Melbourne Music Lessons - Piano, Guitar, and Voice

Mike is an amazing muscian who has deep insight into both the technical and theoretical aspects of music across a wide range of instruments and genres.

More than that though - he's a truly excellent teacher. He's interested in helping you get what you want to out of playing music and no matter what that is, he's got a plan to help you achieve it. Can't recommend him enough - I went to him already quite a technically proficient guitar player, and gained a much better, more deep understanding of the instrument and the music I was making.

He's also literally the nicest guy in Melbourne music.

I feel so grateful and lucky to be able to learn guitar from Mike. He is a fantastic (professional, touring) musician but yet he is an incredibly patient and understanding teacher. I started as an absolute beginner and, 3 years later, my only regret is not having started earlier.

Mike has a deep and broad understanding of music and theory (in guitar, piano, vocals) but he always puts the student and their goals first. I started learning with acoustic guitar, then some with electric, and now even enjoy learning to sing (I never imagined being comfortable enough to do this!).

I can't imagine other music schools being able to match the depth of knowledge and personal attention you get from Mike. I can't recommend him highly enough.

I have been taking guitar lessons from Mike for the past year and cannot recommend him enough! Mike has been an amazing teacher and exactly what I was looking for. He is very encouraging and supportive and has made my lessons fun and engaging, keeping me motivated with an eye still fixed on my goals for my playing.

Best lessons I've ever had and the highlight of my week. Absolute ripper.

I have been taking music/guitar lessons with Mike for 3+ years and cannot recommend him highly enough. He has a great balance of theory and hands-on knowledge. I have found the foundational lessons in the first few months still resonate as we move into more advanced skills and ideas. Working with Mike has been a game changer in my pursuit of musical understanding.

I've been doing singing/guitar lessons with Mike for over a year now and he's been amazing at helping me to reach my music goals. I was a self taught singer and guitarist when I met Mike and I was looking to learn how to sing properly. Mike was just the man I needed! At first I was very nervous to sing in front of others, but Mike made it very easy for me and helped me to train and fine-tune my vocals. As I was progressing in my singing, we began to do some guitar lessons too so I could progress both simultaneously. Mike was fantastic at letting me chose what I wanted to dedicate my time towards in the lessons, and sent me home each week with great notes on how to improve.

Mike is a great teacher, I wouldn't be where I am today without his teachings. He's super friendly, knowledgeable and great to chat to. Can easily highly recommend Mike as a teacher!!

I've been taking guitar lessons with Mike for almost three years and it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. He is a great musician, an inspiring teacher and a phenomenal person.

Mike is a master in all the technical aspects of playing guitar and piano, as well as music theory and the history of music. His lessons are a great balance between learning the fundamentals required for becoming an advanced player and fun exercises to keep things interesting.

In addition to being a multi-instrumentalist, Mike is able to play pretty much any style you could bring him, and he's always more than happy to dig in and help you deconstruct a song you're interested in. While I often like to take advantage of this, I also love to let Mike guide me towards new music and styles. This is very important to someone who's learning and needs to be introduced to new musical influences.

As someone who has taken up guitar post-college, it's been great to learn from Mike's work ethic and dedicated approach to mastering the guitar & piano. Given that he's a very prolific writer & performer himself, he's always able to draw from personal experience when I come to him with questions about songwriting, recording, or even which gear to use/buy.

Whether you're just starting out or looking for a new teacher to help you take your playing to the next level, Mike is the man to talk to. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

I've been going to Michael for piano lessons for the last 6 months or so and he's an amazing teacher, very lucky to have found him. He helps so much with technique, musicality, theory and practice strategies. He's also a very lovely person to get along with. Highly recommend :)

Mike is an outstanding teacher and musician. He shows a genuine interest in wanting to help me achieve my goals with my guitar playing.

Mike is very patient and really knows his craft which is definitely inspiring. Since I started with mike earlier this year my guitar playing has significantly improved in many areas. Each lesson is enjoyable and informative filled with an overview of my practice schedule and introducing new learning material. The balanced feedback and encouragement he gives really helps with my guitar progression.
He is also a great and personable guy.
Thumbs up from me.

I have been learning piano with Mike for a few years now and it has been an awesome experience! He's a very enthusiastic and supportive teacher with a strong interest in the learning process, and he has a great ability to spot the one or two things you need to focus on in order to keep you progressing, without overwhelming you. He has a really strong understanding of the instrument and the physiology behind piano playing, which really helps with laying good foundations for your future playing. Mike is very patient, and lessons are relaxed and fun, but he can also challenge you and stretch you in new directions if you're up for it. I definitely recommend giving Mike a try!

