Ronny Gutierrez won big — again.

The guitarist, who lives in Miami Lakes, is one of 10 winners of Guitar Center’s “Master Satriani” contest, in which contestants vied for a chance to fly to Hollywood, Calif., to take a master class with guitarist Joe Satriani. Contestants had to play a famous Satriani track to enter.

Gutierrez, 35, won a previous competition and took a master class with virtuoso Steve Vai.

“It’s kind of surreal,” Gutierrez admits. He’ll also take home an Ibanez JS20S Joe Satriani Signature electric guitar (happily his favorite kind of guitar, though he confesses a love for Fenders, too).

Gutierrez, who attended American High, comes by his love of music honestly. His dad, Hernan Gutierrez, passed away when he was only 7, but the salsa musician passed on his love of music.

“My father had this passion,” Gutierrez says. “It’s amazing. When I speak to musicians who knew him, they talk so greatly about him. They refer to him as ‘maestro.’ The way they had such respect for him, that had an impact on me. . . . I couldn’t escape it. I don’t see myself doing anything else. I’d rather strap on my guitar and play and express myself that way.”

Gutierrez, who has done studio work, has played at the Ultra Music Festival and with the musician Kevens, says he wants to delve into all genres of music. Kevens’ music is a hybrid of electronic mixed with rock and reggae, but Gutierrez rules nothing out for his future.

“Styles limit people into being one dimensional,” he says. “The way I see it, music expresses emotion. As human beings we’re pretty complex. Why not as an artist be able to tap into all those emotions? I want to have different colors on my palette. Being able to adapt to any musical situation helps you grow as a musician. . . . Music is a language, and I want to learn the vocabulary fully and speak every dialect.”

Connie Ogle