I recently decided to come back to playing guitar and really wanted to build up again with some solid theory and technique rather than just half-learning my way back and lacking a firm foundation. I decided I should probably find a guitar instructor in the area. I couldn't ask for more in a guitar teacher. Jacob is as enthused as it gets. I don't think it's possible to leave a session without being pumped up to go home and start practicing. He's very good at communicating and has a lot of energy. He's super knowledgable about all kinds of genres of music. He's very organized and creates a clear plan for making sure you get the most out of your lessons, practice, and even casual listening. That's not to say he isn't flexible, he definitely is and it's refreshing that he can play all different kinds of music, including metal and post-hardcore punk which I think is kind of hard to find in a lot of instructors. He even emails you all your materials and takes videos for you. If you ever start struggling between sessions you can just text him and he gets back to you fast with a video, text, email, whatever it takes. He really cares about his students. His studio is clean, professional, and enthused. I love it. I've never had trouble parking. You are able to sign up for lessons via his website. He has an easy cancellation policy. Water or coffee and a restroom. read more

Nothing short of the BEST!! The first day I sent Jacob a message explaining how I had no musical experience whatsoever, but wanted to learn how to play acoustic guitar, he enthusiastically guided me in picking up a guitar and set up a lesson that would work with my schedule. Our very first lesson, and every lesson after, I've always been greeted with a warm smile as well a cup of coffee which allowed us to catch up quickly on the week and jump right into our lesson. Jacob has always made it a priority to teach songs that I like(HUGE BONUS) which makes our weekly sessions so much more fun (After my second lesson, I was already playing one song confidently) Jacob is very patient and always available!! He's quick to encourage and let you know to call him if you ever struggle with a portion of the lesson, yet at the same time he will challenge you and incorporate your creativity into various songs you play. I highly recommend Jacob to anyone looking for a fun, challenging, patient and interactive instructor! read more

I'm usually a little suspicious when I see an overwhelming number of 5-star reviews, but after having studied under Jacob, all I can say is that I wish I could give him 6 stars. All the things you'll read in the other reviews are true: the coffee, the availability, the enthusiasm/passion, the notebook, etc., so I won't try to list those items as well. What I will say is Jacob's an incredible teacher, and I say that full well knowing that I'm not the easiest student to teach. I tend to do things the hard way, obsess over minutiae, and in general approach things the way I want, regardless of good advice. In spite of that, Jacob is always enthusiastic, extremely patient, and is an absolute joy to study with. He's incredibly talented and yet equally humble. I can't imagine studying under somebody else. read more

a teacher for the player of all levels.... WOW! So - I have had this guitar for 28 years now... and I can strum along to the radio on my couch like nobody's business.... Over the years I have picked up a mix mash of different things.. scales, techniques, rifts, etc.... but just bits and pieces and no rational or direction... But I now want to become a functional musician..... This is where Jacob's ability to tailor the lesson to your skill and needs really differentiates him. after an assessment of my playing as well as talking with me about where my confidence is as a player and where I want the lessons to take me, we launched right into a planned lesson sequence that directly addressed my wants - as well as filling in the blanks and correcting bad habits I had developed over the years. In addition to the - how do you play this...- we also discuss equipment, combinations, styles, guitars;), I am learning.. finally.... the notes of the guitar, reading both tablature as well as notation, how solos fit together, how to emote with my solo not just play.. play with feeling. I am 6 lessons in with Jacob right now (I know because you will keep a notebook that outlines your homework each week!! and you really want to do the homework - because your homework is fun! I am playing better than I ever have. I really look forward to each weeks lesson! The learning environment that Jacob provides is very fostering and comfortable. There is no pressure and his style is very enthusiastic and encouraging. There is always a fresh brew of Green Tea (our lessons were in the evening).... except when there is a cup of coffee...or two.... at the saturday morning lesson - because he knows when I need that - (very intuitive and a genuinely kind person!) read more

