about open string studio
hi, i'm michael celentana
I've been teaching guitar since 1999. I started for the income, honestly. But I stayed because I kept seeing people struggle with approaches that don't actually work—lessons that promise quick results but leave students confused about what they're hearing and why their hands won't do what they want.
I teach differently.
Music is a language. Whatever you choose to say with it is up to you, but you'll use the same building blocks whether you're playing folk, rock, jazz, or anything else. My job isn't to teach you a genre. It's to help you understand what you're hearing so you can say what you want to say.
the most important thing
Before you can play something, you have to know what you want it to sound like.
That seems obvious, but most students show up having never been asked to truly listen. They've learned where to put their hands from YouTube tutorials. They've memorized shapes and patterns. But when I ask them what a major chord sounds like versus a minor chord, or what's happening in a song they love, there's nothing there yet.
We fix that. From the start, you'll train your ear—learning to hear chord qualities, common progressions, and how notes relate to the key or chord around them. This is how you learn a language: by listening to what it should sound like before you try to speak it.
how i work
I don't plan lessons rigidly. I respond to what's most alive for you in the moment. If you've been working on something but walk in with a new song or question that's burning in your mind, we'll usually go there. That’s where the learning happens.
I do use jazz theory as a framework—not because I'm teaching jazz, but because it's the most comprehensive system I've found for understanding how music works. I graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1999, magna cum laude, and I've taught in classrooms (K-8th grade) as well as privately for over two decades.
But theory is just a map. What matters is what you hear and what you can express.
Recently, a student brought me a simple riff she’d written. Instead of loading her up with theory or new techniques, I showed her how changing where she played it on the neck could make it sound darker or brighter. How the bass line underneath could make it feel urgent or relaxed. How a simple crescendo could turn it from background music into something that demands listeners’ attention. She left excited to record—not because she’d learned more chords, but because she’d discovered that her simple idea was already music.
That’s how I work.
who this is for
My best students are people who genuinely want to improve and are willing to try new ideas. They understand that progress isn't quick, and they're not looking for a magic shortcut or a guarantee. They're in it for the long haul—playing music for the rest of their lives.
I work with beginners who are just starting out (and their parents). I work with advanced players who feel stuck. I work with people who've tried learning online and realized something's missing. What they all have in common is curiosity and a willingness to rethink how they approach music.
Some students have told me that working together changed not just their guitar playing, or even their musicianship, but the way they approach learning in general. Younger students just say they love my humor and energy, which I'll take.
about the name
"Open String" refers to the place beginners start—and the place advanced students return to. It's about fundamentals, openness, and the simplicity that lives on the other side of complexity.
My studio space reflects that philosophy. It's minimal and meticulous, and the vibe is calm, focused, and low-pressure. A place where you can think clearly and hear what's actually happening in the music.
in-person and online
I'm located in Pennington, NJ, and I currently teach in-person at my studio. I've also expanded to work with students online, which is part of why this website exists.
let's talk
If this approach resonates with you, I'd love to hear from you. We can schedule a trial lesson, or simply talk through where you're at and how I might be able to help.
michael celentana
open string studio
email: michael.cel@openstringstudio.com
phone/text: 609-812-SONG (7664)
pennington, nj
