Meet 2025 Teacher of the Year for Acoustic Guitar Derek Gonzales

We asked 2025 Lessonface Teacher of the Year in Acoustic Guitar, Derek Gonzales, to share insights into his journey as a guitarist and educator. In this Q&A, Derek reflects on what first drew him to the guitar, the qualities that make it such a versatile and social instrument, and how he has created a dedicated, well-equipped teaching studio for focused online lessons. He also discusses the mindset he believes is essential for lifelong musical growth, shares the gear and resources he considers indispensable for students, and emphasizes consistency, patience, and enjoyment as the foundation of meaningful progress on the guitar.

What drew you to learning the guitar?

The acoustic guitar is a harmonic instrument that is very portable, very versatile and also lends itself to social situations and communal experiences of music. The electric guitar has a lot of the same characteristics with the added "cool" factor in the looks and the sound, which is what initially drew me to learning guitar.

How would you describe your teaching studio? 

My studio is a space fully dedicated to music making. I'm surrounded by musical instruments. The space is also well lit for optimal visibility during lessons.

If you could gift your students one piece of automatic knowledge or ability about learning the guitar, what would it be? 

One of the most important things is to cultivate an attitude towards practicing and playing that is consistent, patient and driven while also maintaining peace of mind and a sense of enjoyment. Students who have that will be learning and evolving as players for their entire lives, and will make the most out of the process, including having the most fun with it.

What are some of your most indispensable pieces of gear? 

A tuner (or tuning app) and a metronome app are essential. 

Bluetooth or external speakers that are larger than phone/laptop speakers are also really useful for lessons (not to mention listening to music with better sound quality, hearing more low end frequencies, etc).

For electric guitar players, I think having an amp is quite useful. It's way better than playing unplugged.

Are there apps / texts / other resources you often recommend?

I recommend the book "Zen Guitar" by Philip Toshio Sudo. It's about the mindset of learning guitar. It was one of the books that changed my life as a musician/artist.

If you are interested in learning more about Derek or would like to book a lesson with him, please visit his Lessonface profile here. 

Also, be sure to check out all of Lessonface’s 2025 Teachers of the Year here!