Beginners from zero
Never held a guitar? Good. First chords, how to strum without thinking about it, and a real song you can play by the end of the first few lessons. No theory wall to climb first.
GUITAR & SONGWRITING LESSONS
Learn it from a guy who wrote the song.
STRONG ISLAND, NY · ONLINE OR IN PERSON
Beginners from zero, acoustic and singer-songwriter, rock and blues — and how to write and finish a song of your own. Taught by John Elia of The Rats Asses, whose single “And I Need Ur Love” is out on every major platform.
What I teach
Four ways in. Pick yours.
Acoustic & singer-songwriter
Open chords that sound full, fingerpicking, and the hard part nobody warns you about: playing and singing at the same time. Bring the songs you want to play.
Rock & blues
Riffs, power chords, bends that land in tune, and the blues scale used the way the players you love actually use it. Soul over speed.
Songwriting
Getting from a riff or a line to a finished song: structure, hooks, lyrics that say something, and actually finishing. From someone who has taken a song all the way to release.
How it works
Three steps. No contracts.
- Send a request. Tell me what you want to learn, where you are with it, and when you're free. Takes a minute.
- I write back. Usually within a day, with times that work and the rate for what you picked.
- First lesson. We figure out where you are and what you want to play — and you leave with something to practise.
OnlineVideo lessons from anywhere. A laptop or phone with a camera is all you need — I send a link, nothing to install.
In personOn Long Island, at my place. I'll send the address when we book.
Lesson lengths30 or 60 minutes for guitar; songwriting sessions run longer. Lesson packs available.
Who's teaching
John Elia, The Rats Asses
The Rats Asses started in a garage on Long Island in 1993 — blues, grunge and garage rock, raw and unapologetic. In 2026 the band released its debut single, “And I Need Ur Love”, now on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and the rest.
That means the lessons cover the whole road: learning the instrument, writing something worth playing, and getting it recorded and out into the world.
Free practice material: the TRA Tune Book — chord sheets you can play along with.
Book a lesson
Tell me what you want to play.
Questions
Before you ask
Do I need my own guitar?
For lessons, yes — you'll need something to practise on between them. If you don't have one yet, ask in your request and I'll tell you what to look for so you don't overpay.
Acoustic or electric?
Either. Learn on whichever one you'll actually pick up every day.
Do you teach kids?
Mention the student's age in your request and we'll work out whether it's a good fit.
How do online lessons work?
I send you a video link. Open it in a browser on a laptop or phone with a camera — no app, no account. Prop the camera so I can see your hands.
What does it cost?
It depends on the lesson length, the format and whether you book a pack. Send a request and you'll get a straight answer, usually within a day.