I’ve been studying classical guitar with William (at his location) for about 6 months. Initially, he helped me find an instrument that would meet my needs and taught me how to care for it.  I’d call him a connoisseur of classical acoustic guitars! He knows how they should sound and has valuable guidance to provide for beginning guitarists like me who may not be as able to see or hear the differences.  I’m glad I got his advice before making a commitment / investment on a particular instrument.

I am 46 and have a musical background (I already play both piano and trombone). William has very effectively adapted his teaching to fit with the skills I already have. In some cases that means speeding up and in other cases going back to basics to make sure I have the fundamentals down. 

His knowledge of music and musical instruments enables him to very effectively describe to experienced musicians how the guitar is different from what they are used to and what they’ll need to pay attention to.

William has been very focused on the details of correct technique, preferring to slow down and work specific things rather than moving on or cutting corners for the sake of getting through the method materials. If you want to learn how to play completely, correctly, efficiently and without hurting yourself William is your teacher.

One of the things I appreciate the most is William’s patience. He’s a stickler for correct technique so he doesn’t let errors slide, but he corrects in a way that is both helpful and encouraging. There’s no bit of guidance that he’s given me that, when I put it into practice, doesn’t dramatically help my progress.  I’ve learned in a very short time to really listen to him. He knows what he’s talking about.

I can wholeheartedly recommend William to anyone wanting to learn to play guitar. He’s one of the best music instructors I’ve ever had!

I’m happy to answer anyone’s questions on my experiences with William or this review.

I started taking lessons from William when I was 15, and continued with him for about 3 years until I moved away.  The first time I talked with him on the phone, he asked me several questions about what I wanted to play, what I liked to listen to, my goals as far as the instrument and then used this information to put together a personalized lesson plan that taught me not only what I wanted to learn, but what I needed to learn to become a real guitar player.  I consider William a personal friend and a mentor.  Whenever I go to visit him, I find that he is still teaching me, years later. If I have any regrets from my time under William’s instruction, it’s that I never truly appreciated the quality and consistency of my lessons until I moved away. If you are looking for the best guitar instructor from beginner to expert, you’ve found him and you won’t be disappointed.

A side story, 
2 years after I stopped taking lessons from William, I stopped into a guitar store in Tempe and over heard a dad asking two of the employees about lessons for his son. They directed the man to a bulletin board covered In cards from local teachers and said ” grab one that says William Geiswite”.