead guitar. I had read countless books, taken a myriad of classes only to feel as though I was incapable of learning beyond chord strumming and finger picking.
Mike told me about a revolutionary new method that would teach me lead guitar in one lesson. I am a skeptic, but I reluctantly showed up for a thirty minute lesson with low expectations. It is difficult to recapture the break through that occurred without sounding inauthentic, however, I can confidently say that Mike has discovered a secret formula. I not only played a lead improvisational part during the first lesson, but left his house armed with the tools I needed to master lead guitar once and for all.
For any new musicians who have the good fortune of having Mike as their first teacher, know that you are truly lucky. Had I had Mike Rogers as a teacher when I first started, I would have become an incredible musician. For those students who feel that they have nothing left to learn, I challenge you to take a lesson with Mike. You will be surprised to discover how much there is that you do not know. Mike Rogers makes learning theory and complex guitar playing simple and achievable. I am thrilled to finally have a teacher I can count on. Thank you Mike for sharing your incredible gift and all of your years of experience with us. We are blessed to know you!
Heather
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Adult Student Testimonial
One skillfully guided artistic breakthrough, followed by successively skillfully guided breakthroughs!
That is an accurate account of my 2.5 months of lessons with acclaimed guitar instructor Michael Rogers.
Following four years of a very successful self-taught guitar playing effort (books, tapes, internet, etc,), this nearly 60 year old faced the reality that I had taught myself all that I was capable of achieving without professional help. Thanks to my daughter and son-in-law, a holiday gift certificate pointed me toward Michael Rogers, celebrated guitarist, instructor and accomplished songwriter.
Following two and a half months with what Native Americans affectionately term a "Spirit Guide" (Michael Rogers, Guitar Instructor) I have experienced multiple breakthroughs in artistic expression, technique and creative understanding.
Michael Rogers is the ideal guitar instructor for the objective-driven (outcome-driven) adult. He focuses on where you want to go with your art, then crafts a logical and effective plan to achieve that objective, and more. His method works!
Subjectively and cognitively, through four years of very successful self-guided instruction that led to playing before audiences numbering in the hundreds, I rejected the notion of becoming the guitar pupil of a "hard rock, wunderkind and juvenile banger," who was incapable of fully appreciating where I wanted to take my love of music and the guitar. Mike Rogers proved to be the ideal answer to my prayers.
His first question: "What are you trying to achieve?" Every encounter thereafter, was individually scripted movement toward an instructor- planned "breakthrough" that led toward my desired end-state. No wasted effort or movement. The results are simply AMAZING!
In summary, Michael Rogers is the ideal guitar instructor for the adult student who knows precisely where he (she) wants to go and does not want an unnecessarily theory-ladened tour along the way. He is capable of the theory-ladened approach, but leans heavily toward the outcome-based method. Mike is also the ideal instructor for the adult student who values the kindred artistic “spirit-guided" journey toward the stated creative end.
I cannot endorse Michael Rogers more highly!
Michael Rochelle/Guitarist /Adult Student
Adult Student Testimonial
I'm an experienced guitarist; been playing rock, blues and lately jazz in performing bands for many years. But my guitar skills had become stale -- my playing was always tied to the same chord forms, riffs, and scales that I'd become accustomed to using for years. Although I've only had a few lessons with him so far, Mike Rogers is starting to bring some sense and unity to my playing -- showing relationships between forms, expanding the fret-board, tying theory to practice, and improving my improvisational skills. He is a congenial teacher, is well-prepared for my lessons, and pays attention to the things that I want to learn. Very satisfied with his teaching.
Mike A.
Adult Student TestimonialI have been an on again off again guitar player since my teens. Unfortunately mostly off. By my fifties I had acquired some basic knowledge and ability, a hand full of songs and a collection of song books and guitar magazines but no real skill level to show for it. Then along comes Mike Rogers. From the very first session I was learning how to play one of my favorite songs the right way, and also gaining the needed knowledge of music and the physical skills to make it happen. In less than two years with Mike I have acquired more knowledge and skill than in all the previous years combined. Not to mention the fact I'm having a great time doing it. Mike Rogers has what I call a Fast Track instructional method. We identify my goals and he shows me what I need to learn and how to achieve them, all the while expanding my base of knowledge and skill to advance as a guitar player. I strongly recommend Mike Rogers to anyone looking for "that guy" that will help you achieve your guitar goals regardless of your current age or skill level.
Mike L.
Adult Student Testimonial:
So glad to have met Mike. He is very relaxed, but also very disciplined. He will set goals for you and really help you improve your playing. A lot of instructors are just show offs or quite disorganized, flitting from one thing to another. Mike is not like that. He has worked to get where he is and at how to best teach what he knows. Steve C.
