Albany, NY · Online Coaching · Est. 2009
You can play chords. You just can't play music yet.
That gap between knowing chords and actually feeling like a guitarist? I close it. In 10 weeks, with a plan built entirely around your goals.
You've had that guitar for years.
You know the chords. You've watched the YouTube videos — probably too many of them. But something isn't clicking. The chords don't flow. Songs fall apart. You put the guitar down more than you pick it up.
You're not a beginner. But you don't feel like a real guitarist either. And quietly, you wonder if maybe you're just not musical enough.
You are. The problem isn't you — it's that nobody has ever given you a clear plan.
Checklist — This IS for you if:
- You're in your 40s or 50s and this dream has been on the back burner long enough
- You have a specific goal — an anniversary song, a campfire set, a first open mic
- You're done with YouTube rabbit holes and want a real coach in your corner
- You've tried lessons before and they didn't stick — or didn't challenge you the right way
- You want accountability, not just assignments
This is NOT for you if:
This isn't for everyone.
- You're a total beginner looking for casual, drop-in lessons
- You're shopping for the lowest hourly rate in town
- You're not ready to commit to a real plan and show up for it
THE PROBLEM WITH YOUTUBE
In a world of 3-second scrolls and instant everything, we've been trained to expect shortcuts.
So we go looking for them on YouTube. And there's no shortage of guitar "teachers" there — many of whom have never taught a real student in person — serving up bite-sized videos that feel helpful in the moment but leave you more confused than when you started.
Loose ends never get tied up. Dots never get connected. You don't know what you don't know — and a YouTube video has no idea who you are, can't see your technique, can't identify your recurring bad habits, and frankly doesn't care whether you ever actually improve.
If you were learning to box — really learning, from the ground up — wouldn't you want a coach with a proven track record in your corner? Someone who watches every move, spots every flaw, builds a plan around your specific body and goals, and holds you to it? Guitar is no different. The shortcut that actually works is having the right coach.
THE VGA METHOD
Most guitar teachers teach songs. I teach you how to become a guitarist.
When Andrew started offering guitar lessons in Albany, NY over 15 years ago, he noticed the same pattern in nearly every adult student who walked through the door: they weren't struggling because they lacked talent. They were struggling because they had never been given a clear, structured path forward.
That observation — combined with Andrew's background in higher-ed academic advising, learning assessment, and Berklee-certified music instruction — became the foundation for the VGA Method. A coaching framework built around three things:
Formula display: Vision + Clear Goals + Accountability = Success It's not a slogan. It's a system. And it works for anyone willing to follow it.
Vision
We start with your real goal — not a generic one. An anniversary song. A campfire set. A first open mic. Something that matters enough to work for.
Goals
Clear, bite-sized, sequenced milestones with a personalized practice plan. No confusion. No wasted sessions. One path, built for you.
Accountability
Me. Every week. Tracking your progress, adjusting the plan, celebrating wins, and keeping you on course. Follow the plan and success is the only outcome.
WHAT WE WORK ON
Where do you want to go?
The VGA Method works for any goal — because the method is about you, not a curriculum. Here's where students most often want to end up:
Or bring your own goal. The method adapts. That's the point.
Play full songs — the easy way
Master smooth chord changes and strumming patterns so you can play around the campfire, on the deck, or for someone special — without falling apart mid-song.
Get your songs stage-ready
You've got a handful of songs — now let's polish them, build your confidence, and get you ready to finally walk up to that open mic or first gig and own it.
Break free from the pentatonic box
Finally understand how to solo over a backing track, jam with friends, or hold your own at a blues jam — not just run the same scale up and down.
Master the art of jamming
Learn to listen, respond, and connect musically with other players — not just execute patterns in isolation. Real musicianship starts here.
Become a real blues guitarist
Go deep into the language of the blues — feel, phrasing, tone, and expression. Not just the licks. The soul behind them.
Get jazz in your fingers and ears
An introduction to jazz vocabulary that opens up your entire fretboard and changes how you hear music — permanently.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
The 10-week coaching program
This isn't a lesson subscription. It's a structured coaching engagement with a defined outcome — your outcome — built in from day one.
"There's nothing better than immediately feeling comfortable with someone you're trying to learn from. Andrew has inspired me to fully engage in both the musical process and building guitars. I've only been with him 5 months. Couldn't recommend him enough." — Brett Harris, student
Weekly 1-on-1 sessions
Online, private coaching tailored entirely to your goals and pace. No cookie-cutter curriculum. No wasted time.
Personalized practice plan
A clear, no-confusion roadmap for every week between sessions. Know exactly what to do, how long, and why.
Mindset + performance coaching
We tackle the "I'm not good enough" spiral head-on, using mindfulness tools and proven frameworks — including insights from Daniel Coyle's The Talent Code and Angela Duckworth's Grit — to keep you moving forward.
Community access (SKOOL)
Join a private group of adult learners on the same journey. Weekly posts, shared wins, peer encouragement, and a place to belong.
Instrument fit check
If your guitar is working against your body, we fix that first. The right setup — action, neck, body size — changes everything about how playing feels.
Local open mic access
Albany-area guitar coaching students receive invitations to student-only open mics — a safe, supportive first stage when you're ready to share your music.
11,000+ lessons taught · 15+ years teaching experience · 1,000+ adult learners advised
WHY ANDREW
Berklee College of Music certified. Master's degree, University at Albany. Former senior academic advisor who managed a caseload of over 1,000 adult students — and built a reputation for getting them across the finish line. Current higher-ed assessment analyst. Award-nominated blues and rock guitarist who has competed and performed across the Capital Region.
I've spent my entire career figuring out how adults learn — what gets them stuck, what breaks them through, and how to measure real progress. I bring every bit of that into every session.
Most guitar instructors in Albany teach you songs and send you home with a chord chart. What I offer is categorically different: a coaching relationship grounded in adult learning science, genuine musical expertise, and a deep commitment to your specific goal.
"Andrew is a great teacher and more importantly, an awesome person. I have been playing recreationally for more than twenty years and he customizes lessons based on my musical interests. Highly recommended." — Google Review
Albany, NY & Online
Ready to stop feeling like a poser and start being a guitarist?
I work with a small number of coaching students each session — by design. If this sounds like you, let's have a conversation. Whether you're local to Albany or joining online from anywhere, the first step is the same.