Music Lessons

Hex Hollow Music offers lessons for all ages, beginners to advanced,  in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. We teach folk, rock, blues, jazz, reggae, classical, celtic, country, and bluegrass styles on most instruments. Learn to read music, play by ear, improvise, and understand music theory while playing the songs you want to learn!  We have thirty years teaching experience, and can help you learn the music you want to play quickly and have fun doing it!

The rate is $15 per half hour. Scheduling is flexible to adapt to your lifestyle. Lessons are scheduled monthly, but you do not have to make any contractual commitment. We do offer special plans for students who are traveling a distance and would like an extended lesson, please contact us.

The teaching studio is located four miles off Rt 100 in Barto, Pennsylvania, about a half hour from Allentown, Reading, Pottstown, Kutztown, or Quakertown.

We are presently accepting new students and have openings for morning, afternoon, or evening lessons. Please call 610-845-2787 or email Hexfest@aol.com  with any questions, for more information, or to schedule a lesson.

Rental instruments are available, with all rental payments applying to the purchase of the instrument on a rent to own plan. Beginning students get to learn on a quality instrument, and students may try a new instrument at minimal cost.

We do expert repair and restoration of all string instruments. Our repair services are limited to our student's instruments. We stock strings, picks, straps, harmonicas, books, and most other musical accessories, as well as many new, used, and vintage instruments .  

Because developing performance skills and sharing your music with others is important, we hold an annual Student Recital, which is open to the public.   Participation is voluntary. 

Here are some of the Instruments and Styles we teach:

Guitar - Beginners are welcome!

             Fingerpicking Folk and Flatpicking Country

            Rock Lead and Rhythm

            Jazz and Classical Technique

Keyboards and Piano - Classical, Jazz, Rock, and Popular Styles

Violin and Fiddle - Classical Technique, Bluegrass, Celtic Fiddle Tunes

Mandolin - Bluegrass, Blues, Swing and Gypsy Jazz 

Mandola and Viola - Classical Technique and Fiddle Tunes

5 string Banjo - Scruggs style Bluegrass and Old Timey Frailing & Clawhammer, Tenor Banjo Styles

Harmonica - Blues, Folk, and Jazz

Dobro, Slide Guitar, and Lap Steel - Blues and Bluegrass

Bass - Electric and Acoustic Rock, Blues, Jazz, and Country

Dulcimer & Strumstick  -  Appalachian Mountain Lap Dulcimer Styles 

Ukulele - Folk

Voice - Classical,  Jazz, Rock and Popular Styles

Songwriting and Composition

Our particular specialties are starting beginning guitar and keyboard students from scratch, advanced fingerpicking guitar, blues harmonica, the mandolin of Bill Monroe, Jesse McReynolds, and David Grisman, the guitar, harmonica, and songwriting of Bob Dylan and Neil Young, and the guitar styles of Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir. We also offer personalized, one on one instruction in guitar building and repair.

We teach ear training on all instruments.  You are welcome to bring a CD or tape of the music you want to learn to the lesson, and we will help you to learn it by ear. We have facilities at the studio to record your lesson. Our goal is to help you in developing your own style on your instrument, and to teach you to play music that you and others will enjoy. We encourage originality and will help you with writing your own songs, and arranging the music of your favorite artists.

About the teacher

Steve Walker studied Music and English at Duke University, and went on to music studies at Kutztown State University. He learned Lutherie (stringed instrument building and repair) at the Vermont Instrument Workshop.  Steve has been employed as a guitarmaker by C.F. Martin and was head of the Lutherie department at the National Guitar Workshop, where he taught a master class in guitar repair. He has been teaching music for over thirty years and has taught for Owen J. Roberts and Upper Perkiomen School District and at many area music stores, including Freds Music Shop and  Georges Music. Steve now teaches full time at Hex Hollow Music.