Which do you want to learn?
Guitar – Bass – Drums – Mandolin – Dulcimer – Ukulele – Banjo – Piano – Keyboard – Violin – Cello
We recognize that your personal interests are important; we want learning an instrument to be fun for you.
No one is too old or young. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to strengthen existing skills, our instructional staff can improve your skills and find your talent. Some students may want to learn the basics while others are interested in music theory. Perhaps you’ve had some musical lessons or musical training or none at all. Tablature or notes? You and your instructor decide together.
![Lessons Group and Individual Music Lessons](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lessons.png)
Lessons
Dr Woods offers both individual and group music lessons from seasoned, professional musicians. Whatever your musical interest and whatever your age, our instructional staff can help. Blues, rock, metal, bluegrass, country, pop, classical–you choose the style you want to learn!
Dr. Woods offers music lessons for piano, guitar, drums, violin, cello, mandolin, dulcimer, ukulele, banjo, woodwind, voice and brass instruments. We recognize that your personal interests are important; we want learning an instrument to be fun for you. Some students may want to learn only basic playing skills while others might want instruction in music theory. Perhaps you’ve had some musical lessons or musical training or none at all. Tablature or notes? You and your instructor decide together.
No one is too old or young. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to strengthen existing skills, our instructional staff can improve your skills and find your talent.
![Lessons Group and Individual Music Lessons](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lessons.png)
Individual Lessons
Individual lessons are available with any of our great teachers at Dr. Woods. We offer individual lessons for piano, guitar, drums, violin, cello, mandolin, dulcimer, ukulele, banjo, woodwind, voice and brass instruments. Please fill out a lesson form so we can find the perfect individual lesson teacher for you.
Learn More About Our Lesson Options
Group Lessons
Current Group Classes Available:
Buddy’s Adult Classes
Buddy’s Adult Classes are held weekly in the basement band room. The classes concentrate on collaboration with fellow musicians in a band environment. Members decide what songs to play, and then spend time each week practicing and perfecting their sound as a group.
Electric/Blues Class
The Electric Class plays mostly rock and blues classics, including songs by Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and more!
Acoustic Class
The Acoustic classes play classics that fit more under the genre of soft rock and singer/songwriter, including the works of The Eagles, Van Morrison, Foo Fighters, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and more!
Individual Lessons
Individual lessons are available with any of our great teachers at DR WOODS. We offer individual lessons for piano, guitar, bass, drums, violin, cello, mandolin, dulcimer, ukulele, and banjo.
Group Lessons
We have classes for all ages and all levels of ability.
Improve collaboration with fellow musicians, while playing as a band. Members decide what songs to play, and then spend time each week practicing and perfecting their sound as a group. Many groups show-off their skills at Open Mic Nights!
Learn More About Our Lesson Options
Meet the Teachers
![Meet The Teachers_Buddy Guitar Intructor](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_Buddy.png)
Buddy
Guitar, Bass
Buddy is the owner of DR WOODS. He is a professional musician, playing in and around the Chicagoland area for more than 40 years.
Buddy works closely with his students, teaching how to play music in a professional and cohesive manner, while maintaining a fun and relaxed atmosphere. He teaches students of all ages, and all levels of experience. Take your playing to the next level! No matter your experience, there is always more to learn. His motto: “I can teach anyone!”
![Jeff Guitar Intructor](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Jeff.png)
Jeff
Manager
Jeff is the store manager at DR WOODS. Jeff is so personable, knowledgeable, and cool that we actually hired him one day when he happened to stop into the store to look around. Come in and ask him to tell you the story. Jeff started playing guitar at 8 years old, picked up the drums at 12. Jeff began touring with bands at age 15! He has always been an advocate of punk and rock’n’roll music. Jeff’s experiences give him all the knowledge that he needs to know how to help every musician get what they need for wherever they want to go.
![Meet The Teachers_Riley Guitar Intructor](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_Riley.png)
Riley
Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Piano
Riley is a well-versed and talented musician who started his musical career taking lessons here at DR WOODS. He has a wide array of experience and his musical interests and talents span many genres, from jazz to pop, and anywhere in between. Riley also works in theater and regularly assists with productions at local schools and churches. Riley can teach you any style of music, and introduce some you may not already know.
![Clayton Guitar Intructor](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Clayton.png)
Clayton
Guitar, Bass, and Ukulele
Clayton is a seasoned musician and teacher, giving lessons at DR WOODS for 20 years. He studied music at the Harper College Fine Arts Program; Clayton has an excellent jazz and rock background.
![Meet The Teachers_Sean Guitar Intructor](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_Sean.png)
Sean
Guitar, Piano, Ukulele, Banjo, Dulcimer, Banjo, and Mandolin
Sean has been giving music lessons for 10 years. He also plays professionally with his bluegrass band, Miles Over Mountains, and also as a solo performer as “Sean Shiel.”
