Ryan Layton Guitar Lessons

My teaching approach:

My teaching approach is about technique but also about using your brain learn deeply and play with ease. When teaching classical guitar, I use the Aaron Shearer "Learning the Classic Guitar" method which beautifully balances the development of technique with the security of memory and understanding of how they body works to make music. When teaching pop, rock, and other styles I am mindful of the same principals while taking students through a logically graduated approach to developing technique and creativity. For information about my performing history please visit www.ryanlayton.com

My influences are:

My influences are the great classical guitarists including Bream, Segovia, and Russell. Then there are electric guitarists like Mike Campbell from Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers and more "out there" guys like the guitarists in Deerhoof. I think we can learn from all musicians no matter what they play and that all art has something to teach us if we learn to see/hear it.

My guitar lessons take place in:

The teacher's studio

Guitar Techniques:

Guidance In Equipment Selection, Lead guitar, Rhythm guitar, Fingerstyle, Vocal Accompaniment, Performance, Reading Music, Music Theory, Scales and Exercises

Your first guitar lesson with me might include the following:

I always converse with the student to get a feel for their experience and their goals. From there, I like to watch them do the simplest of movements on the guitar. Usually, I notice a few places in their hands where they carry excess tension and we start by replacing it with habits of ease. The first lesson's assignment is usually to come back with an older piece relearned with the habits of ease that we covered in the first lesson.

A guitar lesson with me might entail the following:

After some warming up, lessons start with a review of the previous week's topics. Then the student performs something they were assigned the week before. This is recorded and sent to them for review in their practice. After issues in the performance are dealt with, a new concept is introduced through exercises and then we begin the learning process on a new study piece that will be prepared by the student for the next lesson.

The qualities I look for in an ideal guitar student might include the following:

The ideal guitar student is on time for lessons, has no problem committing the appropriate time to practice each week, has an open mind, a willingness to learn, and trusts the process. Learning guitar deeply can take time but a patient student will be a successful student.