Dr. Daniel Nistico’s
Guitar Studio
"When I first started playing the guitar, I fell in love with a recording of Asturias and wanted nothing more in life than to play it."
• You probably have similar dreams of playing some of the guitar's most treasured pieces.
• You want playing to be effortless so that you can focus on the music and move people's hearts.
• But the journey is rough and you can't find a clear path to realizing your dream.
How things normally roll for you:
• Practice time is wasted
You either just noodle around or get frustrated at your lack of progress.
• Learning new things is slow and hard
You use all the books and videos out there,
but nothing seems to help you develop like you want to.
• Playing for people is always disappointing
- Every time you play for people, things go wrong!
You can change now and play guitar like you've always dreamed
1. One Free Zoom Lesson
2. Custom Routine PDF
3. Free Practice eBook
In just a single lesson, you can learn how to:
- Transform your technique and musicality, resulting in sensitive artistry
- Understand the meaning and purpose of every single note you play
- Learn how to practice effectively and creatively so that you make the most of every minute (and enjoy every moment too!)
This is done with the guidance of someone who has performed around the world and who teaches guitarists worldwide, from passionate amateurs to serious career building professionals.
“Lagrima. It was the first piece I heard from Daniel. It was very moving - the dynamics, emotion - it was all there. So I decided to take an online lesson with Daniel and I’d like to say that he’s truly an incredibly great teacher and player. From dynamics, to inflection, to rhythm - he improved it all by putting the right words together and in 1 lesson. Daniel takes time to make sure you get it right. So if you’re looking for a teacher, I highly recommend him!”
— O’Bryan, Montpellier Conservatoire
Customized to you
Most resources out there don't customize things specifically to you and your needs. You've probably studied many books and videos, but how do things usually turn out?
• You practice what they tell you and gain little to no actual results
• The information has little to no relevance to what you want to work on
Students who study with me get everything customized to them, meaning every piece of information is actually used.
Imagine what getting this level of customization would do for your playing and musical understanding:
• Lesson Recordings
Your lessons are recorded and available to download on Skype immediately after your lesson.
• Customized Routines
Receive a customized program, technical workbook and repertoire book
The Price You Pay
For Not Getting Regular One-On-One Instruction
Just as your car stops running when out of fuel, your progress and potential will be stifled by not receiving regular instruction.
You might even progress backwards and make things worse, like what happens to your car if its not regularly maintained.
Get the wrong instruction (wrong fuel) and you risk your whole system of musicality and technique breaking down into bad habits.
You may even risk injuring yourself and spending months or years undoing the damage done.
Think of what you're missing out on if you don’t receive regular high quality instruction:
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Progress occurs rapidly and momentum builds when you take lessons
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Daniel has worked with guitarists at fixing incorrect technique that’s led to injury. Don’t persist with bad habits until it’s too late and very challenging to fix.
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There’s nothing like having a highly trained and experienced expert explaining the music and making sense of it in ways you understand.
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Having a teacher gives you short and long term goals. You have accountability each week to play for someone. You’re working together towards your long term goals, whether performing, exams, recordings, or composing/arranging pieces.
What Students Are Saying
“My sons have been learning classical guitar for about 4 years, the last year and a half with Daniel and their progress under Daniel's guidance has been remarkable. Daniel is a superb player in his own right, and an exceptional teacher, patient and knowledgeable about technique and musical theory; I have been so impressed with the development of the boys' performance skills and their appreciation and understanding of the instrument and music they play. Highly recommended teacher.”
— Gerard Wood
“Daniel is a marvelous teacher. I’ve studied with him for the last two and a half years. First of all, his knowledge is vast, not only of guitar technique and literature but also learning and performance practices of past and present. Secondly, he is a resourceful and insightful teacher. He is able to work with any level of student taking into account their strengths, weaknesses, and personal goals. I would say he is a great problem solver, able to offer the student alternative interpretations, techniques, and practice strategies. He emphasizes musical understanding, as well as musical playing. Finally, Daniel is extremely patient and egoless, despite his own impressive accomplishments and talents. Daniel is a conscientious teacher, truly dedicated to helping his students reach their musical goals.”
— Diane M.
