Scott Paul Johnson
Teaching guitar since 2001
SPJ Guitar Lessons
LIBRARY: Learn how to play a solo, write music, and develop your fingerboard knowledge with dozens of helpful videos featuring Scott’s animated camera guitar and unique style of breaking down complex concepts into bite-sized pieces.
SPJ Guitar School
SCHOOL: Get out of the intermediate guitar rut by writing music, playing solos, and developing your music theory knowledge through real-life, practical application. Ask questions on the weekly live Q&A, participate in the weekly writing challenge, and gain access to my archive of over 700 video lessons.
Private Lessons
MENTORSHIP: Private lessons are the most efficient way to develop your skills, deal with your unique challenges, and create a path to reach your specific guitar goals.
About Scott
I’ve been teaching guitar for 25 years - most of my life. I started learning guitar at 10 years old in 1997. My grandfather showed me how Chet Atkins played bass, rhythm, and melody all at the same time and I became obsessed with figuring out how to play like that. Once I had enough tunes memorized, I began performing for tips at the local farmers market. At age 14, I started teaching lessons to my peers and quickly realized that being a good guitar player has nothing to do with being a good guitar teacher. I became obsessed with figuring out how to communicate concepts clearly, pace lessons appropriately, and help people understand what to expect from the process without overwhelming them.
I kept teaching through highschool and college, graduating with a degree in Music Composition in 2009. I kept teaching as I started the band Hot Bodies in Motion, writing songs for an album, an EP, and a few TV shows and a movie. I kept teaching as I began to branch out and write music with other Seattle artists.
In 2014, I decided to make teaching my full-time job, specializing in adult learners and intermediate guitarists looking to level up their skills and develop their musicianship.
In 2018, I started making YouTube videos, mainly to show potential students my teaching style. In 2019, my YouTube videos began attracting a lot of attention and in 2020 I started my online school.
Throughout this process, I’ve refined and developed my teaching style to focus on a few core concepts:
Music is a language
• Imagine learning Spanish without ever having a conversation in Spanish. It doesn’t make sense. In the same way, it’s GREAT to learn songs, but it’s kind of like memorizing a poem in Spanish without knowing what it means. Memorizing songs is great for developing technique, but you’re not communicating your ideas. Writing music in SOME WAY is how you communicate your ideas. This doesn’t mean my students have to write full songs and perform them. If you want to be a good rhythm guitarists, I’ll help you learn how to write rhythm guitar parts. If you want to be a good lead player, I’ll teach you how to write lead guitar parts. If you want to be a good bass player, I’ll show you how to write your own bass parts. And if you want to write full songs, I’ll help you learn how to do that!
Music is personal
• YouTube videos like “10 Things Every Guitarist Should Know” make it seem like there is a standard, normal way to learn guitar. This is not true. YOU are a unique individual with specific interests, taste, and style and the way you play guitar should feel like a reflection of YOU. My lessons don’t focus on should or ought. They focus on what you WANT, and I help you get there.
Skill can’t develop without specific, personal goals
• It’s hard to tell what improvement looks like without goals. If you’re not moving toward a specific goal, it’s hard to tell if you’re moving at all. Together, we’ll explore your musical interests, develop specific goals, and make a plan to reach those goals.
If this sounds fun, check out my YouTube Channel, my online school, or contact me for private lessons.