Ready to learn the Guitar or improve your playing skills? – then our experienced Guitar instructors are ready to help! Rancho Canyon Music offers Guitar lessons at all levels – beginner, intermediate, and advanced!
Guitar Instructors
Craig Ferguson - Guitar
(also the Owner of Rancho Canyon Music)
Greetings! I am the owner of Rancho Canyon Music, and I have also been teaching here for the past 15 years. I work well with players of all ages, but I am especially great with the young beginners (ages 5-up), and I have seem to have a really good rapport with adults who want to play the kind of music that we grew up with! I teach the different age groups differently, because quite frankly they learn very differently, but the focus is always about the student and what they want to know and what they want to play. I always say, “Do you know what all guitar players have in common? They play guitar!!!” And that’s what I am here to get you to be able to do.
Thanks for taking a look at Rancho Canyon Music. We Thank You for supporting locally owned small businesses!
If you have a question, if there's something we're doing right or something we could do better, or something we can help you with, please contact me via phone (949) 589-7688, or email craig@ranchocanyonmusic.com - I hope to hear from you soon!
Craig's standard tuition rate is $40 per lesson - 1 lesson each week for 30 minutes
Please call us at (949) 589-7688 for availability and more specific tuition questions.
Scott Dunning- Guitar
Over the years, Rancho Canyon Music has discovered a great way to find young, talented instructors… grow them yourself!! Scott Dunning joins the ranks of R.C.M. teachers who actually started out here as a student. At a very early age, Scott was impressing his teachers here with his focus, attention to detail and his work ethic. We knew that Scott was interested in teaching and we were watching as he developed several students of his own – friends and kids around the neighborhood. We were again impressed with how well his students respond to Scott’s teaching, so we have invited Scott to join our staff at Rancho Canyon Music. Scott’s students love this guy, his youth and energy, and so will your kids!
In addition to his career as a Guitar instructor, Scott is also very active on the creative side, he has already released 40 albums and E.P.’s on the BandCamp website – no exaggeration!!
Scott joined the R.C.M. teaching staff in 2018.
Scott's standard tuition rate is $40 per lesson - 1 lesson each week for 30 minutes10
Please call us at (949) 589-7688 for availability and more specific tuition questions.
David Wright- Guitar, Bass
David has been teaching in Southern California for over 20 years. Since his studies at Fullerton College and U.C. Irvine, he has spent his time teaching Guitar, Bass Guitar, and Composition, as well as performing as a solo artist and in various rock and jazz ensembles. His acoustic guitar CD, "Americana", on Casierra Records has won critical acclaim. He now keeps a busy schedule teaching, performing, composing (with Kevin Tullius of the L.A. Jazz Quartet and Trio Lesento) and doing occasional film work. David has recently collaborated with Frank Sibley on the companion CD to the instruction book, "Jazz Guitar Solos".
David joined the Rancho Canyon Music staff in 2003.
David's standard tuition rate is $40 per lesson - 1 lesson each week for 30 minutes
Please call us at (949) 589-7688 for availability and more specific tuition questions.
Downs Thompson - Violin, Mandolin, Guitar
Downs is truly a world-class musician and instructor. In addition to a busy private teaching schedule at R.C.M. and his voluteer work in our local school music programs, Downs currently performs live as the fiddle player for country music superstar Clay Walker. He graduated from Bucknell University with a B.A. in Music, and has studied privately with Violin masters in the U.S. as well as Europe. Downs has performed on more than 50 albums in six different countries; he has done Film work with pianist Claude Bolling, among others; he has contributed to 3 books focusing on Irish, Celtic and Bluegrass music. Additionally, he has played the Grand Ol' Opry many times, and has shared the stage with music stars such as Charlie Daniels, Shelby Lynne, Larry Coryell, Brett Mason, Rhett Akins, Charly McCoy, and lots more!
Downs joined the Rancho Canyon Music staff in 2005.
Downs' standard tuition rate is $40 per lesson - 1 lesson each week for 30 minutes
Please call us at (949) 589-7688 for availability and more specific tuition questions.
Paul Cruz - Guitar, Bass, Ukulele
Paul started playing music at the age of 16 with a bass given to him by his father. Later on that year (2003) he joined the Rancho Canyon Music front desk staff and eventually became the front desk manager. After four years of working in the shop Paul started teaching outside the store, then at the school during Guitar Summer Camp. He quickly started getting requests to teach at RCM, and he’s been a music instructor here ever since!
Paul has played in original bands and has played venues including the Coach House, Chain Reaction, and the Whiskey A Go-Go, among many others! Paul has recently taken a break from playing in bands to focus on his students but still attends various “Jam Nights” around town and can be found on Sundays playing at Hope Crossing Church in San Juan Capistrano!
His dad is Bobby Cruz, a well known local professional musician, who has previously played and recorded with the Righteous Brothers, and currently plays at Saddleback Church in the "Overdrive" Tent.
Paul's standard tuition rate is $40 per lesson - 1 lesson each week for 30 minutes
Please call us at (949) 589-7688 for availability and more specific tuition questions.
This is why I teach. - Craig
Book one of our Guitar instructors and get started, today! We are centrally located in Rancho Santa Margarita and near to Dove Canyon, Trabuco Canyon, Coto de Caza, Mission Viejo, Foothill Ranch, Ladera Ranch, and more.