"Working with with John in his private studio for the past year has been helpful in tremendous ways. John has guided me through the entire learning process involved in becoming a classical guitarist. His depth of insight and informative teaching style have catalyzed my personal growth both as a musician, and as a teacher. I have recently auditioned for the Cleveland institute of music and John's efforts in helping me prepare were excellent, thus allowing me to have a good experience on the day of my audition. I would highly recommend John to anyone looking to learn anything about the guitar, from the beginning hobbyist, to the serious advanced student. Not only did I recieve top-notch instruction from a great virtuoso of the guitar, I recieved encouragement, advice, and friendship, which is all the more important. Thank you, John."   Bryan P

"John is a rare teacher that is devoted to helping the student create music in a patient and efficient manner. I have been with him for two years and am still amazed at his unique ability to provide suggestions on improving my playing while at the same time encouraging the progress that I have made. The clients that hire my wife and I to play flute and guitar duets have been extremely happy with our performances and that is due in a large part to John's
phenomenal instruction."    Lewis C

"I have been going to John for lessons for about a year now. I am what you might call a serious amateur fingerstyle guitar player. John has been really helpful in pointing out areas of weakness in my playing and working with me to improve. I find his instruction to be honest and practical, but never critical. One of the things that I like the most is that John is a great guitarist himself and has a vast understanding of how music should work and sound. If you really want to improve, this is a vital quality in a teacher. John can show you how to play the notes and the chords and then explain to you why certain musical structures sound better or more pleasing than others. John is helping me to learn the ideas behind the music, not just the music itself. This is making me a more thoughtful and hopefully a better guitar player. I would highly recommend John for instruction on any level, from raw beginners to seriously advanced performers. He can help you in a most gentle and professional way, to become a more complete guitar player."   Jack W

"I received guitar lessons from John as a Christmas gift from my wife last year.  She signed me up for a month and I have been going ever since.  John spent time with me in order to get a feel for the types of music that I liked and then began working with me to achieve my goals.  He is truly a partner in my progress.  I started off knowing only one song ('House of the Rising Sun' – which I never quite played well) and now I am learning everything from old Beatles tunes to the White Stripes.  John is very knowledgeable about music theory and has taught me the whys as well as the hows during our time together.  I think John is a wonderful teacher and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to anyone who wants to learn more about guitar.   Tom J

"As long as I can remember I wanted to learn to play the guitar.  I always made excuses.  I don’t have time.  The guitar is too hard.  My hands are too small.  Those are just a few of the excuses that come to mind.  Finally, four years ago I purchased a guitar.  I quickly realized that I needed some professional help.  I went through several local teachers trying to find the right fit.  My taste in music varies from Blue Grass to Classical.  This made it hard to find someone skilled in a wide range of styles including electric, acoustic, and nylon string.  Finally, I found John!  His versatility has been a great fit.  I have improved in every aspect of my playing.  At last I feel like I’m in the right place, where my skills and knowledge of this wonderful instrument can grow.  I would recommend John to anyone who wants to learn the guitar as quickly and completely as possible."   Dr. David A. Ratliff, DC

"I enrolled as a student of John May in October of 2002. I began my studies as a spinoff from the Upper Arlington LifeLong Learning and Leisure program where I first met John through his guitar classes there. Although I had a previous piano background, I was new to the classical guitar. I really like John's approach to teaching. He blends technical studies with playable songs in a non-threatening envoirment. John's personality is amiable and he injects just the right amount of critical observation to spur me on to better myself. I particularly like the concept of a voluntary student recital annually to give the student a goal to work toward. I also like taking lessons in the warm envoirment of his home rather than a noisy distracting music store. Seeing the progress I've made I would recommend John May to both the beginning as well as the advanced student."   Charles C, MD

"I tried learning guitar on my own for a while and then began taking lessons from John. He really helped me get over my initial frustration of learning to play by teaching me the tools I needed to succeed at playing the songs I love. His patience and intuitiveness helped us form a bond and reach an understanding that has strengthened my learning of the guitar. I would highly recommend John to anyone thinking of learning, frustrated by their own playing or the advanced player looking to get to the next level."   Chris Y

"John , a long-term instructor for the City of Upper Arlington's LifeLong Learning and Leisure program, has taught a variety of guitar classes through our adult continuing education program. His classes have enjoyed continued success, and the student evaluations have been excellent in terms of both class content and quality of instruction. I would recommend John as an instructor to anyone interested in learning to play the guitar. His dedication to both playing and teaching has been consistently demonstrated throughout his tenure with LifeLong Learning."   Deb M, Program Assistant, LifeLong Learning and Leisure.

"Having no previous musical training and deciding to start to learn the guitar at 35 years of age, playing the guitar can be like learning an entire new language. Through John’s private lessons, he has provided the individualized attention and encouragement I have needed to help sustain my motivation and desire to keep learning to play the guitar. If not for John’s patience and sound guidance, I would have probably gotten frustrated and quit the guitar a long time ago. John is very adept at creating custom lesson plans to suit all musical genres and styles. As for myself, I am really interested in learning both acoustic Delta Blues and Classic Rock and Roll. John has done a great job personalizing my weekly guitar lessons to meet my interests in a fun and educational manner."   Greg F

"I have taken lessons with John May for the past year. He has helped take my guitar playing to the next level. He can teach all styles of playing, but lets my interests guide the lessons. We have worked on many styles of music and playing including acoustic, jazz, finger picking, classical, rock and pop. He not only teaches me how to play the songs, but emphasizes using correct techniques so as to get the best sound from my instrument. Also, we work on the theory behind the music , so that I really understand what I am playing. John would be a great teacher no matter your level of playing, or your musical tastes."   Bob D, MD

"Thank you so much for the work you do with Anna-Britt. She is thoroughly enjoying her guitar and we've been impressed with how quickly she has learned to make music with it!"   Paul & Sue M

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