Virgil has been an incredible guitar teacher for my teenager. He’s patient, encouraging, and truly invested in his students’ growth. What stands out most is how he assisted in every way possible — even helping guide the decision to switch from acoustic to electric guitar, which is where my son really found his passion. He doesn’t just teach music; he builds confidence and keeps kids motivated. My son went from casually interested to genuinely excited about practicing and improving. We’re beyond grateful for the impact Virgil has had — both musically and personally.
Aidan Paul
I was with Virgil for a few months before having to move from the area. He is an incredible guitar teacher. Helped me build a strong foundation and break bad guitar habits early. In addition to being super knowledgeable about guitar (and music in general), he is hilarious and cool. Highly recommend.
Alexandra Clements
Yes. Put in the work and you will get better.
I’ve been taking guitar lessons from Virgil for about five months now. While I’ve been noodling with the guitar on and off for about fifteen years, these are my first formal lessons. Before getting started, Virgil asked me to fill out a brief questionnaire to help determine my musical interests, knowledge and guitar proficiency. He then created a plan to commence my journey. In the first lesson, Virgil determined that I had to improve my rhythm. Without that foundation, it would be hard to improve other areas of my playing. I’ve gotten musical exercises and full songs to practice in the genre that I like - none of them boring helping make practice more fun and contributing to my improvement. The exercises include helpful software like Guitar Pro or Riffstation so that I can accompany the recordings, create loops and adjust tempo. Furthermore, all exercises and songs he’s given me are at the edge of my ability. This makes practice challenging but essential for advancement. This is not something I would have done on my own.
During lessons, Virgil will gauge my progress and give direct feedback on areas that need improving which at this stage are many. He will get right to the root of the problem. No mincing words, no sugar coating. This helps make lessons efficient.
While I’m nowhere near where I want to be as a guitar player because my ears are more discerning now only increasing my self-critique, I believe that I’ve improved. My wife said that for the first time she recognizes music coming out of my practice room where before it was just noise. And my son, who is an accomplished classical and jazz guitar player, recently visited and was impressed that his dad ‘does not suck anymore’. I guess I’m getting better.
If you’re serious about becoming a more accomplished guitar player, Virgil can help you get there.
Jose
Virgil is a fantastic guitar teacher! Extremely knowledgeable on not just the guitar but theory as well. Lessons are fun, structured, and easy to follow. Even though I’ve only been taking lessons for a short while, I’m shocked with how much I have learned. Virgil doesn’t just teach you how to play the guitar, but how to be a better musician. Couldn’t recommend him more!
Angelina Aversa
Virgil is an amazing teacher who has tremendous experience with the instrument and Music Theory in general. He teaches in a structured format that helps with getting better and having fun.
Ganti Uday
Age 50
Working professional that travels
1st time with a guitar instructor receiving lessons
I have been with Virgil for just over a year and had little to no experience when I started. I had tried Youtube videos before and was able to learn some basics, but was never advancing other than learning that one skill. Virgil approach has you learning the basic chords and then advancing into strumming patterns and then songs. He uses a variety of techniques and software to assist through the learning process. The process works because it builds on mastering individual techniques and then combining them together further along in your journey. When you have questions or are having trouble mastering a technique, Virgil will take the time to work with you until you feel comfortable. When working on Barre Chords, I was having trouble getting the notes to ring out. Virgil was able to provide feedback on what I was doing incorrectly and showed me how to adjust. A few minutes later I was doing them mostly correct. When you arrive at the lesson Virgil is all business. Expect to start exactly on time and end exactly on time. I like this because I feel I am getting the most out of what I am paying for in the lesson. Virgil will also push you to the point you are uncomfortable. This can be very frustrating, but if you not uncomfortable you are not pushing yourself to be better. I plan to continue lessons and my journey with guitar. I think Virgil is an excellent resource if you are looking to start, or to continue on your journey.