From a student going off to college
It has been great taking lessons from you this past year and I am very thankful for all the things you have taught me and I can't thank you enough for everything you have done for me. I have all the files and music saved in my emails still. Also I don't think I ever told you but I did listen to the CD you gave me around Christmas a few times and track 2 was definitely my favorite, but overall the cd is really great! I hope you have more success and more Grammy nominations and I will vote for you when they happen!
Thanks for everything,
Brady
Parent Testimonial
A little over a year ago, our 8-year-old son Liam expressed interest in learning to play the guitar. Like any parents, we swelled with pride at the idea of our son entertaining our friends and family with his guitar playing. But we knew that learning to play depended on a lot of factors – number one being his instructor. We were very lucky to have hooked up with Mike Rogers as Liam’s guitar teacher.
Mike has, besides unbelievable guitar skills, a wonderful capacity to teach. He is low-key and gentle, but moves his students along at a strong pace; so they see results and are inspired to reach the next level. Liam started with the usual beginning book, Guitar Method I – and a little over a year after he started learning from Mike, Liam is playing from: The Beatles easy guitar, Green Day for easy guitar, and the Eagles Anthology-easy guitar.
Mike has taught Liam to read music, which we felt was very important in learning an instrument – as opposed to learning “tabs.” And Mike has also taught Liam that learning to play the guitar can be a life-long endeavor, but it’s a lot of fun along the way and a trip worth taking. There is nothing more gratifying than hearing your child play one of your favorite tunes on his guitar, and Mike has helped make that a reality for us when Liam sat down to play, “Here Comes the Sun.”
If you are thinking about taking guitar lessons, or getting lessons for a child, we strongly recommend Mike Rogers!
Sincerely,
Will and Debbie Nash
Parent Testimonial
About two and a half years ago, our son Brennan decided he wanted to take guitar lessons. We saw this as an opportunity to balance his sport activities and help raise our son as a well rounded young man so we bought him a guitar. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in finding an instructor close to home and it quickly became an 'ornament' in the corner of the sunroom. When his school offered guitar lessons we jumped at the chance and Brennan soon began instruction with Mike Rogers. Mike's fun personality coupled with his amazing ability to connect with the kids while teaching the instrument made it one of Brennan favorite activities, so at the end of the school year, we continued lessons with him at his guitar studio.
Mike has taught Brennan more than we ever thought he could in these 2 years and it has been a pleasure watching Brennan progress through the more advanced chords while gaining rhythm and confidence. Mike's demeanor is perfectly suited to teach and encourage children and he has quickly gained the respect and friendship of Brennan. He is patient and takes his time to explain techniques in a way that Brennan can understand. His love of teaching and passion for music shines through in every lesson. We never feel rushed, in fact, many times Mike spent extra time with Brennan if there was not another student waiting. Our eager, newly minted guitar player, looks forward to the lessons and has said more than once, “that went so fast, I wish I could take lessons for an hour”.
We cannot say enough great things about Mike. We have the deepest personal and professional respect for him and greatly appreciate the unique energy, passion and tireless creativity he brings to every lesson. He is a fantastic teacher for both adults and children. We feel very blessed to have him and highly recommend him to anyone thinking about learning the guitar.
Chris and Sandi Williams
Parent Testimonial
Timothy has been with Mike for almost 3 years now and loves the great atmosphere in his home studio. Mike has a no pressure style and gives Timothy a steady stream of great classics to play. Mike has also been very flexible about make-ups, time shifts, and even short gaps in lessons when Timothy's schedule changes.
Suzanne Dee
Parent Testimonial (two child students-over 3 years of instruction each)
We have had other guitar teachers, but Mike is the best teacher of, not just guitar, but also of music theory, that we have ever had. He offers a comprehensive education in music.
The best leaders are successful because people want to follow them. Mike’s style encourages the student to want to be successful at mastering the guitar. There is nothing forced or demanding about his teaching style, but he is still effective at motivating the student to succeed.
Kevin and Karen Cole
Parent Testimonial
Mike has taught my son for 2 1/2 years. He is passionate about teaching , never rushes him, and routinely goes past the 30 minutes booked so he can teach one more thing! Mike will continue to teach guitar lessons to my son until he goes away to college. We could not have found a better instructor.
Elsy C.
Parent Testimonial
I was looking for guitar lessons for my son as a Christmas present. I wasn't sure how long the excitement would last. Mike has been fabulous in working with my son and stoking the fire of interest. My son looks forward to his lessons every week and gets real excited about the progress he's made. I can't speak highly enough about how Mike has helped and encouraged my son.
Tami C.
