James Leitch is a passionate and experienced instructor teaching private music and guitar lessons online and in the Baltimore area since 2009.
Serving kids and adults of all ages, beginners, intermediate, and advanced players, James has experience teaching in many situations, including his home studio, virtual lessons, and Baltimore City Public Schools, as well students with diverse interests and goals -- from folk singer/songwriters to university audition prep. With well-rounded proficiency in a diverse range of guitar styles taught, including electric, acoustic, classical, blues, jazz, and rock, James works with every student to discover their unique musical voice.
About Online Lessons
Using videoconferencing platforms like Zoom is a great way to connect students with teachers! Here are some things to consider to make your lessons go as smoothly as possible:
Is your internet fast enough? Most high-speed internet connections have enough bandwidth for videoconferencing, but it can’t hurt to be sure.
Do you have a laptop or desktop computer capable of running the latest version of Zoom?
You do not need a paid Zoom account, but a free one would be helpful.
Many videoconferencing platforms aggressively remove music and background noise from the audio to help make verbal communication clearer. This obviously disrupts a music lesson, but often these filters can be disabled.
Tablets and phones may not have the option to disable this feature.
Do you have an email address so you can receive notes, diagrams, and documents for practice
Do you have a comfortable, private (or at least relatively free from distractions) place to set up and meet?
If you can answer “yes” to all these questions, online lessons are probably right for you!
Testimonials
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"My son started taking in person acoustic guitar lessons with James five years ago, but due to Covid-19, we transitioned to virtual lessons a few months later. Since that time, my son and James have been able to stay connected weekly through virtual lessons, and we have seen an incredible amount of growth not only in his playing of the acoustic, electric and bass guitars, but in music comprehension as well. James is always willing to customize his lessons to the musical interests of the student while ensuring that the material is appropriate for the skill level. James consistently follows up after each session with notes and material to practice, and he is always very responsive whenever there are questions in between lessons. My family and I highly recomend James to anyone that is thinking of pursuing guitar lessons."
Joe E.
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"James is a top notch, top of the line teacher. His classical guitar playing is so emotional and beautiful. My son was going through those early preteen awkward years when he began guitar lessons with Jim. Through these lessons my son found his passion- music. My son is now a well balanced, self suffient adult. He has played in several bands. He plays electric guitar, acoustic, drums, banjo and ukelele and keyboard. I truly believe his time with Jim gave him self confidence and an ability to thrive in a world and society which it is not always easy to thrive in. Jim led him into a world of music which gave my son a path to follow. I highly recommend James for yourself or ur children’s musical needs, wants and desires."
Cindy R.
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"James is an amazing guitar teacher. My son has been learning from him for more than two years. He is not only highly skilled, but also very patient. After each lesson, I see an email from James, supplementing the music sheet for my son to practice. My son enjoys his lessons and his guitar level has improved significantly."
Nan J.
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"James is a very knowledgeable teacher who is patient and understanding. He teaches at a pace that is comfortable yet demanding. His knowledge of music theory is outstanding. I plan on being a student for quite awhile."
Ernie H.
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"I've been taking lessons with James for 6 months and have enjoyed every minute. He's excellent at tailoring the lessons both to my abilities and to where I want to go as a musician. I recommend him highly to anyone who wants to learn to play the guitar."
Bill U.
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"James has been teaching our 11yr old daughter and we couldn’t be more impressed. I’ve known just how talented James is for many years but now I get to see what an amazing teacher he is! James has the wonderful ability to meet our girl right where she is while teaching real skill building techniques, a deeper understanding of music and offers lots of encouragement. Between the genuine enthusiasm, knowledge and building of confidence our girl has already seen, I can’t imagine it getting much better than lessons with Leitch Guitar. "
Burgandy N.
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"James is a very skilled teacher. His passion for guitar is infectious. He is able to break down important concepts as appropriate, but still keep lessons interesting. He is a pleasure to work with for both students and parents."
Octavia S.
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"I played violin for 10 years in school, but haven't practiced for more than 20 years. James has done a wonderful job helping me remember what I knew and fill in the gaps about what I didn't as I transfer to a new instrument. He's a flexible and perceptive teacher who will definitely help you become a better musician."
Michele R.
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"James is the best teacher and great with young kids. I love how he tailors lessons to my daughter’s interests. My 6 year old has been taking ukulele lessons for six months, and I am blown away by the progress she has made in such a short time. Highly highly recommend!"
Kim B.
About James
James started teaching private guitar lessons in 2009 while he was a music student at CCBC Essex. He transferred to Towson University in 2010, where he performed in master classes with David Russell and Roland Dyens, and won three scholarship prizes for guitar performance.
In 2014, James graduated from Towson University with a BS in Music Education and taught general music, guitar classes, and directed choir for 5 years in Baltimore City Public Schools.
James is dedicated to teaching students of all ages, backgrounds, musical interests, and levels of ability how to express themselves with the guitar.
