So let's say I started off my musical career at a big fat 0! I had never picked up guitar, I couldn't read music, and I certainly didn't know about tablature, metronomes, measures... okay really anything at all. But I wanted to try something new, and I had my heart set on learning acoustic guitar. Rather I thought it would be the most realistic instrument for me to learn and who doesn't love guitar? I borrowed my roommate's mom's guitar (circa 1970) and made an appointment with John. My first lesson John took a look at my borrow guitar and exclaimed that the previous user had put steel strings on a nylon string guitar (gasp!) Obviously I had no idea, but he told me that I really needed something that would work. We stopped the lesson, got on craigslist & John helped me find the exact guitar I needed with case & book so I wouldn't spend a fortune buying a new guitar. Fast forward a few months. I've learned to READ MUSIC, I am learning to play chords, I can play (some) songs, pick- no pick- I can play either way. John has let me set my own pace for learning- advising me on what to practice but also helping me go beyond the book. I really like John- as an instructor he is always encouraging and patient with me. You can tell that he is passionate about music and he answers even my most obvious questions with thought - even giving me the history of why certain rules exist. John also plays upright bass and piano and I would recommend him to anyone seeking lessons! read more

After a recommendation from a friend, I have been taking guitar lessons from John for about 6 months now and I can honestly say he is the best teacher I have found. I have tried others, but none were able teach in a way that made sense and allowed me to build upon my knowledge with each new lesson. Before John, the teachers I had would not have any real agenda and I had a hard time making much progress. In addition to that, he is patient, encouraging and offers great tips on how to make improvements to your playing that you may never have thought of. I highly recommend him, especially if you are a beginner or have been dabbling it but can't seem to make the kind of progress that you had hoped for. It's well worth it. read more

John is amazing. I've been taking upright bass lessons from him for three years and I'm still loving it (and still learning tons). Remember that scary piano teacher you had in elementary school, the one who made you feel bad about yourself? Well, put those fears aside, a great instructor like John doesn't need to resort to such abuse. But don't you think he's going to let you get away with being a slacker. He knows just the right approach to push you to get better. John has found that perfect balance of simultaneously being encouraging and challenging-- he's an all-around great instructor... and a great guy too! John is a gigging jazz bassist who has a solid background in theory, so he's got all the goods to get you where you need to go. He teaches upright bass, electric bass and guitar. In fact, my girlfriend takes guitar lessons from him and loves him as much as I do. Bottom line: John Clark is the best! read more

I can be very sensitive when it comes to learning new things. Especially when that new thing is music. I, historically, have very low confidence in my ability to play instruments. John is the perfect guitar teacher for me. He's always very encouraging and always assures me that my difficulties are not the result of some inborn, sucky-at-music gene, but are, in fact, part of the normal stumbling blocks on the way to playing beautiful tunes. Because of him, I can play better than I ever could after years of struggling to learn guitar on my own. I've also picked up some rudimentary music theory (I'm sure he'd give me more if I wanted it; rudimentary is all I've requested so far). Add to that that he's funny, kind, extremely knowledgeable about a wide range of music and loves what he does. Picking on some strings in his homey apartment out in the Sunset is a great way to spend a Saturday morning. read more

I love my guitar lessons with John. I especially love how he teaches everything from theory to reading music, and also is knowledgeable of many different styles (He is a stand up bass player at Castagnola's on the pier). He always has something to work with you on, even when you slip up and don't practice for the week:) (Which I am occasionally guilty of.. yes I know.) I would recommend John to anyone that is serious about learning guitar.. I have a telecaster that I refuse to lug around but he has a very nice acoustic that he lends during practice. On top of that he is patient, pleasant and very funny. I've had other people suggest instructors to me but I won't switch. Totally worth the commute to the Sunset every week. read more

As an adult, I had a desire to play an instrument. And I've always loved the upright bass. John took me on as a student 2 months ago and rented me a bass. I'm now proficient enough to play along with friends and family when we get together as a group. John's focus on the fundamentals has served me well. I'm learning to play pretty quickly, while still getting a very basic foundation in music. I'm really happy to have discovered John. read more

John has given me a whole new appreciation for playing music. I had taken piano and guitar lessons previously, but I never understood music theory as solid as I do now after taking lessons with John for about six months. He explains things so well and the pace of what we cover is perfect. John is patient, funny, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things music, particularly jazz. I look forward to every lesson -- I always learn SO much. John is a fantastic teacher and all-around rad human being. :) I would highly recommend him to anyone interested in learning to play guitar/bass. read more

My bottom line is that John Clark is a great teacher. I am in my forties. A couple of years ago, I decided to learn to play an instrument. My first teacher taught by scribbling down some chords to a song and would say "hey do this or do that" with the bass. Then we would just play along with songs. I learned some things from him, but felt helpless and lost most of the time. Between lessons, I sometimes did not know what to "study". I am sure some people would love and do well with that sort of teaching, but it was not for me. I wanted something more, wanted a richer experience. I wanted to learn how to play music, but also wanted learn about music and how it worked. I did some searching and found an ad for John. We talked on the phone and he seemed like a good match. So I started taking lessons with him. I find him a good balanced teacher. He teaches core techniques and skills.... like reading music, fingering, etc.... as well as how to play songs. He has helped broaden my skills & knowledge of music. So give him a try, I think with his guidance and you dedication ..ie: practicing regularly.... you will learn and grow and become a better bass player. read more