I have nothing but great things to say about my experience with Jacob! His patience combined with his incredible talent makes him a master of his craft. I have been taking lessons from him once a week for the past two months and I find myself leaving each lesson feeling accomplished. Jacob is great at personalizing each lesson to accommodate both your weekly schedule and your personal interests. I'm sure the obscure songs I have requested to learn to play, as well as the few I have attempted to write myself, are not on his typical curriculum, yet he always finds a way to seamlessly incorporate my personal interests into his lesson plan! He pushes you to do what he knows you are capable of and I truly appreciate his professionalism and his passion for what he does. I highly recommend him Also, he has the cutest cats and offers you coffee at the start of your lesson. What more could you possibly ask for? read more

Over the years I have taken music lessons on different instruments with a variety of teachers. Jacob is really the best! We've had weekly lessons together for about 3 months and each time I leave with a big smile on my face. Jacob has a talent for finding that "sweet spot" to constantly challenge me without leaving me feeling overwhelmed. Not an easy balance to achieve. The lesson is clearly a highlight of my week! Jacob's website clearly shows he has much experience and given a lot of thought to playing music and his approach to teaching. What surprised me was how well it translated into the lessons themselves and was not just simply a marketing piece! Jacob is exceedingly organized and treats the hour lesson with great discipline. He has an interconnected "curriculum" that he covers and yet is flexible enough to find what each individual student needs. We keep a notebook and revisit the homework assignments the following week to ensure steady progress. Jacob covers a concept from a variety of angles so that if one approach doesn't click with you, another will. He is clearly very bright and enthusiastic, making him a keen observer of technique and musicianship. I play an electric ukulele, and Jacob is helping me understand how my instrument can stand on its own within a band context and not be just another "guitar." We are working on the construction of solos and bringing out expressiveness in my playing, along with building upon my knowledge of music theory and technique. Also important is Jacob's availability via text or email if you need to clarify a concept in between lessons. He doesn't want you to be stuck. And yes. You can look forward to Jacob's pouring you a lovely cup of coffee, green tea or peppermint tea while you plug in and tune your instrument! I count myself lucky to have found Jacob, who has been an exceedingly positive influence on my musical development. He's just an all around positive guy who is "the real deal." read more

I just had my 5th lesion with Jacob. Being 42, and never played before, I was a little nervous about starting so late in life. Jacob made me feel comfortable, his studio is clean and comfortable, feels like home, not a cramped little office. He is a great teacher, with alot of patience...( he needs it for me...lol ) I have really learned allot from him, and plan on seeing him weekly until I can play better than he can ( never happen :) ) I highly recommend him I also have to add.... I took 2 lessons with another instructor the first two weeks ( sorry Jacob) the other instructor rushed me out the door after 25 minutes. lessons felt really rush... no play time. with Jacob, he takes his time, and a couple weeks he even worked over the payed hour with me. read more

Jacob is an amazing instructor. Learning the guitar has been on my mind for quite a while and the first guitar instructor I found was Jacob. I really just wanted to learn the guitar at a very basic level and be able to play a few songs. Jacob's amazing guitar skills can be seen from his videos on his website, but I can share a few things that stood out: - My first meeting with Jacob. I let Jacob know, that I've never touched a guitar in my life and that I want to be able to play certain songs (American, Indian, Pakistani,) with different difficulty level. I was expecting a "ummm, that can't happen," or "you're jumping too quick and you should follow this first..." But he took an approach of "That Sounds great, lets make this happen and here is how we are going to make it happen." To add to this, I showed him a Pakistani song that I was interested in playing (Jacob, obviously hadn't heard of it.) And within a couple of minutes he was playing the entire song, how cool! - His passion to make sure you are on top of your game in practicing is amazing. One week I wasn't able to practice as much and I showed up playing extremely horrible. Jacob took a few minutes to try to help me out to understand how I can make time for practice and to pretty much, let's say, keep it real. I really appreciated that, because he's in it to make sure you become as good as you want to be and more. - Where I am today. I can definitely say I am much further from the moment I started playing the guitar. To be able to pick up certain chords quicker or even understand transitions in songs and most of all being able to play the songs that I want to play much better. People are actually surprised how I can play seeing that I've only been learning for a few months. This is all due to Jacob's guidance and help. In my last lesson with Jacob, I told him that now I actually enjoy playing the guitar, like it's something I want to continue doing and really master and maybe even switch to electric guitar eventually. This is new goal is definitely due to Jacob's help. Who knows, I might just even ask Jacob to let me one day do a gig with him! Jacob's definitely recommended. read more

