Guitar Lessons · Kāpiti Coast, Wellington & Online
Guitar Lessons — Kāpiti Coast, Wellington & Online (NZ)
Acoustic, song-serving guitar — chords, rhythm, feel and the playing that lets a song breathe — one-to-one with a working singer-songwriter of 25+ years. Lessons are one-to-one, in person at Waikanae Beach on the Kāpiti Coast or online across New Zealand, and cost $80 for a 60-minute session.
Guitar lessons
Play the song, not just the chords.
Most guitar teaching gets stuck on shapes and scales. Mine starts somewhere more useful: how do you make a song actually sound good in your hands? That's feel, groove, rhythm and dynamics — the difference between someone going through the chords and someone playing music.
I teach acoustic guitar the way a singer-songwriter uses it: as the thing that holds a song together and lets a lyric breathe. Less about flashy solos, more about being a player who can sit down anywhere and make a room go quiet.
We work on real songs from the very first lesson — yours or mine — so you're always playing something you actually want to play. Looking for a place to begin? Try a few easy Kiwi songs to play on guitar.
What you'll learn
Guitar that serves the song
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Chords
The open chords, shapes and changes that unlock thousands of songs — built up cleanly so they feel comfortable, not cramped.
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Rhythm & feel
The most overlooked skill in guitar — strumming patterns, timing and groove that make a song move instead of stutter.
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Fingerstyle
Picking patterns and a softer, more intimate touch — the warm fingerpicked sound at the heart of folk and singer-songwriter guitar.
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Dynamics
Light and shade in your playing — when to dig in and when to pull back, so the guitar follows the emotion of the song.
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Accompanying your singing
The real goal for many players — keeping a steady part going while you sing over the top, so you can perform a whole song on your own.
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Playing real songs
From day one we work on songs you love — the fastest, most enjoyable way to get genuinely good.
Acoustic, song-serving guitar
For singer-songwriters first.
I'm a singer-songwriter who has spent 25+ years with an acoustic guitar in my hands — on London stages, in studios in Dublin, London and New Orleans, and in a live session for RNZ National. The guitar I teach is the guitar I actually play: warm, rhythmic and built to carry a song and a voice.
If your dream is to write and perform your own material, this is the playing that gets you there — and it pairs naturally with singing and songwriting if you'd like to weave them together.
Who it's for
Adults & beginners welcome
You don't need a musical background, fast fingers or a "good ear" to start. If you've ever wished you could pick up a guitar and play a song, you're exactly who these lessons are for.
- Complete beginners holding a guitar for the first time
- Adults and late starters — a wonderful instrument to learn at any age
- Rusty players coming back after years away
- Self-taught strummers who want to tidy up their feel and technique
- Singers and songwriters who want to accompany themselves
New to it all? Here's my honest guide to choosing the best beginner guitar in NZ before you spend a cent.
Format & areas served
In person or online
Lessons run 60 minutes, one-to-one, and work brilliantly either face to face or over video with the camera on your hands.
In person · Kāpiti Coast
Face to face on the coast
In-person guitar lessons are based at Waikanae Beach, easy to reach from Waikanae, Paraparaumu, Raumati and right across the Kāpiti Coast.
Online · NZ & worldwide
Online, anywhere
Learning from Wellington, elsewhere in NZ or overseas? Online guitar lessons work a treat — just prop your phone or laptop so I can see your hands.
Pricing
Simple, honest pricing
Good to know
Guitar lessons, answered
Should I start on acoustic or electric guitar?
Either works, but I teach acoustic, song-serving guitar — and for singer-songwriters the acoustic is hard to beat as a first instrument. It needs nothing but the guitar itself, it builds strong hands and good rhythm, and it sits perfectly under a singing voice. If you already have an electric, bring it; the chords, rhythm and feel we work on carry straight across.
Am I too old to learn guitar?
No — adults make excellent guitar students. You bring patience, taste and a clear idea of the songs you want to play, which counts for far more than youth. Plenty of my students pick the guitar up properly for the first time in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond, and we go at a pace that suits you.
How long until I can play songs?
Sooner than you'd think. Most beginners are strumming a recognisable song within the first few weeks — a handful of chords and a steady rhythm cover an enormous amount of music. From there it's about feel, smoother changes and adding the touches that make a song sound like a record rather than an exercise.
What guitar should a beginner buy in NZ?
A decent, playable acoustic — comfortable to hold and properly set up so the strings aren't a fight. You don't need to spend a fortune; a reputable music shop on the Kāpiti Coast or in Wellington can set you up well, and I'm happy to point you toward sensible options before you buy so you don't waste money on something hard to play.
Do you teach adults?
Yes — adults and beginners are very welcome, and a big part of who I teach. There's no audition and no judgement, just a relaxed, encouraging lesson built around the music you actually want to play.
Do online guitar lessons work?
Yes — really well. With a phone or laptop propped where I can see your hands, online guitar lessons are clear, focused and effective. Plenty of students learn entirely online from Wellington and across the country, at the same price as in person.
Explore more
Other ways to learn with Ryan
Book
Ready to play for real?
Tell me a little about you and the songs you'd love to play — I'll be in touch personally within a couple of days. First lesson, no pressure.
Prefer to reach out directly? Email info@ryanedwardsmusic.co.nz