Fall Creek Guitar Studio

Originally located in the Fall Creek Neighborhood.

Now located on Ithaca's South Side

Specializing in Guitar Lessons 

for the Adult Beginner

Many paths can be taken I recomend the following:

Begin Learning to play while using a beginning guitar method book

1. Learn good practice habits.

2. Learn Fingerstyle technique that is both efficient and effective.

3. Learn to read music and learn about the materials of music.

4. Get those fingers moving and get ready to play more challenging music

Depending on how much one practices. One can finish this portion in as short a time.

Continue Learning: Personalize lesson to achieve what you want to achieve.

1. Continue in the classical method book. Continue to improve left and right hand technique. Improve musicianship. Learn the fingerboard. Eventually finger style arrangement of popular songs

2. Learn the basic elements of jazz and harmony by learning basic jazz shell chords and how to construct basic jazz bass lines. Learn the fingerboard. Basic improvisation. Learn basic building blocks of music thru study of the fret board (Intervals, scales, arpeggios). Because reading skills might be still elementary. I have a method to teach chord construction and how music works with or without reading standard notation.

3. Learn to accompany your singing (folk or singer songwriter) Learn Chords and how to Finger pick or use flat pick for basic strumming.

4. Maybe Bluegrass flat picking.

5. Personalize a course of study just for you.

Lesson Rates and Specials

Beginning guitar lessons package deals. Consecutive one-hour weekly lessons.

12 weekly lessons $600 $500.

Up to 2 make up lessons

8 Lesson package $400 $350

Up to 1 make up lessons

4 lesson package $200 $180

Private Lesson Rates:

30 minutes: $30

45 minutes: $40

60 minutes: $50

Specials are for new students only.

30 years Teaching Experience

David Coester is a classically trained guitarist and teacher. He earned his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Guitar Performance from the Manhattan School of Music and spent 18 years in New York City. Currently living in Ithaca New York. He will teach private guitar lessons to students of all ages and abilities at the Fall Creek Guitar Studio. David's playing covers a wide range of musical interests. While especially committed to 20th-century composers and to the music of J. S. Bach, his repertoire also includes light classical, popular jazz standards and finger-style arrangements.