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Nate Donnis

  • Home
  • About
  • Music
  • Shows
  • The Donnis Trio
  • Rodello's Machine
  • Media
  • Store
  • Contact
  • 711 Project
  • Guitar and Ukulele Lessons

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About Me 

Hi thanks for stopping by!  If your new to guitar or you've had a guitar for a while collecting dust, but getting no love, I can guide you .  I've been playing professionally for 12 years and teaching for 8 years here in San Marcos, CA (just outside of Carlsbad).  My music has received over 35 million streams on Pandora and Spotify and has been in placed in numerous T.V shows and commercials including Skins, Breaking Amish, 90210, VRBO and more.  I have opened for Blues Traveler, John Cruz, AJ Croce and more.  I teach folk, rock, blues, reggae, country, punk, and some classical.  I also help guide singer/songwriters with their craft and artistry. 

 Teaching Style 

I am always focused on the goals/vision of my students.  Clarifying the goals at the initial lesson, we reverse engineer your vision to foundational exercises, theory, chords, rhythms, proper technique, posture, or scales, that are required for your vision to come into fruition.  I expect my students to practice at least three 20min sessions per week in order to progress each week.  We meet for 45 minutes on a weekly basis.

 I offer a full range of lessons for all ages and abilities. I teach in a style that caters to your musical interest and unleashes your creativity. Whether you are a novice or advanced, I have a lesson suited for you. Since all lessons are one on one, progress is catered to each student, allowing for maximum attention and progress. 

Guitar or Ukulele (Acoustic/Electric) lessons for beginners focus on finger placement, strumming, sight-reading, understanding groove and chord placement. Students will learn to care for their instrument as well as tuning the guitar. From classic rock to current music, I find the music that excites you as a student. 

Intermediate lessons add chord progressions, finger picking, pentatonic scales, ear training and reading sheet music.

For the advanced student, I offer lessons that teach scales and soloing, interval training, songwriting and theory.

 LESSONS

 I offer lessons via Facetime, Skype, or Zoom as well as  in person at my home for local students in the San Marcos, Carlsbad, and San Elijo Hills area.

 I am located just outside of Carlsbad in the Lake San Marcos area.  Contact me for details.

 

Lessons currently are $65 per 45 min 

Lessons are billed in blocks of 4 and the fee is due in advance (by check or cash). If you are absent, you will still be charged unless you give me 24 hours notice. This is to give me time to rearrange my timetable and give notice to other students. If you provide sufficient notice, I will make up the lesson at a different time. If I am unable to teach a lesson for any reason, I will make up the lesson (if not I will issue a refund)”

 

 

Guitar or uke lessons 4 pack
  • Guitar or uke lessons 4 pack

Guitar or uke lessons 4 pack

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$260.00

4 pack Virtual or in-person at my home guitar or uke lessons.

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12 Guitar Lessons (one free)
  • 12 Guitar Lessons (one free)

12 Guitar Lessons (one free)

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$715.00

Get a 12 pack for the price of 11 lessons virtual or in person at my home lessons. All lessons are 45min. In general we meet once a week. Reschedules need to give 24hr notice or lesson is forfeited.

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36 guitar lessons (3 free)
  • 36 guitar lessons (3 free)

36 guitar lessons (3 free)

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$2,145.00

Virtual or in person at my home lessons. Stay committed and accountable! Also get 3 lessons for free when you purchase 33.

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Testimonials: 

During the year that Nate was my son's guitar teacher, I was amazed to watch the way Nate instinctively tailored each lesson to my son's needs. His patience, willingness to find solutions, and personal interest in son really opened the doors to true learning and experimentation. Though we had to move away, my son still builds daily on the instruction Nate previously provided and says that his lessons with Nate are what he misses most. Nate truly has a gift for teaching children and creating music, an incredible combination. - Marisa May 

 

Nate Donnis has so much to offer as a teacher! He's a great musician who never ceases to amaze me with his musical talents and his love for all types of music. I've played the guitar for a while and wanted a teacher who could teach me more of what I heard on the radio, not just chords and theory - although he worked with me on that too. He has been able to teach me every song I've taken to him right off the recording! I'm grateful to Nate for his patience and abilities. I'd recommend him to anyone, from true beginner to someone wanting to advance the skills they have already. - Kathleen Schott 

 

I have been studying guitar and songwriting with Nate for the last two years.  Nate is a patient competent teacher.  If you are looking to beyond the basics (which he can teach) of guitar and develop your artistry Nate is the instructor for you!  Nate is a talented established recording artist.  He individually tailors your lessons to meet your needs.  Nate is one of the most positive, upbeat and humble people you will ever meet.  Let Nate help you become the artist you deserve to be!  -David Sparks 

 

We started our son on guitar lessons on a whim. Now four years later, our son still enjoys it and it is because of Nate's guidance. There were times I thought my son was no longer interested because he would only practice sporadically but we realized it was because there was no opportunity to perform. Once he was given the platform to do so (at a family event, then at his school's talent show) we saw him step out of his comfort zone and blossom into a musician. Nate mixes it up and recently introduced him to songwriting. We are grateful to have found a REAL teacher who is not only a talented musician, but a mentor who pushes his students reach their full potential. 
Georgina C. 

 

My son is 12 years old and has taken acoustic guitar lessons with Nate for 3 years. He started with acoustic lessons and his interests grew to electric guitar and ukulele. Nate will mix all three instruments into a lesson if that's what is needed for different songs. Nate teaches techniques that are necessary to improve skills while he also lets my son pick songs that he likes and is familiar with, and that keeps it fun. Nate is a very patient and dependable teacher and I would definitely recommend him for any level student. 
Karen K. 

 

Nate is amazing. My son loves him and feels a responsibility to do his guitar work which is great to see. Nate is super responsible and flexible, and if something comes up, he will bend over backwards to accommodate. It is rare to see such an accomplished writer and musician have the patience to sit and teach kids the way he does. He shows up to our house, has nice conversations with our 7 year old and gets our son to work somehow! Our son started with Nate when he was 5, and now he plays and sings and finally is enjoying it.. He really has given our son a boost of confidence and it shows through all aspects of his life.. Thanks Nate!!!!! 
Jonathan F.

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