Best Guitar Instructor Cary Near Me

Rick Aquilia: I've been playing guitar for a little over two years now and playing under Mike's guidance for the last few months. I was really intimidated seeking out lessons initially but that went away the moment I sat down in the studio.The lessons are always structured to my goals and Mike goes above and beyond with the emails he sends out post lesson (recordings from the lesson, PDF's of tabs/articles, etc).Highly recommended if you're looking to take your playing to the next level.

Alana Bell: I started guitar lessons with no musical experience, talent, or skill and was very intimidated to start lessons. Mike has been so patient and encouraging with me. As a busy mom, I don’t always have time to practice, but Mike never makes me feel bad about it. Music is your place to relax, he said, don’t let it be stressful. I’m so grateful for his expertise and for helping me to fall in love with guitar.

Walter Michelin: Have been working with these folks for almost a year now and my playing has improved significantly! Super friendly, cooperative, and personalized lessons.

Jeremy Carpenter: I wasn't sure what to expect when I signed up for lessons 25 years past my last music lesson as a kid. Mike's teaching style has just blown me away. He tailors the lessons and content to my musical preferences, doesn't allow my perfectionism to stop my progress, and is a walking encyclopedia of music theory. I look forward to our sessions every week. I highly recommend!

Samuel Duden: Mike is a wonderful instructor. I moved here from CO in March and was looking for an instructor right away. Mike was able to get me on the schedule and provide a lesson time that matched my work schedule perfectly. When I started taking lessons with him I was in an intermediate rut and since then I have made huge developments technically and in guitar theory. I have nothing but great things to say about Cary Guitar Lessons.

Julie Bobzien: My son takes lessons here and we have been very happy. The instructor is very knowledgeable and does a great job explaining how to play each song.

David Machenaud: Mike is my instructor and Blair take care of my daughter. Blair is always trying to find music that suits a 9 year old girl (she is playing Harry Potter theme currently !) and so far, he is successful to keep her motivated. On my side, I came up with a list of songs I would love to play. Slowly but surely we are going thru the list and Mike is kind enough to find versions that match my style (fingerpicking) and competence. Just great.

Shaun Cummins: I’ve been taking lessons with Mike for a little over a year now, and it has been a great experience. He will incorporate any song you would like to learn into lessons and tailors his approach to your learning style.

Vanessa Buso: Mike is awesome! I have been a student of his for almost 3 years and came with little to no knowledge of how to play guitar. He is very flexible and works with you to learn what interests you whether it is theory or a particular song. I can’t say enough good things about him and his teaching technique!

Bill Gibson: Mike is a great instructor. Students select songs to learn. Students set the pace. Lessons are challenging, but not so tough that they will frustrate you. If you practice daily and follow Mike's teachings you will be playing guitar.

Pegah P: I’ve been taking lessons with Mike for about a year and it’s been a wonderful experience from day 1. Mike is very knowledge, patient and tailors lessons into the style of music you want to play. I have learned to play several of my favorite Farsi (my first language) songs as well as English songs. He teaches you the tools and techniques to become the guitarist you want to be. Not only is he an amazing teacher and player, he is a great mentor and friend too.

richard gay: I've learned more from Mike in the past 3 months than I have in the past 10 years of guitar playing.

Mark: Blair and Mike are my go-to for lesson referrals for my customers. I know they are in good hands!

Anne H: I have taken lessons from Mike for several years and have nothing but good to say! He is infinitely patient with his students. He is the rare person that can play AND teach. Mike understands when to challenge me and when to give me more time to absorb the material, which keeps me from getting frustrated or bored. Commitment to practicing is much easier under his tutelage.

Peggy Wallace: Mike is a deeply committed teacher and able to meet whatever style of guitar or technique that you want to accomplish. He is super patient with beginners getting you going straight away with songs that are motivating. He listens to your goals and helps you plan your practice to move forward. Mike is easily a teacher you will never grow out of and get you to where you want to go

Tom Karpus: I've been taking lessons with Mike Krause for 3 years. I started as a complete novice who had played 3 chord songs for years but really didn't know what I was doing. Mike has taught me proper technique, patience, and improvisation - tools that have allowed me to be able to play along with most songs I encounter. He has great knack for being able to take any song and translate it into understandable chord progressions, picking patterns, and solo riffs that a student like myself can use to build skills. I'm still not where I want to be, but Mike has given me the building blocks to develop better technique and confidence that I will continue to develop through my lessons with him.

Ed Boss: I've been taking lessons from Mike for the past 8 months and my guitar playing has improved significantly. As an adult student, I had difficulty finding the right instructor to meet my needs. I always say being a great guitarist does not make you a great teacher. After just two lessons with Mike, I knew he was both. He was also the right instructor to help take my guitar playing to the next level. Mike incorporates the right amount of theory with his lesson and is spot on when breaking down songs. His audio attachments to the lessons are extremely helpful when practicing at home. I plan on continuing with Mike for a very long time. Thanks Cary Guitar lessons!!

Chris Miller: I've been taking guitar lessons with Mike for a couple years now and my daughter has been taking bass lessons from Blair for about 6 months. Between the two of them there's pretty much nothing they can't cover. My daughter had been bouncing around instructors for a couple of years until she found Blair. His teaching style immediately clicked with her and she was able to make rapid progress on her playing in a few months. Turning to Mike, I have been playing guitar for over 30 years and am a pretty decent guitar player that plays in a local band. Because of my history, finding a teacher that can help me advance my playing has always been a challenge. What I like about Mike is his incredible versatility and ability to pinpoint specific aspects of my technique to work on. There is pretty much nothing I can't throw at him - alternate picking, hybrid picking, rockabilly, theory, straight up rock - you name it. He can teach it all and can always point to tangible ways to improve my playing. My advice is to look these guys up first if you are looking for a guitar or bass teacher.

Michael Ames: Big fan of Michael’s instruction and playing, I’d played for 20 years and found myself in the “boxes” rut playing the same minor pentatonic runs. Mike helped me break out of my pentatonic riff patterns and got me thinking modal, more importantly got me thinking about how chords and chord tones fit together. It is always fun to watch him flip his guitar over grab a piece of paper and write out a run for you to work on, he is never at a loss for material.

Bob Cramblitt: Michael Krause is like no teacher I've ever experienced. Anyone who has seen him play knows his virtuosity. But, many monster players don't have the teaching empathy, patience or skills to transfer knowledge. Michael has all three and more: an innate sense of where you want to go and how to help you get there. In the course of nine years, Michael has helped me pursue music at a level I'd only dreamed of before. During that time, he has gladly transitioned among ever-evolving roles as mentor, teacher, listener, collaborator, transcriber and sounding board. Taking lessons from Michael has not only improved me as a player, singer and songwriter, it has enriched my life.