Lanier was probably natural inside Greenwich and first taught by his father, world health organization played a sackbut. Inside 1613 he composed the masque for the marriage of the Earl of Somerset jointly with Giovanni Coperario and others. He as well wrote music & processed sets for Ben Jonson's Masque of Auspex & Lovers Processed Men.

In the 1610s, Lanier was appointed as a lutenist to the King's band. He besides sang and played the viol.

From either 1625 he processed the series of visits to Italy to collect paintings for a King, during which he heard the freshly Italian music existence written per likes of Claudio Monteverdi. This led to him existence one of a 1st English composers to introduce monody and recitative to England.

Inside 1626, Lanier became a 1st to hang on to a title Master of the King's Musick. In a period of the Commonwealth of England he lived in the Netherlands, but returned to resume his duties within 1660.

There exists sole of these painting which may be identified when existence by Lanier, the self portrait in the music faculty of Oxford University.