I began lessons with Mike around six months ago. Since then I feel I have made substantial progress in my guitar playing. Mike's energy and passion for the guitar and teaching is apparent from the get go. His extensive knowledge of the guitar and the theory behind it as well as his ability to scaffold and target learning to my stage of development has without doubt accelerated my guitar skills and theoretical understanding of the instrument. In addition, Mike's ability to communicate new and challenging concepts in a creative and easily understandable fashion is a real gift. I would recommend Mike to any guitarist who is looking to seriously improve their playing in both a structured and enjoyable way. I look forward to continuing to learn under Mike's tutelage and am excited to see how my playing continues to progress!

I started piano lessons with Mike and my experience has been nothing short of excellent. Mike is very skilled in teaching and experienced with many styles of playing, and is very laid back and easy to get along with.

The lessons themselves are well structured with a perfect balance between technical exercises, fun applied exercises and any songs you want to learn. I found that new material was being introduced at just the right pace to help me learn effectively. Whether you're into Pop, Classical or Jazz, Mike will show genuine passion to help you reach your goals.

Overall, if you're on the lookout for a fantastic music teacher I highly recommend that you give Mike a call.

As a guitarist who has played for decades and for years in working bands, I wondered where to find the right music teacher, so I couldn't have been more pleased when I went to Mike. First off, he's a music teacher, not a guitar instructor, and that's exactly what I wanted. After playing with him for only a few moments, he identified what I needed to work on and had great exercises that humbled me but also moved me forward in short order. I find our lessons to be a perfect mix of theory, exercises, and fun. Already my live playing is better and my confidence is increased!

Mike is supportive and friendly yet rigorous and makes good use of our time, something I really appreciate. I couldn't recommend him too much to experienced players who are looking for ways to move their music forward. One day I look forward to coming to Mike to learn the piano!

Updated review (7-8 months into lessons):

Last October, I began singing lessons with Mike. After a few months of lessons I wrote my first review (below). After an additional 4-5 months of lessons, I now want to update my progress to convey the meaningful gains I’ve made in a relatively short period with Mike as a singing teacher.

The ear training that Mike has given me has really paid off. I have played guitar for years but never really developed a good ear, which inevitably held me back.

Mike’s singing lessons have focused intensely on ear training and what he describes as ‘pre-hearing’ notes, which means to gain a mental, auditory image of the note before you go to it. This has been incredibly effective to not only progress my singing but also my guitar and musical knowledge generally.

The (mostly) consistent practice and routine of regular lessons has developed my voice physically, and has also given me a more sophisticated ear where I can now quickly and instinctively find notes with my voice or guitar.

This means I can now transcribe a song much quicker and more accurately, which makes playing music more enjoyable. As well, when listening to music I can hear notes, keys, instruments or song structures clearer than I could before. I attribute these gains to Mike’s multidimensional approach of rigorous exercises, attention to ear training (with a focus on music theory) mixed with enough varied songs to keep the lessons and practice fun. This approach has helped my theoretical knowledge gel with my playing and singing in a way that I haven’t experienced before.

These gains demonstrate what an effective teaching method Mike has. He really is an excellent teacher.

First review (3 months into lessons):

Mike is an excellent teacher, a brilliant musician and a top guy.

I am in my thirties, play guitar and have always wanted to learn to sing. I was looking for a teacher I could click with, and I have definitely found that with Mike. His many glowing reviews attest to that.

Mike is incredibly knowledgeable, skilled and passionate about a wide variety of musical styles. Our signing lessons are detailed, rigorous, and a lot of fun. Mike knows how to strike the right balance between applying strong fundamentals with a more relaxed approach. This keeps the lessons interesting and well paced.

I have been taking lessons for the past few months, and have experienced steady but noticeable improvement because Mike has provided me with strong foundations and realistic short term targets. As well, Mike’s studio set-up is a relaxed and comfortable space in which to undertake these lessons.

As it happens, we share many of the same music tastes, which make the lessons even richer because we often end up engrossed in a discussion about some mutually favourite artists.

Judging by Mike’s other students I have met while passing through, he has a wide variety of students of different age groups, musical tastes and levels. I believe Mike’s knowledge, skills and down-to-earth approach would make him an ideal teacher to instruct such a large range of students.

As such, I would highly recommend Mike to anyone who seeks a high quality music teacher.

I took guitar and vocal lessons from Mike for over a year and had a blast. Mike is awesome. I was sad to see him move to Melbourne, but I want to highlight a few of the things that make him an exceptional teacher in the event that others discover him through the Internet as I did.

