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Copyright 2014. Dave Benziger.  All rights reserved.

 

ZOOM and SKYPE lessons available - please scroll down for more info!


 






  I'm currently teaching in the western 'burbs of Chicago. As far as lessons go, I teach what my student wants to learn (and for young, beginner students, the things that student's parents would like for them to learn as well - note reading, etc..). I don't teach what I think they should learn. Oh sure, once I get to know where they want to go, I can offer tons o' stuff that I know will help him/her get to where they want to go - but first and foremost, I want my students to enjoy their lessons so much that they actually look forward to going!   :)

    
     The lessons are comfortable, laid-back, and I only move at the student's pace. Not that it's so comfortable that we never get anything done, but that it's first and foremost a relaxing environment. If it's not, it'll feel like going to school - and we don't want that, do we? And, even though we do things at the student's pace, I'll be there to coach (and maybe prod a little bit) as much motivation and progress out of my students as I can.
    
     I normally accept students from high-school-aged and up, but if a younger student is ready, willing, and hungry to learn, I'm there. I teach most everything in the guitar-lesson categories: beginner guitar, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, finger-picking, learning songs, etc... and pretty much most styles like rock, pop, blues, classic rock, hard rock, heavy metal, funk, and even a little bit of beginner jazz. You're paying me to show you what you want to learn, so just let me know what you want to work on!   :)

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     My lessons are orchestrated around my students' needs. I'm luckily able to schedule students for everything from a half-hour each week (the most common scenario), to an hour every-other-week, an hour each week, or even just whenever a student has time to meet up at their home or on Skype when they have the time - believe me, I know busy schedules!  :)
    
     My lessons run $30 per half-hour. I know that's slightly higher than some teachers out there, but it's definitely not the highest. Plus, I guarantee more time and attention to each of my students than just about any other teacher. Even though a lesson may be scheduled as a half-hour or an hour, 99% of the time, they're gonna run over those time frames.
     So, for example, you may be paying for a half-hour lesson, but you most likely will end up many times getting a 35 or 40 minute lesson (especially in an in-your-home lesson scenario). Even an hour lesson can end up running to an hour and 15-min.
    
     Again, $30 may seem like a lot to pay for a guitar lesson (even for ones that run longer than a half-hour), but for that $30 you'll be getting over 25 years of teaching experience and over 35 years of guitar-playing, professional experience.
     You'll be sure to receive the BEST and most ENJOYABLE lessons around. They will be fun and relaxed, but designed to get you working on getting better on guitar and learning all the things you like.  You won't just be learning songs and riffs, but all the in's and out's of guitar playing, guitar technique, music theory, and performance and practicing elements. If you practice (you have to promise yourself that, of course), you can rest assured you'll be getting your money's worth in our lessons (and then some).
    
     I currently do three types of lessons: In-store (at a great music store in Aurora, IL - PM Music Center), in-home  - where I come to your house (*$5 travel/time fee is added to the lesson price, and scheduling is subject to location travel/time conditions), and online lessons via SKYPE.


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*In-home lessons
                 **In-home lessons are still currently on hold due to my mind-numbing schedule.**

     But as soon as things settle down, I look forward to opening up in-home lesson options.  
     (Please note, there is a $5 "travel and time" fee added to the basic lesson price to cover my gas and down-time-while-driving expenses)
     For other lesson and/or scheduling questions/options, please feel free to email me: Dave@DaveTheGuitarPlayer.com

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SKYPE and ZOOM lessons

I'm available for online lessons most weekday afternoons/evenings and Saturdays throughout the day. 
Please contact me about scheduling.

Dave@DaveTheGuitarPlayer.com

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Payments and Cancellations:
*Cash or check payments are fine for in-store and in-home lessons. 

*Online lesson payments can be made via PayPal, VENMO or ZELLE, but if you need to pay for them via check, that's cool too. But each check must clear before lesson(s) can be done.


    *I would prefer that payment is made for the month in advance. But, online lessons can be scheduled & paid in any scheduling scenario you prefer - week by week, every-other-week, or even if you just want to schedule up an online lesson once a month or even from time to time, depending on your schedule. Believe me, I totally understand busy schedules, and since my schedule (as busy as it is) is pretty flexible (during weekday mornings and most weekday afternoons), I'm happy to accommodate students with busy or constantly-changing schedules.

     *Any lessons that are cancelled or missed (a.k.a. "no-show") need to be made up before the following week's lesson, otherwise the missed lesson's payment is forfeited. Any lesson that I need to cancel can either be made up before the following lesson, or can just be credited to the following month's payment.

