STARTED LESSONS = AGE 12 - 2013-College

When I first started taking lessons with Mike, I was never too serious about guitar. I thought it was just a side project that would occasionally relieve boredom. My previous teachers hadn’t taught me much and my technique was spotty at best. After almost 5 years of lessons with Mike, I have excelled in every category of guitar compared to my peers. I take a guitar class in school and my knowledge of guitar goes deeper than the teacher at times. I have reached levels of greatness that is largely unrivaled by kids my age. This is all due to Mike’s great lessons. Every week, I look forward to jamming with him and learning new things to improve my skills. He creates an environment that is both conducive to learning and fun. We get to play songs that actually fit my music interests and I get to use professional equipment that I would not be able to take advantage of anywhere else. You really learn the actual process of recording songs and playing in front of a live audience. I enjoy playing rock tunes which he caters to but he also does other genres of music as well. Without Mike, I wouldn’t be where I am today. You really can’t get that same experience anywhere else.

— Zach Melcher = Stevenson High School

SHOWS PLAYED = 5
SONGS PLAYED LIVE = 27
SONGS RECORDED = 19

STARTED LESSON = Age 15 - 2016-College

Mike Walsh is hands down the best music instructor I have ever worked with. His quick, to-the-point explanations on how to improve one’s playing will improve your playing in a short amount of time, one-hundred-ten-percent guaranteed. It would be a regrettable mistake not to inherit Mike’s guitar expertise.

When I first started taking lessons, he pointed out several large errors in my playing I had been making for years and which I had never thought about and had never been pointed out to me by any other teacher, and when I fixed them - or “refined my playing” as he put it - my playing quickly and noticeably improved.

When he recorded and produced a rather difficult song I covered, he showed me many things about music production and recording, and did an excellent job of making the final product, which ended up being great.

I wouldn’t recommend any teacher other than him, and I have him to thank for the massive strides I’ve made over the past three years.

— Mitchell Guittar - Buffalo Grove High School

SHOWS PLAYED = 3
SONGS PLAYED LIVE = 16
SONGS RECORDED = 15

STARTED LESSONS = AGE 13 - 2015-2019

Over the past two years of lessons with Mike, I have improved significantly and learned so many new things about music that I wouldn’t have learned elsewhere. When I look back at where I started, I can’t believe how much I’ve improved in such a short amount of time and it makes me look forward to more years of lessons with Mike. Even when I just started and wasn’t very good, he was very patient and always took the time to help me understand what I was confused about. Mike has already began to prepare me for when I go off to college and I’m on my own, so now I don’t have to worry about not knowing what to do when I get older. I know that the skills I am taught in these lessons can be carried on to other situations I face in everyday life. I strongly recommend lessons with Mike if you want to improve at guitar, learn technical aspects of the guitar, or start completely at the beginning.

— Olivia Hodge = Lake Zurich High School
SHOWS PLAYED = 3
SONGS PLAYED LIVE = 16
SONGS RECORDED = 21

STARTED LESSONS = AGE 6 - 2017

Mike has been great so far. He has an unbelievable amount of patience with young kids. My 6 year old LOVES his class and looks forward to it each week. I can’t believe how much he has learned in such a short amount of time. I highly recommend Mike!

— Dana Albrecht (Mother of Student) = Vernon Hills, IL

SHOWS PLAYED = 2 (A 3rd show was at his schools talent show)
SONGS PLAYED LIVE = 6
SONGS RECORDED = 12

STARTED LESSON = Age 8 - 2017-Modern Day

My son started as an 8-year-old with Mike and a year and half later, I have seen him improve by leaps and bounds. Although I play guitar occasionally, I was never properly trained and have found that sometimes kids prefer learning from someone other than their parents anyway. I found Mike online and together my son and I visited his studio. Mike provided a tour, explained his philosophy, style, technique and background, spent more time with us than we anticipated actually. We signed up the following day.

The most important takeaway for me is that my son looks forward to his lessons with Mike every week. Mike makes it a fun and educational experience - mixing it up with theory, rhythm, shredding, blues, chords and of course, rock and roll. As a parent I love seeing my son learn to play full songs, record them, put on live shows and play at home.

Whether your child wants to eventually perform in front of people solo, be part of a band, or just be an avid student that plays for his/her own enjoyment - Mike is the total package when it comes to instruction and preparedness. If you have a young child at home, you couldn’t ask for a better or more inspiring instructor than Mike. Now I get to play with my son and he enjoys teaching ME what he has learned.

