I have been giving guitar lessons and bass guitar lessons in Washington State for nearly 40 years,
from Olympia and Lacey to Silverdale and Bremerton - all across The Pacific Northwest. In this time
I have developed a unique and highly successful method of teaching guitar. Let me explain.
If you learn piano or school band instruments, there are established methods of teaching that work
the student through a graduated system of exercises to learn the instrument. There isn't a universally
used method for learning guitar, and this is what makes every guitar teacher different. My system is
different because of my approach. Again, let me explain. People who want to play guitar or bass have
a very specific idea of what they want to do. I work with each student on an individual basis,
fitting the lessons to their personal needs. Rather than me telling the student what
to do, I show them what to do. Here is the difference:
Rather than me telling them what to learn, I ask them what they want to learn;
then I show them how
to do it. I have the student bring in a recording of the music they want to learn and I am able to
listen to it and show them exactly how to play it. This makes learning guitar fun and exciting
because it motivates the student to practice, thereby producing immediate results. As we learn their
music, I explain to them in technical terms what they are learning. Each piece of music they learn
develops their finger skills and musical vocabulary.
Learning guitar or bass should be fun, that's why they call it "playing" the guitar, not "working" the guitar.
Contact Mike for Available Openings: 360-509-7659 or mike@theolympiastudio.com
Reviews
★★★★★ By Patrick
I play guitar professionally, I build archtop guitars, I teach music and am also a
public school teacher. Most of those successes I can attribute directly to Mr. Mike
Karnes. Most teenagers are awkward and have little direction in life. I loved music
and the guitar and had recently been left teacherless. One of the last things my
guitar teacher had left me was a suggestion that I take guitar lessons from Mike
Karnes. I started taking lessons from Mike and I began to believe that I could
become a real guitarist. I wanted to go in-depth and study Jazz guitar. Not only did
Mike have the chops to teach advanced music, but he made me feel like what I was
producing on my instrument was special. He gave me the kind of encouragement I
needed to bring me out of my teenage angst, and to make me want to expand in
every musical way possible. Mike created the kind of safe environment that every
student needs in which to succeed. It was positive, humorous, and most
importantly, musically fertile. From music theory and ear-training, to improvisation
and freedom within music's structure, it seemed that there were inexhaustible
directions to pursue. I remember that every lesson was customized to my needs as
a budding player. Mike is a very intuitive teacher who has the gift to assess a
student and to focus on areas of concern. I have seen that many guitar teachers
teach students like they are painting by numbers, with a one size fits all approach.
As a guitar teacher myself, I have found that to be incredibly frustrating to see. Mike
is not one of those teachers. I can see by all the reviews that this is still true. He
draws out the talent that students have naturally, and he develops it. My memory of
leaving EVERY lesson with a smile and feeling like I couldn't wait to get home to
practice remains with me after over 30 years.
Thank you, Mike, I owe you more than you know. ~Pat
★★★★★ You will always, ALWAYS get your money's worth! By J.R.
I started taking lessons with Mike back when I was in junior high, and those
sessions had such a profound effect on me that I'm still inspired to play even now
after I've graduated from college. When you are in the studio, Mike throws all the
standard rules out the window. You won't be forced to start from the very beginning,
with learning names of notes, key signatures, enharmonics and all of that jazz
(unless of course you really want to, I'm sure he'd be glad to teach you). From day
one, your time is just that, your time. You do exactly what you want to do, and play
exactly what you want to play. Want to learn how to play Pachelbel's Canon? Mike
will show you how. How about the solo to Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower"?
He'll tab that out for you too. Pop in any song, and after listening to it once or twice,
Mike will transcribe what you hear into tablature that you can start playing on the
spot. What he does is amazing, and it makes playing guitar fun. Whether you are
just starting out, or have been playing all your life, their is always something to
learn from Mike Karnes, and you will always, ALWAYS get your money's worth.
There is no one better in the area (trust me, I've looked).