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me by email:
Dave@DaveTheGuitarPlayer.com
Or text or call:
630-772-1637



The topic of "what songs could I (a student) work on?" comes up from time to time.   Sometimes players/students need a reminder of all the great guitar-related music out there.  Most are songs that are predominantly guitar driven, but many that are just great and classic songs that are also fun to play on guitar (even if a keyboard or other instrument is the primary instrument the tune is known for).  So, over the years, I started putting together a list of these songs. Many are songs that I've taught to students over the years (and some that I've taught time and time again).  So, sit back, sift through, and enjoy remembering all these GREAT songs!  AND....if you think of some that I've missed, please email me with your suggestions!   :D

Some of the Most-Famous, Fun-To-Play, Most-Requested, Educational, etc….
GUITAR RIFFS OF ALLLLLLL TI-EEE-MMM!!…   (All Time)

In alphabetical order. And if you don’t see something listed individually, check in the “band/artist groupings” (since many bands/artists have multiple “most-famous riffs” to their credit, any with three songs or more have their own section).  Also, these aren’t just single-note guitar hooks and/or licks that are only a bar or two long. These cover larger pieces as well. Fingerstyle, rhythm guitar, etc.


Aqualung - Jethro Tull
All Right Now - Free
Always With Me, Always With You - Joe Satriani
American Woman - The Guess Who
Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz
Bad To The Bone - George Thorogood
Bang a Gong - T. Rex / The Power Station
Barracuda - Heart
Beat It - Michael Jackson
Black Magic Woman - Santana
Black or White - Michael Jackson
Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf
Boys Are Back In Town, The - Thin Lizzy
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas
Cat Scratch Fever - Ted Nugent
Crazy On You - Heart
Cult Of Personality - Living Colour
Do Ya - ELO
Dust In The Wind - Kansas
Dr. Feel good - Motley Crue
Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
Frankenstein - Edgar Winter Group
Free Ride - Edgar Winter Group
From The Beginning - Emerson, Lake, & Palmer
Give A Little Bit - Supertramp
Heat of the Moment - Asia
Holy Diver - Dio
House of the Rising Sun - The Animals
Hunger Strike - Temple of the Dog
I Love Rock & Roll - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly
Jessica - Allman Brothers Band
Jessie’s Girl - Rick Springfield
Just a Girl -No Doubt
“King of the Hill” (T.V. show theme)
La Bamba - Richie Valens / Los Lobos
Lights - Journey
Livin’ on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Machine Head - Bush
Man in the Box - Alice In Chains
Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
Mr. Brightside - The Killers
My Girl - The Temptations
My Sharona - The Knack
No More Mr. Nice Guy - Alice Copper
Miserlou - Dick Dale
No One Like You - The Scorpions
Oh, Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
Ohio - CSNY
Only a Memory - The Smithereens
Raining Blood - Slayer
Ramblin’ Man - Allman Brothers
Rebel Rebel - David Bowie
Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo - Rick Derringer
Rock You Like A Hurricane - The Scorpions
Round & Round - Ratt
Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
She’s A Beauty - The Tubes
Should I Stay or Should I Go? - The Clash
Since You’ve Been Gone - Rainbow
Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple
Space Oddity - David Bowie
Stranglehold - Ted Nugent
Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran
Talk Dirty To Me - Poison
Trooper, The - Iron Maiden
Unskinny Bop - Poison
Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi
We Got The Beat - The GoGos
Wild Thing - The Troggs
Wipeout - The Surfaris
Woman From Tokyo - Deep Purple


Aerosmith
Back In The Saddle Again
Sweet Emotion
Walk This Way

AC/DC
Back In Black
Big Balls
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
For Those About To Rock We Salute You
Hells Bells
Highway to Hell
Thunderstruck
T.N.T.
Who Made Who
You Shook Me All Night Long

Bachman Turner Overdrive (B.T.O. )
Hey You
Let It Ride
Roll On Down The Highway
Taking Care of Business
You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet

Beatles, The
A Hard Day’s Night
Across The Universe
Blackbird
Come Together
Day Tripper
Dear Prudence
Eight Days A Week
Getting Better
Help!
Helter Skelter
Here Comes The Sun
I Feel Fine
I Want To Hold Your Hand
In My Life
Norwegian Wood
Octopus’ Garden
Paperback Writer
Revolution
Rock and Roll Music
Twist and Shout
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Yesterday

Berry, Chuck
Johnny B. Goode
Maybellene
Reelin’ & Rockin’
Rock & Roll Music
Roll Over Beethoven
School Day
Sweet Little Sixteen

Black Sabbath
Iron Man
Paranoid
War Pigs

Blue Oyster Cult
Burnin’ for You
Don’t Fear the Reaper
Godzilla

Boston
Amanda
Foreplay/Long Time
More Than A Feeling
Peace of Mind
Rock & Roll Band
Smokin’

Cars, The
Good Times Roll
Just What I Needed
Let’s Go
Magic
Moving In Stereo
My Best Friend’s Girl
You Might Think

Cheap Trick
Dream Police
Flame, The
I Want You To Want Me
She’s Tight

Clapton, Eric
Cocaine
Forever Man
Lay Down Sally
Layla

Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR)
Bad Moon Rising
Down On The Corner
Fortunate Son
I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Proud Mary
Lookin’ Out My Back Door
Susie Q
Up Around the Bend
Who’ll Stop the Rain?

