“Mike is a patient and understanding teacher. I started vocal lessons with him several months ago. Mike’s knowledge spans many areas. We’ve covered vocal technique, music theory, song writing, and touched on some guitar playing. He has also provided advice regarding gear and recording setups, and he has a wealth of interesting music theory knowledge to share.”

“I’ve been taking guitar lessons from Michael over the past few years. Michael is patient and caters the lessons to your individual needs mixing both your own personal music interests with instruction and theory. The lessons are designed around what you want out of the sessions which I appreciate.”

“Mike Esparza has been teaching my daughter guitar, voice and now bass for 6 years now. She started guitar at the age of 6 and Mike has a friendly and approachable manner which creates a very comfortable and upbeat learning environment for her to start off in. Mike has years of experience in the music industry and is extremely knowledgeable in his craft and displays a deep passion with his students. My daughter loves taking lessons from Mike for he understands her learning styles and adapts his lessons to meet her needs. I would highly recommend Mike to anyone.”

“My time with Mike is money and time well invested. I have been taking guitar lessons with Mike for almost 3 years. I started with zero skills and no musical ability. I literally didn’t know how to strum, what a chord was or an e from a g. One of my goals was to play some Hebrew/Jewish songs. Without any previous knowledge Mike was able to be successful. I have learned several other songs that Mike suggested or I requested. I have no complaints.”

“Mike Esparza has been my guitar teacher for over a year now and my experience with him has been great. He’s helped me grow from just being able to learn and play songs to actually playing guitar and writing songs on my own. Because of his guidance my song writing has grown tremendously and am now playing music with a band that’s starting to do well. I recommend Michael to anyone looking to play guitar.”

“My daughter has been taking lessons with him for several years now. She is having fun and he challenges her to try new music things. Mike knows how to teach kids and music.”

“Mike is a great teacher with what seems like unlimited patience. He’s been teaching our boy guitar for about 3 years now and he has grown into a player that not only understands “how” to play but also “why” the guitar parts are written into music and how they complement the songs. Couldn’t ask for a better fit for our kid.”

“I’ve been taking lessons with Mike for almost a year now, and it’s been great! Plenty of teachers know the ins and outs of music theory and guitar technique, but what sets Mike apart is that on top of those things, he has an obvious passion for music and really believes in his students. Before, it was easy for me to think “maybe one day...” about being a guitar player or beginning to write songs, but with Mike’s teaching and encouragement, my mindset has changed to asking “why not today?”. Highly recommend!”

“He is a great instructor with tons of experience. My son enjoys him as a teacher. I would highly recommend him to anyone considering lessons.”

“Mike is such a great teacher! He has been teaching my son guitar for 9 years now and my kiddo plays so great. He started when he was 8 years old. I started bass lessons a few years ago as well. He is always very patient when you are struggling with something and has a great collection of songs to play. I also learned to write music and how to come up with decent lyrics. My daughter started learning the Ukulele when she was 5 and did great as well. His fees are very fair and lessons are so much fun!”

“Great guitar teacher. I have been taking lessons there for 4 years and have learned a lot.”

“Mike is the most inspiring guitar teacher I’ve encountered yet! He has a way of unlocking the mystery of music structure and keeping me coming back for more lessons.”

“A good teacher can be hard to find. Mike is that good find. He’s patient, passionate, and very knowledgeable. You set a goal, and Mike will work with you so you can reach it. But above all, Mike was very honest with me, which I greatly appreciated.

The studio itself feels private while still being busy with other excited students which creates a vibrant, creative energy. Bonus: the parking lot is huge and free in the evenings (plus cheap duing the day).

Mike’s prices are a total bargain as his instruction reaches far beyond the lesson in the form of materials and Mike’s willingness to take emails and offer support between sessions. Mike’s passion is infectious and will have you eager to pick up your instrument.

10/10, would strongly recommend.”

“I’ve been taking guitar lessons from Mike for the last couple of months, after having just hacked around for a few years on my own and with help from the Internet. It’s definitely been great getting his feedback, hearing his perspective and knowledge around the instrument and music in general, and getting a much more directed course of study than I otherwise would. Definitely strongly recommend!”

