Ted Michalek

Hi there! My name is Ted and I've been playing guitar for almost 25 years. Before that I played banjo for five years, so I've had my hands on stringed instruments for most of my life. I started teaching when I was 19, and I love helping students develop their passion for guitar and music in general. Whether you dream of being a rock star, working as a studio musician, or just strumming some chords in your bedroom, I'd love to help you get there!

I've always been interested in rock, metal, and related styles, but over the years I've also played blues, jazz, singer/songwriter, and solo acoustic guitar (think Andy McKee and Erik Mongrain). In addition to playing with various bands bands, I've played in numerous musical theater productions, including Jesus Christ Superstar, Monty Python's Spamalot, Hairspray, The Sound of Music, and Annie, to name a few. Recently, I've focused on writing and recording original material, and I've released two albums in the past few years.

My teaching style focuses on each student's individual interests. Someone who wants to be a working musician will have very different needs than someone who just wants to explore a fun new hobby! I like to learn about what made you want to play guitar, what kind of music you enjoy, and what you envision being able to do after taking lessons.

I do believe there are some fundamentals everyone should know, so expect to learn some useful exercises and practice techniques, open chords, barre chords, scales, tab and/or sheet music, and basic music theory. But also expect this to be applicable to what you want to play!