Dave Wall Music

Dave is an excellent instructor. Patient, kind and incredibly knowledgeable. I was at an intermediate level when I did lessons and he had a lot of ideas and exercises to keep me inspired and progressing.

I had Dave as a guitar teacher in Red Deer College for three years, and it was those years my understanding of the guitar grew the most. He helped me learn about several techniques, as well as showed me how to visualize the entire fretboard for my own uses.

The great thing about studying with Dave is that he's comfortable playing and teaching any of the styles that most of us would want to learn but his depth of knowledge and experience goes far beyond those styles. The quality of education students receive from him is much better for this fact.

I had the pleasure of having Dave Wall as my guitar instructor for three school years. Three years out of 17 playing guitar may not seem like much but, Dave helped me more than anyone else. He opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of using the guitar as an expression, rather than just playing it. He started me on the journey to finding, and honing, who I am as a player. The confidence in knowing what you’re good at, yet always striving to push yourself. To this day, when I’m writing, I always think to myself, ‘would Dave like this’ or, ‘would Dave find this cool’. Our last lesson was in April 2010. That is how much this man influenced me.

Dave changed my life with his musical guidance. He helped shape my playing, showed me the importance of theory, taught me how to analyze and how think in and outside the box and more, all within a fun and positive learning environment. He is the of one the primary reasons I have a career in music today and I can't recommend him highly enough.

Dave Wall is an excellent instructor who emphasizes personal expression in music, and development of technique that furthers the student’s own goals in music. He’s great at identifying physical and psychological roadblocks on the instrument. He does this in a very personable and relatable way, both in one-on-one and group settings. From 2006 to 2009, I took weekly private lessons, as well as a weekly group masterclass, with Dave as part of the Red Deer College music program. As a self-taught guitarist fresh out of high school, I had built up many bad habits, plateaued in technique, and suffered repetitive-strain injuries in my wrists. Dave was able to help pinpoint causes of tension, especially with regard to proper breathing (a guitar player having to think about breathing… what a concept!) Suddenly the instrument was fun to play again, and I began to focus on broadening my musical vocabulary on the guitar and on the staff. Dave is extremely valuable as a guitar teacher, as he is able to present theory and exercises in a way that relates to the student. Though the RDC curriculum focused on jazz, Dave always encouraged me to apply these new concepts to styles that I was interested in (at the time, metal and prog rock.) At the same time, I developed a curiosity towards jazz (so many of the “guitar heroes” cite jazzers as their ultimate source of improvisatory inspiration) and he introduced me to a world of music, and thought, that I still have not come close to fully exploring. At no point did I feel that he was impressing his tastes on me, or trying to “clone himself” as a player. Everything was done with a genuine love of music and learning. Though it has been almost a decade since I had a lesson with him, the education I received from Dave continues to further my musical development. When my technique starts to falter, I go back to the “warm-up and stretches” section of my Dave binder (works every time). And I always find something interesting in the improv section. Really can't say enough good things about him. Thanks for the music, Dave!

Dave Wall is an incredible guitar player and teacher. I took lessons from him when he was teaching at Red Deer College. He is patient, cares about his students, and inspired me to be a better musician. He specializes in jazz but is able to teach a variety of styles. I can't recommend him enough.

I started guitar lessons with Dave as a visual artist looking for another creative outlet. Not only did he provide me with fundamentals including music theory and guitar technique but also using the guitar towards my visual art practice including soundscapes. Very encouraging and gave me the tools to write and perform my own music which has opened many doors for me including collaborations with other artists. He has an extensive performance and academic background in many genres of music including pop, experimental, and jazz. Highly recommend Dave as a guitar instructor.