I purchased my husband a guitar over a year ago in order to encourage him to take lessons. It worked and he was lucky enough to see the LIGHT on Yelp. Jacob has been a fantastic instructor and my husband looks forward to his weekly lessons. I even reached out to Jacob for Xmas gift ideas and he gave me several great suggestions. If you are interested learning the guitar, you'll be impressed by Jacob. read more

Jacob is a fantastic guitar instructor. I played guitar for many years, and then stopped playing for just as many. I began to miss it and last fall I decided I wanted to play again, but needed lessons to help advance my playing. I found Jacob on Yelp. I was looking for someone close to my home that was reasonably priced. First off the studio is beautiful. It makes you feel good to be there, it just feels like you're walking into a hip recording studio (Jacob is also a producer.) There is always music playing, when you walk into the studio and it gets you in the frame of mind to play. It is true, Jacob always offers coffee, tea or water before you start your lesson. It is really relaxing to sip on a warm cup of tea and play guitar. Jacob's lessons are tailored to his individual students. I've been playing music on different instruments for most of my life so I have a good foundation in music. From my past guitar experience I considered myself to be a decent rhythm player, but never attempted lead. I didn't have any confidence in my lead playing and found comfort in being a rhythm guitar player. Jacob has changed that. He has pushed me out of my comfort zone and I am learning and playing things I never thought I could on both lead AND rhythm guitar. His confidence in me has caused me to believe I can be a good lead player. We're even starting to work on writing leads for songs, something I never imagined I would learn to do. Usually he focuses the lessons so you are getting equal part lead and rhythm instruction. As has been mentioned in other reviews, Jacob askes for a list of songs you'd like to learn. This gives him an idea of the kind of music you're interested in but it's also a nice blue print for him to design the lessons. He'll pick a song off of the list as a "project" where we'll learn the rhythm and lead parts so you'll begin to build a library of songs that you can play and have fun with. Then we also spend time on learning scales and chords and understanding how it all fits together. He gives assignments for the next week, but also understands busy lives. I work full time and often find it challenging to get in enough practice time. Jacob only asks that you improve on something each week so I usually focus on one thing (lead or rhythm) each week and that has been working out well. I can definitely say my playing has improved over the last few months of taking lessons with Jacob. I would highly recommend him to anyone, at any level, wanting to learn to play guitar. read more

I started playing the guitar in High School because all my friends were. However, I got bored with it and stopped (big mistake) playing because I could never do more than strum a few simple chords. I always regretted quitting and so I got back into a few years ago. I bought a bunch of books and tried teaching myself. However, the books were all over the place. They each had a different approach and emphasis. I found myself just bouncing back forth between them and never making much progress on any of them. I went to Jacob to find some direction and advice and have been very excited about what he has offered me. He is a serious guitarist and a serious instructor. He really knows what is important to know instead of just using some standard system. I told him what types of music I want to play and he has given me a clear path on how to get there. I now feel that I am much more focused on doing the drills and learning the techniques I need to know to achieve my goals. It is also great to have someone there as a resource to make sure I am doing everything right and to ask questions. Guitar is a great hobby. I strongly encourage everyone to take it up. I also strongly advise taking lessons and highly recommend Jacob. He is very knowledgeable and can tailor a program to your interests and abilities. read more

I have had many many teachers over the course of my almost 60 years and I can name the gifted ones on a single hand. Jacob is one of those teachers. His knowledge of equipment and how to use it to create that ever elusive TONE is considerable. But what REALLY lit me up was the pure joy he displays in sharing this knowledge. It's infectious as hell. I had a two hour lesson with him to get some help crafting a tone with the equipment I already own and I can honestly say, I learned more in that two hours, then I have in the previous two decades. I will be continuing my lessons with Jacob for many years to come .... read more