“Mike is an awesome guy and great instructor. I’ve been playing guitar for about 15 years and consider myself an intermediate player. I came to Mike with the goal of taking my guitar playing to the next level. I’ve been thrilled with the way Mike has tailored lessons to fit my goals. From the first day we jumped right into what to learn and focus on. Mike is great at being about lay out ideas and concepts in very easy to understand ways. I find that I’ve learned something new to be excited about after every lesson. With Mike’s help I’m excited to continue to keep growing as a guitar player. ”

“Mike is a skilled musician and teacher. He is able to explain and demonstrate concepts clearly, with great patience and humor. Lessons are always tailored to fit my interests at the time and aid my development during practice. Mike gets you playing songs quickly. He also has the technical proficiency to dive into music theory. I highly recommend him.”

“Mike is a great teacher who knows how to tailor a lesson to how each student learns. He is patient and has opened up creativity I wasn’t aware I possessed. Not only is he a great teacher but extremely knowledgeable about the music industry. I had never played guitar before but always wanted to learn. I come out each lesson excited to practice what I’ve learned.”

“Makes learning guitar fun. Mike is a great guy, teaches from the heart, has passion and endless knowledge about music, guitar and the industry. He can teach all types of music and really focuses on what you want to learn and how to get you going with something that will motivate you to learn. He’s created his own teaching materials and walks you patiently through them even though I can tell he’s done this a million times.

This studio on Westlake right on the water of Lake Union is a short walk from Amazon in South Lake Union. It’s a cozy space part of Mike Hillman’s studio that has a doorbell rigged up to a guitar, rock posters and awaiting bench.

Other students range from high level tech execs to kids and everything between. There are those that dedicated fiends looking to shred and those of us taking a slower route given our career focus. Mike is patient with all types and can accommodate. He also does hilarious voices.

It’s tough to have the courage to learn new things when you suck at first but Mike makes it feel like it’s not an issue.”

“Mike is an excellent teacher. He knows how people learn and makes concepts clear. I had absolutely no experience playing guitar before I started taking lessons here less than a year ago. Now I’m able to shred along with some of my favorite Megadeth songs. I’m coming up to speed on some of the more difficult songs, but I’m still amazed at how quickly I’ve been progressing. I highly recommend taking lessons from Mike.”

“I started taking lessons with Mike in December of last year. I consider myself to be an intermediate player, and I’ve been looking for someone to help me take it to the next level, both technically and stylistically. I couldn’t be more satisfied with the direction he’s taken me in the last couple months.

Esparza has the disposition of a guy who’s spent his whole life studying the greats. Bands, songs, guitars, companies, you name it and he probably knows it’s history. Then, when it comes to playing the instrument itself, he has a way of dissecting the fret board that is simple to learn but complex in its stylistic potential. His goal as an instructor, as he’ll likely tell you, is to morph your guitar from a hunk of wood into an extension of your musical self. He does this painlessly and efficiently. If you’ve been meaning to learn how to play, or if you’re ready to take that next step like I was, Guitar Voice instruction has my recommendation.”

“I’ve been taking guitar lessons from Mike for the past couple of months and I’ve been really pleased working with him. He has the technical expertise that any student should require, but what sets Mike apart is his focus on the student and the student’s goals. He takes the time to learn the students’s objectives for seeking instruction, and tailors the lessons and exercises to get there - rather than giving a stock set of instructions for every student, which I think is pretty typical (based on other guitar instructors I’ve had in the past). To me it’s had a significant positive impact on enjoying pr acticing rather than feeling like it’s work. He’s also really versatile, and can accommodate a wide range of musical styles and student levels of expertise. Blues, rock, pop, folk, punk, country, metal, classical, whatever. Plus he pays attention and provides insightful tips and perspectives to accelerate your learning. Highly recommended!”

“Mike has a talent for teaching. Not only for instructing technique but for informing his student about the world of music. His passion for music is expressed vividly in his comical impersonations that he so offhandedly displays and he is well versed in his knowledge of the art. I enjoy observing Mike as he teaches and I appreciate his character. He demonstrates creativity in his actions whether he is talking, playing or listening and I am glad to have his influence on my young artist in training!”