Andrew E.

“I was given a gift certificate to Brooklyn Guitar School after my wife researched it online. I had taken guitar lessons back in the Bronze Age when I was a kid, and I love music of all kinds (OK, maybe not too much disco or Dixieland at any one sitting, but otherwise, let ‘er rip). BGS teaches a series of incremental skill- and song-based beginners classes that allow you to quickly learn chords, strums and technique, play cool songs right away, and have nearly illegal amounts of fun while you are doing so. Koby taught my Absolute Beginners classes and I have been with Michelangelo ever since. They are both accomplished professional musicians; and experienced, enthusiastic and patient teachers who make sure you get it right while you’re having a great time. Taking group lessons also allows you to interact with other noobies, support each other and learn together. The school also sponsors open house sessions, sing-alongs and vocal classes, and group performances. They sponsored an ACLU fundraiser by teaching “Songs of Peace and Freedom” (This Land Is Your Land, For What Its Worth, Redemption Song, City of Immigrants, If I Had A Hammer). We played the songs again in Union Square Park this past June. The school has a wonderful funky, laid-back vibe; and is welcoming to old and young students alike. The staff is uniformly cool and helpful-they can’t do enough for you (from suggestions about buying an instrument to helping replace a busted E string.) So I am over a year into my studies, a proud graduate of their “Beginner” classes; and it’s just great to be able to fell like I can actually “make music” every so often. I can’t imagine learning anywhere else.”