GUITAR LESSONS
AND COACHING
Specialized guitar instruction for beginner, intermediate, and advanced level students.
Studio reel of guitar students studying with Nikk May
More Information About Private Guitar Lessons
In addition to teaching locally, the studio receives guitar students from across the nation and through varying teaching networks, music programs, and professional referral sources. These guitar students range from modern/contemporary studies, to blues, jazz, praise and worship, classical, soundtrack, and original composers.
Performance-Oriented Guitar Lessons
Though not all guitar students studying privately are mandated to perform, there is a strong emphasis on performance development. Nurturing the essential abilities and intuition that make high level students, private guitar lessons are designed with a student-centered approach to meet students where they are at while simultaneously providing them with the right musical nutrition to build successful skill sets.
Learn To Play As Well As Speak
Many times, students from other lesson programs have spent 10 or so months preparing the same piece, only being trained to recite music from memory. Though memorization is a valuable skill, this method of teaching unfortunately does not allow students to properly understand, communicate, or essentially develop the fundamental ability to "converse" through music. Instead, it rather trains them much the same as a parrot would be trained to imitate without comprehension. Guitar students studying privately here at the studio are taught the proper forms of all notation from traditional clefs and standard sheet music, to chord building, harmonizing, chart reading, improvisation, composition, and more using practical methods that allow them to effectively communicate on their instrument both as a soloist and as part of a larger group or ensemble.
Applicable Theory For Guitar Lessons
Students taking private guitar lessons at the studio are taught critical elements of music theory beyond that of just scales and rhythm exercises. Students develop comprehensive skills allowing them to "connect the dots" to how music is created as well as learning how to create their own original compositions and guitar masterpieces.
Interpretive Guitar Studies
Private guitar lessons encompass an approach that breaks down ideas such as color and texture, relating these to expressive elements like emotion and intent, and ultimately allowing students to touch and feel sound where the art of creating music becomes a much more tangible experience. Students are taught how to listen to the sound and environments around them, strengthening themselves into becoming better musicians as well as performers.
Looking for "Online" Guitar Lessons? Click below!
Private guitar lessons are offered in-studio as well as online using a professional multi-camera setup. Classes are available for both acoustic guitar and electric guitar styles. Private guitar lessons can also be tailored towards a student's particular interest whether it be lead/improvisation, self-accompaniment, note-reading, charting, building repertoire, and anything in between!
Guitar lesson rates are $38/30-minutes, $57/45-minutes, and $76/60-minutes. Video lessons via Zoom are also available. For private lesson requests, please feel free to fill out a New Student Application by clicking the link below!
READY TO DISCOVER YOUR MUSICAL POTENTIAL?
STUDIO SUCCESS, FEATURES, AND SPECIALIZATIONS
SPECIALIZING IN VOICE (SINGING), PIANO, GUITAR, SONGWRITING & MUSIC PRODUCTION
Nikk has worked across numerous stages, both as an educator and professionally managed performer. He's trained students internationally, and also shared students with famous CELEBRITY VOCAL COACHES such as BRETT MANNING (credits: Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Leona Lewis, Hayley Williams), SETH RIGGS (credits: Michael Jackson, Anita Baker, Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, Madonna), and MAMA JAN SMITH (credits: Usher, The Band Perry). Nikk has had the pleasure of watching his students connect with Grammy award winning producer NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN (credits: Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin), ROB THOMAS (Matchbox 20), and HARRY CONNICK JR., while others have gone on to sign record contracts, shoot music videos, perform live on television, feature on both AMERICAN IDOL and THE VOICE, and mature into their own musical successes. Nikk has also helped students succeed at the University level, with those attending schools such as the University of Michigan, Berklee College of Music, Belmont University in Nashville, DePaul University, DIME, Michigan State University, and others across the U.S. In addition, many of Nikk's students are avid performers, songwriters, theatre stars, and are well-recognized in the music community.
The most important factor to consider when pursuing an education of any type is the relevant knowledge, training, and experience of the instructor to that of the goals and aspirations a student has. With some music facilities, an unfortunate side effect students often find themselves struggling with is a lack of real progress due to studying with a teacher attempting to give guidance that may be a little (or a lot!) outside of their respective field of expertise. This tends to run most prevalent with music programs that utilize a high volume of short-term/part-time instructors, some of whom may actually be students themselves still in school. This model can also create an instability for students by subjecting them to an ongoing list of replacement teachers due to the school or academy's high teacher turnover rate. First and foremost, always make sure your goals and aspirations match the specific field training and credible experiences of the teacher you're working with.
