WELCOME TO MENTEI MUSIC GUITAR LESSON
In-person guitar lessons in the NY/NJ area or online lessons from anywhere in the world. All levels and ages are welcome!
With over 20 years of teaching experience, I’ve worked with students of all ages and skill levels—from children as young as 5 to adults in their 70s, and from complete beginners to advanced players. I’ve also taught classes and workshops as a visiting artist throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia, including at Berklee College of Music.
Learn guitar at your own level and pace with personalized lessons tailored to your goals. Let’s work together to take your playing to the next level!
TOPICS INCLUDE:
Song Learning & Guitar Techniques
Guitar Fundamentals
Fretboard Mastery
Improvisation
Jazz Guitar — Soloing & Comping
Chord Melody
Ear Training
Music Theory
And much more!
LESSON MATERIALS
Check out some of my lesson PDFs [here].
LESSON VIDEOS
Watch my guitar lesson videos on [YouTube].
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING: "I worked with Nobuki for ten years. He is a very professional and talented person. He is totally reliable and his manner is very welcoming. He never misses a beat in his music and in his business approach. I recommend him wholeheartedly!!" - Bonnie S. "Absolutely amazing teacher, very honest and passionate about his work. Highly recommended." - Rajesh K. "I have taken guitar lessons with Nobuki and he’s wonderful. Calm and friendly and he explains everything well. Fantastic player too - so allow for some time to just jam!" - Thomas J. "I had many guitar teachers throughout the years and he is certainly the best! He is extremely knowledgeable about many genres of music, especially jazz and took my playing to the next level." - Martin L. "Great teacher!" - Vinayak K. "Nobuki is a great guitar teacher, he has taught me so much over the years, and really helped me get to grips with practical approaches to applying theory to my playing. I do monthly lessons via zoom. He explains things clearly and gives great demonstrations and examples. And is always on hand to answer any questions that come up. I also use several music books, but having a teacher you can ask questions really helps a lot, as he will put things in context and be able to simplify things. Very much recommend!" - Adam T.
WHAT CRITICS ARE SAYING:
‘’the best jazz guitarist Japan has ever produced’’ (AllAboutJazz)
''the sweetest tones we've heard in some time from his 335'' (Guitar World)
''a mature player with keen sense of composition [and] considerable skill'' (Vintage Guitar Magazine)
''Jim Hall meets Wes Montgomery on their way to a Kenny Burrell show’’ (Critical Jazz)
Nobuki Takamen
Guitarist
Career Highlights
• Teaching online lessons to more than 80 students monthly from the USA, Canada, U.K., Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, China, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Japan
• Taught at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and jazz workshops and masterclasses in the USA, Canada, Europe and Japan
• Recipient of the 1st prize of the Instrumental Category in the 2019 USA Songwriting Competition
• Tours as a leader in the USA, Canada, France, Italy, Finland, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Thailand and Japan
• Featured in publications including DownBeat, Guitar World, Vintage Guitar Magazine, Just Jazz Guitar, WBGO, AllAboutJazz, Jazz Podium (Germany), Jazz’n’more (Switzerland), Jazz Special (Denmark), Musica Jazz (Italy), Jazzwise (UK) and Guitar Magazine (Japan)
• Recordings include Bull's Blues and FROM NOW ON (What’s New Records), Live at the Iridium and Three Wishes (Summit Records), Solo Guitar, Live in Japan, The Nobuki Takamen Trio and Life is Now
• Author of two books ''Fretboard Visualization for Guitarists'' (Shinko Music), and ''23 Simple Rules to Live by as a Jazz Guitarist in New York'' (Artes Publishing)
• Contributor to Japanese magazine, Jazz Guitar Magazine and Guitar Magazine
• Endorsement artist of Acoustic Image Amplifiers, Raezer’s Edge Speaker Cabinets, ZT Amplifiers, Eventide, JHS Pedals, Sommer Cables, and Reunion Blues
FESTIVALS & VENUES:
Montreal International Jazz Festival (Canada)
Rochester International Jazz Festival (USA)
Vancouver International Jazz Festival (Canada)
DC Jazz Festival (USA)
Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz (USA)
Riverview Jazz Festival (USA)
Jersey City Jazz Festival (USA)
Medicine Hat Jazz Fest (Canada)
Jazz YYC Summer Jazz Fest (Canada)
Calgary Jazz Festival (Canada)
Lethbridge Jazz & Blues Festival (Canada)
JazzVez (Croatia)
Nisville Jazz Festival (Serbia)
Petrovac Jazz Fest (Montenegro)
Orta Jazz Festival (Italy)
Blue Monk Jazz Festival (Italy)
Techno Jazz Festival (Japan)
Santo Music Street (Japan)
Iridium Jazz Club (New York, NY)
Blue Note (New York, NY)
Smalls Jazz Club (New York, NY)
Bar Next Door (New York, NY)
Blues Alley (Washington, D.C.)
Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre (Medicine Hat, Canada)
Martha Cohen Theatre (Calgary, Canada)
ECU (Paris, France)
iF Cafe (Budapest, Hungary)
Budapest Jazz Club (Hungary)
Malmitalo (Helsinki, Finland)
Tokyo TUC (Tokyo, Japan)
Foojohn Jazz Club (Bankok, Thailand)
Read full biography
ONLINE LESSON RATES
60-minute lesson: $90
30-minute lesson: $45
Payment is accepted via PayPal, Zelle, or Venmo. Payment is required in advance. Discounts are available when booking multiple lessons.
Please provide at least 24 hours’ notice for cancellations or rescheduling.
In-person lesson rates vary depending on your location.
Ready to get started? Email me to discuss your goals and schedule your first lesson!
Email: nobukitakamen@hotmail.com