Mark Gill
Virgil is a wonderful guitar teacher! He is very skillful at finding the root of what you are struggling with and helping you move forward. I’ve been playing for many years with no real direction and after only a few months with Virgil, I’m really progressing. The lessons are fun and engaging. Definitely one of the best things I’ve done is signing up with Virgil!
Phil J
My son has been taking guitar lessons with Virgil for sometime now and our experience has been amazing. My son looks forward to his lessons every week. He challenges him to grow while keeping the learning fun and engaging. Virgil is a true expert, not just in playing and teaching guitar but in everything guitar-related and his passion for music reflects in his teachings.
My son has learned so much under Virgil's guidance, not only about playing guitar but also about dedication, hard work, and the importance of practice. Virgil is not just a guitar teacher; he’s a mentor, coach and motivator. He is dedicated to his students success. We highly recommend Virgil to anyone who's serious about learning guitar!
Vaishal Rami
Virgil is great! You really can't beat in person lessons from someone who is a good teacher. Virgil is definitely a good teacher, he holds you accountable and helps improve your sound and skills. He also is giving lessons to my daughter and is great with kids as well. I am grateful to have found him as he has greatly elevated my guitar playing.
Jason Dickey
I’ve had the pleasure of taking acoustic guitar lessons with Virgil for several years now, and he has truly been an amazing teacher. His expertise and passion for music shine through in every lesson, and he has taught me so much over the years. Virgil’s teaching style is both patient and encouraging, making it easy to grasp complex techniques and improve steadily. His dedication to his students’ progress is evident, and I highly recommend him to anyone looking to learn or enhance their guitar skills. Four stars!
Brenton Basinger
I’ve been taking guitar lessons with Virgil for almost a year and a half now. Holy cow! Can’t believe it’s been that long. I’ve had a guitar in my possession for most of my life but finally decided to get serious. I had tried online lessons in the past but felt I needed someone in person to help hold me accountable. Virgil has been amazing. He’s very patient and helps me improve with each lesson. I’m very hard on myself and he helps to pull that back a bit so I can continue to improve. I even got a compliment from my wife two nights ago that my strumming and playing has definitely improved. Music has always been a huge part of my life and I’ve always wanted to learn to play the guitar. I’m really glad that I found Virgil because he helps keep the want to learn alive. I’d recommend him to anyone at any level.
Nick Nixon
Virgil is a great guitar teacher. I didn't know how to play when i started taking lessons and now 6 months in I'm well into blues, theory, and working on soloing. He has a wealth of knowledge on all things guitar, recording, and more. He also builds some awesome looking guitars.
David Vargas
Virgil is the best of the best. He caters to your exact needs and his knowledge of not only guitar but music in general runs deep. We always have a great time. I am so thankful for his teaching and opportunity to be his student!!
Emma Wudel
I've been working with Virgil for about 3 months now and its been so fun! He's unbelievably organized with all kinds of worksheets and exercises that you take home with you. Every lesson builds on the last and he works to instill good habits in your playing while also honing in the things you personally want to work on! If you want to progress your guitar playing and delve deeper into the music making process, Virgil is your guy!
Asha K.
I started lessons with Virgil as a complete beginner after trying online lessons. Within the first few hours, I had learned more and saw more improvement in my playing than I had gotten over multiple weeks of online lessons. Virgil was quick to correct what could have become bad habits and shared countless tips and techniques to make you a better musician. Every lesson has exercises and handouts that guide your practice to ensure you are prepared for the next lesson. I would highly recommend Virgil for anyone looking to get started or improve their playing!
Zachary Ellett
Virgil is an awesome teacher. I took lessons for two years. He will treat you as if you’re part of his band, and train you to be just as good as him or better. He is a Super talented and knowledgeable musician.
I wanted to learn everything about guitar, and truly understand music. He gave me real knowledge of the guitar, and other instruments. Piano, vocals and recording. All the history, theory and style of how music works. More than I ever expected!
