Other Great Guitar Teachers in Seattle

Right now I have a waiting list around five years long.  I’m sorry–I wish I could take everybody right away. Perhaps you’d like to study with another teacher, at least until I can teach you.  Here are some of my favorite guitar teachers in Seattle.

Joe Walker

I met Joe shortly after he’d started his teaching business, Deft Digits Guitar Lessons, in Seattle in 2011. I quickly discovered we saw eye-to-eye, and this is been confirmed as we’ve become both collaborators and friends over the last few years.

He has a strong background in jazz, blues, classic rock, music theory, and improvisation, he loves working with beginners as well as advanced players, and he’s fantastic with kids.

With his structured but flexible approach, Joe addresses each student differently, customizing his curriculum for your own musical ambitions, whether you’re eager to play your favorite songs around a campfire, ready to master the fretboard after many years on the guitar, or just intent on becoming the next guitar god. Be sure to check out all the free articles and videos on his website.

Styles: All skill levels for rock, blues, jazz, folk, pop. Beginners on bass, ukulele.

Ages: 6 to adult

Location: In the Wedgewood / Maple Leaf neighborhood. Also available for Skype lessons.

Availability: Weekday afternoons and evenings

206-496-2905
Email Joe
Deft Digits Guitar Lessons

Quinn Fitzpatrick

Quinn is a thorough, encouraging and patient instructor who teaches all styles, ages and levels. His intent for every student is to have a solid foundation, be inspired and play the music they love. Quinn is committed to every student’s creative potential and his lessons encourage every player to go to the next level. He has a strong background in fingerstyle and enjoys creating and playing arrangements for solo guitar.

Styles: All skill levels for Blues, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Bluegrass, Country, Folk, Celtic and Latin styles. Music theory as it applies to guitar and songwriting. Cutting edge learning technologies for fretboard navigation and guitar mastery. Beginners on piano.

Ages: 7 to adult. Groups and individuals.

Location: North Seattle/Sand Point. Also teaches on Whidbey Island. Offers Guitar House Calls and teaches lessons via Skype.

Availability: Weekdays, Evenings and Saturdays

360-969-5474
Email Quinn
Seattle Guitar Academy

Julie Sakahara and Joe Vinikow

Joe and Julie are fun, friendly, and patient–wonderful teachers and wonderful people. Like several of the other teachers on this page, I met them at the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop. They teach guitar classes for adults Tuesday nights at Roosevelt High School. No private students. Just fun classes.

Guitar for Grownups
206-322-5692

Orville Johnson

Orville is not only a world-class musician–he’s played on hundreds of albums, and appeared on Prarie Home Companion–he’s also a generous and dedicated teacher.  He even performed at a recent Coffee Shop Jam.  What a treat!

I took lessons from Orville in 2006 to get some help with my country and blues technique, and I enjoyed his patient teaching style and wealth of knowledge.  And you must see him perform with Mark Graham in the hilarious Kings of Mongrel Folk.  I love their song “Neighbor of the Beast,” about the disgruntled next-door neighbor of the Devil.

Styles: Dobro, Bottleneck Slide, Fingerstyle both blues and other, Flatpicking both bluegrass and other, Improvising and soloing, Music Theory applied to guitar, General guitar applicable to many styles.

Ages: Older teens and adults

Location: Dusty Strings

Availability: Tuesdays and occasional weekend appointments

206-932-4971
Orville’s Website

Val D’Alessio

I found out about Val through the parent of one of her students, who gave her high praise. I now teach one of her former students and am blown away with the quick progress he made with her.

Val believes that there’s music in everyone. It is her joy and passion, as a guitar teacher and songwriting coach, to help people discover their music and develop their abilities in a fun, inspiring environment. She loves to make learning meaningful for students by teaching them the songs they love, the music that “lights them up”.

Lessons are individualized and she has a practical, homespun approach to teaching. Skills and techniques are mostly taught through song, emphasizing ear training with simple tablature notation.

Styles: Rock, folk, and blues, beginners to intermediate.

Ages: Adults and kids 9 and up.

Location: Ravenna/Wedgewood neighborhood

Email Val at [email protected]
Website