AHMAD Guitar Lessons

I've had several guitar teachers during my playing tenure and Ahmad is by far the best. In addition to his thoughtful approach he's incredibly knowledgeable, patient and also makes lessons fun. Whether its deep theory or learning to play something you've struggled with for years Ahmad's help has been invaluable. I've improved more in 6 months with Ahmad than I did in the previous 5+ years. Cannot recommend enough.

Stellar teaching every time and the nicest guy to boot! Trust Ahmad, he will save you YEARS! I have been playing the drums for more than 15 years but was always infatuated with the guitar (acoustic and electric). In my youth, I managed to figure out some basic campfire chords and riffs by my favourite bands but that was about it. 2 years ago I decided to get back to guitar, but did not make much progress trying to learn from online courses and Youtube. I was never able to adhere to a schedule or a lesson plan and I eventually found myself frustrated with practicing. I was always second guessing myself and unsure of my technique, which led to a drop in confidence. In addition, this attempt at self teaching led to MAJOR gaps in my fundamental music theory knowledge and did way more harm than good. But I still could not put out this desire to learn the guitar. I was lost and decided that I needed to completely reset. I started looking for a teacher who would be able to understand my situation. I wanted to find a teacher that would help me cultivate accountability, meet my expectations for regular progress and reach my musical potential. And I am so lucky to have found Ahmad! In the first session itself, Ahmad was able to assess my playing level, goals and recommended a path forward for me in my quest to get better! At every lesson, he knows exactly what to focus on so that practice stays fun while ensuring steady progress and while avoiding bad habits and detrimental shortcuts. Ahmad provides detailed lesson handouts that I can refer to when practicing at home. The rhythmic notation and phrasing are always included. What really benefited me is that Ahmad provides the fingerings along with the lesson tablature, this way I am able practice exactly how I should be and build the proper muscle memory in my fingers. I am finally learning guitar the right way! Ahmad's philosophy is to understand 'why' and 'how' instead of memorizing notes and patterns. The knowledge he imparts will be useful and will stay with me for the rest of my guitar playing days. Fast forward a year under Ahmad's tutelage I feel so much more confident and capable in my playing. I am now able to understand how the notes are mapped out on the guitar and how they are related to each other, it just makes sense now! Ahmad is continuously helping me build a strong fundamental knowledge and technique base that I can build on. My lessons with Ahmad are always fun and mentally stimulating as he actively challenges me and keeps me engaged as we tackle harmonized scales, chord building, triads and technique. I especially like how he shares his experiences and precious personal tips from his time at G.I.T (Guitar Institute of Technology) in Los Angeles! I absolutely believe that what I have learned from Ahmad, I would have never learned anywhere online. There is a renewed and sustained feeling of excitement every time I pick up my guitar. I highly recommend Ahmad to anyone who is looking to learn to play guitar well. I hope that others will find the same joy that I have found in learning to play guitar with Ahmad.

Taking lessons with Ahmad has certainly been one of my best decisions! I've always wanted to play the guitar, but I couldn't afford to start until I was 30. I tried learning on my own unsuccessfully using the internet. I had almost given up when I contacted Ahmad on a whim, as a last ditch attempt. I have been taking lessons for a year and a few months now. Ahmad's superpower is providing me with the right material at the right time. He is the rare combination of someone who is a great teacher in addition to being a great player (other reviewers have gone over his excellent credentials). He has spent decades focused on developing exercises and tips to teach people of all skill levels, and has handouts prepared for every scenario. Each class, he provides me with handouts carefully designed to be challenging enough to sustain my interest, without becoming overwhelmingly difficult. Each lesson builds on the lessons before it, so that I can make good progress while making the most efficient use of my practice time. Since the first lesson, Ahmad has emphasized strong fundamentals and playing in time, and this makes practice engaging and fun! We began with how to play simple sequences of notes, and moved on to power chords, open and barre chords, simple rhythms and rhythmic notation, and pentatonic scales. After a few months there, we moved on to the major scale, more complex chords, and pop, rock and funk rhythms. Along the way, I also learned techniques like hammer-on, pull-off and bends, and example riffs from songs. Ahmad is also familiar with the rhythmic tradition and scales from many styles and cultures, so at times we were able to apply several rhythmic and melodic concepts in both a Western context and an Indian (Carnatic/Hindustani) context, and have a lot of fun exploring bridges between cultures. Throughout, Ahmad has remained very positive and encouraging. A little more than a year ago I thought it impossible that I could progress this much, starting from scratch as an adult, given my usual commitments. But thanks to Ahmad, I have progressed far beyond my expectations. While I still have a very long way to go, I have now found a friend for life in the instrument, and I look forward to continuing my journey.

All the Los Altos schools are good. I took my daughter there.

?☺??I like it very much because they have good teachers.