We recently connected with Trevor Boggs and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Trevor, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I started playing guitar when I was 11 years old. My dad taught me a few chords and then I started using youtube to continue learning. I was self taught for 12 years. For most of that time I developed my technique with scales, chords, and speed-based practice. I didn’t really know what I was doing though. I didn’t start taking lessons until I went to Berklee College of Music in Boston when I was 23. When I went to Berklee, I didn’t know any music theory at all, so I had no idea what any of the chords I was playing were or how the scales I knew were used. I didn’t start to understand what I was doing on guitar until I had spent some time studying at Musicians Institute in Hollywood with instructors like Daniel Gilbert, Dean Brown, Scott Henderson, and Allen Hinds. MI changed my playing for the better.

Knowing what I know now, I think I could have sped up my learning process by having a private instructor or at the very least teaching myself some music theory. I feel sometimes like I spent so much of my early times as a guitarist not knowing what I was doing. I would have learned about triads, modes, arpeggios, and gotten more familiar with the fretboard earlier. In fact I think those are some of the most essential skills a guitarist should have.

I think one of the biggest obstacles that stood in the way of my learning was my own ego. When I would try to learn something new, I would get really frustrated when I couldn’t get really good at immediately. I think that was a combination of me thinking I was a better guitarist than I actually was but also possibly not believing in myself enough to stick to it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve been playing guitar for about 17 years. When I was in high school, I auditioned for Berklee College of Music and was accepted but couldn’t afford to go. I then joined the Army and spent 4 years as a Radio Operator/Maintainer. The whole time I was in the Army, I spent my off time playing guitar and hoping to get back to studying music. Near the end of my Army contract, I auditioned for Berklee again and received a scholarship. I studied at Berklee for 1 semester and then transferred to Musicians Institute in Los Angeles. I’ve been in Los Angeles for almost 5 years now and I’ve had the privilege to gain a lot of experience playing gigs and sessions all over Southern California. I’ve also recently secured a job as a Teaching Assistant at Musicians Institute.

I provide services as a session guitarist, touring guitarist, or local gig guitarist. I think what separates me from other players is my versatility. My time playing in the Live Performance Workshops at Musicians Institute required me to be proficient in many genres. I’m confident that I can play guitar in almost any genre for any session or gig.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The goal driving my journey is to be an in-demand session and touring guitarist for the world’s biggest and best musicians.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Honestly, just being able to have a guitar in my hands and make money doing it instead of working in a job I hate is the most rewarding aspect.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.trevboggsmusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trevvguitar/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorboggs/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@trevvguitar
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/trevor-boggs-1