Jacob is a fantastic teacher and I would recommend him to anyone from beginners to seasoned musicians. He is incredibly knowledgable and has so much skill on guitar, I don't think I'll ever sound like him! After three lessons, I am always excited to go home and practice, and more excited to come back and show what I've done. He is challenging me with different techniques, while encouraging me to play songs that I'm interested in learning, and is incredibly patient as I bumble through new things. The hour long lessons fly by, I learn so much and then am given a lot to work on between lessons, which is great for my free schedule. He is so personable you feel like you're just hanging out, but you leave having learned much more about playing guitar. Thanks Jacob! read more

Jacob is a great teacher that will meet you at any skill level. From day one you get a sense of his passion for guitar and his excitement in inspiring that passion in his students. He makes learning enjoyable but also ensures that you push yourself to the next level. He is also well organized but flexible in his teaching approach and will cater to your learning style and musical taste. All after offering you a beverage! Highly recommended! read more

Jacob is an outstanding teacher and musician. His lessons are tailored to each individual, backed by theory, while interesting to learn and practice. I sincerely look forward to my lessons with Jacob, as they are always fun and it is exciting to see what he has in store for me. Being flexible with scheduling is extremely helpful and friendly email/txt reminders make it easy to remember when you booked your next lesson. His studio is very professional and creates an excellent environment to learn. If I was to pick two mantras to describe Jacobs teaching style it would be: "Help me help you" - Jacob is a listener and he wants feedback from you so he can tweak his lessons to better suit your learning style, compliment your strengths, and conquer your weaknesses. "Practice what you preach" - The fact that Jacob is an active musician is obvious as soon as he picks up his guitar. He has a vast arsenal of examples that are applicable to multiple styles/genres of music. I would highly recommend Jacob as a teacher, regardless of your age and skill level, as he is a true professional. read more

First off I have to say how nice of a human being Jacob is. He has a very laid back and kind approach to almost everything. His attitude and excited energy really puts you at ease when you meet him for the first time. Now to the lessons! I took my first lesson from Jacob about 1 month ago and..... all I can say is WOW!! He is not only very patient but the absolutely the best teacher I've ever had. He takes a very hands on and custom approach when it actually comes down to the lessons. He is absolutely 100% genuine about helping you learn guitar based off the music you want to learn. I know many guitar instructors say this.... but Jacob actually means it. No run around on why you need to learn this or that before you start playing songs you like. He just jumps right into what you are interested in and custom tailors the lesson to your ability and interests. I have had a few instructors in the past and most of them were pretty mediocre and pushy in regards to what I should learn first. Just after 3 lessons I'm already able to play 3 songs. Given I have played in the past and taught myself through tabs, however I have never improved this quickly in such a short time. If you honestly listen to Jacob and what he is teaching you.... there is noway you won't become a better guitar player. I highly recommend Jacob as an instructor.... not only is he very flexible when it comes the scheduling lessons..... he is very reasonably priced. He never rushes you out the door or watches the clock. He has gone over the 1 hour mark almost every lesson. He always offers you a drink when you enter his nice clean and quiet studio where he teaches. I can tell Jacob is very passionate about teaching guitar and making sure fun is the number one factor when it comes to learning with him. I plan to continue taking lessons from Jacob for years to come. Overall first time I have felt the money I'm spending for guitar instruction is a steal. If you don't believe me try him out! He has a money back guarantee policy.... meaning if you dislike the lesson you don't have to pay him. read more

I've played guitar intermittently for 15 years and have had a variety of different teachers along the way. Hands down, Jacob is the best. No matter the genre of music, your specific guitar interests and/or your skill level, Jacob caters a personalized lesson plan for you that is fluid as you move along to focus on your unique strong and weak suits as an individual player. No one-size fits all programs. He is extremely patient but also pushes me to become a better player. I highly recommend. read more

The most awesome patient, talented teacher ever! I highly recommend his lessons!