“Daniel is an excellent teacher for a wide range of students. If you are just beginning and want to get a solid grasp of the basics he will provide materials and advice to make that happen. If you are a more advanced student, then his guidance in understanding the score and his analysis of the musical aspects of the piece are outstanding. His erudition and education are evidenced by his ability to put what you are working on in historical context are outstanding. And, to top it all off, he is quite tech savvy, and he will often provide annotated scores of your practice session. In addition, if your lesson is on-line (which is my case) you can record the lesson for later review. His web site and the materials on it are worth taking lessons, in their on right. I highly recommended working with Daniel. Your playing and your music will definitely benefit!”
— Danny Dishon
Doubts About Online?
You might be skeptical about taking lessons over Zoom but after giving thousands of lessons online I assure you it gives powerful results.
One of my students was skeptical at first, but soon realized that Zoom lessons actually work great:
"I was quite skeptical about having lessons via Zoom but you certainly have proven that they can work really well."
--- Olalla
All that is required is either a tablet or laptop, plus a free Zoom account.
Daniel is set up with multiple camera angles and high quality sound to bring sharp video and audio right to your screen - check it out below
Packages
Semester - 14 Lessons
Yearly Booking - 46 Lessons
(BONUS 4 free lessons valued at $320)
Daniel encourages a balanced program and routine, incorporating varying but interrelated skills. This is similar to having a balanced diet and can help your overall musicality grow exponentially.
Teaching Philosophy:
I'm very passionate about giving students the absolute best musical training I can offer. My teaching philosophy involves a holistic approach to music, including:
- Playing by memory
- Utilizing good technique and posture
- Knowledge of basic music history
- Sight reading
- Effective practice/learning techniques
- Understanding Music Theory
This is done in a supportive and encouraging environment, where I challenge students to push beyond what they might normally expect of themselves. As a result, this requires a fairly disciplined work ethic from the student. I strongly encourage daily practice, even if it just amounts to 10-15 minutes. It's also encouraged that the student practices the day of and the day after a lesson, as this helps them retain what they learned.
Lessons can be recorded and stored onto a private webpage for you to access in future. If you’d like to have your lessons recorded and stored, please let me know. I’d recommend that you watch the recordings at least once during the week. This can help to maximize your practice time and remember the key focus points for the week.
Materials:
All music/scores are provided by me at no charge and are sent to you electronically - please print them out. I often like to create a customized regime that usually includes materials from my own published books.
Please keep your materials in one place, for example in a binder.
Student Performances:
I strongly encourage my students to perform and share the work they've done to others. This can be in a formal or informal setting. A great performance at a school or audition can lead to opportunities, including scholarships and awards. The most important thing that a great performance does is to engage, uplift and move the listeners!
You may choose to perform during one of the Creative Classical Guitarist masterclasses or Open Mic sessions. These are very relaxed, informal and encouraging settings to perform in. There are 3 student recitals each year.
A little about me:
- I grew up in Melbourne, Australia - Completed undergraduate and Master of Music degrees at the University of Melbourne. - Completed a Doctor of Musical Arts from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. - Performed around the world, both as a soloist and with my wife and duo partner as Duo Vela. - In 2009, I won the Lions Club Global Youth Music Competition (cash prize of $10,000) and have since won other prizes in national and international competitions. - In 2013, I won a substantial scholarship from the University of Melbourne that enabled me to pursue studies in the USA. - In 2015, the Eastman School of Music nominated me for the prestigious Artist Certificate award, making me the first guitarist in the school's history to be nominated for one. - My current studio includes students from the world.
- In 2021, I established The Creative Classical Guitarist, an online guitar school that teaches harmony, composition, arranging, improvisation and performance. Music created by members is recorded and published, aiming to expand the guitar’s repertoire and give classical guitarists the tools to continually create new music with.
Meet Students from the Studio
Student Work Feature
Here are some of the projects that students have completed, including arrangements, compositions and recordings.
Nick’s arrangement of music from the Spiderman video game on PS4
A beautiful study composed by young Shiro
Aedan’s arrangement from the movie How to Train Your Dragon
A stunning arrangement by Malcolm of a much loved song