124 coaches & instructors for lessons in San Francisco, CA

I’m a lifelong guitarist who’s learned the economics of the fretboard—how to say more with less. Over decades of performance, arranging, and teaching, I’ve come to see the guitar not as a maze of shapes but as a unified field of melody, harmony, and movement. My lessons are for intermediate players who want to stop memorizing and start understanding: to connect patterns, find melodic pathways, and unlock their own voice.

"Amazing teacher, so kind and patient. I was extremely nervous and he thought me a lot on the first day can’t wait for more lessons. Highly recommend

Music has been an essential element of my life, and for 25 years, I've been sharing that passion as a professional guitarist and dedicated instructor. I specialize in catering to whatever your curiosities are with the instrument and am fluent in a number of musical expressions on the guitar, be it Afrobeat, Rock, European Classical or American Jazz and R and B. I can also read and write in standard music notation, though this is not a requirement to begin lessons! I have played and worked with a number of world renowned Bay Area talents such as Grammy award winner Fantastic Negrito, The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and The San Francisco Philharmonic Orchestra, My goal is to provide you with the technical foundation and creative freedom to express yourself through guitar, no matter your current skill level. Let's get started!

"My 14yr old son wanted to take up guitar lessons but wanted the "in person" experience which is how we met Josh. My son has learned so much in the short time he's worked with Josh. Josh is kind and works well with young people. He's reliable and easy to work with. He's amazing! If you are looking for that "in person" experience-he's your guy!

Derek is an experienced musician and sound designer with many years of music education experience. He holds a Master’s degree in Music and brings a strong academic and practical background to his teaching.

"“I’ve been wanting to continue my learning of ukulele and guitar. Derek is such a knowledgeable and patient teacher. I love how he breaks down the understanding of music theory and composition. I’ve had other guitar teachers that have taught me how to copy music tabs but Derek is really great in explaining the why of music!”

I've spent my entire life around the piano, playing for big names like Van Morrison and Bonnie Raitt, and even in the early days of "Saturday Night Live." I've also had a hand in writing music for TV shows and directing music for lots of school plays and community theaters. Now, I'm excited to take all that experience and use it to help you learn and grow as my piano student.