STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

Nick is a terrific teacher. Not only does he make his studio a fun place to jam, his virtual lessons are amazing as well!
He is very good at communicating with students and is interested in their lives outside of music. Whether you have never touched a guitar or have been playing for a couple years, Nick is the right teacher!

-- Aria M.

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Nick disproves the theory that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. In the last year he has helped me to realize my lifelong desire to learn to play a guitar. He keeps it interesting and fun while giving me the technical skills to play whatever I want. He patiently waits for me to get the current idea before moving to the next, a challenge with me to be sure.

-- Paul M.

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Nick is awesome! As someone who lives in California and does lessons over Skype, I am shocked at how well it is going.
And I think it is because Nick is a stellar teacher. He keeps it fun and relevant to what I like to listen to and he also sprinkles in theory and scales and the like. Anyone considering taking lessons (and I started at 46) should give Nick a shot.

-- Jamin S.

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Nick is a fantastic drum/guitar teacher for my two beginner students. Lessons and at-home practice are fun and engaging, and my kids look forward to learning more each week!

-- Lisa B.

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Once I started taking lessons with Nick, my progress grew exponentially. He is very knowledgeable and teaches in a way that makes learning the guitar very fun and rewarding. I’m so much better at guitar than I expected to be after playing for just a year, and that is 100% thanks to Nick! I’d recommend him to everyone!

-- Jeff D.

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It's hard to find someone who is great at playing the guitar and who is also a good teacher. Nick is both. Nick is very nice and patient. His methods of teaching are awesome too. Since Nick started teaching me I have improved greatly and feel like I actually know what I am doing. Nick gives me great music to play. All in all Nick is a great guitar player and teacher and he is very good with people.

-- Allyson F.

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Nick has taught my two sons guitar/bass for 3 years. As 9th and 6th graders they are heavily involved in sports and have rigorous course loads at school. Fitting in music is a challenge, but also a priority for us. Nick is a cool guy with serious chops, so that makes it fun and hip for them. He is extremely flexible with the lesson structure; he throws in some scales and technique, teaches some songs my kids request, plus introduces them to music that my kids don't listen to, which exposes them to a wide variety of genres. I can't say enough good things about Nick as a teacher and role model.

-- Eric Z.

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I've been taking guitar lessons from Nick now for a little over a year. In that time he has taught me major and minor scales, how to play to backing tracks and most importantly, how to break a song down when practicing it to learn it in the most effective way. But it's not only that he teaches all this stuff, it's how. He tries to make everything fun and enjoyable whether it's jamming along with you in an improvisation or giving you the choice of your next song to learn. He is also always upbeat and finds something positive to say about the day's lesson. Overall Nick is an awesome teacher and cool person to be around and I'm proud to be one of his students!

-- Derek H.

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I've been playing guitar in a band for a few years now. I have had a few different teachers over the years. As much as I loved playing, I usually dreaded my lessons. Luckily when I decided to take lessons again to further improve as a musician, I found Nick. He is a fantastic musician. He has a unique way of teaching that makes learning fun. You'll look forward to every lesson and no matter what your skill level is, he will have you jamming in no time. I guarantee he will make you a better musician!

-- Sandi R.

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To me, learning to play the guitar meant more than just memorizing a bunch of chords. As a beginner at age 66, I considered just buying a DVD course or a book and setting out on my own. Instead, I decided that there is no substitute for a "live" teacher who can answer questions, correct mistakes, identify bad habits, and provide helpful feedback and advice. Nick provides the perfect blend of technique and music theory. His enthusiasm for all genres of music is contagious, and he has led me to explore songs I never would have considered on my own. He's a patient teacher, a talented and expert guitarist, who creates a non-threatening, relaxed learning environment. No matter how difficult the material, I always leave at the end of a lesson with a sense of accomplishment. Perhaps the best testimonial comes from my wife, who now tells me that she enjoys listening to the music while I practice! In short, I'm glad I chose to use a teacher, and that Nick was the teacher I chose.