Mike is a true professional with a wealth of experience. He's an active member of numerous bands and has toured extensively across the US and Australia. Right up until he moved, Mike was writing new songs and performing at various venues in San Francisco and Oakland. Seeing him perform live and hearing about his upcoming shows really helped motivate me to practice and improve.

Mike is a true student of music. Not only does he possess vast knowledge about the technical mechanics of playing guitar, but he's also extremely well-versed in musical theory, songwriting, and the history of music. It's interesting to note that Mike learned to play guitar as an adult in college. Because of this, he's even better equipped to effectively teach his adult students who may walk into their first lesson with little to no prior musical experience.

Another great thing about Mike is that he's both organized and flexible. When I first decided to take lessons I worried that my instructor and I would play random exercises for an hour each week and that my progress would be difficult to track. Upon meeting Mike I was pleasantly surprised to see that he keeps detailed notes for each student, organizes exercises into easy-to-digest weekly practice sheets, and follows up week after week to answer questions and offer help with the particularly challenging areas. Also, while Mike has curated an effective set of curriculum, he's open to letting students choose their own ratio between exercises and song playing to ensure that everyone stays engaged and motivated.

Finally, and most importantly, Mike is a great person. He genuinely cares about his students and wants to see them learn, enjoy music, and achieve their goals. Despite his qualifications and abilities, Mike is the complete opposite of pretentious - he's down to earth, fun, personable, and patient. I can't recommend Mike highly enough.

Mike is an amazing teacher! He is super relaxed, passionate, and very knowledgeable. I knew nothing about playing guitar when I started two years ago. He was able to understand and adapt to my learning abilities and tailor my music interests (Foo Fighters!!!) into my lessons. I enjoyed each and every step as well as the challenges with different techniques. So, if you are dreaming about playing guitar, stop dreaming and start dialing Mike's number! That is how it all started for me :)

I have been taking lessons with Mike for around 6 months and definitely don't regret taking the plunge into learning to sing as an adult. Mike makes the lessons fun, engaging and interesting. He is super knowledgeable and always gives feedback in a way that makes complete sense.
Each lesson is tailored individually depending on what you want/need to work on, and I always come away feeling like I've progressed in some way!
Would recommend to anyone looking for music lessons!

Mike is an excellent teacher with great experience. He balances the line perfectly between making it fun and pushing you to improve. I had no experience with piano before jumping into lessons with Mike and he started at a great pace without any intimidation. It helped that we shared very similar music tastes and influences as well, which carried through into the lessons. I would highly recommend Mike for anyone looking to get into a new instrument, or continue at an intermediate to advanced level.

A little bit of time with Mike goes a very long way. Mike's intuition and sensitivity in teaching really came through in the lessons we had. I came to him on the recommendation of my best friend, who also takes lessons from him. I only saw Mike a handful of times because I was briefly visiting the area. In the small amount of time with him (around one month), we were able to build an incredibly valuable foundation of music theory that I have been able to take with me and work on my own. He knew how to organize time and lessons perfectly around my time schedule and what I wanted to learn. Although it was quite spontaneous, the way the lessons were organized and delivered in my time with Mike felt perfectly crafted.

Mike is somehow able to create a simultaneously relaxed and incredibly productive atmosphere. Both casual and professional. If I am back in the area, I will be sure to come back and continue learning with Mike. He is both true in his passion for music and dedicated to the craft of quality music production. He is a sensitive and thorough teacher.

Mike is a brilliant teacher who possesses that combination of skill and personality to make it all click. He is passionate, highly knowledgeable and friendly which makes for lessons that are always really enjoyable and well-balanced.

I am a novice to the piano and have found Mike's style encouraging and relaxed, whilst still being structured and firm enough for me to see real progress over the past few months. He is an accomplished musician who is open and adaptable, always finding something inspiring to incorporate into a lesson and the week's practise to keep me motivated.

I couldn't recommend him highly enough!

Mike is an amazing musician, a great teacher and an all around wonderful guy. I started taking lessons from Mike when he was in Oakland and continue to do so thanks to the magic of the internet now. For someone who has played an instrument before, Mike's attention to detail and the basics helps you elevate your skill and game to a different level altogether. For someone who is a beginner, Mike's classes are the perfect mix of basic technique training, music theory and 100% fun - because face it, if it wasn't fun, we wouldn't be playing.

His range and versatility is incredible - we've gone from playing traditional blues and jazz based music to ripping through metal in our lessons and his attention to detail and technique has helped my playing all those types of music equally.

If you really want to learn how to play the guitar, the bass or the piano or even sing, Mike's probably the best in town. Seriously, meet the guy. You won't get a better teacher.