About
In my 25 years of teaching, I have always focused on working with the specific interests and abilities of my students; I meet my students where they're at, and then work with them to help them become the best version of the musician the want to be.
With beginners, I work to develop a foundation of technique and theory, while also learning songs. Rock, jazz, funk, and classical styles may all be covered as well as ear training, and Indian classical music (Hindustani) which I have studied for the past 15 years.
I attended the University of Vermont and The New School for Jazz (BA in Jazz Guitar), and hold an MFA from Goddard College. In addition to private teaching, I have also taught at The New School (NYC), and conducted workshops at home and abroad.
There's something very special about musical expression developing in students before your eyes. I cherish learning alongside my students, often picking up new songs with them as we go.
Specialties
Musical styles
Rock, Blues, Jazz, Folk
Guitar style
Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar
Has instrument
Student who have a guitar
Years experience
No formal training, No formal training; some self-taught experience, 0 – 2 years experience, 2 – 4 years experience, 4+ years of experience
Able to read music
Students who can read music staff, Students who can read guitar tabs, Students who cannot read music
Lesson length
60 minutes
Student's age
11 – 13 years old, 14 – 18 years old, 19 – 25 years old, 26 – 45 years old, 46 – 65 years old, Over 65 years old
Photos and videos
Reviews
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MK
Makenzie K.
Working with Xander has been great! Sessions are tailored to my interests while also covering needed content to help me progress into being a better guitar player. We’ve reviewed technique, finger strengthening exercises, chord changes, a variety of styles of music and playing, music theory, and many of my favorite songs. I feel much more stable and comfortable in my playing since starting lessons with Xander. I’ve had other teachers in the past and I feel I’ve grown the most with Xander as a teacher.
July 07, 2024
WS
william S.
Xander Naylor is a great teacher. He is attentive, energetic, creative, and very well studied on the guitar. I am a gigging musician in Burlington, Vermont, and the lessons Ive taken with Xander over the past year and a half has helped my playing tremendously! I have refined my technique, gotten great insight into being a professional musician and playing live and with bands, been exposed to awesome new (to me) music, and been pushed out of my comfort zone regularly. He is kind, focused, engaging, interested, and will push you to go farther as a player. He a great choice to study guitar playing with.
January 15, 2024
SW
Sam W.
Xander’s musical awareness for himself and his students is amazing. The ability to independently teach each one of of his students is unique… I’ve been with Xander for over a year now and our relationship is great and my abilities on my instrument has been a linear growth of getting better!!
January 09, 2024
TW
Trevor W.
Ive taken lessons with Xander for almost two years, starting as a beginner with only a couple months of self-taught playing with the guitar. He is a talented and skilled teacher and instrumentalist, keenly assessing his students abilities while listening to their long-term goals to steer their tutelage. On top of that, hes an empathetic and kind person who knows when to push you when you need it and understands when life gets in the way and progress slows. This level of support and encouragement alone was enough to keep me coming back to lessons week after week rather than canceling due to a self-determined stagnation in performance.
Over these two years, Xander has taught me several guitar techniques (both acoustic strumming, fingerstyle, and electric guitar) which has allowed me to build up chops to play for longer periods of time without hurting myself (this is often skipped by non-academic teachers!). Weve built out a repertoire of warm-up exercises and practice pieces that have formed the foundation for learning more complicated songs enabling me to learn them faster.
Starting with basic four chord folk tunes, Xander deftly identified my interest in jazz guitar and has helped me branch into jazz standards (which is a far cry from where I started nearly two years ago!). Through these jazz pieces, I can now move up and down the guitar neck, as opposed to being stuck with just open chords. Further, weve practiced many different chord voicings and shapes which gave me options when I was learning to comp new songs. Thats something that I definitely didnt expect to learn so quickly and was extremely exciting for a novice guitarist to be able to take a bit of artistic license with a song.
Weve also spent a good amount of time discussing music theory, given my middling theory background as a percussionist of nearly 10 years. Admittedly, as a scientist, I really enjoy the theoretical discussions and Xander is more than happy to indulge me with his deep and wide understanding of both western and eastern music theory.
All in all, Ive really enjoyed taking lessons as both a stress-reliever and an intellectually stimulating practice (it helps that Xander also plays gigs in the area to give you something to aspire to - shameless plug for his website here if youre interested to see his skillz: xandernaylor.com). I can’t recommend him enough as a teacher and as a human. 10/10, five stars.
April 05, 2023
BZ
Beth Z.
Xander Naylor is a phenomenal guitarist and teacher. Compared to other teachers I’ve worked with over the past decade, Xander’s approach is unique. He has terrific observational skills, focusing on technique, posture, and musicality all at once. Sometimes we work from written music, other times we focus on improvisation. He often makes suggestions on when and how to practice, including when to give it a little rest. We’ve touched on multiple different styles, and Xander frequently enriches our sessions with brief, fascinating lessons about the history of music structure, ranging from “classical” to jazz. Music theory is always in the mix, typically such that I’m pushed just beyond my comfort level. Lately weve been talking about how to use different chord voicings as well as voice leading (many ah-ha moments). Xander is also super laid back, which is a big relief on days when I feel unprepared!
February 22, 2023
CG
Clarissa G.
Xander is your next step! He is the teacher you need! Prior to linking up with Xander, I had spent a long time meandering around my guitar as one of those self-taught minor pentatonic shredders. I was a passable musician, but there were a lot of times where I couldnt actually describe what I was doing, or could describe what I wanted to do...but didnt have the technical skillset or musical vocabulary to make that vision a reality. Xander changed that. He saw my intentions and bent for music, and helped me turn it in to something robust! Now I am readily capable of:
-moving around my fretboard to play and meet someone in any key (with a wealth of scales to pull from, in several positions)
-composing chord progressions and lead lines with thought, emotion, AND purpose
-engaging with music from a variety of traditions (jazz, Indian classical, American folk, so on and so forth!)
Thanks Xander!
January 03, 2022
•Hired on Lessons
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Typically I begin by assessing the skills and knowledge of my students, then deciding what materials best suit them at that point. I aim for a balance between technical knowledge and learning of songs - something you can go home and play for your friends and family!
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
BFA, New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music (NYC),
MFAIA, Goddard College (VT)
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
One hour lessons are $60/hr.
How did you get started teaching?
I began teaching on a volunteer basis at the Boys and Girls Club of Burlington, VT in the seventh grade, giving lessons to young children who did not have the opportunity to attend paid classes. Later, in high school, some of my classmates had seen me play in concerts and were looking for someone to help them learn songs they liked from the radio,; thus I began teaching as a profession.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with a wide variety of students, ranging in age from 4 to 75, and from absolute beginners to pupils interested in advanced improvisation and composition concepts. I teach everyone from casual hobbyists to professional, gigging musicians.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
It is very important to consider the personal aspect of study, and the relationship between student and teacher. Having a relationship built on personal interest, generosity, and trust is of paramount in creating lasting success for a student.
Services offered
Guitar