Structured, Personalized Programs
for Intermediate and Advanced Guitarists
Designed to turn your practice into real progress
Testimonials from members of the Hybrid Program:
Jake doesn’t just teach you how to play guitar, he teaches you how to be a better musician.
- Chris Chubbuck
“Just wanted to let you know I got accepted into USC's Studio guitar program! [link]
I do want to thank you for working with me this past year! You've really helped me focus my practicing and showed me a lot of weaknesses in my playing and musicality that forced me to work on those skills and without that I don’t think I would have been able to even pass the prescreening audition. I feel so much more confident in my playing and ability to grow as a musician and really appreciate the time you've put in to help me get to that spot.
Thanks for everything and excited to keep working with you!”
- Aaron Benowitz
More testimonials below
Not a course.
Not “hang out and chat” style private lessons.
Not a lesson library.
Not a group class.
This is a unique program built entirely around your personal musical goals. It adapts to you as you progress, keeps you from getting stuck, and makes sure every minute of your practice brings you closer to your musical vision.
Who it’s for.
This program is designed for intermediate and advanced guitarists who want to move forward as musicians. It’s for players seeking more intention and control in their playing.
Students in the program work on a variety of genres and topics. Common areas of focus include:
Improvisation
Fretboard navigation
Ear training
Chord voicings and harmony
Rhythm, syncopation, and polyrhythms
Arranging for solo guitar
Many participants are interested in improving their jazz guitar skills or integrating jazz ideas into other styles. However, this is not exclusively a jazz guitar program.
How it’s different.
Private guitar lessons can be great for direct personal feedback, but the nature of the format can make it hard to have a clear long term plan for how to practice and problem-solve, especially as issues come up in between scheduled lessons.
Courses are often well structured and packed with a lot of good information, but it’s impossible to find a course that directly addresses all the specific things you want to get better at.
With a course it also can be difficult to know...
...how long to stay on each step
...whether you are practicing each section in the most efficient way, relative to your personal strengths and weaknesses
...how to correct issues that come up if your progress stalls.
Group programs have been becoming more popular lately; small cohorts of people working on variations of the same material every week, with slight adjustments for individual skill level.
In contrast, every step of this program is:
Customized for your specific, individual goals
Modified to your skill level, with meticulous attention to detail.
Dynamic; what you’ll work on and how you’ll work on it changes constantly as we either get you closer to your goals, or discover sticking points that need attention.
The level of structure in this program goes far beyond the typical “so what have you been working on?” private lesson format, but unlike a course or group system, you get direct, personalized instruction.
How it works
To learn exactly how the program works, simply enter your email address below. I will send you all relevant info via email; no complicated funnel or high-pressure sales call involved.
I’m happy to answer any questions you have about the program.
More testimonials from members of the Hybrid Program:
I’d been playing guitar for a little over a decade when I joined Jake’s Hybrid Program, having worked with 4 teachers in that time. While each of those teachers was great, I can say emphatically that my biggest regret as a guitarist is not having had the opportunity to join Jake’s program years ago.
Previous guitar lessons often left me feeling like I was focused on specific skills/songs/pieces of theory that I could use in isolation but were generally too narrow to improve my broader musicianship. Jake’s program is totally different; the comparison is kind of like using a candle vs a floodlight to illuminate the dark cave that is the musical universe. He’s the first teacher I’ve had with a process to thoroughly understand my musical standing, compare that standing to my long-term goals, and present a truly comprehensive and adaptive plan to get me there. The most exciting thing about being in Hybrid is getting to see not only my technical skill improve, but my overall musicianship broaden because of how diverse my assignments are and how reactive Jake’s plan is to my progress.
In short — Hybrid is the only model I’ve encountered that I’d be comfortable calling “The Correct Way” to work with a teacher to improve as a guitar player, and to my knowledge, there’s really nothing like it out there. It’s the most efficient and enduring progress I’ve made since first learning how to play power chords all those years ago, and I’m grateful to Jake for the opportunity.
- Tucker Bryant
Thanks for the descriptive feedback by the way on everything, this is so comprehensive and helpful. This program is everything I've been looking and hoping for! This is BY FAR the best lessons experience I've ever had.
-Adam Diodato
“Starting lessons with Jake has been one of the best things I’ve done for my playing. I’ve taken lessons for years previously and while the instructors were great players most of the lessons were them showing me cool interesting things without guidance on how to add it to my playing. Jakes instruction is very different in this regard and really focuses on adding things to ones musical tool kit. He is great at coming up with plans to improve the things a guitar player wants to improve on and has a knack for creating exercises that help his students develop. While I have a learned a ton of specific things from him I think more importantly I have learned how to have good focused practice. From all the work we’ve done the results have been fantastic, band mates really notice improvement, my partner is blown away by the difference and I find myself getting a lot more gigs around town. Working with Jake has really been a fantastic experience!”
-Jacob DeBoie
"Jake is a wonderful guitar teacher! He is kind and methodical, and has helped to reinvigorate my love for the guitar. If you’re ever feeling stuck or wondering what is next, I highly recommend studying with Jake!"
- Will Johnson (check out Will's great playing here)
"I was strumming through the changes to "Misty" for the first time in a couple months before bed and I noticed a big difference in my comfort with basic drop 2 voicings and with "playing through a tune". The material and assignments you've been providing have super helpful for me in a short period of time! I'm getting much better at a lot of these basic concepts, so I'm excited to see where it goes."
- Adam Janka
"I went to that Acoustic Jam Weekend I was tell you about this past weekend. I had an amazing time, attended a lot of workshops and was up until 2:00am jamming. We had a concert on Saturday night and I was in one of the groups that performed. I did a guitar solo in front of 125 people! That was the first time ever playing lead in front of a group! Thanks to you!"
- Mike Skrip
"Jake is very committed to his students and to guiding them step by step through the learning process. He has has an approach that both challenges and encourages me and allows me to grow without being overwhelming. He is truly a gem and an excellent instructor. The program is well worth the investment!”
- Vonds Dubuisson
Contact Me
To get information about the Hybrid Program, simply enter your email address below and I will send you all relevant info via email; no complicated funnel or high-pressure sales call involved.
I’m happy to answer any questions you have about working with me.