Schedule a lesson with me right now.
I don’t want to make any unreasonable claims here, but you are probably much, much closer to guitar-playing nirvana than you think.
Whether you’re learning classical guitar from me online (via webcam/email/video) or you live in NYC and study with me in person, I focus on:
- solving your technical problems from the inside out, by teaching you the deeper principles behind how you play
- finding the devil in the nit-picky details, no matter how tiny, that in any way keep you from progressing, and showing you how tiny changes can make big differences
- diagnosing your technical and musical blind spots, showing you how to turn them into strengths, so you can get much better, much faster
- choosing the most playable, rewarding and enjoyable repertoire for exactly where you are right now, so you can learn and perfect music that you’re proud of and confident to share with others—-and to perform in any setting you prefer
- choosing most appropriate technical exercises for your current level —and showing you how to practice them optimally—so that you can move on to the next, and the next, and the next….
- teaching you how to practice so that you develop the habits necessary to be able to constantly teach yourself-—to learn something new every time you sit down to play
- teaching you all the inside tricks and secrets of how to learn, memorize, and master, step by step, the music that you most love
“I have found Jay’s teaching approach to be just what I needed to see a large improvement in my classical guitar playing ability. With Jay’s patient and focused approach, he quickly honed in on ways to improve my right hand and left hand technique and speed and has helped me to bring out the nuances in classical guitar music. The has also resulted in me having much more confidence in my playing and performance.”
Jerome K., Student
If you’re interested in contacting me for lessons, please visit the student intake page.
There are several ways you can study with me:
Online Learning (Classical Guitar Students Only)
Weekly Lessons (see cancellation policy)
$77/hr or $297/4 lessons
Studio Guitar Lessons
75/hr
I’ve been studying with Jay Kauffman for about two years and have learned more in that period than in the prior ten years. He has given me a great deal of insight as to how to improve the quality and interest of my music and, in so doing, has increased my desire to practice more. My repertoire has increased substantially as a result of all this and I recently gave a concert for some friends with some of the pieces we have been working on!
B. Clemens, student.
[Jay’s approach to teaching is] distracting me TO the music and away from the usual din in my head which disconnects me from both my hands and the guitar. So instead of listening to the whirlwind of chopped up thoughts I’m usually having while practicing, which are mostly negative (did that wrong, strings ALWAYS buzz, my hands must be misshapen, shouldn’t be even trying to do this, etc.), I am listening to the guitar — to the strings. The second thing is coming naturally from the first: I am feeling a direct connect between my mind, hands and back and shoulders and what sounds are happening. So I feel in control. By contrast I guess it felt, [before this] that every time I played, I was pulling the handle on a slot machine…maybe my fingers would accidentally get it right, maybe they wouldn’t.
Rachel M.