-- Joe M.

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Nick is a great and talented guitar instructor. With only taking roughly one year of guitar lessons, I have learned a great deal of theory which is helping me create and write better riffs and leads to my songs. Nick will teach you many of his great methods he has come up with over his years of guitar playing. Your mind will be opened to all of the guitar greats out there and even others you may have never heard of! Not only will Nick show you new songs, but he will ask you what you're interested in learning and he will teach you. There are so many different genres that you will be taught which has expanded my guitar playing abilities. There is no other guitar instructor I would recommend other than Nick Carothers.

-- Tommy H.

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Nick is an excellent teacher who is well-versed in both theory and practice. As someone with no prior instrument or music experience I find that he articulates ideas in a very approachable fashion and is willing and able to spend additional time on topics to deepen understanding. He has a very flexible and patient teaching style and structures lessons to focus on what you are interested in playing (but he is not afraid to introduce you to other genres). He does this all in a way that will make you a better musician (and music appreciator) in the process. In the year or so I have been taking lessons, I have found Nick to be very helpful and supportive and as a result he has enabled me to make great strides in my playing.

-- Jared W.

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Nick disproves the theory that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. In the last year he has helped me to realize my lifelong desire to learn to play a guitar. He keeps it interesting and fun while giving me the technical skills to play whatever I want. He patiently waits for me to get the current idea before moving to the next, a challenge with me to be sure. Thanks Nick, see you next week.

-- Doug M.

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Nick has enabled me to greatly broaden my musical abilities; from strumming better rhythms, playing blues leads, and even developing an appreciation for jazz guitar and blue grass music. Nick does not just teach music, he really lives it. He is always coming up with new techniques to pass onto his students. Why? Because he has experimented with what works and what does not work. The addition of his created backing tracks also allows me to learn songs in time with the help of a virtual band. There is a lot of hard work on my part still ahead in this journey of guitar playing, but my toolbox will be full of ideas and options to help me through.

-- Stephen L.

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Nick Carothers is an enthusiastic and talented guitar player and instructor. I've learned so much about guitar playing and music theory from Nick in the past year. He's patient, knowledgeable and creative in his approach to teaching students. As an adult student, taking up guitar later in life, I was floundering and making very little progress until Nick became my instructor. He's been the perfect teacher to help me develop my guitar playing skills.

-- Randy E.

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I have taken lessons from Nick for over two years. Nick has a unique style of teaching that's hard to find in other teachers. He teaches the essential components of theory and songwriting while still making it light and fun. For example, instead of pounding out scale after scale, he lets you improvise with them while he plays a walking bass line or rhythm guitar. He gives you a chance to express your own creativity and ideas. He has tailored the lessons to my rock style and interests but also introduced me to different genres like blues, jazz, and funk. 

Another great thing about his lessons is that you can bring in some of your own music and he will teach you to play it. With the integration of backing tracks on the computer, you really feel like you're playing with a full band. I would recommend Nick to anyone wanting to pick up guitar.

-- Jack P. 

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I was always interested in guitar and learning to play the guitar. As a kid, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and the 70's and 80's guitar heroes amazed me with their abilities. As I got older, I discovered the Blues and other guitar virtuosos such as Stevie Ray Vaughan. However, I felt I had little or no musical talent or skills and had no chance of ever learning to play guitar.

That all changed when I had a chance to start playing the guitar and taking lessons with Nick. Nick's outstanding guitar and musical knowledge helped me with rhythm, song structure and the basics of the guitar. His encouragement and patience with this beginner has helped me get through areas I had problems with. His ability to hang in there with me has led me to continue to pursue playing the guitar and stick with it. I thoroughly enjoy taking guitar lessons with Nick and highly recommend him to anyone interested in the guitar!

-- Matt L.

