Let's learn together – not academically from textbooks, but by finding our own path to music. Exactly the way I’ve done it my whole life – as a self‑taught musician.
My Beginnings
As a child, I was sent to guitar lessons. I had to play children’s songs from sheet music – honestly, I hated it. I wanted to play hockey instead. My father eventually pulled me out, and together with my brother we started going to hockey practice. Interestingly, today my daughter goes to the very same hockey program. At first, she convinced me to try drum lessons with her, but in the end she decided she wanted to be a hockey player.
For a while, I forgot about music. Then, in seventh grade, I discovered Green Day and their song Basket Case, which I listened to on repeat. My father bought me the album Insomniac and a Czech copy of a Gibson Les Paul – the Diamant – along with a small Rockman amp. That changed everything. I spent hours and hours trying to play Gary Moore’s songs by ear. My father taught me a lot during this time – I couldn’t understand how he could find those melodies on the fretboard, but it fascinated me.
Jazz School
At 16, I enrolled in a jazz school in Prešov. But reading sheet music made me feel trapped. The jazz standards and strict rules suffocated me. After two years, I left the school and realized I was destined to remain self‑taught.
The Internet and Discovering Music
When my music started sounding more professional, I spent a lot of time in internet cafés. I watched YouTube videos, wrote tablatures on paper, and tried to understand how music theory worked. I discovered so much through searching and analyzing. That’s how I still work today.
Music as a Driving Force
For me, the foundation is simply loving music. When you wake up excited to listen, play, or discover something new, that is the best driving force. Inner passion is more important than perfect notation or flawless technique.
Why I Created My Courses
This is exactly why I created my courses. If you’re an intuitive musician searching for your own path outside traditional frameworks, I can share the knowledge that helped me progress from a kid with a Les Paul copy to collaborating with musicians I once only listened to.
My Courses
One‑on‑one online lessons – individual video sessions tailored to your needs. We can focus on guitar technique, improvisation, composition, music theory, or song analysis. Everything is practical and directly on your instrument.
PDF course “7 Days to a Better Musician” – a seven‑day guide full of exercises, tips, and tasks to improve rhythm, ear training, creativity, and understanding of musical structure. Perfect for self‑taught players who want to learn at their own pace.
➡️ Learn more here: Learn with David Kollar
Let’s learn together and find joy in music.
David