Welcome to my guitar lesson studio. I offer one-on-one music lessons tailored individually to guitarists of all levels, musical interests, and learning styles. Lessons are available in the Baltimore, MD area as well as online.

One-on-one guitar lessons tailored to help you reach your own musical goals...

  • My Roster consists of a wide range of ages and skill levels including professional and seasoned performers looking to take their playing to the next level, intermediate players aspiring to break past road blocks, and complete beginners looking to see if the instrument is a good fit.

  • Styles taught include all various sub-genres of Rock, Jazz, Metal, Jazz Fusion, Funk, R&B, Pop, Blues, Folk, Country and Beginner Classical.

  • Subjects covered include - Music Theory and Application, Improvisation, Songwriting/Composition, Fretboard Knowledge, Chord Vocabulary, Alternate Picking Technique, Fingerstyle, Modal Playing, Jazz Harmony, Reading Music, Economy Picking, Sweep Picking, Legato Playing and Creative Exercises.

  • Guitar lessons are available out of my studio location in the Hamilton/Lauraville neighborhood of East Baltimore, as well as online over Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or Whatsapp.

Programs by Level and Style :

Click to see each program for each respective level -

Styles Taught :

Beginners :

  • Introduction to the instrument

  • Correct left hand technique

  • Correct right hand technique

  • Basic reading skills using TAB, music notation and chord diagrams

  • Introduction to open CAGED chords and switching between chords

  • Song based approach to beginner riffs and "power chords"

  • Song based approach to chord changes and strumming fundamentals

  • Reading music notation through use of Hal Leonard Guitar Method/Christopher Parkening Guitar Method (optional for adults although always advocated)

  • Beginner Kids (6-10) - Use of a method book (book varies by age/aptitude) for foundation, Easy/familiar songs for fun, Emphasis on rhythmic fundamentals, Musical games

  • Beginner Kids/Teenagers (11 and up) - Emphasis on balancing musical interests/discovery with musical literacy (reading, use of method books).

  • Adult Beginners - Emphasis on learning playing fundamentals that will fastest help a student reach their interest based goals.

Intermediate :

  • Bar chords/Switching between bar chords

  • Beginner fingerstyle

  • Introduction to CAGED system, 5 pentatonic boxes/diatonic scales

  • Improvising with blues/pentatonic scales

  • Lead guitar techniques - unison bends, vibrato, hammer ons and pull offs, slides

  • Music Theory

  • Reading (Berklee bk. 1 , Christopher Parkening 2, Melodic Rhythms for Guitar)

Advanced :

  • Theoretical concepts in application to both writing and improvisation

  • Advanced techniques -

        - Alternate Picking
        - Sweep Picking
        - Economy Picking
        - Legato Playing

  • Ear Training

  • Understanding diatonic, harmonic minor and melodic minor systems

  • Deeper fingerboard knowledge, thinking notes vs. "shapes"

  • Playing "outside"

  • Use of symmetrical scales

  • Improvisation on more advanced harmonic forms/Jazz standards

Rock Guitar :

  • Different eras of repertoire covering decades from 60s classic rock to 90s alternative as well as more modern styles

  • Riffs, power chords and chord progressions using a song based approach to fluidity

  • Understanding syncopation and common rock rhythms

  • Essential rock guitar techniques for melodies and soloing - hammer ons, pull offs, slides, unison and double stop bends, palm muting, tapping

  • Playing with distortion / controlling string noise (dampening)

  • Learning classic solos note for note

  • Improvising rock solos using pentatonic and diatonic scales

  • Learning and understanding common chord progressions

  • Fingerpicking in a rock context / classic fingerpicking songs

  • Chordal lead playing using both double stops and single notes

  • Compositional approaches to writing rock music

  • Scalar approach to writing rock riffs

Jazz Guitar :

  • Chord vocabulary

  • Learning jazz standards

  • Jazz Theory

  • Understanding common jazz chord progressions

  • Chord tone based approach to improvisation

  • Modal approach to improvisation

  • Jazz scales

  • Different styles of comping

  • Learning jazz idioms

  • "Playing outside"

  • Using chord substitutions

  • Walking basslines with chords

  • Reading jazz rhythms

  • Transcribing jazz solos and application to one's own playing

  • Ear training

Metal Guitar :

  • Repertoire covering lineage and sub-genres from classic metal to thrash, death/extreme metal to more modern styles of progressive metal

  • Effective alternate picking technique

  • Creating movements without tension

  • Hammer on and pull offs - developing smooth legato

  • Sweep picking

  • Economy picking

  • Tapping

  • Speed development

  • Use of scalar sequences

  • Diatonic approach to writing riffs and solos

  • Chromatic and symmetrical scale approach to writing riffs and solos (death metal)

  • Compositional approaches to songwriting

  • Using jazz harmony in metal

Funk / Fusion :

  • Chords in funk

  • Funk right hand rhythms (scratches and floating)

  • Funk repertoire

  • Skank guitar / double stops

  • Understanding and improvising with the 7 modes of major scale

  • Identifying common chord progressions in each mode

  • Modes of the melodic and harmonic major scale

  • Use of symmetrical scales

  • Extended harmony

  • Fusion repertoire

R&B / Soul :

