Guitar Lessons

                                                                   STUDENT REVIEWS

                           Google Reviews of my work and teaching style (click here).

Skype lessons with Ron Bennett are outstanding and convenient. I have been taking lessons with Ron for over 10 years, the last 7 of which have been via Skype. The communications have been clear and in real time, permitting us to experience no sonic or technological lag when collaborating or discussing music theory. As for the music, Ron is an excellent musician and teacher; his technical gifts and feel for many genres of music are inspiring and plainly apparent from the moment you begin working with him. His patient guidance is tailored to the student's interests, goals and capabilities, which is greatly appreciated - it ensures that you, the student, are vested in what you are doing and learning. Lessons are fun and informative and are largely self-paced - Ron moves at the speed you both find to be most effective for you. My significant growth as a musician is all due to Ron's amazing tutelage and our mutual effort. Whether you are located in Philadelphia or points further afield, if you are interested in learning guitar from an experienced and knowledgeable professional who cares that you become the musician you want to be, you should definitely reach out to Ron - Ron and the Skype platform can help you achieve your guitar playing goals.

                                                                                                                                             Vince Magyar   4/9/2020

                                                                                                                                             Jimmy Miller  6/6/2019

I am so glad I took classes from Ron. I started out with little to knowledge of playing guitar. Ron started out right from how to hold the guitar, so it was a great start even in our first lesson. It's been 8 months since I started and now we are working on making a song together. Thats the impact Ron's teaching has on you. He teaches you about all the chords, how those chords are derived and how music as a whole works together. He is very knowledgeable with music theory and a lot of different types of songs and genres. He is very passionate about teaching guitar. At the end of every class, I leave having learnt something new and mind blowing, and can't wait for the next class. Oh, did I mention its a 1 on 1 basis? So complete undivided attention for 1 full hour to your benefit only. He always finds a way to make you understand the concept he's teaching. So, whether you are picking up a guitar as a hobby or professionally, Ron will guide you to become successful. I recommend you mail Ron if you are interested in learning guitar.

                                                                                                                                Suhas Manjanath, December, 2018



I am older than a typical guitar student, having started in my late 30s, with no prior musical experience. I had been trying to teach myself, but was unsatisfied with my progress. Most teachers would probably plow through the usual lesson books, and I probably would have quit after a few lessons. Ron tailored a lesson plan to my exact needs, and the kind of music that I was interested in, and I have been working with him for over a year now. I could bring in any sort of strange music I found, and he would help me break it down and make sense of it. Our lessons are a great balance between technical instruction about the instrument and music theory. He introduced me to new bands and genres, and completely changed the way that I listen to and think about music.

Beyond all of this, Ron is a great mentor, with a wide breadth of knowledge about music and about life. Our lessons are one of the highlights of my week.

                                                                                                                                                Rob Lass, January, 2018



Ron is an exceptional guitarist and teacher for any level of player. He has developed a methodology for teaching students to build a foundation from which they can begin to explore more technical concepts and styles. I have been taking lessons from Ron for about 3 years now, after searching out a local guitar teacher online. When I began, I had been playing for a few years but had never taken lessons. Ron quickly taught me the basics of understanding the fretboard and I immediately began to build a stronger foundational knowledge of the guitar. Ron’s long-term approach involves very detailed and methodical deconstruction of scales and chords within the fretboard so that the student can quickly understand all of their options within a given key. This is geared towards effective song-writing and improvisational playing with others. This has had a tremendous effect on my playing and for my appreciation for music as an art and a science. Additionally, Ron has helped teach me performance skills in singing while playing guitar, which I had never done before and was somewhat uncomfortable doing until Ron encouraged me to work on it.

Aside from the music, I very much enjoy spending time with Ron as a person. He openly discusses his life and personal goals and offers valuable and thoughtful advice to me as a younger person. I have grown to value Ron’s perspectives and thoughts on a number of matters outside of music, and now consider him as a friend.

I would highly recommend Ron as a teacher to players of any level. Even for more advanced players, Ron can offer teachings in specific styles such as slide, finger-picking and assistance in song-writing. The hourly price is more than reasonable for the development you’ll see working with Ron.

