Business Details
21 Years
experience
Expert Guitar Lessons in Bloomington-Normal, IL
As a dedicated guitar instructor with over 30,000 lessons taught since 2005, I bring decades of expertise to students of all ages and skill levels. Holding three music degreesBachelors from Bradley University, Masters from Illinois State University, and Doctorate from the University of IllinoisI combine academic rigor with practical teaching experience. My lessons, available in-person at Normal, IL, and online via FaceTime, Zoom, and Skype, cater to beginners learning first chords and advanced players refining technical skills. With a curriculum spanning 800+ songs across genres, I provide personalized direction to help students avoid bad habits, master complex techniques, and build confidence. My background as a faculty member at multiple universities ensures lessons grounded in proven pedagogical methods. I offer free guitar rentals for beginners and flexible payment options, including Venmo and PayPal, to accommodate diverse learners.
Services
Guitar Lessons
Online Guitar Lessons
Beginner Guitar Instruction
Advanced Guitar Techniques
Music Theory Lessons
Song Learning
Chord Mastery
Lead Guitar Training
Improvisation Coaching
Classical Guitar Repertoire
Served areas
- Bloomington and Normal, Illinois
Details
- Year established: 2005
Highlights and features
- We have taught over 30,000 guitar lessons since 2005
- Our owner holds three music degrees from accredited universities
- We offer online lessons via FaceTime, Zoom, and Skype
- Our curriculum includes 800+ songs across multiple genres
- Free guitar rentals available with refundable deposit
Payment methods
- Debit cards
- Credit cards
Services
Guitar Lessons
Half-hour private guitar lessons tailored to individual goals for all ages and skill levels. In-person at Normal, IL, or online via FaceTime and Zoom. Curriculum includes 800+ songs across genres, from beginner chords to advanced techniques.
Online Guitar Lessons
Interactive remote guitar lessons using FaceTime, Google Duo, Skype, or Zoom platforms. Maintains same personalized instruction and progress tracking as in-person sessions while accommodating remote learners and flexible scheduling.
Beginner Guitar Instruction
Structured foundation building for new players aged 6+. Focuses on essential chords, strumming patterns, and simple songs. Includes clear explanations to prevent bad habits and establish rapid progress with free guitar rental options available.
Advanced Guitar Techniques
Specialized training for experienced players seeking mastery in improvisation, lead guitar, music theory application, and classical repertoire. Develops chord vocabulary fluency and advanced technical proficiency through customized lesson plans and complex song deconstruction.
Music Theory Lessons
Applied music theory instruction connecting theoretical concepts to practical guitar playing. Covers fretboard navigation, chord construction, progression analysis, and improvisation strategies to enhance composition and performance skills for intermediate to advanced players.
Questions
What age groups do you teach?
I teach students aged 6 through retirement, including high school, college students, and adult hobbyists.
What styles of music can I learn?
Lessons cover 800+ songs spanning rock, blues, jazz, classical, and pop genres with customization available for personal requests.
Do you offer online lessons?
Yes, virtual lessons via FaceTime, Zoom, Google Duo, and Skype maintain the same quality as in-person instruction.
What credentials do you have?
I hold three music degrees including a Doctorate from the University of Illinois and teach jazz guitar at Illinois State University.
Is my own guitar required?
Owning a guitar is recommended, but free rentals with refundable deposit are available for beginners.
How does the payment process work?
Lessons are $30/half-hour session, paid weekly/monthly via cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, Cashapp, or PayPal.
Reviews (11)
Erin Clark
May 16, 2026
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My daughter got an electric guitar for Christmas a couple years ago and wanted lessons to learn the basics. I found Erik online and he immediately worked us into his weekly schedule. He is an energetic and enthusiastic educator. He was very flexible around her sports schedule and was great about communicating anytime he had a conflict with the schedule. We made a 45 minute commute weekly to take lessons and my daughter learned a lot from him. He utilizes every minute of the session and is engaging in his teaching style. I highly recommend Erik if you or your children are interested in lessons.