Cream
Badge
Crossroads
Sunshine of Your Love
White Room

Def Leppard
Armageddon It
Bringin’ on the Heartbreak
Foolin’
Photograph
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Rock of Ages

Doobie Brothers
Black Water
China Grove
Listen To The Music
Long Train Runnin’

Doors, The
Love Me Two Times
Peace Frog
Roadhouse Blues

Eagles, The
Already Gone
Heartache Tonight
Hotel California
In The City
Life In The Fast Lane
Long Run, The
Take It Easy

Fleetwood Mac
Go Your Own Way
Landslide
Rhiannon

Foo Fighters
All My Life
Everlong
Learn To Fly
Monkey Wrench

Green Day
Basket Case
Brain Stew
Longview
Time Of Your Life (Good Riddance)
Wake Me Up When September Ends
When I Come Around

Guns & Roses
Paradise City
Sweet Child o’ Mine
Welcome to the Jungle

Hendrix, Jimi
All Along The Watchtower
Fire
Foxy Lady
Hey Joe
Little Wing
Purple Haze
Voodoo Child
Wind Cries Mary, The

Iron Maiden
Number of the Beast
Run to the Hills
Trooper, The

Judas Priest
Breaking The Law
Living After Midnight
You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’

Kinks, The
All Day and All of the Night
Lola
You Really Got Me

Led Zepplin
Black Dog
Dancing Days
Heartbreaker
Kashmir
Immigrant Song
Moby Dick
Rock and Roll
Stairway to Heaven
Whole Lotta Love

Lynyrd Skynyrd
Gimmie Three Steps
Freebird
Sweet Home Alabama

Metallica
Enter Sandman
Master of Puppets
One
Sad But True
Unforgiven, The

Night Ranger
Don’t Tell Me You Love Me
When You Close Your Eyes
You Can Still Rock In America

Nirvana
All Apologies
Come As You Are
Heart Shaped Box
In Bloom
Lithium
Smells Like Teen Spirit

Ozzy Osbourne
Bark at the Moon
Crazy Train
I Don’t Know
Mama I’m Coming Home
Mr. Crowley
No More Tears

Pantera
Cemetery Gates
Cowboys from Hell
Floods
Walk

Pearl Jam
Alive
Better Man
Daughter
Even Flow
Jeremy

Petty, Tom (and the Heartbreakers)
American Girl
Breakdown
Free Fallin’
Here Comes My Girl
Mary Jane’s Last Dance
Refugee
Runnin’ Down a Dream
Waiting, The

Pink Floyd
Another Brick In The Wall
Brain Damage/Eclipse
Goodbye Blue Sky
Have a Cigar
In The Flesh
Money
Wish You Were Here
Young Lust

Police, The
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Don’t Stand So Close To Me
Message In A Bottle
Roxanne
Walking On The Moon

Queen
Bohemian Rhapsody
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Tie Your Mother Down
We Will Rock You

Rage Against The Machine
Bombtrack
Bulls On Parade
Guerilla Radio

Red Hot Chili Peppers
Around The World
Give It Away
Otherside
Scar Tissue
Under The Bridge

Rolling Stones, The
Brown Sugar
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Shattered
Start Me Up
Waiting On A Friend

Rush
Closer to the Heart
Fly By Night
Limelight
Spirit of Radio, The
Tom Sawyer
Working Man
YYZ

Smashing Pumpkins
1979
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
Today
Zero

Soundgarden
Black Hole Sun
Fell On Black Days
My Wave
Outshined
Rusty Cage
Spoonman

Springsteen, Bruce
Born To Run
Glory Days
Rosalita

Tool
Aenima
Lateralus
Prison Sex
Schism
Sober
Stinkfist

U2
Angel of Harlem
Bad
Beautiful Day
Desire
I Will Follow
New Year’s Day
One
Pride (In The Name of Love)
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Vertigo
Where The Streets Have No Name

Vaughn, Stevie Ray
Couldn’t Stand The Weather
Crossfire
Life by the Drop
Pride and Joy
Scuttle Buttin’
Tightrope

Van Halen
Ain’t Talkin’ ‘bout Love
Eruption
Hot For Teacher
Oh, Pretty Woman
Panama
Runnin’ With the Devil
You Really Got Me
Unchained

Walsh, Joe
Funk 49
Life’s Been Good
Rocky Mountain Way
Walk Away

Weezer
Buddy Holly
El Scorcho
Hash Pipe
Island in the Sun
My Name is Jonas
Pork and Beans
Undone - The Sweater Song

Who, The
Behind Blue Eyes
Happy Jack
I Can’t Explain
Magic Bus
My Generation
Pinball Wizard
Squeeze Box
Substitute
Tommy, Can You Hear Me?

Yes
Owner of a Lonely Heart
I’ve Seen All Good People
Roundabout

Young, Neil
Cinnamon Girl
Heart of Gold
Old Man
Rockin’ in the Free World


ZZ Top
Cheap Sunglasses
Gimmie All Your Lovin’
La Grange
Legs
Sharp Dressed Man
Tush

(303 as of 7-1-2011)