                                                                                                                                            Dan O'Connor, January, 2018



I've been taking lessons with Ron for over 6 months now. I had been playing drums for over 10 years and always wanted to learn how to play guitar, having dabbled here and there but never taking lessons. In the few months I've been learning from Ron I've learned not only to play through entire songs, but also gained a new perspective on the instrument and music as a whole. What I really appreciate is that our lessons delve into the theory behind the music and songs we are learning: what makes a certain part of a song catchy, how the writers might have come up with that particular progression, and the overarching music theory underlying any piece we are working on. I also think one of the best parts of the lessons are just talking about music and musicians. I've had my eyes opened to new artists and bands I never would have listened to otherwise, and that has really expanded my horizons. Ron has been incredibly patient working with me as a complete beginner, and seems to always find a sweet spot between the immediate reward of learning to play new songs and developing the deeper knowledge necessary to become a proficient player. I look forward to taking lessons here as long as I can, and would recommend Ron to anyone with a genuine interest and passion for learning the guitar.

                                                                                                                                           Dr. Ian Folkert, February, 2018



Ron is the real deal, his lessons are thoughtful, logical and practical. I really appreciate his balance of patience and discipline when I'm learning something new. Overall, my experience has been excellent. I would highly recommend anyone looking to actually progress as guitar player and a musician to contact Ron.

                                                                                                                                              Kelly Sharadin, January, 2018



I have been taking guitar lessons with Ron for about a year and half on a weekly basis and have found the entire experience to be enjoyable and extremely worthwhile. I have found my personal progress, Ron's teaching ability, and schedule flexibility to be excellent.

I started with Ron as a beginner, barely ever picking up the instrument before, and have already seen steady progress and feel much more confident playing. Ron is an experienced guitar player and has a unique ability to understand what drives me to get better as a student. He is committed to the process of helping me and is always prepared for our sessions. He is also extremely flexible with our lesson schedule. I typically maintain a standing appointment, but have often had to move things around and it has never been a problem.

Ron is a caring and thoughtful person that i enjoy spending my time with. I am glad that I decided to pursue guitar as a hobby and feel fortunate to have found Ron to work with. If you are thinking of starting to play or picking up where you left off, I highly recommend an initial session with Ron to discuss your goals and see if it is a good fit.

                                                                                                                                       Jonathan Smith, March 2017

Ron is a top rate guitar teacher and guitarist. If I could give him 100 stars (rather than 5) I would. I came to Ron in a rut in terms of my playing and because of Ron I am now moving forward in ways I never dreamed of. Ron has a way of hearing what you need, based on what you tell him but also on your playing. With this information Ron immediately tailors a lesson plan that is effective and joyful. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced player, whether you are looking to learn the basics of specific songs or get into improvisational work, Ron is the right teacher.

                                                                                                                            Dr. David Allman, Penn, December, 2017

Ron is a great guy and an exceptional teacher. I have been taking lessons with him for a few months now. He really wants to get to know his clients and prepares each lesson to their best interests. I am interested in learning more about music theory and he has been doing a great job at breaking it down and learning step by step. I highly suggest trying a lesson from him. He is knowledgeable in all types of music and it is truly a fun experience to meet him for lessons in learning the guitar.

                                                                                                                                        Seth Madden, February,2016



Ron is a fantastic teacher because he tailors your lesson to your interest and level of expertise. He is also extremely flexible. One week we will work on scales, the next week chord progressions, depending on what I want to learn. He then helps me to incorporate the scale work into chord construction and progression. I have been working with Ron for about a year and my skills have increased considerably. On top of his fine guitar teaching and skills, he is very personable and an interesting conversationalist. My lesson always seems to pass too quickly because I am not only learning, I am having fun. Which, after all, is what its all about!

                                                                                                                                         Patrick Egan, December, 2016

 Ron is truly helping me transform my playing and understanding of the guitar. Prior to moving to Philly I took lessons for three years, focusing mostly on learning songs and pentatonic leads, which was exactly what I had asked my previous tutor to teach me. Though I progressed quickly, I never really felt like I knew what I was doing -- I had a collection of puzzle pieces but I didn't know how they fit together. I came to Ron with a request: help me actually learn about and understand the guitar and music.