★★★★★ Learn from the best! By sfoxleslie
My 13 year old daughter began lessons with Mike last summer, and within two
weeks she was playing songs of her choosing all the way through. She was so
excited to be learning what she loved that she never let the guitar out of her hands
those first few weeks. Mike has a wonderful presence with the kids that stimulates
their own enthusiasm. First and foremost he respects every student. He does not
judge their taste in music and he is consistently positive and enthusiastic (without
pandering). Mike has high standards for his students and they rise to it because
they want to, not because someone else is demanding it from them. At each lesson
or practice session we or our daughter attend, Mike is consistently PRESENT. We
have never felt that he would rather be doing something else. He was a pleasure to
be around during all of the practice sessions and the performance of the Beatles
project, and his excitement was contagious. Mike worked tirelessly with each
member to ensure they were comfortable with their part. In short, we would give
Mike the highest recommendation for any level of lessons. Oh yes - it also helps
that he is an incredibly TALENTED musician!
★★★★★ Mike Karnes Guitar Instruction, By mkit002
You cannot do any better for guitar lessons than Mike Karnes. I started taking
lessons from him almost 15 years ago and each week I am still amazed at how
much I have learned from him. Mike has a wealth of information and experience
and he personalizes each lesson to fit the needs and interests of the student. Other
instructors can teach you what they know but Mike can teach you what you want to
know. This is very important when building a desire to play the guitar. Within the
past 15 years I have brought in just about every type of music imaginable and Mike
has surpassed my expectations for what I could get my guitar to sound like. When
my students ask me for a good guitar teacher I always recommend Mike Karnes.
Thanks Mike! ~Marcus Kitley, Science Teacher
★★★★★ Fabulous Guitar Instruction! By Charles
My daughter started playing acoustic guitar at age 8 and has been continuing with
Mike for over a year now. We are continually inspired not only by his wealth of
knowledge of music but also by his ability to take any song that you bring in and
write it into something you are able to play. His patience and positive comments
keep my daughter motivated to improve each week. His lessons are geared to what
the student wants to learn, and then he arranges the music into something that is
appropriate for the student's level of instruction.
I also appreciate that he lets me sit in on my daughter's lesson so I am able to help
her at home during the week. Finally, his enthusiasm, genuine interest in his
students, and humor are even more reasons why we are so honored to be studying
with him.
★★★★★ The answer to your prayers By Frank
You want to play music - guitar music! You want to sound like you know what
you're doing! You're willing to work, but you don't want to just bang your head
against a wall doing drill after drill, scale after scale. Mike Karnes is the answer to
your prayers. Whether you want to play rhythm guitar, blend in those deep sounds
of your bass, or make that baby sing, Mike can get you there. He hears what you
hear. He understands where you want to go. And remarkably, he can take you
there. Whatever you bring in to have him listen to, he can take it and turn it into
something you can play. I mean it. Something YOU can play. If you want to learn
how to play the guitar, or if you want to learn how to play some particular songs that
you've loved forever, then Mike Karnes is who you need to see. I've known Mike for
over a dozen years. He knows how to do this, and if you want to play the guitar, you
owe it to yourself to give him a try. You won't regret it. ~ "Frankie Ray" Horton
★★★★★ Mike Totally Rocks! By Sheila
One of Mike's famous mottos is: "Learn from experience." Mike Karnes has been a
professional guitar teacher for nearly forty years and has refined his teaching style
down to a science. Right away, Mike teaches you exactly how to play your favorite
songs, and that keeps you motivated to want to practice. He's a fabulous personal
coach, tailoring the lesson around your particular needs. With each song you are
learning, Mike is helping you to develop specific skills like proper fingering
technique and musical vocabulary, thereby helping you achieve the experience
necessary to become a proficient musician. More than that, though, guitar lessons
with Mike Karnes are a total blast of positive energy to help get you through your
week! He is the BEST, and that's why Mike totally ROCKS! "It's not bragging if you
can back it up." ~Jaco Pastorius. It's a fact. Mike can back it up!