Learn and Have Fun Playing Guitar With David Joel

David’s approach and experience will improve your playing and musicianship

David is a thorough teacher who instructs with patience, insight, humor, and plenty of examples pulled from his extensive experience as a professional musician, composer, arranger, and band leader. He will give you the tools you need to read music, refine your technique, and develop your musicality, and he will help you expand your listening library, too. Most importantly, David will work with you to help you learn the things you want to learn, whether they’re specific songs or techniques. Whether you’re a beginner who’s looking for a strong foundation or an advanced player looking to expand your abilities, David can help you.

I would not have traded my experience with him for anything.

“For seven years, I would look forward to every Tuesday night when I would have my bass guitar lesson with David. Over the years, I have come to know David very well and I have learned so much from him. Kind, patient, and supportive, David would always assert his unconditional encouragement as I would drill lines or pieces of music that I would be struggling with. David would accompany the music I was studying by playing other selections of music that related historically or theoretically to the piece I was working on. I have learned so much about music theory, music playing, and life during my time with David. With all of his music education and experience from playing around the world, it only makes sense that he could supply this additional support and knowledge. He is an excellent teacher, a brilliant musician, and an inspiring mentor. I would not have traded my experience with him for anything.”

This is the guy you want to take lessons with if you are seriously committed!

After weeks of shopping around the internet for a guitar teacher, I concluded that David was to be at the top of my short list. So I emailed him and received a call back the same day. Having taken lessons in my teenage years, I was glad to hear that he uses William Leavitt’s excellent method books, with which I had some previous experience, as a foundation to build on. David will take you in any direction you want to go, but he won’t compromise on the academic side of things. He is, first and foremost, a *music* teacher, rather than just a guitar instructor. If you just want somebody to show you a few Led Zeppelin riffs, there are probably easier and less expensive options out there for you. And while he is among the best teachers in the region (I’ve had a few), he is not a magician. YOU will have to do your part and practice if you want to improve. Music literacy is a top priority in David’s lesson plan, and you might not realize just how important it is until you suddenly realize that you’re able sight-read actual sheet music in real time while all of your buddies are still struggling in slow motion with tablature! Put another way, he teaches you how to teach yourself, which is what all good teachers do. Don’t let my review scare you into thinking that lessons with David are boring or tedious – quite the contrary! He’s one of the easiest guys to talk to and you’ll never feel like you’re being judged. I just want to steer the best students toward the highest quality lessons I’ve been able to find in the area. This is the guy you want to take lessons with if you are seriously committed to music and are willing to work hard to get where you want to go.

…He gave me the confidence I needed to believe that I can play the guitar and to inspire me to continue learning.

I studied with David Joel for only a year. I had no prior musical training and the only instrument I had ever touched was the recorder. Needless to say, it was a rough beginning. However, David cared enough to challenge me. Instead of teaching me in the vague style of tab, he actually taught me how to read music and appreciate the theory behind it all. By the end of our lessons, I understood where the notes are, why they are there, and how they all relate to each other. I also learned how to change the strings of the guitar and began to tune by ear. My biggest problem was self-discipline in practicing, but David allowed me to move at my own pace while still giving a gentle and often needed push. Overall, he gave me the confidence I needed to believe that I can play the guitar and to inspire me to continue learning. All of this and he provided a fun, open atmosphere. Plus, he also does a mean caveman impression. I highly recommend him to anyone considering taking up the guitar and to anyone wanting to reach the next level in their playing!

I grew as a person foremost and then became a musician

My name is Greg and David Joel is my friend. He was my guitar instructor for 3 years or so. I missed about 4 lessons and made up every one of them. Now, I am not a type A personality, but David offered to me a creative opportunity I could not pass up. Within that time I grew as a person foremost and then became a musician, a novice I was. A novice I would not stay. Between the Flats and Sharps, a language of responsibility and attention is developed when learning with David. You will never be confused or feel stupid, and he will always sound better than you. Because he is such a beautiful player, no matter how long you want to travel the road he will be your guide, true mastery. Thank you, friend. I am now writing lyrics, tunes, reading music, and above else enjoying music and life on a higher level.

You can get a Berklee quality education in Northeast Philly

I have been taking guitar lessons for 5 years; David has been my instructor for the last 2 years. David has the right amount of structure and flexibility in his lessons to keep a student moving forward yet allowing the student to control some of the direction. I am extremely happy with my progress to date and would recommend him to anyone that is serious about music/guitar. You can get a Berklee quality education in Northeast Philly; that is hard to beat.

Very Patient and Experienced

David Joel is a very patient and experienced teacher. I enjoyed my lessons with him and feel that I learned a lot from him. If you want to learn to play the guitar or improve your playing skills, he is the one to go to!

Very Best Choice

I came to study with David for two reasons. I wanted to become a better lead guitar player and I also wanted to learn how to read music. What I walked away with after studying with David for three years was much more than that. I became a much better overall musician and as a result, I developed a mastery of different pick-style and finger picking techniques I never imagined would be possible for me. When I started with David, he took the time to assess my ability and current musical level and quickly developed a comprehensive program that I still use to this day. I found David to have an excellent knowledge of music theory and to be an exceptional guitar player. Each week’s lesson was built up from the previous week’s lesson, and I knew he had a very specific agenda in mind. David was always exceptionally prepared. From a communication perspective, David is excellent and provides clear, descriptive summaries of his teaching examples. He is very approachable and a pleasure to work with. He is able to explain very complex musical theories to a broad audience which could range from a very technical student to someone just starting to play guitar for the first time. David’s passion, behavior and dedication to his students are at level to which all guitar instructors should aspire. It is so clear to me that I made the very best choice of guitar instructors possible.