Without a doubt, Ron delivered. From a practical point of view, Ron has taught me more about using the entire fretboard then I can possibly explain, especially learning intervals and finding (and connecting) chords up and down the neck. I no longer feel trapped inside the pentatonic boxes.

Ron has an amazing depth of music theory and practical musical knowledge, but also the playing chops show you how to put it all to use. Here is just a partial list of topics we've covered (and are still diving deep into) recently: Major intervals, Minor intervals, relative Major and Minors, CAGED chords everywhere, 7th chords everywhere, and partial chords. That's just the past few months.

A key for me each week is the "ah-ha!" moment. In almost every session Ron helps unlock a piece of understanding that had previously eluded me. For example, we've recently been working on intervals, and when he explained that certain intervals combinations were really partial parts of chords I already knew... "ah-ha!" the tumblers fell into place. This happens all the time. Not only does Ron have hard-learned musical knowledge, but he knows how to convey it in a way that makes sense and sticks with me.

And if you're into bottleneck slide guitar, Ron's your man. I've only scratched the surface of his slide knowledge.

Ron works me hard, which is what I need to progress. I plan on learning from Ron for years to come.

                                                                                                                                     Joseph Moore,October 2, 2015

                                                                                                      Armon Shariati, Lehigh University, September, 2014                                                                                              

Ron is an incredible musician and instructor. When I first started lessons with Ron I had been playing guitar for several months and was ready to give up as I thought "maybe guitar just wasn't for me." After my first lesson with Ron my passion for guitar was ignited. He has a laid back yet diligent approach which immediately made me feel comfortable and inspired. Ron helped me view the fretboard in a different light and helped me to think outside the "box." Because of Ron, I am more confident as a musician and now have the confidence to step outside of my comfort zone. I highly recommend Ron Bennett as a guitar instructor.

                                                                                                                      Dr. John Hudome, Philadelphia, January, 2014

My guitar lessons with Ron over Skype are the highlight of my week. Ron is a great teacher. He cares about his students and he brings a sense of humor and a humility to the craft which adds a welcome element of levity to the challenging exercise of playing an instrument. I took lessons from Ron in person a few years ago. I then moved to Africa for work. Unable to find a comparable instructor here, Ron and I discussed the idea of holding lessons over Skype. I think at first we were both a little skeptical. And, during the first lesson it took a little time for me to get acquainted with the new format. However, honestly, the lessons are as good as they were in person. Same great instruction, same interest in my development as a guitar player, same humorous approach. We even sing together! Thanks to Ron I have become a much more competent and confident guitarist.

                                                                            Conor Politz, Kinshasha,Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nov 7, 2013

I first came to Ron when I was a sophomore at Temple University. All I knew about fingerpicking was that John Fahey blew my mind and I wanted to play like him. At the time, I didn't know that I was meeting the man who would be the key figure in reshaping my development as a musician. Ron not only got my thumb alternating on the bass and my fingers picking the treble, but he turned me on to numerous players and songwriters who have shaped my musical development since. Though I still love Fahey, Ron turned me on to the great playing of Blind Blake, Doc Watson, Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy, and many more. Thanks to Ron's fingerpicking tutelage, I now perform regularly as a solo guitar player, and as a member of the Philly-based bluegrass band Sour Mash. Though I play banjo with the band, I would not have developed that aspect of my playing without the fingerpicking dexterity that Ron developed in me. Over the years, I have had the pleasure of performing alongside Ron, and of the several hundred gigs I've performed in the last five years, not one of them has been devoid of Ron's influence. Ron will not only build a solid foundation for beginner guitar players, but he will maintain and nurture a meaningful relationship with players of all levels who are willing to commit the time needed to advance their playing. I am blessed to have Ron as an instructor, mentor, and friend.