I have been playing guitar on and off for around 3 years, but it's always something I've really loved so I looked for a place near my house to take music lessons. When I met John I didn't really have a clear idea of what it was I wanted to learn exactly. He was very patient and sat with me for a few minutes discussing what my musical goals were. He met me where I was at and even though I only paid for a 50 minute lesson, he gave me enough instruction for weeks of practicing. Mr.Clark is an awesome teacher because he has a strong desire to teach. read more

I'm finally getting around to writing a review for John, and it's pretty overdue. As a matter of fact, I have to practice right now, but I just had to take a minute to write this. John approaches every student differently and sincerely tries to find the best way to help each one achieve whatever their goal may be. He has lessons that he wants to teach, but will change or rearrange them according to the way you want to learn. If you have questions, he can answer them, but he never makes you feel dumb. With John, there's no such thing as dumb, just people looking for knowledge. He could easily teach an absolute beginner or someone with musical experience with equal success. He's the best kind of teacher - the kind that knows how to listen. I'd bet he's that kind of musician, too. read more

The highlight of my week is going to John's studio for my guitar lesson. I was completely new to guitar prior to John. I did however have prior musical training in reading bass clef as I play trombone. It was a bit of a stretch to read treble clef but John made it easy to learn. He is very well versed in musical theory and he can explain why things are the way they are (if that makes any sense). He is very patient and knows when to push you or when to hold back on the lesson but making sure you progress weekly. When my guitar was in the repair shop, he lent me his acoustic for the week so I could get some practice in. I would highly recommend John as an instructor. I can play simple songs, various chords, and have learned some advanced techniques. Oh and I can read tabs! (although not my preference). Crossing fingers that I may play in a band some day! read more

I found John Clark through yelp and now feel the want to pay homage to him. I started playing the acoustic guitar with him about 6 months ago. I had no formal training and had managed to learn very little on my own. I am now playing songs and bringing my guitar in to play for my Kindergarten students (they're an easy audience). John is a wonderful musician who is incredibly knowledgeable about music and music theory and has a great ear for music. He makes you feel at ease, is incredibly encouraging, and is funny to boot. He caters your lesson to your personal interests and musical aspirations. I often bring in songs I am interested in learning to play and he will help me by writing it out measure by measure. If you are looking for someone to help you begin your musical career or enhance knowledge you've already acquired, he is your man! read more

I took several bass lessons from John, and found him to be especially insightful regarding a student's playing level; we were able to dispense with the do-re-mi, and get to where I needed the work, quickly. I strongly agree with the previous reviews that mention John's patience, and his ability to encourage a musician towards progress; you are empowered by what you DO know, not discouraged by what you don't know. If there were more teachers like John...he'd have more competition! read more

A kind and wonderful guy with a great knack for teaching. If you have any special interests, be sure to tell him and he'll tailor his instruction specifically for you. read more

I had some piano experience as a kid and came from a musical family but hadn't touched an instrument in over two decades. I was really interested in jazz guitar. John was great at finding out an appropriate starting point as far as my skills went. Very patient. Tailored my lessons to me. Not just handing out pre-printed sheets. And a super nice and interesting guy. Highly recommended! read more

I'm an adult student who's been out of learning music for like 20 years. I started learning Bass from John less than a year ago and it's been great. John's the kind of teacher you want; encouraging, challenging and respectful of his students. He's always got new angles on what to learn next. I'd recommend him without question to anyone who wants to learn bass. read more

John surpassed every expectation I had of a music teacher. I came in with some theory background, wanting to learn guitar basics. He went above and beyond - while I certainly learned the chords I was looking for, he taught me so much about music theory and songwriting. He is truly talented, a great teacher and a joy to work with. I would recommend him to people of all skill levels! read more

John was just the teacher I needed. I had doodled for a while and not really gotten anywhere. I bit the bullet and decided to get lessons. John was fairly priced, patient, and friendly. He equiped me with the knowledge on what literature to buy and set me up with a practice schedule that worked for me. Highly recommended! read more

John is a very knowledgeable and helpful teacher. I would recommend him for anyone starting out with guitar or bass, and for those who want to improve their theory and knowledge of chords. He has a great understanding of a wide variety of music genres, and even the first lesson opened my eyes to very hepful things to practice that I'll use forever. read more

We are certainly pleased that we found John to teach our daughter bass guitar. Elizabeth had some background in acoustic guitar and was asked to take up the bass guitar to play in her schools jazz band. Her prior training was helpful, but we felt she would progress faster and gain confidence with some additional instruction so we interviewed several instructors. John was very knowledgeable, a great musician who we felt had the temperament to work with a youthful, enthusiastic beginning bass player. This was a great decision on our part. With a lot of hard practice on her part and the right kind of encouragement on John's part, her bass playing has really progressed big time. She is a much appreciated musician on her school jazz band. And best of all she has gained the confidence and joy from becoming increasingly proficient at a musical instrument. Thanks John for helping to make this happen. read more