Ryan Harris Brown
Guitar, Songwriting & Music Theory Lessons
Personalized Guitar Lessons in Nashville, TN
Ryan Harris Brown is a Nashville-based guitarist, singer-songwriter, and music educator who helps students become more confident, creative, and well-rounded musicians. Lessons are built around the music each student wants to play while developing technique, rhythm, theory, ear training, improvisation, and practical musicianship.
About Ryan Harris Brown
Ryan is a Berklee College of Music graduate with more than 15 years of professional experience as a performing and recording musician. Alongside teaching, he has spent his career writing, touring, recording, and contributing guitar work to projects throughout the music industry.
His professional work has included collaborations with musicians such as Sierra Hull, Aaron Sterling, Nir Z, David LaBruyere, and Alex Wright. Ryan has also released two full-length albums of his own: Stranded in the Present Tense in 2017 and All The Things I Can’t Change in 2025, showcasing his work as a singer, guitarist, songwriter, arranger, and producer.
Drawing on influences ranging from Paul McCartney to Ben Folds, Ryan brings experience from both sides of the studio glass into his teaching. His work has taken him from recording and touring to film as well, including an appearance in James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown.
What Ryan Teaches
Ryan works with guitarists at different levels, from beginners learning their first chords to experienced players who want to expand their vocabulary, improve their improvisation, understand theory, or develop their own music. The goal is to connect technique and musical knowledge to the music you actually want to make.
Guitar Lessons
Build stronger technique, rhythm, fretboard knowledge, and confidence while working with music that keeps you interested. Ryan Harris Brown works with players from their first chords through more advanced concepts, adapting lessons to each student’s experience and goals.
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Music Theory Lessons
Understand why the music you’re playing works and learn how to use that knowledge creatively. Ryan incorporates music theory, ear training, harmony, improvisation, and fretboard knowledge in ways that connect directly to playing rather than treating them as isolated academic subjects.
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Songwriting Lessons
Develop original ideas and the broader skills that help turn them into finished music. Ryan can work with students on songwriting, arranging, preparing for performances, playing with other musicians, and developing the musical independence needed to pursue their own goals.
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Practical Lessons Built Around the Music You Want to Play
Ryan believes students learn best when they’re excited about the music they’re playing. Rather than following the same path with every student, he shapes lessons around each person’s interests, experience, and goals while building a strong foundation in technique and musicianship.
That might mean helping a beginner get comfortable with their first songs, helping an experienced guitarist understand harmony and improvisation more deeply, or working with a songwriter who wants to turn an idea into a stronger piece of music.
The common thread is practical application. Ryan’s goal is for students to understand what they’re learning, hear how it works, and be able to put it to use in their own playing.
See Ryan Teach
One of the best ways to get a feel for an instructor is to hear how they explain an idea. In The Logic Behind 9, 11 & 13 Chords, Ryan breaks down where extended chord tones come from and shows how 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths relate back to the major scale. Using C major, he connects the theory to actual guitar voicings and offers a practical way to start seeing those intervals across the fretboard.
Hear Ryan’s Music
Ryan Harris Brown’s experience as a teacher is informed by years of writing, recording, arranging, and performing his own original music.
Take Lessons with
Ryan Harris Brown
Whether you’re learning your first chords, trying to understand music theory, developing your improvisation, writing original songs, preparing for performances, or taking your playing more seriously, Ryan will meet you where you are and help you build the skills to move forward. Green Hills Guitar Studio offers personalized music lessons in Nashville and online.