                                                                                                                       Julian Root ,West Philadelphia, 1/30/2013   

"I had been playing guitar for almost twenty-one years before I met Ron.  I decided to take lessons because I was applying for a graduate school program where I needed to audition in order to gain acceptance.  While I was very comfortable playing guitar, I was mostly self-taught and figured I could benefit from strengthening my technique and learning new styles of music altogether.Had it not been for Ron, I would not have passed the audition.  I can say that with 100% certainty - and I've played guitar in countless bands over the years. Ron helped me to make my finger-style playing much stronger.  We focused exclusively on that for a while, but effortlessly went into studying flat-picking and slide-style playing when the time came to do so.  Ron also got me thinking about theory for the first time since college.  He helped me to understand how certain songs can be played, and WHY they can be played that way.  This has been beneficial not only in learning the pieces Ron and I have worked on; it's been a huge help in my own songwriting as well. As others have said, Ron is a real joy to jam with.  He is patient, does not mind repeating himself if need be, and is quick to explain things to me if I'm screwing up.  On top of all this, he is a riot.  I have several hearty laughs each time I go for a lesson. Do yourself a favor: If you want to learn guitar for the first time, OR if you're an experienced player who could use some refreshers as well as new tricks, look no further than Ron Bennett Music."

                                                                                                                    Michael Veneziale, Drexel U., 6/28/2011

"I have been taking guitar lessons from Ron for two and a half years, and would strongly recommend him as a teacher to anyone, whether they have musical experience or not. I had never taken guitar lessons before, though I had a lot of musical expertise from playing piano and violin. Ron was patient with me, and was great at slowly giving me the feedback that I needed to improve my technique. He was happy to help me work on lots of different things, like strum songs, fingerpicking, scales, and technical exercises, and he has also been a great teacher of music theory. I think Ron has done a great job at teaching me to have a more structural understanding of music, figuring out how patterns and chords fit together and using this information to understand the music you are playing and come up with ideas for music of your own. Ron does a great job of giving you the information you need to improve, both constructive criticism and praise for what you're doing right. He is very honest, and this means that his praise really carries a lot of weight. And what's impressive is, while I never felt pressure from him to learn at a certain speed, when I started putting pressure on myself about my guitar playing, Ron talked it out with me and helped me to get a healthier attitude about learning guitar and having a good time doing it. And in addition to being a great theory teacher, Ron is a very fun guy to just jam with. Sometimes in lessons I will play the piece I've been working on, and he'll give me comments, but other times he will play the song with me or show me different approaches to the same music. We'll talk about the various ways you could do a piece, that give a different sound in the end, and try them out together. It's valuable and also a lot of fun. Ron is really focused on helping you be a good musician in all senses of the term, and that well-roundedness is something I value. On top of this, he's a very nice guy to spend your time with, and he's passionate about music and teaching. My lessons are always a highlight in my week."                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                         Jessamyn Fairfield, UPenn, May 18, 2011
                                                     

"I've been Ron's student for a couple of years now. I'm glad I finally found somewhere to sing his praises. What he brings to the table is an enthusiasm as infectious as the swine flue (minus the fever and night sweats). He's an excellent and accomplished professional who knows how to bring out the best in you regardless of background, style, or genre. Blues. Rock. Reggae. Slide guitar. This guy can cross styles as easily as crossing Broad Street on a Sunday morning. Whether the lesson was something as basic as my favorite song, or the complexities of guitar theory, Ron had years of knowledge to bring to the table. The strides I've made as a guitarist have impressed everyone I know, but most importantly, myself. And I think it's safe to say, I've developed a lifelong skill through my lessons with Ron. So what else can I say? When you're looking to advance your skills, I'd quickly recommend Ron as your guitar hero."‎                                                       

                                                                                                                       John Connor, New York City,  Feb 12, 2010

"Last year for Christmas I couldn't figure out what to get my boyfriend, but for months he'd been talking about learning to play the guitar. I did some research online and found Ron. Of the instructors I looked into, he seemed the most knowledgeable and also friendly, an easy personality to be around. Both things have turned out to be true. He was helpful and welcoming in his email responding to my inquiry. And as an instructor, he teaches everything with a purpose; he has clearly thought through the learning process and has developed a method of instruction that helps the guitarist to not only learn how to play but to understand the guitar and why they do things a certain way. I'm so glad I gave my boyfriend those lessons, he's stuck with it and it's been so much fun watching him progress as he plays around the house. He comes home so excited about what he learned, wanting to show me, and practices any free moment he has. Ron is a fantastic and an accomplished guitarist and I would recommend him to anyone whether for yourself, or as a gift to someone else! "

                                                                                                                                     Susie Dailey Oct 19, 2010

‎‎