Brandon Huffman
About
Whether you've always wanted to play your favorite song on guitar, finally sit down at a piano, or unlock the voice you've been holding back — you're in the right place. I'm Brandon, and for the past 15 years I've been helping people of all ages discover that making music is something they're more than capable of.
What makes me a little different: I teach Guitar, Piano, Voice, Music Theory, and Music Production — all in one place. That means if you want to strum the chords to a song and understand why they work, or sing a melody and record a demo of it, I can help you get to that point. Most students don't need five different teachers; they need one who speaks the full musical language.
My background spans jazz, pop, country, samba, and sacred music. I earned a BA in Music Ministry from Lincoln Christian University and spent three years as a Director of Sacred Music, where I led vocals, piano, and guitar, directed a choir, and produced recordings to fill in missing instrumentation. That kind of real-world responsibility taught me to be adaptable, resourceful, and calm under pressure — exactly what I bring into every lesson.
Whether you're an absolute beginner, a returning player who got rusty, or someone ready to level up, I'll meet you where you are and build from there.
Teaching Style
My first priority in every lesson is making you feel capable. There's no judgment here — only progress, at whatever pace works for you. I've taught students from age six to their seventies, from beginner to advanced, and I've learned that the biggest thing holding most people back isn't ability — it's not having a clear, personalized plan.
That's why the first lesson is always about you: your goals, your timeline, your favorite music, and what's gotten in the way before. From there, I build a musical roadmap tailored to exactly where you want to go.
I believe in learning through music you actually love. You'll make real progress faster when you're genuinely excited about what you're playing. At the same time, I weave in the fundamentals — technique, theory, ear training — in a way that feels natural rather than like homework. By the end of our first few lessons, you'll understand why things work, not just how to do them.
Curriculum
Every student gets a custom path, but here's what most lessons look like in practice: we typically work on two songs at a time — one that's within comfortable reach to build confidence, and one that stretches you just enough to grow. Each week, I give you one focused objective to work on, so you're never overwhelmed and always moving forward.
For Guitar students, we cover chords, strumming patterns, fingerpicking, music reading or tab, and genre-specific techniques across pop, country, jazz, and more. For Piano students, we work on both hands coordination, chord voicings, lead sheets, and playing by ear alongside any classical or pop repertoire you love. For Voice students, we focus on pitch accuracy, breath control, tone, confidence, and genre-appropriate technique — whether you want to lead worship, sing at a gig, or just stop feeling self-conscious. For Music Theory students, we connect the dots between what your ears hear and what your hands play. And for Music Production, I'll walk you through recording, arrangement, and mixing so you can bring your musical ideas to life on your own.
Here's what two of my students have said:
"Brandon helped me prepare to sing at Mass every week. He helped me practice singing on pitch and we went over the songs from each week. He also helped me improve my confidence leading." — Cristiano Rodrigo
"Brandon really helped me challenge myself and grow as a musician. He helped me prepare to audition for different bands and I've had fun playing different gigs at bars." — Justin Trella
If any of that sounds like where you want to be, book a free trial lesson and let's get started.
Credentials & Affiliations
BA in Music Ministry - Lincoln Christian University, Lincoln, IL 2020