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Nick is an amazing guitar player and teacher. I have been taking lessons from Nick for 4 months and I have learned a lot already. Nick has made learning to play guitar fun and easy. Nick truly knows how to make you the next SLASH. Nick, in my opinion, is one of the best guitar teachers and I am confident that Nick will be able to teach you everything you would ever want to know about guitar. Thank you, Nick, for all that you do!!!!

-- Logan C.

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Nick is an excellent guitar teacher. I've been taking lessons from him for 2 years, and I couldn't ask for a better mentor. Besides the fact he is an amazing guitar and bass player, his musical outlook is one of maturity and experience. He enjoys everything from classical to metal, jazz to rock, and incorporates these genres into his teachings. He's gotten me into so many bands and genres that I didn't even know existed before. He creates a warm atmosphere in lessons. He knows the busy life most people have, and will accommodate your schedule. He's understanding and patient if you're having trouble on a certain technique, and will work with you to improve on it. I've never regretted having Nick for a guitar teacher, and I'm positive anyone who chooses him won't either.

-- Andrew N.

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Nick Carothers is one of the best guitar teachers around. I love having him as my teacher. He totally rocks at guitar and also makes lessons fun! He is so good...he rocks...!!! 

-- Patrick K.

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Nick has taught me everything I wanted to know.  He shows all the correct ways to do things, and the perfect timings. He gives you the correct fingering, and anything a music sheet tab page might leave off the song. Besides teaching songs you want to know, or suggesting songs that he knows you'll like, he teaches a good amount of theory. He teaches scales, speed, correct picking, timing, and fingering. Nick found several new ways to teach scales and patterns and jazz and blues and whatever else you can imagine! It's incredible what he does for his students learning abilities. He will teach you how to solo in different keys and create great ideas. In the course of a month of him showing me cool ideas, telling me what was good and not so good, and just PRACTICING, I had a million ideas and it sounded GREAT! 

-- Patrick B.

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Nick is a great teacher because he is very supportive of any style of guitar you want to learn, from jazz to metal, and he has simple effective methods for teaching guitar theory. If you put in the work, you will be right at home on the neck in no time.

-- Nathan J.

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I started with Nick knowing virtually nothing about the guitar and how much there was to playing it. Nick knows more about guitar than anyone I know. His interests have influenced what I play and what style of music I listen to. His knowledge of blues and jazz as well as classic rock have greatly influenced and increased my skill level. He has opened a lot of different musical directions and given me the tools and inspiration required in order to reach my goals with the guitar. Nick is always enthusiastic during lessons, and really makes sure he can teach all he can before time is up. Nick was everything I needed in a teacher. Even after all of the time I've spent being taught by him I still return with the guarantee of my money's worth of interesting musical direction.

-- John K.

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Nick has taught me a lot about both guitar and bass. I am now able to play many songs that I thought I wouldn't be able to. Also, the way he teaches is easy to follow and is very worthwhile. I am glad I have Nick as a guitar and bass teacher.

-- Cameron K.

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Our daughters have been taking lessons from Nick for about 4 months and we are all amazed at their progress. One plays guitar and the other bass. Nick makes their lessons challenging but a lot of fun too. He has a great system using background tracks and often joins in himself so they get to experience what it is like to play with a band right away. He obviously loves what he is doing and is great at sharing it with his students. The lessons are always a highlight of our week.

--Chris D.

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My 12-year-old son started guitar lessons with Nick two years ago as a beginner, and I'm astounded by his progress. Nick's methods are fun and motivating, and my child is eager to practice with all the ways Nick uses to encourage him. Nick doesn't push my child, but somehow he inspires him to do better every week. Also, Nick appears "cool" to my child without losing his authority--so important for boys.

--Joan C.

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Nick is extremely flexible with scheduling, and has been a great teacher with both bass and guitar. He doesn't push you, but also keeps things moving and doesn't let progress stall.

--Nicholas J.

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I have learned so much about music and playing guitar in such a short time from Nick. He is very patient and efficient in his teaching. It is a very relaxed environment with no pressure at all. I would recommend his lessons to both kids and adults.

--Kendall A.