Introduction: Why Performance Experience Matters in Music Lessons
At The Song Spot, our mission has always been to connect students with teachers who don’t just talk about music—they live it. Nashville is a city built on performance. From Broadway’s neon lights to regional tours and recording studios, the standard here is high, and our teachers are immersed in it daily.
That’s what makes studying guitar with us different. When you take music lessons in Nashville with a performing musician, you’re not just learning chords or scales. You’re learning how music works in the real world—how to adapt, connect with an audience, and build versatility across genres.
To bring this idea to life, we sat down with one of our own instructors, Nick Bilski, a full-time guitarist and Nashville guitar teacher at The Song Spot. Nick has spent the past four years performing in venues across Music City, touring in 10 different states, recording with artists, and leading two of his own original bands. Along the way, he’s discovered how life on stage directly shapes his teaching in the studio.
This blog post highlights Nick’s journey and the powerful ways that performing transforms musicians into better teachers.
Meet Nick: Performer and Nashville Guitar Teacher
“I’m Nick Bilski, a full-time guitarist and instructor here in Nashville,” Nick begins. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Nick has been playing guitar for over 16 years and has spent the last four building a career in Music City.
His work is as diverse as the city itself. You can find him playing three- to four-hour sets on Broadway, touring regionally on weekends, jumping into last-minute gigs, recording in professional studios, or fronting his two original projects—Raviner (alt rock/metal) and Saycouth (jazzy soul/funk).
Nick thrives in the balance between performing and teaching:
“I’ve gained many skills throughout performing live that enhance my ability to teach, and make me both a better musician and person in general.”
That connection—between the stage and the lesson room—is exactly what we want for our students at The Song Spot.
Adapting on the Fly: How Performance Builds Real-World Skills
One of the most important lessons Nick has learned as a professional guitarist is the ability to think on his feet. In Nashville, adaptability isn’t optional—it’s a survival skill.
Nick recalls being called with only five days’ notice to play a county fair in North Dakota. The gig required him to learn nearly 50 songs, take two flights, and drive 90 minutes just to arrive ready for a high-pressure set in front of hundreds of people.
Another time, on a fly date in Missouri, American Airlines lost his guitar. With less than 24 hours until the show, Nick bought the only left-handed guitar at a Guitar Center, used it for the gig, and returned it the next day.
And then there are the spontaneous calls:
“I had a rare Saturday night off this year and was eating pizza when a drummer friend called me. Their guitarist hadn’t shown up. ‘Can you come play from 6–10pm? It’s RnB stuff.’ I was out the door in 15 minutes—not knowing the band, the setlist, or even the venue vibe.”
These experiences sharpen a musician’s ear, adaptability, and resilience. For Nick’s students, that means lessons are never confined to a page of sheet music. If a student walks in and asks to learn a brand-new song, Nick is ready to teach it—sometimes after hearing it just once.
That quick-learning ability is a direct result of the unpredictable world of performing. And it’s why having a Nashville guitar teacher with stage experience gives students a unique edge.
Broadway: Nashville’s Training Ground for Versatility
If there’s one place that tests a guitarist’s versatility, it’s Broadway in downtown Nashville. Nick has held a weekly gig at the 12/30 Club since 2022 and has since added other venues like Category 10 and Tin Roof.
Broadway gigs are unlike anything else. They run three to four hours straight, with no breaks and no setlist. Instead, the bandleader reads the crowd and pulls from a massive master list of songs—sometimes hundreds deep. Add in tipped song requests, and you’d better be ready for anything.
“I’ve had requests ranging from Jesse Murph’s Blue Strips to Pantera’s Walk,” Nick laughs. “Being well-versed across genres like pop, country, RnB, metal, and rock isn’t just helpful—it’s necessary.”
When a musician doesn’t know a song, there’s no time to panic. Instead, they rely on their ear, charts, and bandmates to pull it off convincingly in real time.
This constant immersion across genres translates directly to lessons. Nick can confidently teach:
- Acoustic fingerpicking and strumming
- Country “chicken picking” techniques
- Rock power chords in Drop D
- Jazzy chord extensions and funk rhythms
- Metal shredding with sweep arpeggios
Students benefit from this broad foundation. Instead of learning in isolation, they gain tools that work in any style of music they want to pursue. That’s the advantage of taking guitar lessons in Nashville—your teacher is playing these styles on stage every week.
Bringing Performance Skills into the Lesson Room
The skills Nick hones on stage don’t just make him a stronger player—they make him a stronger teacher.
When a student brings in a co-written song, Nick can chart it after a single listen, then teach them how to play it. He often provides a Nashville Number Chart, giving students tools they can use later in recording sessions or live performances.
His trained ear also helps him catch small mistakes in student playing—details that might go unnoticed by less experienced teachers.
“The ability to quickly observe and assess a student’s strengths and weaknesses, and to figure out what ways of learning might work best for them, is crucial in teaching. Gigging forces me to do this daily on stage, and it prepares me to do it in lessons.”
This adaptability is especially valuable at The Song Spot, where no two students are alike. Nick teaches beginners learning their first chords, teenagers writing original songs, and adults exploring genres from metal to soul. Every lesson is tailored to the student’s needs—and fueled by the same creative energy Nick brings to every gig.
Gratitude, Passion, and the Human Side of Music
For Nick, performing isn’t just about technical skills or career milestones. It’s about passion and gratitude—two qualities that deeply impact his teaching.
“I genuinely mean it when I say I wake up every single day grateful that I get to play guitar for a living. I think often about how many people never get the chance to own an instrument, let alone perform professionally. Those thoughts push me to give my all every time I get onstage and every time I teach.”
This perspective is contagious. Students pick up on their teacher’s passion, and it inspires them to work harder, take risks, and embrace the joy of making music.
Nick has played everywhere from small shifts in empty bars to stadium shows for 25,000 people. No matter the crowd, he carries the same mindset: music is a gift worth sharing.
That mindset is what makes him not just a great performer, but a deeply committed Nashville guitar teacher.
Conclusion: Why Performance Makes Teachers Better
At The Song Spot, we believe the best teachers are also active musicians. Performance experience gives our instructors adaptability, versatility, and perspective that can’t be learned from a book.
Nick’s journey shows how gigging in Nashville—whether it’s learning 50 songs in a week, improvising through requests on Broadway, or navigating the unexpected—directly translates into better teaching. His passion for music and gratitude for the opportunity to share it make him an exceptional instructor.
If you’re searching for guitar lessons in Nashville, look no further. Whether you’re strumming your first chord or preparing for your own gigs, working with a teacher like Nick ensures you’ll learn real-world skills, gain confidence, and discover the joy of making music.👉 Ready to start your own journey? Book your Nashville guitar lessons at The Song Spot today.