custom-tailored in Austin, Texas
guitar lessonsspecial offer
free trial lesson
special offer
free trial lesson
With one lesson per week and 15 minutes of focused daily practice, most students reach their initial goal in 3 months or less. That’s our promise.
guaranteed results
Learn to Play Guitar in 3 Months or Less
Does this sound familiar? You’ve been watching YouTube tutorials for months, you can play a chord or two — but you still can’t sit down and play a full song. You know the theory is in there somewhere, but without a clear path, progress feels slow.
Here’s the truth: the fastest way to break through that plateau is with a great teacher who listens first.
At Eastside Music School, your first guitar lesson isn’t about scales and drills. It’s about you — your favorite songs, your influences, and where you want to take your playing. From there, your instructor builds a plan around your goals, whether that’s strumming campfire folk songs, fingerpicking blues, shredding rock solos, or playing jazz standards.
What you’ll get:
- A playing plan built around the music you actually love
- Technique coaching that prevents the bad habits self-teaching creates
- Real songs from lesson one — not just exercises
- Progress you can feel within weeks
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What styles of guitar do you teach?
Our guitar teachers cover the full spectrum:
Acoustic guitar — fingerpicking, strumming, singer-songwriter styles, folk, country
Electric guitar — rock, blues, pop, metal, indie, funk
Jazz guitar — chord melody, comping, improvisation, standards
Classical guitar — technique, repertoire, music theory foundations
Blues guitar — 12-bar blues, bends, vibrato, phrasing
Beginner guitar — reading tabs, basic chords, rhythm fundamentals
Not sure where to start? Your trial lesson teacher will help you figure out the right style and starting point for you.
How long does it take to learn guitar as a beginner?
Most beginners can play their first full song within 4–6 weeks of weekly lessons. With consistent practice, you’ll be playing songs you recognize in 3 months. The key is showing up weekly and practicing 15–20 minutes a day.
Do I need to own a guitar before my first lesson?
No — our East Austin studio has guitars available for your trial lesson. We’ll also recommend the right guitar for your budget and goals once we understand your style.
What ages do you teach at Eastside Music School?
We teach students from age 7 through adults. There’s no upper age limit — many of our most motivated students are adults picking up guitar for the first time in their 40s, 50s, and beyond.
How much do Guitar Lessons cost at Eastside Music?
Lesson pricing depends on lesson length and frequency. Weekly students receive discounted rates and scheduling priority. Visit our pricing page for full details, or ask during your free trial lesson.
Start here:
Your journey begins with a Free trial lesson
All new Eastside Music students are elligible for one free 30-minute trial lesson. This is a no stress, hassle free opportunity to get a feel for our program and decide if Eastside Music School is the right fit for you.
When you come in for your free trial lesson, you’ll meet your teacher, talk about past musical experiences and discuss musical goals. What made you decide to book a lesson?
1. Welcome
The first lesson is all about getting to know eachother. What are your musical influences? Have you ever taken lessons before?
2. goals
What do you hope to gain from lessons? Writing your own music? Playing with others? What brings you to Eastside Music?
3. Assesment
Next, your teacher will gain an understanding of your current skill level. If you have something prepared, now’s your chance to play!
4. Tailored plan
Based on your goals, tastes and learning style, your teacher will outline a personalized plan to get you learning music today.
STUDY WITH THE FINEST INSTRUCTORS IN TOWN
Our Guitar TEACHERS
CUSTOMIZED TO MEET YOUR GOALS
Whether you’re starting from scratch or have songs prepared to practice, our expert instructors will help you learn to play guitar in a fun, professional and welcoming environment.
ALL LEVELS AND STYLES WELCOME
We specialize in teaching a variety of guitar styles including acoustic, electric, rock, jazz, blues, classical and more.
Testimonial
“Eastside Music is one of the best learning experiences I’ve had. My only regret is that I didn’t start sooner!”
Start learning today with content from our blog
Free Online Guitar Lessons
Movable Shapes for Guitar
Movable Shapes - A systematic, visual, and logical approach to mastering the guitar by Jamey Cummins Our very own guitar teacher Jamey Cummins has written a method book for guitar! It's called Movable Shapes fro Guitar and the purpose of the book is to help...
Two Note Per String Arpeggios for Jazz Guitar
2 NOTE PER STRING ARPEGGIOS FOR JAZZ GUITAR Arpeggios are a great way to outline chord changes in jazz guitar. But let's be honest, memorizing arpeggios on the guitar isn't the easiest thing to do. Fortunately, 2 note per string patterns makes the task quite a...
Motivic Development with Pentatonic Patterns
Learn to build strong melodic ideas using pentatonic patterns on the guitar. Create tension and release by transposing ideas up a whole step.
How to Play 7th Chords on the Guitar
7th Chords are essential for any guitarist learning to play jazz. While there are literally tens of thousands of possible combinations, you really only need to know 8 basic shapes to get started. In this video blog post, I’ll walk you through how to play 7th chords on...
Ten Tips to improve your Guitar Playing
Learning to Play guitar is a fun and rewarding hobby, but it can be frustrating when you’re just starting. Here’s ten tips to help improve your guitar playing skills.
Are Guitar Lessons Worth It?
Are Guitar Lessons Worth It? This question comes up a lot among guitarists who’re just starting out or are self taught. The answer is “it depends”. It’s certainly true that there’s a ton of free content available for guitarists looking to teach themselves. Depending on your goals, free online lessons may be all you need. But if you’re serious about taking your playing to the next level, there’s no substitute for a great guitar teacher.
How to play a Pentatonic Scale on Guitar
A pentatonic scale is the cornerstone of lead guitar playing. If you’re interested in soloing over blues or rock a pentatonic scale is a must know.
SHARE YOUR PASSION WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY
PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
OPEN MIC NIGHT
Eastside Music School hosts Monthly open mic nights for current and prospective students. The open mic night is a great, low pressure opportunity to perform in front of friends and fellow students. Whether you’ve just completed a song or you’re working on your next solo, this is a great motivator to practice and take your skills to the next level..
END OF SEMESTER RECITALS
We host a big recital at the end of each semester (December and May). The recital is the culmination of months of hard work from students and teachers alike. While it can be a little intimidating at first, many of our students find great joy performing in front of friends and family. Of course participation is encouraged but not required.
Learn music from your living room
Virtual Online Lessons
We get it, these are uncertain times. But with uncertainty comes a need for creative outlets and human connection. Fortunately with Eastside Music Virtual Lessons, you can nurture both without leaving the comfort of your own home. Our teachers utilize a variety of tools and resources to enhance your online learning experience. In fact, virtual lesson can be more effective than traditional lessons in certain situations. Just like in-person, your lessons are 100% customized to your goals and learning style.
All you need to get started is an internet connected device with a camera (iPhone, laptop etc), a reliable internet connection and the free Zoom app.
Ready to get started? Schedule a free trial virtual lesson today!
What our Students Say
I'm so glad I found Eastside Music School. Everyone there is just out-of-this-world-amazing. And Jamie is the best teacher EVER. I would HIGHLY recommend Eastside Music School.
Eastside Music School is one of the best kept secrets in Austin. My teacher, Eddie, does an amazing job mixing in the right amount of music theory and fun piano pieces (blues, ragtime, pop/rock).
We love our piano teacher Ely! She is talented, knowledgeable, passionate about music, supportive, and able to tailor the learning experience to the student with enthusiasm.