Toby Lowrance
May 04, 2025
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I took lessons with Erik for maybe a year or so before I moved. I started knowing nothing and I learned so much from him. I loved his teaching method, incredibly. We learned a rather large number of songs I wanted (mostly Foo Fighters at the time; I probably drove him crazy with my song requests), but also a bunch of songs that helped me grow more in guitar and taught me valuable things to know. Some weeks would be a song and some weeks would be more theory-based, which I appreciate so much now. Erik will do more than just teach you riffs; he will teach you guitar, and that's hard to find nowadays.
Shawn Rybolt
Jun 16, 2021
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I've been taking lessons from Erik for about 2 years and I've never been disappointed. He has always been patient and takes time to fully explain difficult concepts. He's open to introducing a wide variety of music and is genuinely interested in what I want to learn. I highly recommend Erik! His talent, knowledge, and expertise never disappoints.
Cory Spera
Apr 05, 2021
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My son has been taking guitar lessons from Erik for the past five years. When we began the process of looking for an instructor, Erik was recommended to us and it has been a great experience; we couldn't have ask for a better fit! Erik does a great job of teaching, and using the student's individual interests as a platform for their individual learning. Erik has taught my son different styles/genres of music and has introduced him to music theory as it relates to guitar. If you are looking for a guitar teacher; look no further; take the recommendation as we did five years ago and contact Erik!
Carl Fever
Apr 05, 2021
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I've been going to Erik for almost 2 years now and it's been a very enjoyable experience. As an adult who decided to finally take lessons, Erik makes learning the guitar fun and entertaining. His first question everyday is "what do YOU want to play?" If you have been thinking about taking lessons but just couldn't quite decide to, definitely check Erik out! You won't be disappointed!
Mark Garren
Mar 23, 2021
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I have been taking lessons from Erik for over a year. Erik is absolutely great at teaching in.a way that not only improves your playing but also your understanding of music. I highly recommend him if you want to learn guitar
Justin
Dec 27, 2020
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I have taken jazz lessons with Erik for years. He is an excellent teacher and a fantastic musician. He is a true professional, takes his role seriously, and goes out of his way to accommodate his students. I highly recommend him as a guitar and bass teacher.
Jodi Ellsworth
Dec 11, 2020
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My son has taken guitar lessons with Erik, beginning at age 8 to his current age of 13. We have had the pleasure of watching Erik build my son into a little musician. Erik is patient and extremely knowledgeable. He has taught my son how to play many different types of music. Classical, Jazz and Contemporary, Erik can teach and play them all. He has given my son the skills to play acoustic, electric and bass guitar. Erik has recently helped my son learn jazz music in more depth and my son now plays for his junior high Jazz band and was accepted into the ILMEA Jazz band. Erik's role in my son's development as a musician has been priceless! Erik is also very accommodating of our busy schedule. We highly recommend Erik for guitar lessons!
Brian Lowrance
Nov 08, 2020
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A few years ago I bought my son his first guitar and after a quick Google, I found Erik. He has been everything I expected, hoped for and more! He has done a tremendous job teaching my son to play electric guitar. He took a complete newbie and has helped him build a solid foundation in music. It has been a fun experience watching my son grow so much in his skills. I highly recommend Erik for any skill level. He is patient and passionate! Thank you, Erik!
Gregg McDonald
Oct 28, 2020
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Have been taking lessons with Erik for over 2 years. He is an excellent instructor and can teach any level student. I love being able to come to my lesson with a song in mind. He is able to quickly create tabs and strum patterns for me. Highly recommend Erik!
Cameron Shandrow
Jun 23, 2020
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If you're wanting to take guitar lessons from a great instructor, you want to go to Erik Swanson. In the two years I spent taking guitar lessons from him I learned a wide variety of content. I got to play jazz pieces, classical pieces and contemporary pieces. I am a significantly better guitar player from my time taking lessons with Erik. He's reasonably priced and is super flexible with busy schedules like mine. I started my lessons my sophomore year after having three years of experience on guitar and I finished my guitar lessons my senior year.