Joseph Brozyniak
About
Hey, I’m Joe! — Berklee College of Music guitar performance grad with over 30 years of stage and studio experience. I’ve played everything from smoky blues bars to festivals, and I still get the biggest rush watching a student nail their first solo or finally “hear” how theory actually works on the fretboard.
Whether you’re a total beginner who just wants to strum songs around a campfire, an intermediate player stuck in a rut, or an advanced shredder chasing jazz improv and modern theory, I build every lesson around YOU — your goals, your favorite music, and the way you learn best. We’ll cover technique, theory, ear training, songwriting, and feel — all without making it feel like homework.
My students range from 7-year-olds to retirees, rockers to fingerstyle purists. Online or in-person (I’m in the Cedar Grove, NJ area), every lesson is high-energy, zero judgment, and 100% focused on getting you playing the music you love, faster.
Ready to unlock the neck and sound like the player in your head? Let’s book a lesson and rip!
Teaching Style
I don’t do cookie-cutter lessons. Every student gets a custom roadmap built around the music you actually love and the way you learn best — whether that’s learning by ear, diving straight into theory, or a mix of both.
- We start where you are: total beginner who just wants to play “Wonderwall” around a campfire, intermediate player stuck on the same pentatonic box, or advanced cat who wants to finally understand why Hendrix chords sound so damn soulful.
- Zero boring exercises for the sake of exercises. Everything we work on — technique, theory, improv, ear training, songwriting — is immediately applied to real songs and riffs you care about.
- I explain the “why” behind everything. You’ll learn how to fish, not just get handed a fish. That means you’ll actually be able to figure out songs on your own after a few months.
- High energy, zero judgment. Mistakes are data, not failures. Laughing is mandatory.
- Berklee-level concepts taught in plain English. I break complicated stuff down fast — modes, chord substitutions, CAGED system, whatever — without making your brain hurt.
- I push, but I listen. Want to spend a month nailing blues bends? Cool. Want to jump from Metallica riffs to jazz harmony in the same lesson? Also cool.
Kids leave excited, adults leave inspired, and everyone leaves playing better than when they walked in. That’s the only rule.
Curriculum
I use a modern, player-first approach that blends Berklee’s proven curriculum with 30+ years of real-world gigging and private teaching. No two students follow the exact same path, but here’s the core of how we roll:
- Goal-first planning: First lesson we map exactly what you want to play in 3 months, 6 months, and a year.
- Song-driven learning: Every new concept (scales, chords, theory, technique) is taught inside songs or riffs you choose.
- Ear + theory combo: You’ll learn to play by ear AND understand why it works — no more “magic” on the fretboard.
- Weekly video exchanges: Between lessons you send me a quick phone clip; I send back detailed feedback (posture, picking, phrasing, ideas). This is where most of the growth happens.
- Play-along backing tracks & loops: Every student gets custom tracks in their favorite styles so practice actually feels like jamming.
- Performance mindset: We work on dynamics, feel, stage presence, and confidence from day one — because great playing isn’t just notes.
Recommended Student Texts & Resources (I’ll send you PDFs or links as needed)
- Mickey Baker – Complete Course in Jazz Guitar (Book 1) → the bible for chords and killer lines
- Ted Greene – Chord Chemistry → advanced harmony made digestible
- Hal Leonard Guitar Method (Books 1–3) → beginners who want a clear path
- The Advancing Guitarist (Mick Goodrick) → intermediate/advanced players who want to break out of boxes
- Berklee Practice Method: Guitar → band-in-a-book play-alongs in every style
- My own custom chord/scale sheets, play-along packs, and “cheat sheets” for CAGED, modes, arpeggios, etc.
- TrueFire / JustinGuitar / YouTube channels (curated playlists — I’ll give you the exact videos that don’t waste your time)
You don’t need to buy anything upfront — I provide you with much of it for free.
If that sounds like the kind of lessons you’ve been looking for, grab a trial spot and let’s make the guitar do what it’s supposed to do: sound like YOU.
Credentials & Affiliations
Credentials & Affiliations
- Bachelor of Arts in Guitar Performance – Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
- Made the Dean's List
- 30+ years professional performing and recording experience (jazz, rock, blues)
- Played gigs throughout the NY/NJ Tri-State area in venues such as but not limited to: The Bitter End, Arlene's Grocery, and Kenny's Castaways
- Came in second to an unknown Lady Gaga (She went by Stefani Germanotta then) in a battle of the bands competition hosted by Emergenza
- Active private instructor since 2018
- Member – New Jersey Music Teachers Association (NJMTA)
- Cleared background check (available upon request)
