About Mike Fischman

Hello, my name is Mike Fischman. If you’re reading this, you must be interested in playing a fretted string instrument (guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele) or you’re very bored. Either way, your time can be better spent learning one of these wonderful instruments. 

I have taught professionally since 1990, in music stores and the back rooms of coffee houses, homes, barns, and even a chili dog shop. My teaching style is catered to you, not to a book or a series of videos where it’s tough to get answers to questions. We go as slow or as fast as you can, that’s it. I feel it’s my job to help you learn the basics of playing that have stood up pretty well for me for the past 50 or so years, the last 30 being in Newport, RI. It’s not my job to talk you into continuing playing or make you feel you need to go faster. I’ve had students for 6 or 7 years that have gone on to play professionally or as a money making hobby, and students who for 7 years are still struggling with the F chord. It’s all good. If you have a passion to play music, whether in your bedroom or living room, or with ambitions of stardom, you’ve got to start somewhere. Like I said, it’s all good.  

I teach beginning to intermediate guitar, four styles of banjo, mandolin, octave mandolin, and can show you the beginnings of electric bass. Before pandemic and my move from RI, I was playing regularly in two bluegrass bands, two Irish groups, a 17 piece swing band, a six piece Dixieland band, a world folk fusion folk rock band, two contra oceania bands, two folk duos, and occasionally substituting in Cajun bands, wedding duos, and a large amount of last minute throw together groups. I have taught professionally since 1990, and will continue to, God willin’ the creek don’t rise. I’ve taught from 8 to 89, no age limit, only a passionate desire to play necessary. Contact for more information, and good luck on your magical journey.