By far the best guitar teacher I have ever had. I played for 20 years before seeing Donavan. Within one year my playing was on an entirely different level and people noticed. Friends would say 'you have gotten so much better, and it has to be the lessons you have taken'. I started with classical guitar with Donovan and my technique was broken down (to my dismay at first) and completely rebuilt from the ground up using a stepwise, disciplined and methodical approach. My playing progressed rapidly, and after a few months I enjoyed playing guitar so much more, as opposed to the drudgery in my previous 20 years of playing. I still love and played classical but now I've moved back to electric and taking lessons for this with him. I am again progressing rapidly and playing is so much more enjoyable, even the exercises he assigns. Can't wait for the next few months of lessons and progression. I have taken lesions with Donovan on and off for about 7 years and I hope he keeps on teaching! read more

I've been playing guitar for years, and have now taken several lessons with Donovan Raitt in fingerstyle playing. He is a superb instructor -- learned, patient and very positive with his advice. I've made a lot more progress working with Donovan than I thought possible in a short time. He effortlessly demonstrates an astonishing -- and inspiring! -- level of accuracy and tonal quality on acoustic guitar. When you hear him play, you'll realize the great difference proper technique can make as you strive to get the best possible sound and precision in your own playing. Whether you're a beginner or an intermediate or experienced guitarist, I strongly recommend Donovan Raitt -- he is a "maestro" on guitar, and I believe you will be delighted with the results you can achieve. I look forward to working regularly with this excellent musician and teacher to improve my playing skills. read more

Donovan Raitt is an amazing guitarist and an even more amazing teacher. I started my lessons with him in 7th grade and from very beginning he tailored the lessons to fit my learning style. From 7th grade to senior year of high school Donovan was not only my guitar teacher, but my mentor and my friend. We started with songs like "Miss American Pie" and "Here Comes The Sun" and by the end of our lessons he had me playing beautiful finger style pieces by Andy McKee and Tommy Emmanuel. Thanks to his lessons the guitar feels like an extension of myself and that there is no limit to what I can learn and play. When it came time fore college he helped me find a school that would further a career in music. He was instrumental in helping me pick a school that I liked and a profession that I love read more

I met Donovan Raitt at a fingerstyle guitar workshop about 3 years ago and I knew immediately that he had a talent for teaching. I have been playing guitar for about 40 years and never had any lessons, but I decided to enlist Donovan to be my instructor because I wanted to learn to write and play my own music. Donovan has helped me learn how to write and play music that I have created; I could not have achieved this without his help and direction. He is thorough and patient and clearly explains everything that we are working on during the lessons. My capability as a guitar player has improved so much during the past 3 years and I am very thankful for all the time that he has spent with me. I highly recommend Donovan if you want to get the most out of your guitar playing experience. read more

Donovan isn't just an outstanding musician, he's an outstanding teacher as well. I've taken several skype lessons with him and he's always been so kind and patient working with me. I was so inspired by some of his tunes on his recent album that I had to learn them and he walked me through the difficult pieces of the song and ensured I had it under my belt. I also had questions to ask after the lesson and he was more than happy to answer them. If you're looking for a friendly, knowledgeable teacher, this is your guy. Plus, his original melodies just sing to my soul! Thanks Donovan! read more

I received admission to the USC Thornton School of Music Studio/Jazz guitar program due to Donovan's amazing instruction and mentorship for 10 years starting when I was a kid. He always challenged me to get better and develop my skills in a variety of styles, ranging from basic fundamentals to high level jazz theory and finger-style. I have used the lessons he has instilled in me as a foundation for continued growth in my personal career as a professionally touring musician today. I am forever grateful for Donovan's care and everything he had taught me! read more

I am also a guitar teacher and professional musician, but at the moment I am too busy to teach lessons. Every time someone calls me for lessons or asks me to refer them to someone in Orange County I tell them to call Donovan Raitt. He is one of the most versatile guitarists in the US, he is a great teacher, a truly professional performer, and one of he nicest people that I have ever met! He is great for students of all ages with any level of interest in becoming a better guitarist! read more

Donovan is a fantastic teacher. He explains everything thoroughly and is patient with me as a beginner trying to learn. I cannot recommend him high enough. Just listen to his music to know how skilled he is, and the fact that he communicates his teachings clearly makes me feel like I will be successful. He is well priced, extremely knowledgeable, and fun to hang out with while I am learning. read more

I took lessons from Donovan while attending CUI and must say he is an excellent teacher! Highly knowledgeable in all areas of guitar playing, and gear as well. He tailored each lesson to exactly what I needed to advance towards my goals, and stretched my playing abilities in a way that allowed me to constantly improve. His positive attitude and humility make him a great person to learn from. read more

Donovan is an outstanding guitar teacher, who taught both myself (a middle-aged guy who wanted to play along with his classic rock and blues favorites) and my son (a teenager who wanted to play with friends and at church). Donovan is very accommodative of different styles, has developed his own curriculum for some, and teaches you proper technique and music theory along the way. read more

Donovan is an excellent teacher who is able to work with all levels of students. When I took lessons from him, he was able to really focus on the things I wanted to improve in, namely fingerpicking, but also helped me learn very useful Music theory along the way. You should definitely work with Donovan, you won't regret it! read more

Donovan is an excellent teacher! He works with all levels of students! He listens to your goals and helps you accomplish what you want to learn and challenges you to grown in other areas. You can take a listen to his music to speak for his ability and skill on guitar! He is a fun person to take lessons from! read more

Donovan is an amazing teacher and musician. He is extremely easy to work with and has a passion for sharing and teaching music. As well as being talented he is extremely humble and patient. He has helped me in so many different areas in guitar and I look forward to lessons to come! read more

Not only is Donovan a skilled and artistic performer, but a patient and inspirational teacher for my son learning left-handed bass. I highly recommend him for anyone who seeks not only to learn guitar but to enjoy learning as well. read more