Gary Dawson
About
Gary Dawson is an American musician and educator based in Yorktown, Virginia. He has more than twenty years of experience on guitar, bass, and piano, and studied at Berklee College of Music in Music Production and Engineering with a minor in songwriting. Gary’s lessons focus on practical musicianship: fretboard fluency, time feel, chord construction, song-based learning, and steady skill building that translates to real music-making. Students learn to connect the ear, theory, and technique so practice feels purposeful and progress is clear.
Teaching Style
• Start with the songs you enjoy, then build technique and theory around them
• Structured sessions, so you know what to practice next
• One-on-one online lessons with custom materials, short weekly goals, and audio or video examples
• Optional recording tips drawn from Berklee MP&E studies for students who want to demo ideas
Curriculum
• Guitar, bass, and piano for beginners - advanced players
• Fretboard mapping, scales and modes, chord voicings, rhythm skills
• Songwriting fundamentals, arranging, and practice design that fits busy schedules
Credentials & Affiliations
• Berklee College of Music (2012-2014) Majoring in Music Production & Engineering with a Minor in Songwriting
• Performances - (April 26-28, 2019 & June 17-19, 2022) Something in The Water Festival (Virginia Beach, VA) [Performances with Sunny & Gabe]
• Production - Sunny & Gabe - "Peace of Cake" (2018 album release)
DRAM - "Something About Us" (2021 release)
• Teaching History - (2010-2012) West Bend Music Cape Cod, MA - A heavy emphasis teaching acoustic instruments : Guitar, Mandolin and Banjo (2020-2025) Teaching independently - Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Bass and Piano. Mostly teaching Rock, Jazz, Country, Brazilian, Funk, Pop as its most popular. Always including relavent Music Theory, Shapes, Reading Skills, Harmony, Rhythm, Form and Feel for each song in order to understand the music on a deeper level.