Guitarist, composer, and Berklee Professor Lauren Passarelli

Lauren Passarelli

Berklee Guitar Professor, Beatles Authority & Sophisticated Pop/Rock Songwriter

Biography

Lauren Passarelli is an American guitarist, singer-songwriter, recording engineer, producer, and veteran educator. Graduating from Berklee College of Music as an instrumental performance major, she made history by becoming the first woman to graduate with that degree and subsequently joined Berklee's guitar faculty, where she has taught for decades as a professor. Over her long academic tenure, she has mentored thousands of students across fretboard harmony, arranging, slide, and Beatles-focused composition courses.

In tandem with her academic career, Passarelli has maintained a prolific solo and collaborative output. She co-founded the duo Two Tru alongside songwriter Cindy Brown in the late 1980s, runs her own independent imprint Feather Records, and operates as an accomplished audio engineer and mixing/mastering specialist.

Selected Discography

Solo Releases

Back to the Bone – Rootsy, rhythm-forward rock and melodic pop arrangements showcasing her core guitar-and-vocal craftsmanship.
Shadow Language (Two Tru) – Celebrated collaboration blending vocal interplay with rich acoustic and electric guitar layering.
Playing with the Pieces (2010 | Feather Records) – Expressive acoustic/electric songcraft focused on intricate chord movements.
Blast of Love (2012 | Feather Records) – Upbeat, melodically driven pop-rock featuring layered guitars and arrangements.
Night Vision (2020 | Feather Records) – Intimate, atmospheric acoustic and electric production showcasing her touch and arranging versatility.
Love Wins (2020 | Feather Records) – Multi-instrumental collection highlighting her strengths in mixing, arranging, and melodic songwriting.

With Two Tru & Other Projects

Among the Ruins (1993 | Feather Records) – Groundbreaking independent release with Two Tru.
Big Blue Machine – Vibrant pop-rock ensemble work driven by layered vocal harmonies and rhythm guitar textures.

Guitar Style & Musical Approach

Passarelli’s style is grounded in songcraft, groove, and advanced harmonic vocabulary rather than pyrotechnic flash:

Beatlesque Voice Leading & Arrangement: Deeply influenced by the rhythm playing of George Harrison and John Lennon, she frequently employs Drop 2 and Drop 3 chord voicings, moving basslines, and subtle modal shifts to make standard progressions sound fresh and unexpected.
Rhythm-as-Foundation Philosophy: Rather than prioritizing endless soloing, she approaches the guitar primarily as a foundational arrangement engine, weaving layered textures, dynamic right-hand strumming patterns, and acoustic double-stops.
Fingerstyle & Alternate Tunings: Skilled in Travis picking and hybrid fingerpicking, often leveraging subtle altered or open tunings (such as dropped bass notes or modified drone strings) to open up wider acoustic resonance and vocal accompaniment space.
Producer's Ear for Tone: As an experienced studio engineer and producer, her guitar tones emphasize warmth, clear string separation, and tube-like response that sits naturally inside an ensemble mix.

Dreams of Yes (lead guitar)