Testimonials

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.

William has been exceptional as a teacher for my daughter for about 5 years now.  My daughter started lessons at age 9 with a smaller guitar recommended by William and as she grew, he made recommendations on both electric and acoustic guitars. 

His understanding of her goals with music and personalizing a plan to help her attain those goals makes William invaluable. 

Many programs are geared for teaching the student to play a song quickly which leads to boredom; the building blocks that William has set up provides the student with skills that will keep her engaged in this choice.  If you are a parent and you want the best for your child, choose a teacher that has credibility, and the student’s best interest in mind.  Choose William like we did.

For 15 years, I’d failed to stick with guitar through various teachers and self-teaching attempts. When I moved to Phoenix I started taking lessons with William. I’ve now been taking lessons with him for over 2 years.

On top of that, William is a great person and I now consider him a friend as well as a teacher.

I started taking lessons from William a few months ago.  At the age of 59, I finally decided to take the plunge and I’m so glad I did.  William is a first rate teacher and musical mentor.  Having been a teacher myself, I really appreciate his teaching skills.  He is incredibly knowledgeable and patient.  His preparation is meticulous.  If you are thinking of taking guitar lessons, this is the man you want!  He helped me select and set up my instrument, tailors my lessons according to my interests, and explains everything in easy to understand terms. Highly recommended!

Lessons with William are worth every penny!  William came as a recommendation from a group of professional musicians – that’s like getting advice on buying a car from a Formula 1 driver!  William understands that music is truly a language you learn to speak fluently.  It takes hard work, persistence, and the ability to develop the character it takes to do something really difficult!  He not only has developed the skill of reading and playing music, but he knows how to make someone the best version of themselves. William is a part of our family and his influence is a life long blessing.

Prior to meeting William, I took guitar lessons from another guitar teacher.  My parents were noticing that after a few months of lessons, I was not improving much.  This is when I met William.  From the get go, William requested that I bring a notebook, folders and my own pick which was vastly different from my last teacher who did not go by the book and never asked me to bring my own equipment.

Every lesson I had with William was structured, planned and never did I have a lesson where William was not prepared.  In fact, the few unproductive lessons we did have were my fault, not William’s due to me not practicing enough or forgetting my equipment.

The lessons William teaches are incredibly engaging as he does not go strictly by the book and is willing to cater the curriculum towards what a student is interested in. Although I am no longer taking classes with William due to moving away for schooling, it is because of William’s great teaching and remarkable persona that to this day I can still recall the lessons I’ve learned.

Curriculum aside, William is a fantastic person who is not only funny and engaging, but has both the skill and love for teaching music.  On a final note, one of the best aspects of taking lessons with William is that he genuinely cares about his students.  There were many times were we reserved some time at the end of a lesson to talk about life or struggles that were hindering me in both music and in life.  As a former student and friend of William, I cannot recommend a better music teacher than him, although I will say that if you like to slack and are not truly invested in music, than William might not be for you.

I’ve taken lessons from William for several years. He helped me choose several of my guitars and worked with me on my acoustic, classical and electric guitars. His knowledge is extensive as guitars are his life. I’ve had other guitar instructors who teach to make money, or on the side. William on the other hand, teaches because he lives guitar, it’s his passion.

William is exceptional with many of the technical aspects that improved my playing efficiency and increased my safety on the guitar. You might ask, “What do I mean by safety?” He taught me how to hold my guitar and reinforces playing it in a manner that reduces the potential for injuries and allows me to play for longer periods of time without getting tired. That’s very important if you love the guitar!

No matter what style of playing I’m interested in, William has been excellent in showing me how to achieve the sound I’m looking for. If I want to play a particular song and he doesn’t know it, all I have to do is play it on I-Tunes for him. He immediately shows me how to play the song, or adapt it to my level so that I can.

William is a patient and enthusiastic teacher that encourages and challenges me to continue to improve. That’s why I continue to take lessons from him and recommend him to anyone who is serious about learning to play.

Mr. Geiswite taught me technique and helped me understand the importance of this instead of going right into songs like most of my last music teachers.

I liked how Mr. Geiswite taught me a technique on something I was really struggling to get through.  He not only taught me the scale, but what a tonic was and helped me identify the tonics in the scale.

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”.

I’ve been taking lessons with William for over 3 years and have enjoyed it greatly.  I’ve learned so much.  My guitar playing has improved exponentially since I started with him.
He is a master of technique and very thorough with his teaching.  If I have a question about what to do or how to approach learning something, William will explain in not only a way that makes sense, but show the most efficient and practical way to do it.
He is a very knowledgeable and friendly teacher.