My son recently started taking guitar lessons with Jacob. He had no previous experience, but as all kids do, wanted to "play" right away. To my surprise, he was able to learn a couple of chords during his first class. Jacob has a passion for music and lots of experience both playing and teaching. He knows how to capture student's attention while explaining music theory, but at the same time keeps the lessons fun and enjoyable. Besides practice assignments, Jacob gives my son listening assignments and encourages him to experiment with different styles. What is also important for me is that I can easily schedule lessons on Jacob's website and pay later after each class. It has been five months now and my son has made huge progress. He looks forward to his guitar lessons! read more

After 30+ years of wanting to learn guitar, Jacob's reviews inspired me to give it a shot, and I am sure glad that I did. Jacob is a natural teacher, combining great knowledge with patience and understanding, to deliver an experience that is clearly catered to the individual. read more

My ten-year-old daughter has been seeing Jacob for several months and her progress with Jacob has been amazing! We tried a couple years ago in a group lesson setting and that was a huge mistake and a waste of money. Jacob gives a quality lesson worth every penny with visible results. He has a wonderful website (accepts Paypal) and is super fast to contact you. He makes the lesson fun and explains why he's teaching each step. He's just moved to a new studio in Lafayette and so I'm sure it can only get better. Well worth it! read more

I started taking lessons from Jacob a little more than two months ago. I am brand new to the guitar and learning how to play instruments in general has always been a struggle for me, but I wanted to try out something new and challenge myself. I am so glad that I got Jacob as a teacher! Jacob is very patient and kind. He understands that learning is a process and one that each person will engage in differently. My lessons are always very personalized and I feel like they move at a comfortable but challenging pace. Jacob embeds skills and lessons within songs that you get to choose and makes sure that you are practicing in a way that ensures that you are not forming bad habits, but rather developing a playing style and rhythm that is conducive to being a good guitarist (and musician) in general. You can tell how much he loves music and how happy he is to share that passion with others. Lessons are fun, the homework is always helpful, the environment is lovely, and as you can see from all the previous reviews, Jacob is a delight to work with. I highly recommend him to anyone interested in learning or perfecting their practice! read more

Hands down the best guitar teacher I've ever had. He has a very holistic and tailored approach to helping the student become the type of guitarist that he/she wants. The lessons are a well-crafted blend of technique and theory augmented with songs or styles that the guitarist is interested in. It's very apparent that Jacob loves music and the guitar (and other instruments) and wants to share that with as many people as possible and in a very meaningful and thoughtful way. He's incredibly responsive to emails and texts; he'd rather clarify an exercise or technique than for the guitarist to waste time learning improper technique. Thirteen year old me wishes Jacob was my first guitar teacher. I would have been a much better guitarist. I can't recommend him highly enough. read more

I recently decided to start looking for a guitar teacher in town. After some online searches I came across Jacob's website and was instantly impressed with his site. It was very clear with a well thought out design. I used the website to sign up for lesson and have been going once a week for 2 months now and have no plans on stopping! Jacob is extremely patient and well versed in all music forms, so he's easily adaptable to any style you want to learn. I have very little musical experience and my guitar was just sitting there being unplayed. I now practice every chance I get and I am excited each week to learn something new. It is extremely clear that Jacob loves what he does for a living and is one of the best teachers that I have come across in any field. read more

Jacob is a great instructor. He has been working with my 12 year old son for about a year now. He is extremely patient. When he notices my son is not getting a certain concept, he finds a different approach. He incorporates a great deal of music theory and history into his lessons. This has tremendously broadened my son's musical knowledge and skill set in a very short period. I would highly recommend taking lessons from Jacob. read more

With some background in acoustic guitar, I've recently decided to start playing electric guitar. At the same time, my kids wanted to start playing acoustic guitar. We started with Jacob around the same time. Our experience has been incredible. Jacob brings in vast experience, playing many different genres and a deep knowledge in music. He is extremely patient and enthusiastic about learning. Our house is now full of music and we can't wait to make it to the next class and learn new things! read more

It is probably a good thing I had to wait to post this as I can feel 100% honest in my review. I've been with Jacob for a few months now as a beginning guitar player (at 46years old). He has been able to provide me clear and distinct direction in progressing forward. I have to give it to the guy, he called me out when I tried to learn something incorrectly. I ended up spending an hour practicing to "unlearn" the bad habit I almost picked up! I feel very confident I will get to a skill level desired with Jacob as he continues to push me as a student, and always provides feedback as you play to reinforce what you've learned. Also, as amazing as it sounds, he even responds to questions about the assigned lesson outside of your specific arranged time so you don't screw up and learn something wrong. Awesome teacher, I feel very confident in him. read more

