Tone Tailors Lessons

02/08/2026

Student jam session from August 3rd, 2025. Here's a clip of Tim and some of his students and his pal Raif and one of his, playing 'Where Is My Mind' by The Pixies

02/02/2026

Meet Mark Ryan. He offers guitar, bass, and theory instruction here at Tone Tailors. Mark teaches students of all ages and at all levels and has done so since 1983 and has had the pleasure of working with some great students along the way; such as all state and all district jazz guitar and bass winners. In addition to that, he has guided many rock guitar and bass players out there working professionally, including three students who have been employed at the American Music Theater, one of them currently.

Mark has also taught many of the other instructors in the area. His most well known student by far is Cedric Lawson, who you can hear playing keyboard on Columbia Records with Miles Davis. He has worked together professionally with Cedric and was thrilled when he asked Mark to help him with the guitar.

The company Mark keeps/has kept musically, reads as a who's who of the jazz world. He is as 'the real deal' as it gets and is simultaneously just as wonderful with complete beginners and kids as well.

01/19/2026

Two of our instructors are in bands that have been nominated in the CPMA Music awards:

01/15/2026

01/14/2026

This little boy got a guitar for Christmas too. It was many years ago and he grew up into a very talented player. He had help in learning how to play the guitar and he became the guitar player you see in the other pictures. Without lessons, that new guitar can just there being a complete mystery as to what to do with it. He can help unlock that mystery. Click the link below:

https://tonetailors.com/teachers/james-lipka/?fbclid=IwVERDUAPUAxJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7ySmB1CSLxVrzAH7IBbZkmoJC4TT35Q14w-2XvPmyslIwuYMmmYZLOLcfDvQ_aem_4o7vQc-PKvXDqcELi9oqaA

12/05/2025

Helping students prepare for ensemble playing (or in other words- playing with other people in a group setting) can involve a detail as simple as practicing playing while standing up so that we can eliminate as many distractions in the mind as possible to have the best chance of a good performance.

Sometimes you also have to play the bass part for the camera to send to a bass student for reference as well! 😅

By the way, Gavin, the guitar student in this video, played his part perfectly

Http://Tonetailors.com/lessons

11/22/2025

About to happen in a half hour! Two of Tim’s bass students, Jack (Dr G & The Electric Hands)and Nolan (Good Luck)each playing in their own bands playing in E town! Two fine young men and fine musicians!

11/14/2025

Http://Tonetailors.com/Lessons

Instructor Bio Spotlight: James Lipka

Meet James - A veteran of the local music scene, James has been performing professionally for nearly 20 years. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music where he was fortunate enough to study with and learn from many great teachers including Chris Buono, Don Lappin, John Finn
and Joe Stump.

James is currently a full time member of The Thompson Triplets, The Ogham Stones, Jessica Smucker and the End of Everything and Tractor Jerry and The Mudbucket. In addition to his full time projects, he has also done extensive work as a sideman and a pit musician, and is an accomplished solo fingerstyle guitar player. As a result, James has played in virtually every style
and format possible.

Through his 8+ years of teaching full time, he has combined his academic background with his years of on the job, practical knowledge to create a well rounded approach that will teach you the essential skills to get your playing to where you want it to be. Whether you just want to play along to your favorite songs at home, perform at an open mic, or even play the biggest stages, James can help you get there.

James is also one of a handful of people who have completed Chris Buono’s Diatonic 7-Tone (and its sequel, Pentatonic 5-Tone), a massive in depth study of the diatonic modes of the major scale. An adventure unto itself, and not for the faint of heart, 7-Tone is a transformative program that will absolutely change the way you see the guitar neck. If you’re interested in learning more about Diatonic 7-Tone, reach out to James and he will be happy to get you started on the
journey.

Guitar - Bass - Pedal Steel - Dobro - Mandolin

Thank you to Bryan Thomas Photography

11/14/2025

https://tonetailors.com/lessons

James, one of our instructors has a gig tomorrow with one of his bands, Tractor Jerry and here are the details:

"We're over the Hump Day and Team Tractor Jerry is here to kick off your weekend the down-home way! This coming Friday, 11/14 @ Tellus360 in the pub. We hit at 7pm with some foot-stompin-alt-country-rock-n-roll. Catch you then!

[ The Tellus360 calendar says 8pm, but we're the kinda folks that like to give you more bang for your cover-free buck, so they were kind enough to let us get started at 7pm and play a little longer for ya! Two sets, all killer - no filler!] Catcha then!

Photo Credit: Bryan Thomas (that guy's good... real good!)"

~ Tony Kirchner
(Drummer for Tractor Jerry)

11/02/2025

Sign up for lessons with Bridget:

https://tonetailors.com/teachers/bridget-gindhart/

Metal cover of "Your Idol" from Kpop Demon Hunters.Will Davidson: DrumsBridget Gindhart: Guitar

10/29/2025

Our last Tone Tailors student jam hosted by instructor, Tim White at Rock Lititz took place in February 2025 before we moved to 617 N Prince St in Lancaster.

Here we are playing 'Island In The Sun' by Weezer!

Thanks to Yanna Benauer (playing bass in the video) for taking some surprise footage. She is also the head rigger FOR Weezer- meaning, when Weezer goes out on tour, she goes too. So many talented and skilled people right next to ya!

Http://Tonetailors.com/lessons