Over the last two decades, Nikk has crafted teaching methods that supplement a focused student-centered approach with a strong blend of healthy curriculum, mechanics, and pedagogy, enabling him to provide students with tangible progress as they pursue their performance goals. Visit the bio page for more information on Nikk and how he has successfully taught thousands of students across the country throughout the past 20 years.
ONLINE LESSONS AS WELL AS IN-STUDIO
Students have the option of coming into the studio or taking private lessons virtually using the studio's online teaching platforms. For online classes, the studio utilizes professional level microphones, multi-camera setups, and dedicated equipment designed for online learning. This allows students to experience the same level of quality and efficiency as they would with in-studio sessions, while also being able to study throughout performance touring, long distance learning, or even just from the comforts of their own home.
PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
Competitions and Performance Events: Classes can be tailored to provide students with the best musical preparation for those pursuing competition involvements and/or audition-based opportunities. Such competitions have included various district, regional, national and international events, with organizations such as The World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA), American Guild of Music (AGM), MSVMA Solo & Ensemble, Federation, and others. Student involvement with other notable organizations include Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in both their summer programs and international choirs, as well as Interlochen Center for the Arts. Students are also supported in theatre auditions and perform regularly on local stages.
Concerts & Recitals: Recital participation is not mandatory but is encouraged! Studio concerts and recitals are free of charge to students and take place seasonally throughout the year. Recitals consist of a combination of students in voice, piano, guitar, as well as violin and viola from collaborations with Jennifer Berg Violin Studio. Recitals also include combined vocal and instrumental duet and ensemble performances.
FLEXIBLE MAKE-UP CLASSES
No need for 24-hour notice! So long as an absence form is submitted before a student's lesson, any time they need to miss due to illness, travel, another event or outside conflict, a personalized virtual make-up class will be prepared and received through the LessonMate Teaching Platform. These customized classes address the same specifically tailored content and material that would be covered in the student's face-to-face session using video tutorials/uploaded sheet music/PDF files/bullet point notes/recorded audio/media links/and more. This allows students to work through any make-up lessons at a time that's convenient and additionally ensures consistent and stable progress.
FULLY EQUIPPED ON-SITE RECORDING STUDIO
Private lessons can be tailored to provide students with their very own professional recordings of mastered songs and performance ready material. Additionally, the recording studio provides full-scale production services including composing, writing, tracking, editing, mixing, and mastering, to artists and songwriters.
ACOUSTICALLY TREATED LESSON SPACE
Other music learning facilities tend to only offer thinly walled and sound reflective multi-purpose rooms for lessons, rather than a professionally designed and acoustically treated lesson space. In addition, they are often focused primarily in younger, pre-school oriented kinder-care types of music education. These programs typically lend themselves to more recreational, loud and distracting background noises, combining with the lesser quality room design and compromising the formal lesson experience for students.
Here at the studio all students study in a clean, spacious, comfortable, and fully equipped studio environment so there's no need to worry about distractions from noisy lesson rooms or crowded hallways. All students and clientele receive an exclusive private studio experience without the noise.
VIOLIN LESSONS & VIOLA LESSONS
In collaboration with Jennifer Berg Violin Studio
Violin lessons and viola lessons for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students in a focused, studio setting with regular performance opportunities. Offering complete training in both classical and contemporary stylings, along with appropriate technique, theory, pedagogy, and full certification in Suzuki methods. Holding membership in American String Teachers Association (ASTA), as well as Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA), tenured membership with Ann Arbor Symphony (A2SO) and Flint Symphony (FSO). Click here for more information.
PERFORMANCE RESOURCES
Students enjoy working with both studio performance and stage resources, learning everything from proper mic technique to acoustic balance, and learning how to "sing/play to the room".
LOCAL, NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The studio hosts training and instruction services to a student base across the U.S. as well as internationally! With a clientele that ranges from professional artists to aspiring young students, the studio maintains active connections through various teaching networks and performance organizations spanning the globe.
SPECIALIZED STUDIO INSTRUCTION
Providing a full range of vocal and instrumental training for students in voice, piano, and guitar, as well as artist development through songwriting/composition and music collaboration. Study the essential techniques of industry professionals, build understanding through mechanic concepts, and learn how to unlock your abilities to excel as a performer.
