Do you have gift certificates?
You can print out this gift certificate form.
How long will it take to learn to play?
This depends on several factors:
-How frequently you attend lessons
-How much time you spend practicing
-How easy your particular guitar is to play
-The level of difficulty of the songs you want to learn
-Your own innate level of talent
My experience is you will learn to play well if you continue lessons and consistently practice for
5 or more hours per week. That is only a commitment of 45 minutes per day!
I highly recommend that you continue lessons for at least 9 months to solidly learn the basics.
This may seem like a long time, but I can teach you in 9 months what most instructors would in 3
or more years. You should expect to be able to play many songs at this point. From that investment,
you could derive a lifetime of entertainment and fun, and possibly your own music career!
Do I need calluses to play well?
Calluses help, but with good technique they are not necessary.
What ages do you teach?
I can definitely help anyone age 13 and older. Children younger than 13 usually have a
very difficult time learning guitar because the physical requirements are greater than
for most instruments. This can discourage the student from further musical pursuits. I
don't believe a student should ever be pushed into learning an instrument or taking
lessons. A person is never too old to learn an instrument. All that's necessary to learn
is free time, desire, and a good teacher.
Do I need an expensive guitar?
No. They help, but with good technique they are not necessary. A decent guitar this is set up well should be fine.
Should I start on acoustic or electric?
I think you should play the type of guitar that is used in the music you like. The electric guitar is
considerably easier to play, especially when playing more difficult chords. However, the
acoustic guitar is cheaper in the short-term, because you don't need to acquire an amp.
Can I take lessons every other week?
The ideal is one weekly lesson. Weekly lessons provide very effective motivation to practice. Also, my schedule
is usually quite full. So, I am unable to hold a regular lesson time for students wanting lessons
less than once per week. I understand taking lessons can be a significant financial and time
commitment, so I have a make-up list of students that I call on a week-to-week basis to schedule
appointments in open times. Openings could potentially be at any time.
Can't I just learn to play by learning tabs from the internet?
Internet tabs are almost always inaccurate, and they usually provide no rhythmic information. They can
be useful if you really know what you're doing. However, for a beginner they usually result in
learning to play in a sloppy way.
I have an audition in two weeks for a band/talent show. Can you help me quickly?
I can help you more quickly than anyone, but I cannot work miracles. I strongly urge you to
not audition for anything until after you've had 9 months of lessons. Going into an audition
unprepared is likely to lead to a disappointing outcome that can ruin your musical confidence.
Don't set yourself up for failure! Prepare and then confidently do your thing.
Can you make me a star?
I can give you all the tools and show you the way as much as anyone can, but it's up to
you to do the work. If you came to me as a total beginner and said, "I want to be star,
I don't care what it takes," I could take your odds of achieving this objective from 1
in 5,000,000 to more like 1 in 1,000. There are always going to be some things that are
beyond your control.
Do you travel to people's homes to give lessons?
My schedule does not allow me time to travel to homes for lessons. Also, at one time I did do this,
but found the environment and resources of my studio allow for much more productive lessons.
Do you give group lessons?
I believe in reinforcing theory concepts and techniques by teaching students songs they like. This is extremely beneficial and is important for many reasons. However, this makes it all but impossible to teach more than one student at a time.
Do you write your own music? Do you perform?
I am a very experienced record producer, and have played on many recordings. I've been writing my own music since 1990. I've made a lifetime commitment to creative excellence, and I am open to serious musical collaborators. I've played at local venues, but I am currently not performing regularly. I may do so again, if the project is right.
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