I've been playing guitar on and off for more than 35 years, have had a wide variety of teachers, both individual and in guitar classes in NY and Berkeley, and have no doubt that Jacob is by far the best guitar teacher I've ever had. I came in with a bunch of skill silos, moderately deep in some areas but with big blank spaces in between my comfort zones. Jacob diagnosed what I didn't know and has been methodically and thoroughly filling in those gaps. Methodical is the key word here. Too many teachers just show you a bunch of unconnected stuff. Jacob has a strong methodology. His approach is all about building a strong foundation, and then adding to it layer by layer. At least in my case, he divides every lesson and the week's homework into three: chords (my biggest skill gap), tech and improv. Every week's lesson builds directly on what we learned the previous week. On improv, for example, first we focused on centering around the root notes for the I, IV and V chords. Another week we worked on adding the major third for the I chord, and then on the major third for the IV and V chords, and when to play the minor vs. major pentatonic scale, and how to shift seamlessly from one to another. And doing it in all five positions on the neck, not just the two I'm most comfortable with, and adding one key after another. Jacob is also just a great guy, a pleasure to work with. His love of music shines through and inspires. He's positive and patient and encouraging. He's shared plenty of equipment tips, loaned me a customized overdrive pedal and showed me how to configure a device that gives me a richer tone out of my amp at reasonable volume levels. I'm thrilled to have found such a great teacher. read more

All the good reviews for Jacobs teaching serves him well. He earns each and every star he gets. He taught me how to hold the guitar as well as the parts and names to go along with it. I was a complete beginner and in a week I could play basic songs. Moved from the area after taking lessons for about 2 months and have not found the same quality or professionalism in an instructor since. May have to drive back into walnut creek once in a while to continue once again.! read more

I've been searching for a teacher like Jacob for a long time now. He is very knowledgeable in ALL genres of music and is able to tailor to what kind of music you want to learn. I came to Jacob with some basic knowledge of theory and guitar and didn't quite know how to put them together. He adapted the lesson to me and taught me how to blend the two. I've become so confident how I play now and it is all thanks to Jacob! He is very excited about teaching and playing music and it is very evident in the way he teaches. I couldn't recommend him enough. I really wish I found him a few years ago! read more

I have been learning with Jacob for a couple of months now, and am very happy that I found him. As a former teacher, I notice and appreciate good teaching - that's what I have experienced with Jacob. I came to him with a strange situation... a need to sing and play 3 songs on a deadline. I found him to be wonderfully flexible, shifting his focus to my unique needs under time pressure and working outside of his usual teaching flow. I'm happy that I will hit my deadline, and am really enjoying actually playing and singing! I'm also excited at the idea of getting his support to learn the fundamentals, to raise my musicianship to a higher level than just playing a few songs by memory. This man is a great resource, and if you are seeking a guitar instructor, I highly recommend him. read more

Teaching music 'by-the-book' is one thing, being creative, adaptive and giving music students a core understanding of the instrument they are learning to play is far superior. The latter is what I see at Jacob, hands-down the most enthusiast music teacher I've seen. Jacob provides a great structure to his students (my kid), introducing tools (rather then the 'turn to page 12 in the notebook' approach' to figure things out and to have a more complete understanding of music. I play an instrument myself and I can tell the difference. As a teacher, Jacob uses technology to "be there" for the students even after the class ends. He constantly encourage them to "just pick up the phone, email, text" and he says 'ask me anything, anytime'. Last night my kid and I played 4 songs she never played before. After few short months she could read the chords 'instantly' - even those she never learn - she picked the strings, understood the rhythm (1/4 to 1/16), and made different and suitable (the right!) strumming: (Calfornication, take-me-to-church, viva la vida, riptide). My kid is getting a gif for life. 5 stars. read more

Jacob is such a talented musician! He is a wonderful teacher and and endless font of patience and great coffee! He is punctual, professional, and makes you feel comfortable at every lesson. I've been taking guitar lessons for a few months now, and having never played an instrument, can see so much progress. Each time I leave I feel more and more confident. My son wants to take lessons too and I can't wait until he starts! I'm looking forward to so many more lessons and taking in even a fraction of what he knows! I would very highly recommend Jacob To anyone wanting to learn or improve their guitar skills. read more

