Do you offer lessons for complete beginners?

Absolutely. In fact, beginners have an advantage because they don't have any bad habits yet.

Do you teach adult students?

That's actually my specialty. I work primarily with adult learners, including many in their 60s and 70s. As far as I know, I'm the only guitar teacher in Arkansas who's studied how playing guitar improves cognitive function — which is especially valuable for my older clients.

What styles of music do you teach?

All styles. I grew up playing rock, metal, blues, country, fingerstyle, steel string guitar, singer-songwriter, etc. I also have two degrees in jazz guitar and formal training in classical. I teach everything from heavy metal to acoustic fingerstyle.

What types of instruments do you teach?

I teach all types of guitar — electric, acoustic, classical, and more. I also teach bass guitar, ukulele, banjo, mandolin, tenor guitar, dobro, and improvisation on any instrument.

Do I need to know how to read music?

Absolutely not. I've created my own curriculum based on how guitarists actually learn — primarily through tablature. But I can teach standard notation or any format you're most comfortable with.

Do you offer in-person or online lessons?

I only offer in-person lessons. Each lesson is 30 minutes long. Advanced students may be eligible for hour-long sessions, but that's something we'll discuss case by case.

What makes your teaching different from other instructors?

I've been doing this for 28 years. I wrote my own curriculum, called Street Guitar, and I'm the only teacher in Arkansas who's taught guitar at the university level and now teaches to the public full-time.

What's your background as a teacher?

I started teaching when I was 19 at Atomic Guitars in Little Rock, then at Saied Music in North Little Rock. I spent 19 years teaching guitar at four universities, was Creative Director at Little Rock Jams for 13 years, and I've been running my own lesson business for the last six years.

What is Guitar Wars and how does it relate to your teaching?

Guitar Wars is Arkansas' only and premier amateur guitar competition. I founded it as a nonprofit to give away guitars and lessons to underprivileged teens. I don't do traditional recitals, but Guitar Wars offers students a more exciting and rewarding way to perform — especially for those who want that outlet.

What kind of commitment do you expect from students?

I meet adult students where they are. I understand busy schedules and never pressure anyone beyond their limits. Teenagers are expected to practice about 30 minutes a day. Adults can often get by on three to four days a week — but like anything, the more you put in, the more you'll get out.

What Is Street Guitar? Customized Guitar Lessons in Little Rock

David Dunavant

Most guitar lessons teach either random songs or outdated methods. Street Guitar does neither.

Street Guitar is how I wish I had been taught when I started. It includes all the good stuff that actually applies to popular styles, without the baggage of academic methods. You learn proper left and right hand technique, accurate chord transitions, and practical theory. But here's the twist. Half the curriculum is blank. That's where you come in. You tell me what you want to play, and I pull songs and techniques that match your goals and organize them into a level-based structure.

The Two-Book Foundation: Professional Mechanics

While half the curriculum is based on your specific interests, the first half is built on a rigid, two-book foundation. This is where we focus on the mechanics that separate a professional from a hobbyist.

Left-Hand Ergonomics: We focus on finger independence, optimal fret pressure, and efficient shifting. This prevents the "death grip" that leads to fatigue and potential injury in adult learners.
Right-Hand Precision: Whether you are a pick player or a fingerstyle enthusiast, we master economy of motion. For the pick, this means alternate picking and directional strokes that allow for fluid speed.

For fingerstyle, it means developing independent thumb and finger movement.

Accurate Chord Transitions: We don't just learn chords; we learn the "anchor points" and common finger paths that make transitions seamless at any tempo.

The "Blank" Curriculum: Your 20-Song List

The defining feature of Street Guitar is the 50/50 split. I provide the technical structure, but you provide the musical destination. I ask every student to provide a list of twenty songs they love.

I then take those songs and perform a "pedagogical audit." I arrange them in a graded order of difficulty so that each song you learn serves as a building block for the next technical milestone. If you want to play rock, pop, blues, or country, we use those specific songs to teach the theory behind the music. This ensures that you aren't wasting time on "academic" fluff that doesn't move you.

Integrating Advanced Styles: Jazz and Classical

While my primary branding focus is on an adult-first model of popular music, my background as a Master of Music in Jazz allows us to go as deep as you want to go. If you want to go deeper into jazz or classical guitar, I love teaching those styles too.

Jazz Guitar: We can build a plan that includes chord-melody arrangements, walking bass lines, and the complex improvisational theory of the bebop era.
Classical Guitar: We can work through the traditional repertoire, focusing on the specific nail shapes and tone production required for nylon-string mastery.

You just have to let me know, and I will build those disciplines into your customized Street Guitar plan.

High-Rated Instruction for the Little Rock Community

My studio is located at the Little Rock Music Academy on N Rodney Parham Rd. As the highest-rated private instructor in Central Arkansas, I understand that my student roster is an 80/20 split: 80% are adults looking for a serious, structured hobby, and 20% are teenagers who are talented performers looking for a mentor in the craft.

Street Guitar is designed for both. It respects the intellect and time constraints of the adult professional while providing the competitive edge required for the young performer. We focus on music literacy from day one. You will learn to read the language of music so that you can eventually teach yourself any song you want to play.

Conclusion: A Curriculum for the Modern Musician

If you are tired of gatekept information or feeling like your lessons aren't getting you closer to the music you love, Street Guitar is the answer. It is a curriculum that prioritizes your goals while ensuring your technique is superior.

Contact me today at the Little Rock Music Academy to begin building your custom path. We will start with the fundamentals and immediately begin integrating the songs that made you pick up the guitar in the first place.

LAERN MORE

Guitar Lessons with David Dunavant

Little Rock Music Academy

11220 North Rodney Parham Road

Little Rock, AR 72212

Phone: +1-501-291-1171

The Highest-Rated Private Instructor in Central Arkansas

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