Philosophy

I am enthusiastic and encouraging with my students. I want you to have fun learning the instrument - guitar lessons should be fun!

I strive to teach a wide variety of techniques and styles from my own curriculum, but also encourage students to bring in their favorite songs to learn.

Finally, I try to make lessons easy enough that you feel confident but challenging enough that you're learning new things.

Who and What I Teach

I teach anyone from ages 8 and up. This includes 50 and up too! Many of my students have been much older than I.

I am skilled in teaching beginners through relatively advanced players. Some want to be rock stars, and others just want to strum/pluck their favorite songs as an enjoyable pasttime. Personally, I like styles such as rock, metal, indie, pop, classical, and jazz the best. But I'm certainlly willing to be introduced to songs YOU like and want to learn.

Qualifications and Perks

• Over 10 years of experience in private musical instruction
• Thousands of lessons taught since 1999
• Degree in Music Education
• Custom curriculum includes a great assortment of styles and musical genres
• Bass lessons too!
• Flexible lesson times, studio is close to public library

Performance Experience

I've played in a few bands over the years as well as "coffeehouse" style venues and a few weddings. Currently I'm a member of Sugar Road and another emerging hard rock band.

Recordings

I love recording on the computer. I currently use Logic, and before that it was GarageBand, and before THAT it was a ditital four-track recorder, and before THAT it was an ANALOG four-track! Ah, the days of ping-ponging and cassette tapes! But anyway, here's a few recordings I'm not overly ashamed of:

No-Eyed Deer This was the song I recorded when I used GarageBand for the first time. It's composed entirely of built-in loops except for the solo guitar part.

A Found Harmonium This is a traditional Irish piece that I discovered in the movie "Napoleon Dynamite". I decided to cover it, and did my own version with some drums.

Blue Funk This song is yet another guitar solo song!

Pie Song A weird song I made up to sing about pie.

Invention #8 This is an old recording of Bach's Invention #8. I learned this a couple years after I had started lessons, and my teacher recorded both parts during our lesson and gave me a copy on a cassette tape. Years later, I'm still proud of it (even though I mess up a couple times).

Testimonials

"Ben was a great teacher for my son. His own skills as a guitar player are vast and his commitment to teaching the fundamentals is strong. My son really learned a lot from Ben. Plus the experience was enjoyable!" -Mrs. Held, Bolton

"My daughter took guitar lessons for a year prior to going to Ben for lessons. I found that she progressed so much quicker with Ben's instruction then she did with the other instructor. She went from playing rudimentary songs string by string to playing songs with chords. Ben has a great no pressure attitude yet was able to push her and help her so much!" -Mrs. Court, Tyngsboro

"Our family whole-heartedly recommends Ben Holt as a guitar teacher. My son began lessons with him at age 10 1/2 years old and Ben did a great job of helping Shane to learn to play his guitar with confidence and enthusiasm. Ben is a great encourager, always being very positive with his students. He gave our son the skills and confidence he needed to accompany the youth worship team at our church for 3 years. Our son took lessons with Ben for almost 6 years. Ben is a young man of integrity and sensitivity. He is very comfortable working with teens and younger. His enthusiasm and love of music is very contagious. Ben is a very competent guitar teacher, who will give your child the skills (including music theory, chords, and fingering) and confidence to have a great time learning and playing this wonderful instrument. Ben taught my son to play the acoustic, electric, and bass guitar." -Mrs Crozier, Bolton