Gianfranco Mascayano

Guitar Lessons in Amsterdam West

Hi! I’m Gianfranco Mascayano, an experienced guitarist who has played in many different kinds of bands, and a passionate, professional and motivating guitar teacher based in Amsterdam West. I teach adults, teenagers and children, and you’re very welcome to book a trial lesson to get acquainted.

Trial Guitar Lesson

A trial lesson is the perfect way to get to know each other, and I’d love to hear you play. I’ve got plenty of useful tips you can start applying right away. I’m also curious to hear which styles and genres you enjoy most. Don’t have a guitar yet? No problem, I can advise you on renting or buying one, and I’ll have a guitar ready for you to try during the trial lesson.

Beginners

Based on what you’d like to learn, we’ll create a personalised lesson plan together. You’ll build a solid foundation with proper technique, relaxed posture and your first basic chords. You’ll learn how to read tabs, sheet music and chord symbols, and we’ll start with practical exercises to help you play smoothly and confidently. Together we’ll explore which music suits you best to begin with, while discovering the endless possibilities of the guitar, from tone and sound to effects.

First Lessons

You´ll learn the basic fingerings and foundation of the instrument while choosing to play repertoire from easy classical pieces, folk, pop, rock, blues or songs of your own choice. Other subjects include playing by ear, notation systems, strumming, finger exercises, plectrum, basic scales, basic music theory,

Advanced Players

Already playing for a while and looking to take your technique to the next level? Want smoother position changes, cleaner chord transitions and more confidence while playing? Whether you want to improvise, play more expressive solos, accompany yourself while singing or deepen your understanding of music, I’ll give you focused tips and exercises to help you master difficult techniques, transitions and solos more efficiently, always centred around the music you truly love.

All Styles Welcome

Your favourite style of music is always at the heart of the lessons. We can work on your own songs, jazz, funk, current hits, standards, hip hop, rock, blues or Latin music.

What You’ll Learn

You’ll develop a range of playing techniques, including:

• alternate picking
• economy picking
• legato
• sweep picking
• vibrato
• bends and slides
• tapping

We’ll also work on timing, phrasing and improvisation.

Is Improvisation Difficult?

At first, improvising can feel unfamiliar and it’s completely normal not to know where to begin. The good news is: improvisation is something you can absolutely learn. Thanks to my many years of teaching experience, I can guide you with practical tips and focused exercises that help you build musical insight, technique and confidence step by step. Of course, understanding scales, chord progressions and jazz harmony is an essential part of the process. I’ll help you develop these skills so you can gradually create stronger solos and accompaniments in the style you enjoy most.

Where Are the Lessons?

Lessons take place in my home studio in Amsterdam’s Staatsliedenbuurt, just 10 minutes from Central Station.

Effects and Pedals

To shape your guitar sound, we work with pedals and effects such as reverb, delay and distortion. I’ll teach you how to use software and effects tools to explore and control the huge variety of sounds available for guitar. You’ll experiment with both hardware pedals and software-based effects.

A Modern Approach to Teaching

You’re welcome to make audio or video recordings during the lesson using your phone, so you can review everything afterwards. We can also use play-along tracks, chord charts, tabs and other learning materials directly on your smartphone to make practising at home easier and more enjoyable.

Flexible Lesson Cards

Busy with work or school and prefer a flexible schedule? You can easily plan lessons with a 5- or 10-lesson package card.

Face-to-Face & Online Lessons

In addition to in-person lessons, I also offer online guitar lessons via Zoom. Curious to try it? Feel free to get in touch to discuss the possibilities.

About Me

I was born in Chile and raised in Sweden, surrounded by music from many different cultures. I started playing guitar at a young age and developed a strong foundation in both classical and Latin American music.

Jazz and Latin

Before long, I discovered a deep passion for jazz, which led to years of touring, recording and performing with a variety of bands and artists around the world.

I earned my Jazz Guitar Degree from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and alongside performing, I love sharing my passion for music and guitar through teaching.