  • R&B repertoire of different generations - 40's to Motown to 70s soul, disco, gospel and neo-soul

  • Rhythm playing with leads - double stops

  • Ornamentation with chords

  • Skank guitar / muting

  • Building rhythms from 8th notes to 16th notes

  • Mini chord inversions/inversions

  • Slash chords

  • Introduction to jazz chords / upper extensions

Fingerstyle:

  • Proper right hand technique

  • Varied repertoire from classical to pop and folk styles

  • Understanding right and left hand fingerings

  • Arpeggio style arrangements

  • Travis picking technique

  • Chord melody and "block chord" style

  • Tone control

  • Hybrid picking

Pop:

Below are some examples of pop artists categorized by era whose songs I frequently teach/play. Guitar in pop songs is extremely varied and can encompass many styles depending on the artist/era.I often write out songs by ear for students as well. Sometimes this includes making guitar arrangements out of songs that have no guitar on them, or finding ways to play songs with no guitar on guitar.

  • 60s pop - Artist examples include The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Isley Brothers, Motown, Aretha Franklin and Van Morrison. 60's guitar lines often have more riff oriented guitar parts and chords progressions which are more complicated than the 50's.

  • 70s pop - Earth Wind and Fire, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Bill Withers, Queen, Abba, John Denver, Sister Sledge, Tom Petty and Billy Joel. Concepts include disco lines, funk rhythms, skank guitar, scratches and 16th note feel.

  • 80s pop - Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney Houston, The Police, Cyndi Lauper, Peter Gabriel, The Cure, Journey, Hall and Oates. Examples of 80s guitar concepts include layered guitar parts, muted skank guitar, switching between distorted and clean tones, as well as making decisions based on multi-tracked layers in songs.

  • 90s - Blink 182, Nirvana, Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, Oasis, TLC, Green Day, Sublime, Counting Crows, No Doubt, Hootie and The Blowfish, Lit, Third Eye Blind. 90s guitar is typically more raw/dirty and often includes use of alternative sounds, effects such as delays, fuzzes, and pitch shifting.

  • 2000's - Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, Outkast, Fallout Boy, Miley Cyrus, Zac Brown, Katy Perry, Chris Stapleton

  • 2010's to current - Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Daft Punk, Adele, Chappell Roan, Paramore, Ed Sheeran, Lizzo, Harry Styles, Steve Lacy

Blues:

  • Blues standards all the way from the 40s to modern day

  • Foundational acoustic blues

  • Blues techniques (bends, slides hammer-ons, pull-offs)

  • Blues improvisational theory

  • Blues rhythm guitar

The lesson studio is located in the Lauraville neighborhood in northeast Baltimore near the intersection of Harford Rd. and Echodale Ave. Lessons are also available online over Zoom, Skype, Facetime or Whatsapp.

Lesson Rates -

Half-Hour Lesson : $30
One Hour Lesson : $60

Lessons are recurring weekly at student's reserved time on the schedule and booked by the month. Payment is billed on a monthly basis at the beginning of every month.

Instructor :

Max Phelps has performed internationally in over 30 countries throughout North America, Europe, South America and Asia performing with progressive metal acts Exist, Cynic, Death to All (a tribute to musician Chuck Schuldiner comprised of members of the band Death) and Defeated Sanity. Max also plays locally with the funk oriented working band “Bachelor Boys Band” as well as various jazz ensembles and freelance work both recording and playing live. Max is currently endorsed by Ormsby Guitars as well as Stringjoy Strings.

Max's general teaching philosophy is that music should be fun and rewarding to participating individuals. Every situation is different based on a student’s interests, goals and skill level. For beginners, Max's aim is not just to provide an enriching musical education, but to aid students in finding their own love for music and the instrument. For already established players, Max seeks to help them accomplish their own unique goals as well as to knock down any road-blocks that the student may be encountering.

- I have been working with Max for many years now, I'll never let him go! He's patient, flexible, and knows the guitar inside and out. The best part is he is dedicated to teaching, even to people like me who find it difficult to learn. Max is a true ROCK STAR!

- The experience of learning with Max has been amazing from the start. He helped me learn the basics of the guitar so that I could develop my love of music and build a strong foundation. Max helped me get ready for my auditions as I went along, which gave me the courage to demonstrate my abilities. I decided to pursue music professionally because of his guidance and encouragement.



      - As a guitarist who felt like they needed some help pushing beyond the “wall”, Max seemed like the perfect choice. After starting lessons I was impressed with his knowledge, expertise, and his trademark “focused but relaxed” approach that’s tailored to each student. Max’s passion for the instrument is what drives him to help others find their voice on guitar, and encouraging each student to adapt these skills in their own way.
I highly encourage you to make this investment in yourself as you’ll find that as he teaches, Max will also be championing you every step of the way.

To book lessons or for any questions please fill out the form below and I will get in contact ASAP. I'm also happy to hop on the phone for a consultation prior to booking.