Jacob has been welcoming and understanding with our uncertain young-teen guitar novice. Jacob is always encouraging and supportive - even when the progress is slow. He has the ability to play-on (no pun intended) my son's strengths, find music he likes, and applaud his advances. We also appreciate that he accommodates our schedule by giving lessons on the weekend. On the one occasion when Jacob had to reschedule a lesson, he emailed both me and my son several days in advance. Very professional and helpful. read more

I've called and left messages at this number multiple times and have never heard back. The voicemail doesn't identify this as a business or even provide the name of the person talking. I have a feeling this person is no longer offering lessons. read more

Jacob is as "good as it gets" as the five stars indicates! Not only is he an excellent teacher, but also kind, enthusiastic and motivating! As many of the reviews have indicated, Jacob's ability to pin point what a student knows already and what a student needs to learn (which in my case is a lot), is incredible! In the four lessons that I have had with Jacob, I have learned so much about playing the guitar; he integrates all of his knowledge about music into one's lesson making the lesson very meaningful! Jacob asks his students for a list of songs that they want to learn to play and he weaves each new lesson into the learning of the songs. Another thing that has really helped me is that Jacob will have me video (from my phone) part of the lesson and I am able to watch the video at home, while I practice! It's really helpful! I highly recommend Jacob as a fantastic and extremely gifted guitar teacher and musician! His studio is also "cool"! :) read more

I enjoy every lesson with Jacob. He's able to explain what he's teaching so that the concept is understood. He has the Patients of Job with me and always has an encouraging word, which make playing and learning easy. Each lesson we cover rhythm, technical/ theory and improv , making the lesson ,in my view ,complete and building on the previous lesson. If I had started taking lessons with Jacob years ago when I started taking lessons I would be lightyears farther along than I am. I feel fortunate to have Jacob as my guide on my journey learning the guitar. read more

Jacob has been an incredible instructor. He's patient and professional and knows how to push you past what you believe you can achieve. Playing guitar was completely foreign to me but with Jacob's help, within the first few weeks, I began understanding much more than I thought and have been able to pick up playing much sooner than expected. He caters to your style of music and creates lesson plans specifically to your strengths and weakness. He's extremely responsive via email/text and appreciate the reminders before my lesson is coming up. If you want to learn guitar in a comfortable and fun environment, look no further! read more

Jacob is great! My ten year old daughter really enjoys working with him. He is patient, funny, and present, and he's particularly excellent at making guitar relevant and fun no matter one's musical tastes. My daughter sent him a list of sings she wanted to learn, and he began going about learning them. Imagine how much fun it is for her to hear him play Colbie Caillat and Taylor Swift, and to know that she too can learn to play those songs (with practice, of course!). He was wonderful about helping us choose which guitar to purchase, before we had even started lessons with him. Jacob is available -- and responsive -- by phone, text, and e-mail (probably Twitter, too, I'd imagine!) and he truly wants his students to be comfortable contacting him with questions and concerns between lessons. Super nice guy, excellent guitar player, and a skilled and patient teacher. Go for it -- you'll be glad you did! read more

I was really interested in learning how to play the guitar. My wife is a great singer, my kids are taking piano lessons, so I thought why not add myself to the mix. When I found Jacob's guitar lessons , it got me intrigued because of all the positive reviews I read. All I can say is that those reviews are spot on! Starting from day one, where I had no experience at all with the guitar, he introduced me to all the basics. Week after week I'm always learning something new. His patience and his one to one teaching style really makes me appreciate his knowledge and love of music. I know for sure that his willingness to teach helps bring out stuff in me that previously I might have doubted. When I get my reminders the few days before my lessons, sometimes I question myself if I did my homework or did I practice enough. But regardless of how much I practiced or how little I practiced, he knows right at the beginning of the lesson where I stand and we go from that point. Sometimes I may over analyze some things that I'm trying to learn (hey I'm an analyst!) But he's like my sensei, keeping my thoughts in check, not trying to overanalyze things and to keep it simple! I feel like I've hit major milestones l when I can make those little goals that he pushes me achieve every week! I would vouch and definitely recommend Jacob any day! read more