— Jay Gurel (Father of Student) = Buffalo Grove, IL

— Preston Gurel

SHOWS PLAYED = 5
SONGS PLAYED LIVE = 17
SONGS RECORDED = 23

STARTED LESSONS = AGE 16 - 2006-College

Mike Walsh is a rare teacher who combines unparalleled skill and virtuosity with an-all inclusive and ingenious method of teaching that covers all aspects of guitar, music, and all things in between and beyond. Mike is personally invested in the success of all of his students, and being one of his students means that you have his expertise to aid you in everything you do musically.

— Ian Lutz

STARTED LESSON = Age 18 - 2017-Modern day

I went to Mike after just getting into the faster stuff of guitar, like soloing. I was doing alright with my current teacher but I needed more. When I first met with Mike he used an analogy along the lines of "If I had a pill that would give you all the skills you need to become the shredder you want, but you only got this pill after putting in the time each week to learn, train and execute my lessons, would you do it to get this pill"? At first I was skeptical, thinking that every teacher would say something like that. Boy was I wrong. Upon "taking the pill" which was taking lessons for 1 year, I had significant growth as a guitarist. I went from barely being able to do the Dream On solo to doing solos like Mouth for War! My skills were so far advanced I was shocked at the end at how much growth I have experienced in the lessons. It isn't just shredding either, with Mike's help, I'm able to write my own songs, understand boatloads of music terminology and understand what really goes into being a musician! All the way from the studio procedures, to which amp you should get, to what goes on in a gig, Mike knows it all like the back of his hand.

Over the course of 1 year it felt like he was like an uncle to me. Always telling me that I CAN become a great guitarist, tour the world and do whatever I want to. As well as giving me loads of useful advice over text! I'm in college and we still talk! He TRULY cares about his students and it is very evident in how he teaches and his overall attitude to everyone. If you want GREAT guitar lessons that will transform you from Joe Jonas to Dimebag Darrell, Mike is 110% the way to go. To this day me taking his class is the greatest thing I have done for myself in music.

— Ryan Babal - Mt.Prospect

SHOWS PLAYED = 1
SONGS PLAYED LIVE = 5
SONGS RECORDED = 8

Not only did Mike help my son improve his guitar-playing skills immensely, but my son also made friends as a result of his classes. In addition, Mike was a mentor to my son and gave him advice on performing and becoming a responsible musician. I think Mike’s lessons, advice, and mentoring have helped my son as a freshman in college. He gained confidence as a musician, and I think this has made it easier for him to adjust to college life. My son also plans to continue his lessons with Mike over winter and summer breaks. Sign up for lessons now!

— Diane Babal - Mt.Prospect, IL

STARTED LESSONS = Age 13 - 2016

Lessons with Mike are both fun and serious at the same time. You feel relaxed around Mike, but you still learn all the things you need to know about guitar. Mike creates a safe environment to learn and succeed in.

— Suki Mohan = Daniel Wright Middle School

SHOWS PLAYED = 2
SONGS PLAYED LIVE = 11
SONGS RECORDED= 15

STARTED LESSONS = Age 7 - 2018-Modern Day

Since starting lessons with Mike about 1 and 1/2 years ago, my son Jacob came to know him as a professional instructor that clearly has a passion for teaching, and knows how to make guitar lessons enjoyable. Giving positive reinforcement when it is due, Mike's lessons are a blast and they encourage him to practice at home. In addition to playing the electric guitar in class students practice for show performances where they play as a group. 

Mike is not just a guitar player that teaches on the side to pay the bills, he has a structured educational program for kids of all ages. I attended one of his free seminars on servicing electric guitars that was extremely informative for a novice. By enrolling in Mike Walsh's program you really will find all the skills and information you need to become an excellent musician. Many thanks, Bert

— Bert  Frisch (Father of Jacob)

— Jacob Frisch

SHOWS PLAYED = 3
SONGS PLAYED LIVE = 10
SONGS RECORDED= 16

STARTED LESSONS = Age 10 - 2017-Moved India

What I loved about your class was that you made everything fun for us. This was the first time that I was learning to play the guitar and you made it seem so easy. All the notes you emailed us after every class made it so much easier for me to practice at home . Thank you so much !

— Jahanika Maroli = Buffalo Grove, IL