![Meet The Teachers_Caleb Guitar, Piano, Ukulele, Bass, and Mandolin Teacher](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_Caleb.png)
Caleb
Guitar, Piano, Ukulele, Bass, Banjo, and Mandolin
Caleb is another of our veteran teachers. When not teaching music, you can find him touring with Miles Over Mountains & Lucky Pickers, playing a modernized style of bluegrass music. Caleb is an excellent teacher of technique, chord structures, and music theory.
![Meet The Teachers_Brian Drum and Piano Intructor](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_Brian.png)
Brian
Drums, Piano, and Keyboard
Brian has earned a Degree in Fine Arts and Music Performance. A published musician, Brian has been performing and teaching music for 30 years. His areas of specialty vary from jazz, to cinematic, to progressive electronica.
![Meet The Teachers_LilaStoreMascot Dog Store Mascot](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_LilaStoreMascot.png)
Lila
Store Dog
Lila has worked at DR WOODS for 10 years. She is in charge of greeting customers and ensuring that everyone becomes a part of our music community.
Meet the Teachers
![Meet The Teachers_Caleb Guitar, Piano, Ukulele, Bass, and Mandolin Teacher](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_Caleb.png)
Caleb
Guitar, Piano, Ukulele, Bass, & Mandolin Lessons
Caleb is one of our veteran teachers here at Dr Woods. He started out playing classical piano at age 8 and by age 11 had realized that his real passion was string instruments. He’s played everything from Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin to Grateful Dead and is passionate about all music. In the past decade he’s been a professional touring musician in a handful of bands, currently Miles Over Mountains & Lucky Pickers. His touring acts play a modernized style of bluegrass/americana music. He’s an excellent mentor and teacher of all things music on a variety of instruments including practice routines, technique, chord structures and music theory. He has 25 years of playing experience, and 8 years in teaching. Caleb is available for lessons on Mondays and Tuesdays.
![Meet The Teachers_Brian Drum and Piano Intructor](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_Brian.png)
Brian
Drum & Piano Lessons
Brian has been teaching drums and piano for 27 years in the Chicagoland area and has played professionally for over 30 years. He earned an Associate Degree in Fine Arts with a concentration in Music Performance in the early 1990s, and was already being offered opportunities as a musician at a national level. These opportunities established his career as a professional musician and music educator. Spanning genres from jazz to cinematic to progressive electronica, Brian has many works published and his music has been licensed for products and productions that include The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Dr. Oz Show, and Armani. As a teacher, Brian’s influence on musicians is as positive and vast as the lengthy list of his own influences are. John Coltrane, Tony Williams, Allan Holdsworth, Luke Vibert, Augustus Pablo, J Dilla, John Hartford, Jaco Pastorius, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Lyle Mays and Barry Harris just to name a few. Brian is accepting new students Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at Dr. Woods Guitar Emporium.
![Meet The Teachers_Riley Guitar Intructor](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_Riley.png)
Riley
Guitar Lessons
Riley is a talented musician and instructor that was homegrown at Dr. Woods. He began as a self taught musician at the age of 13 before signing up for lessons at Dr. Woods and taking his playing to the next level, and it didn’t take long before Riley was the one teaching. He has a wide array of musical experience and plays in several bands spanning genres from jazz to pop. In addition to performing he has also done work in musical theater and regularly assists with productions at local schools. Riley is currently accepting new students on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
![Meet The Teachers_LilaStoreMascot Dog Store Mascot](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_LilaStoreMascot.png)
Lila
Store Mascot
Lila is our resident store mascot. Feel free to give her a hello when you visit the shop!
![Meet The Teachers_Buddy Guitar Intructor](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_Buddy.png)
Buddy
Guitar Lessons
Buddy “the Doctor” Wiegelman is the owner of our great establishment. A professional rock star, Buddy has performed with many great musicians. His bands have toured with Rush, The Scorpions, and John Mellencamp. He is a professional musician, playing music in and around the Chicagoland area for more than 40 years. Buddy opened Dr. Woods Guitar Emporium more than 30 years ago, wanting to share his love of music with others in the community. He works closely with individual students, as well as with groups, teaching how to play music in a professional and cohesive manner.
![Meet The Teachers_Clayton](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_Clayton.png)
Clayton
Guitar, Bass, & Ukulele Lessons
Clayton is a seasoned musician and studied in the Harper Music Program. He has been teaching lessons at Dr. Woods for ten years. Clayton also teaches guitar in the Dr. Woods satellite program at the Wauconda Public Library. He has loads of experience touring and playing with bands. If you’re looking for someone with a jazz or rock background, Clayton is available to give lessons every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
![Meet The Teachers_Sean](https://drwoodsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meet-The-Teachers_Sean.png)
Sean
Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo, & Mandolin Lessons
Sean is a jack-of-all-instruments, and a master of each one. After starting on guitar at age 14, he decided to expand his musical horizons. So he picked up mandolin, bass guitar, banjo and ukulele, teaching himself each intrument as he went. Sean’s main occupation is playing music professionally, and between his solo career (aptly named “Sean Shiel”) and his band (Miles Over Mountains), Sean can typically be found playing gigs up to five nights a week. In addition to playing shows, Sean has been giving music lessons for over a decade. He is available for lessons on guitar, mandolin, and banjo every Tuesday.