How much do lessons cost?
30 MINUTES
$30 (most common)
20 MINUTES
$20
45 MINUTES
$45
FULL HOUR
$60
Cash is preferred, but checks are accepted.
I am not set up to take payments by credit card.
What other costs are involved?
Of course, students will need a guitar. And though one can learn to play the guitar well without reading music, I advise all new students to start out with a method book (e.g. Hal Leonard, Mel Bay, etc.) to learn the basics of note reading, rhythms and music theory. Also, since home practice time is the single most important factor in determining whether a student will succeed, I also strongly encourage students to purchase a music stand for their book and a guitar stand (guitars that are in the case get played much less that guitars that are out and visible). A few other incidentals would be extra strings and picks.
So, all together these other costs might look like this:
GUITAR
$150 and up (depending on budget)
MUSIC STAND
$15 to $40 (depending on quality)
GUITAR STAND
$20
STRINGS
$5 to 10 per set (depending on quality)
PICKS
$1 for a handful
Most guitars come with a case or a “gig bag” (which carries but does not protect the instrument), but if they do not, it’s a good idea to get one: $30 to $75, again, depending on the quality.
One last note on this topic
I recommend that beginning guitar students start on nylon string acoustic guitars, aka “classical” guitars (rather than steel string acoustic guitars or electric). They are much easier to press the strings down which eliminates much of the discomfort and difficulty when first learning to play.
Where do you teach lessons?
In my home studio, which I’ve been teaching out of for the last 10 years or so. It’s a quiet, comfortable environment that’s perfect for learning. Parents are encouraged to sit it on lessons to observe or just relax in my living room.
How often do students attend lessons and how long do they last?
Most common is once a week for a half hour lesson. But I regularly modify lesson lengths to adapt to the learning styles and preferences of my students. For example, I have a few young students (5 to 7 years old) for whom I have shortened the standard lesson to 20 minutes, so it’s much easier for them to pay attention for the entire time. At the other end of the spectrum, I have adults and advanced students who attend for 45 minutes or an hour so they can get more out of our time together. To save money or because of busy schedules, some students come every other week or even once a month. In other words, I’ll flex with you to make the lessons work in balance with the rest of your life.
How do I know which guitar and other equipment to buy?
If you need assistance in this area and have set up at least one lesson with me, I will go with you to a music store, at no charge to you, to help you pick out the highest quality guitar within your budget and help you with all the other purchases listed above. This benefits both of us, since a student that comes in with a poorly designed or difficult to play instrument, is not likely to learn to play well or have a positive experience.
Why do I need a private instructor?
Can’t I just learn to play online?
Having a private teacher is not essential, it’s just a really good idea.
It’s certainly possible for a 16 year old to learn to drive a car without a driving instructor. However, having an instructor reduces that likelihood that the young driver will have an accident. The same is true with guitar, (with much less severe consequences, thankfully!) some of the greatest guitarists have been self-taught, but most young guitarists develop bad habits in their technique, that limit their potential and may take years to unlearn, that could have been easily pointed out and corrected by a knowledgeable teacher at the early stages. Learning correct technique from the beginning is very important.
The internet is a great resource for finding music and watching and learning from great guitar players, but there’s no way it compares with receiving the personal attention to a student’s individual needs that happens in a private lesson. The human interaction between teacher and student can’t be duplicated with the internet. I do my best to make lessons fun, productive and inspirational in the same way that my guitar teachers were for me.
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