Student Testimonals
Will is a very experienced, very intuitive musician who will tailor the lessons according to your goals, whether they be short-term, long-term, or just something you feel like doing that particular day. I tend to be self-critical sometimes and Will is very patient and very relaxed, and completely non-judgmental - I love how he first makes a small pot of tea while we talk about what I want to work on that day. It helps bring me out of wherever I was coming from prior to the lesson, and to refocus on the present moment.
Kelly
Will is the perfect antidote to learning from a computer or from books (not that those don't have a place) and provides way more context, experience, variety, and nuance than any computer or most other instructors could provide. Will's experience is something
not easily acquired and has allowed him to suit his instruction to my specific strengths and address my weaknesses. While many instructors teach to support their music careers, Will teaches because he likes it and is good at it.
Erik
Will is a fantastic teacher! I came in with a lot of bad habits built up by trying to teach myself how to play the guitar out of books, and a lot of shyness and embarrassment on top of that. Will patiently corrected my habits, drew me out, and directed
our lessons at exactly the kind of music I wanted to play, despite the fact that initially it was *way* out of my league. And he doesn't let me get lazy, either, now that I'm getting better - every song is a new challenge.
Jen
Jen
Will is great! Very patient and was able to slow down and break things down when I was too challenged. Very astute! I plan to buy more lesson packages with him.
Brenna
Will is an excellent teacher who has taught bass, acoustic and electric guitar to our son for the last 7 years. Will's unique teaching method allows the student to assume ownership of the learning process. His student-driven lessons had our son playing
songs from the very beginning. Not chords or scales, but songs that he chose. It has kept my son engaged and passionate about music throughout his childhood. Will is also exceptionally flexible and kind, making it easy for us to fit lessons into our
schedule. He has really shaped our son's childhood and love of music. We are so thankful and would highly recommend him as an excellent teacher for any student.
Chris
Will's been my teacher for about 8 years now. I've had the pleasure to learn acoustic guitar with this patient, generous and gifted teacher. He taught me how to pick, pluck, strum and hum, and to enjoy being in the moment with strings and song. I've carved out time every week to disappear and get in the groove.
Gary
I am a 71 year old Grandma and have wanted to learn how to play my old banjo for a very long time. I took weekly lessons with Will and he is an amazing teacher. He customized lessons to my interests and abilities and he was never irritated if I failed to practice. Will is patient, kind, and talented. Over the years, I've had three banjo teachers and he's by far the best!
Gini
Will is a fantastic teacher, coach, and mentor. I coach elementary and middle school basketball and really appreciated Will's combination of knowledge, patience, and ability to connect with each student by adjusting his approach. Not only did I learn a great deal about playing guitar practically, music theory, and how to put it all together, but I also learned a great deal about larger life topics from a very caring and fun individual. Will get's my highest recommendation. I not only took guitar from him,but also banjo, bass, and vocal lessons as well.
Bob
Jim
Heather
Will was great!! Warm and welcoming to my 11 year old.
Staci
Will is a warm, creative, patient, and extremely knowledgeable teacher. His exercises are enjoyable to play. His knowledge and understanding span pretty much all genres. Will has tailored his teaching approach to how and what I wanted to learn. I
have played for years and because of Will every aspect of my playing and very importantly my listening is just better. Along with my guitar practice, Will has helped my singing, and song writing as well. It is a pleasure to offer my experience
of working with Will.
Chris
Will knows his topic extremely well. - He is extremely patient, and has excellent communications skills. - He has a linear and calculated approach to his teaching technique, small easy steps that are easy to follow and give the student a sense of accomplishment in every lesson, but lead directly to objective of learning to play guitar. - Excellent Guitar Teacher, by far the best I have ever had. - The part I like most about Will is not only is he teaching me guitar and I am actually learning... but he has taken the time to bring my personal preferences and songs i actually like and choose to learn into our lesson. Not only am I learning to play guitar, but I am actually learning to play songs I personally chose to learn. My Favorite songs! Mitch Ragan gives Will a 110% Quality Rating.
Mitch
Will's been my teacher for about 8 years now. I've had the pleasure to learn acoustic guitar with this patient, generous and gifted teacher. He taught me how to pick, pluck, strum and hum, and to enjoy being in the moment with strings and song. I've carved out time every week to disappear and get in the groove.
Gary
I am a 71 year old Grandma and have wanted to learn how to play my old banjo for a very long time. I took weekly lessons with Will and he is an amazing teacher. He customized lessons to my interests and abilities and he was never irritated if I failed to practice. Will is patient, kind, and talented. Over the years, I've had three banjo teachers and he's by far the best!
Gini
Will is a fantastic teacher, coach, and mentor. I coach elementary and middle school basketball and really appreciated Will's combination of knowledge, patience, and ability to connect with each student by adjusting his approach. Not only did I learn a great deal about playing guitar practically, music theory, and how to put it all together, but I also learned a great deal about larger life topics from a very caring and fun individual. Will get's my highest recommendation. I not only took guitar from him,but also banjo, bass, and vocal lessons as well.
Bob
Wow! Will is an amazing teacher/philosopher/ and friend. He loves music, and is very patient. In a couple of months of working with Will I learned a lot of practical application, some theory, and had more fun that I thought was possible while
strumming and picking my guitar. Because of a job change I had to quit, and despite the many other great things about Seattle, I'll miss this the most.
John
Will is an excellent teacher and will have you strumming a tune by the time you leave the first night. He is able to translate music theory in many ways and will find a method that works for you. He also is not a clock watcher and many times tends to go long on your time. I have been going to him now for over 2 years and have over 100 songs in my notebook now. Give him a try and you will not be disappointed. Makes no difference what style you want to learn just let him know and you're off and running.
Jon
Will is an excellent teacher and will have you strumming a tune by the time you leave the first night. He is able to translate music theory in many ways and will find a method that works for you. He also is not a clock watcher and many times tends to go long on your time. I have been going to him now for over 2 years and have over 100 songs in my notebook now. Give him a try and you will not be disappointed. Makes no difference what style you want to learn just let him know and you're off and running.
Jon
Will is very enjoyable to work with. He understands the students goals and focuses on a clearly stated path needed to achieve the goals. Will is not only a knowledgeable guitar player, but also a knowledgeable teacher.
Will is friendly, knowledgeable and listens to my needs. He knows the psychology of learning and playing and keeps the lesson in balance.
Rick
During my time with Will, he taught me how to solo in any key, how to melodize lyrics, how to analyze songs, as well as a lot about music theory. In just a few minutes, he figured out the chords to one of my favorite songs by ear right in front
of me. He will customize your lessons to meet your goals, and he obviously cares about the progress you make. Highly recommended!
Jonathan
Amazing! I've learned so much after just 3 lessons! I look forward to my lessons each week. I am an actress and I am always looking to learn a new skill to add to my repertoire/resume so I decided to try the guitar! I wish I had started sooner.
It has been a very rewarding experience for me. My lessons with Will were so much fun (never boring or frustrating) and I felt that I came a long way in just a few months. Practicing at home was never a chore because everything was interesting.
He asked me what songs I was interested in and also provided some that I was unfamiliar with. I am now moving out of state and Will gave me plenty of songs/techniques so that I can continue my guitar journey.
Laurel
If you have struggled like I have to learn how to play guitar, Will is the perfect instructor for you. Will has the unique ability to keep a guitar student on the right path to playing well. Will is simply the best!
David
Will gets right to the lesson, keeps things moving while making sure you’re grasping the instructions, and answers questions appropriately without overextending. Great first lesson!
Kim
