Robin Pahlman · Guitar

Private guitar lessons from a working musician.

One-on-one instruction rooted in real music. Your favorite songs, the techniques behind them, and how to make them yours. Based in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

Crown Heights
30+
Years
Performing & teaching
150+
Students
All ages & backgrounds
90%
Retention Rate
Students who return weekly or bi-weekly

Real songs. Deep understanding. Your own voice.

The goal is always to play music you love. But every song is also a window into how music actually works.

We combine established teaching materials, music theory, and the songs that matter to you. We'll analyze what makes a chord progression feel tense or resolved, why a melody lands the way it does, how a groove locks together. Then you'll use those tools to play, create, and improvise on your own.

You'll walk away understanding not just what to play, but why it works. That's what turns a guitarist into a musician.

RP
Since 1996

Robin Pahlman

I started teaching at 17 and have spent the past three decades building a career as a full-time musician and educator. Trained at Stockholms Musikkonservatorium in Sweden, I perform and teach across genres: rock, folk, blues, funk, soul, jazz, country, and everything in between.

I've played stages from small DIY spaces in Vienna to Carnegie Hall in New York. Along the way I've directed band workshops and theater productions. I keep my roster intentionally small so every student gets real attention and real progress.

@rpahlman on Instagram

Kids & Teens

Structured, encouraging lessons built around the music young players actually love. I keep students engaged and curious, building real skills while having fun.

Adult Beginners

Starting fresh or picking it back up, these lessons are designed around your schedule, your taste, and your goals. No pressure, genuine progress, music that means something to you.

Advancing Players

Ready to go deeper? We'll work on technique, theory, improvisation, and songwriting to figure out what's actually holding you back from the next level.

Straightforward Rates

No term commitments. Flexible scheduling. Most students commit to weekly or bi-weekly lessons once we find a rhythm.

Discovery Lesson
$60
45 min · First-timers start here
Extended Lesson
$100
60 min · For deeper sessions
In-Home Lessons
Contact for rates

Brooklyn & surroundings. Rate varies by distance.

Ready to start?

I keep my roster small by design. Send me a note introducing yourself, or your child, and we'll find a time for a quick call to talk about goals and fit.

Currently accepting a limited number of new students.