• Are you interested in learning guitar or bass guitar correctly without wasting your time?
• Did trying to learn from a YouTube video or from a book or DVD series leave you feeling frustrated and defeated?
• Is it time for you to stop dreaming and start doing?

If you’re looking for the finest in private guitar and bass instruction, you’ve come to the right place. Riley Wilson is also known as “The Gigmeister” for his 12 years writing the column of the same name for “Vintage Guitar” magazine. He has been playing guitar since 1966, working as a professional musician since 1972, teaching guitar and bass since 1985 and writing for working professional musicians since 1987. It’s unfair to compare anyone else since few teachers have this kind of real world experience studying, teaching, performing, communicating and writing about guitar.

"I started playing guitar in January, 1966, after bugging my parents for lessons for about six months. I took lessons from three different teachers at a local music store in Lexington, KY. The Beatles and The Beach Boys were the two biggest rock acts then, so I tried learning their material. After about four months, I stopped formal instruction and began teaching myself.

Within a few years, I was good enough to perform in church with my father as well as some small neighborhood rock groups. I was making money by my senior year of high school with the guitar and gigged across the country until 1983, when I moved to Los Angeles to attend GIT. This had a profound impact on me and I decided to begin teaching within a year of graduation in 1984.

I use many of the GIT approaches to helping students master the guitar, like speed learning, time frames, working with a metronome, slow is fast, etc.I get tremendous satisfaction from helping people reach their goals on the guitar. I am patient and can show you how to drastically improve your playing in a single lesson!"

Here is a recent video interview with the folks at lessons.com. My YouTube channel is a great place to preview what lessons with me are like.

CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL TODAY!

Since 1985, Riley has been one of the nation’s busiest guitar and bass teachers. He’s the author and publisher of “Guitar Made Simpler- An Intelligent Approach™," a new book that applies the GIT approach to beginner guitar pedagogy. Past and present students include Dan Glasgow (Deep 6: A Tribute to Pearl Jam), George Bond (Lakewood Rats, Mirror Image, solo), Jeff Boswell (Guilty Pleasures), Mark Keith and Michael Wooten (BlackWatch), Alan Tyler (Tarnished), Tad Walters (Bob Margolin, solo artist) Michael Moore (The Highwaymen) and many others. Today, he still maintains a busy teaching schedule at his state of the art home studio in North Texas. Guitar and bass guitar lessons are available on a limited basis.

Riley employs the latest in teaching curriculum and uses cutting edge software like Garage Band, Guitar Pro, Logic Pro X and Transcribe to ensure students learn quickly and enjoy the process. In addition, he's also available for online instruction world-wide using FaceTime, Skype and Zoom!

Don’t settle for mediocre! If you’ve been looking for the best in learning guitar or bass, contact Riley now!

"Just a quick note to say Thank You...For the better part of a year you sat and watched me fumble my way across the fret board but, as always you made me feel that everything was ok and that things would get better. Just wanted you to know that with your help and a lot of practice I've toured most of the United States as one of the guitar players in a tribute show "Highwaymen/Live." Night after night, I can now stand onstage with confidence and play all the lead guitar licks.....I often think back to the many days you and I spent in your studio..with a big smile...." Michael Moore, McKinney, TX, www.highwaymenlive.com

"I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate everything you did for me. I've been thinking about our lessons a lot lately and I learned so much that I've been able to apply to my music. I'm getting involved out here in Utah with musical theater and I couldn't have done any of it without you. Thank you so much for everything." Amber Parsons, Provo, UT

"Riley!!!  I wanted to drop you a quick line and thank you for the lasting impression you have made on me both as a musician and a man!  I am now part of a 80's cover band in Nashville, TN called Guilty Pleasures https://www.facebook.com/guiltynashville/.  I've also had the opportunity to travel the world playing for our troops in places as far as Kosovo and Egypt!  Your suggestion to grab a reel to reel and slow things down to half speed and slowly build my own speed after learning a tune has made me lots of extra cash!!  Ha!!  After getting back together with you last month and spending a little time going over your new method, I plan to highly recommend Guitar Made Simpler to all of the aspiring guitar players I come in contact with.  Keep up the good work my friend!!"- Jeff Boswell, Nashville, TN

"I met Riley when I moved to North Carolina after high school. He mentored and reinforced my growing love for jazz/fusion and introduced me to Larry Carlton's "LA Fusion" style, as well as building my love for traditional country guitar playing. After moving back to Texas, I was fortunate to learn that Riley had moved to Texas as well. In the last decade, Riley ultimately opened four very crucial doors for me in the Metroplex music scene that have led to my continued success as a musician. I knew half the reason I moved to North Carolina was for family issues. I realized years later the other half was to meet Riley Wilson. He is one of the most important persons I have known in my musical life." George Bond, www.georgebond.net

"I also wanted to tell you that if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be where I am today, musically. The things you taught me are invaluable, whether it be about the guitar or about music in general. I feel lucky to have had you as a teacher. " Johnny Wooten, www.widowusa.com

“The lessons I took from you in Raleigh back in the 90's are still the foundation of my playing." Mike Ledford, Raleigh, NC

“Hey Riley, you were a great teacher! I always felt like I didn't just learn to play guitar but I learned a lot about music, and you taught me HOW to learn.“ Dan Glasgow, www.danglasgow.com

“Time flies, my mentor, but not like your fingers! I know you don't believe this, but you showed me more about music in that one year than any ten since.” Kevin Haskell, Charlotte, NC

"Riley Wilson is an excellent instructor. He has created a method book that is one of the best that I have seen, and to have the man himself teaching it to you just makes it that much better. I would recommend him to anyone wanting to learn an instrument, or anyone who wants to take their skills to the next level." Scott Newman, Plano, TX

"I just wanted to drop you a line and let you know how well "Guitar Made Simpler" is working for me. As I explained, learning to read music and tablature when I first took up the guitar years ago was a confusing and frustrating endeavor. However, with your book and your approach to teaching, everything makes much more sense and I feel very confident that I will be playing much better in a shorter period of time than I anticipated. Thanks! Mike McAfee, Frisco, TX

"You are without a doubt the best guitar teacher out there- your students are very lucky! I can't thank you enough for everything you did for me, really expanded my understanding of music. I especially want to thank you for introducing me to those Steely Dan type chords. I always loved them and after you taught me a few of their tunes I understood why." Matt Wright, Raleigh, NC

"I really appreciate the honesty and sincerity you put into the lessons! I wish I had started 10 years ago, but I may not have stuck with it because I would not have had someone to motivate and excite me the way you do. I just wanted to say thanks." Chris Fritchie, McKinney,Texas