Learn guitar through the music you love.
Whether you're returning to the instrument or you've played for years and feel stuck, we build the work around music that actually moves you. Private or a group of four (max). Online, or in Berkeley when that's the better room.
Online worldwide · In person at my Berkeley studio
Guitar. Adults. Private or a small group.
Four lenses. Not a sequence: Time, Map, Voice, Practice.
Time
Groove, subdivision, feel, odd meters. Where most adult players are weakest, and where almost nobody teaches properly. Fix time and everything else sounds better immediately.
Map
The fretboard as relationships, not memorized boxes. You stop guessing where the next note lives.
Voice
Phrasing, dynamics, articulation, tone. The difference between running a scale and saying something.
Practice
A weekly system built around the life you actually have, so progress compounds instead of resetting.
In practice that means songs you love, fretboard fluency, ear, feel, and improvisation, always in service of the music.
What music coaching can open up.
“As a self-taught player of many years, there was always something missing from my playing that no amount of DVDs or advice from friends could fix. After three months with Mark, I have more confidence, ability, and mastery in my playing. He is kind, patient, and knowledgeable, and right for any level of player.”
“I've been taking lessons with Mark for four weeks, and I've learned more about music in that time than in the last ten years. He explains things in ways that make sense, and you start feeling accomplished after your first couple of lessons.”
“My playing has improved significantly since working with Mark. He taught me how chords are built and how they work, the circle of fifths, theory, chord progressions, jazz fingerstyle, and sight reading, which I love. I teach beginner guitar to my own students now, and I use what I learned from Mark with them directly. It has made me a better musician and a better teacher.”
“Mark's strength is to be able to build up a guitar vocabulary and meet you in the middle. His custom lesson plans are easy to follow and structured in a way that brings most value to you, the student, while highlighting how resourceful and knowledgeable he is as a musician.”
“Mark's artistic counsel and expertise have helped me move my song sketches out of the shadows and into the light of mature artistic expression. I am forever grateful to call Mark my mentor.”
“Mark is an amazing musician with a wealth of knowledge and emphasis on creative expression. Working with him brought my playing to life!”
“Working with Mark is always such a fun and inspiring experience! I was very impressed with his depth of knowledge in theory, composition, and skills as a multi-instrumentalist and producer. Mark is devoted and committed to his craft, and he is wildly talented at everything he does. I'd recommend you take the opportunity to hire him if you can!!”
I'm a producer, composer, and creative mentor who lives the work.
I'm Mark Reynolds, a producer, composer, multi-instrumentalist, creative mentor, and the founder of Prism Creative. With nearly three decades of musical experience and over 18 years of teaching, I help artists develop the rare combination of skill, taste, workflow, and creative confidence needed to bring ideas into form.
My background spans jazz guitar, classical piano, flamenco guitar, percussion, bass, electronic production, film scoring, sound design, and immersive audio. My work includes a Samsung-licensed track with over 8M plays, an award-winning Amazon Studios film score, and recognition from the Center for Cultural Innovation for musical originality.
As a coach and creative director, my approach is practical, intuitive, and deeply personalized. I help musicians and creative entrepreneurs move through the places where most projects get stuck: overwhelm, unfinished ideas, unclear workflow, lack of feedback, and the gap between vision and execution.
Common questions.
If you have something specific in mind, the consultation is the fastest way to get a clear answer.
Let's talk about what you want to learn.
Tell me about your playing. I'll review your answers and, if it looks like a fit, send a link for a 15-minute call.