He also builds guitars! The wealth of knowledge is great.
Chris R
Virgil is an amazing guitar teacher! I started lessons with him as a complete beginner 9 months ago and have really grown as a musician. Having someone that wants to see you progress and keeps you accountable makes all the difference when trying to learn something new. His passion for guitar is infectious and you will always be challenged. I would definitely recommend him to anyone looking to grow as a musician.
Camila Marks
I can’t recommend Virgil highly enough! After playing for 10+ years he's supported me with getting to the next level and continuing to grow. Whether it’s breaking down complex theory into easy-to-understand steps or helping me master specific techniques, Virgil always knows exactly how to guide me toward my goals.
If you’re serious about taking your guitar skills to the next level, look no further. Virgil is an exceptional teacher and mentor!
Max Ciavola
Just finishing my 3rd month of lessons with Virgil and will continue taking lessons with him for the foreseeable future. I came in with maybe 2-3ish months of guitar "Youtube Academy" self taught experience. Needless to say, in the 3 months since starting lessons Virgil has elevated my game and taught me things that would have easily taken me at least a couple years to learn on my own if I continued down the self-taught path. I would likely have never found out about some of the tricks he's given me. And I most certainly would have cost myself years of pain unlearning muscle memory from bad habits if I didn't have him early on to correct my technique.
I hesitate to measure my improvement by using blanket terms, because I can say I went from "beginner" to "intermediate", but that can be different from person to person. As far as tangibles go: I am much more confident on my guitar now. I can play barre chords and know where they are all across the fretboard. My chord transitions are much more precise and faster. The gentle introduction into music theory that Virgil gives has taught me so much about unlocking my fretboard without making me overwhelmed. The strumming patterns, rhythm work, guitar pro exercises, etc. I can go on and on. I've certainly noticed it, and my friends and family have all commented on just how much I've improved in these 3 months.
If you are serious about learning guitar, and are willing to put in the work, do yourself a favor and invest in lessons with him. Go in humbly with an open mind. "Follow the directions and experience the results."
For those wondering (I know I was when reading other reviews), this is my experience taking lessons with Virgil on an acoustic guitar. Can't speak on his electric guitar lessons, but I do intend on trying them out in the future!
Steven Suarez
Our son, Dominic has only been in lessons with Virgil for 5 months, but we are amazed at his progress. He was self taught and now has a great understanding of reading music (Guitar Tablature), and all basic fundamentals of playing guitar. Virgil has inspired Dominic to not only play the guitar, but to KNOW HOW TO PLAY. We are thrilled to have found a teacher who is so passionate about music and so patient with his students.
Tony and Michelle Bonaventura
After more years than I want to admit, almost 20, it took only two lessons/sessions with Virgil and my playing advanced in a couple of weeks more than it had in a couple of decades. He makes things fun and has great ways of learning and understanding the guitar. You will be jamming by the end of your first lesson. You'll be playing a song in multiple ways (improvising) by your third, and all of a sudden he will say are you ready to solo and all the tricks, technique, and theory, then suddenly makes sense and your like bamm guitar solo!
Hmmmm…..I think I’ll go play guitar now.
Kevin Olsen
I've been playing guitar for 3 years. The first 2 were spent searching the internet for lessons. Then my wife gave me a gift certificate for lessons with Virgil (Thanks honey, but was I really that bad?)
When I started with Virgil, I knew a few scales but I didn't know what to do with them. After only a few lessons, I was connecting them together, bending strings and on my way to learning a complete song, including the solo. There is no better way to learn than having someone knowledgeable watch you play. Virgil will tailor the lesson to the music you enjoy. When I walk into his studio, he is hanging up the acoustic guitar from a previous lesson and cranking up the distortion. Virgil always has a custom lesson prepared for me & is quick to respond to questions after the lesson via email. I am glad my wife introduced me to Virgil. I think she is thrilled that the “noise” has turned into “music”.
