Study With Steve
Guitar Lessons in Madison, Wisconsin
Play the songs you actually want to play. I'm Steve. I've spent more than twenty years helping players go from "I'm trying" to I'm playing. Song-first lessons, a standing weekly time, and a short recap video after every one.
- Beginners
- Rusty returners
- Busy adults
- Motivated teens
- Intermediate players
About Steve, your guitar teacher in Madison
I teach guitar in Madison (and on Zoom), and I've been at it for more than twenty years. I'm a song-first teacher. We use the music you love to build real skills (clean chords, solid time, better tone) and start training your ear, so you can find melodies and parts without living on tabs.
Lessons run on a standing weekly time. After each one you get a short recap video, and everything lives in your private Dropbox: videos, PDFs, tabs. If your week is unpredictable, the optional Weekly Guitar Flow shows exactly what to do in 15 to 20 focused minutes.
Away from teaching I play around the area as a solo acoustic act. That keeps the lessons honest. Everything I teach is something I use on a real stage.
Why learn guitar with Steve
Song-first
We start with music you actually want to play, then pull the skills from inside those songs.
Weekly momentum
A standing time and a short recap video after every lesson, so nothing is left to memory.
Fits real life
Lessons fit what you want to learn and the time you have to practice, whether that is fifteen minutes a day or an hour on weekends.
Your first guitar lesson
- 1
Clarity
Goals, favorite artists, one song you would love to nail.
- 2
Plan
How lessons run, plus your first song.
- 3
Play
You leave with a clear path and your first recap video in Dropbox.
Who I teach
Beginners, rusty returners, busy adults, motivated teens, and intermediate and advanced players chasing tone, time, phrasing and confident solos.
- Standing weekly time
- Recap video after every lesson
- Private Dropbox: videos, PDFs, tabs
- In the Madison studio or on Zoom
A project of Steve's
Guitar Weekly: new ideas to practice every Monday
Guitar Weekly is my other project. Every Monday a new Weekly Thread drops: three musical ideas built around a monthly theme, each with a video walkthrough, interactive tabs, a backing track and the PDFs you need. Pick one idea, play for as long as you have, and that counts.
It is built for players who want something new to work on every week and a practice schedule that holds up to real life. Many of my lesson students use it between lessons.
Every Weekly Thread includes
- Three musical ideas around a monthly theme
- Video walkthroughs of each idea
- Interactive tabs you can slow down and loop
- Backing tracks and supporting PDFs
- A clear focus for the week
What guitar students say
Steve is a very talented musician and an equally talented teacher. My daughter has been taking lessons from Steve for four years and has learned so much.
Steve is extremely accommodating, fun to take lessons from, and an incredible guitar player. If you're at any level learning guitar, I would strongly recommend going in!
Super nice and patient guitar teacher! He spent time getting to know my goal and my background, and then provides personalized content for the lessons.
Steve has been very patient with me and knows what is holding me back without me saying anything. I'm constantly amazed at the knowledge he possess about all things guitar. I consider him a good friend as well as a great teacher that has me playing guitar better than I ever thought I would.
Book your first guitar lesson
Send a note with where you are starting from and the first song you want to own. Steve replies within a day, usually sooner. Lessons happen in the Madison studio on Dorsett Drive or on Zoom.
Prefer to talk? Call (608) 617-5859 or email santhesmusic@gmail.com.
Booking a venue instead? Use the solo acoustic page.