Chris Smith
I strongly recommend Virgil if you are serious about growing as a guitar player. Virgil’s approach to guitar lessons blends understanding the fretboard roadmap, scale theory, discipline and development of individual style in your favorite genre. His lessons are well organized with excellent supplemental materials and backtracks. Look no more - Virgil is your man.
Mark Callison
Virgil Mandanici has been teaching guitar lessons to my son Santosh Tirumala for the past 1 year and under his guidance my son has made remarkable progress. Virgil is not only a great teacher but also knows how to motivate his students based on each individual students skill level, character, strengths and weaknesses. Santosh has benefited greatly from his guidance, expertise and experience. Virgil is very meticulous and made sure that Santosh learns his basic guitar skills well so that it will serve him well in the long run. I have personally seen Santosh change from being unsure of his guitar skills to being very confident and playing well at home during his leisure after his hectic school work. I would definitely recommend Virgil as a guitar teacher to all who are considering him and would not hesitate to refer him to my friends and family.
Ramesh Tirumala
I've played the guitar on and off for about thirty years. Last year I realized I'd been stuck in a rut most of that time with no focus and progression, so I started looking for a guitar teacher to get me over the hump. I found the perfect guy in Virgil. He's opened me up to seeing the fret board in different ways, and he's great at helping you build on your strengths and weaknesses. I like studying with someone with diverse musical tastes in rock, blues and pop, and he's an all around good dude to learn from. I give him my highest recommendation for beginners, intermediates and advanced players alike. I haven't enjoyed playing guitar this much since Bill Clinton was president. My only regret is I didn't call him sooner.
Doug Knox
My guitar lessons with Virgil were amazing. His guidance and attention to detail helped me fully realize my own potential. On top of his excellent abilities as a teacher, Virgil is an awesome guy to be around.
Roberto Agosto
Mr. Mandanici is my sensei. Outstanding guitar teacher and a great person overall. His methods of teaching the basics of guitar playing are methodical and easy to understand for a beginner like me. Provides very good handouts for the lessons learned. Tunes my guitar before every lesson. Those 30 minute lessons are well spent, no wasted time.
Ivan Vazquez
Virgil is the most heart-felt music teacher I've had the pleasure to study with. His lessons are individually tailored to suit his student's goals, and he maintains the exact amount of decorum and detail-focus during the lessons--while always encouraging practice in a way that doesn't feel overbearing. Fantastic experience. Whether you've never held a guitar, or if you've been in a band for years, Virgil can help you reach whatever your goals are. He's truly one of the greats.
David Moye
So having never played a musical instrument, I decided that it was time to try something new. Always wanted to try the electric guitar, and found Virgil online. I have been taking lessons with Virgil now for over 6 months, and I can honestly say that I am excited about my progress and look forward to every lesson (unless I haven't practiced, of course). Virgil makes it fun, interesting and entertaining. Every lesson is a new skill, technique or theory that I can practice or apply. I have built a strong base and look forward to where I go next on guitar. He has a great sense of humor and at the same time pushes me to work harder and get better. He always gives me enough to practice at home so things don't get boring or routine. I am so grateful for finding such an awesome teacher.
Rick Cunningham
I never thought I would be able to learn how to play the guitar in my late twenties but since starting lessons with Virgil, I have! I have been taking lessons with Virgil for a year and a half and since the beginning, Virgil has been a wonderful teacher. I'm amazed at the songs I've been able to learn and the level I am in now. He's very accommodating with the type of music you want to learn and very helpful in enabling you to perfect your form and sound when learning a song. I would recommend his classes to everyone!
Katerina Smith
I took lessons from Virgil for about a year to brush up on my acoustic skill set. Virgil is an awesome teacher! He is very professional and organized. I learned an array of acoustic techniques, chords and scales. His wealth of musical knowledge is second to none!
Brad Baranowski