Are you frustrated trying to learn guitar from Youtube, or a tiny app on your phone?
Apps and Youtube lessons often either go too fast, or too slow and can’t offer any feedback.
With apps and Youtube lessons it’s impossible to get immediate feedback on what you’re doing and how you might be able to do it simpler. This can lead to stressful learning and frustration. If you’re not careful, it can lead to very bad habits that can lead to carpal tunnel and tendinitis.
Bad technique when not fixed early can take twice as long to correct. Imagine spending 1 year learning to play the guitar only to find out you have to start all over again.
I Feel Your Pain.
When I first started to play guitar I did it all by ear with not teacher. This was before the days of Youtube and guitar tab sites. I would put on the tape or cd and just do it over and over again, hundreds of times. What I didn’t realize was that my technique was awful. Finally I got so frustrated with the guitar that I gave up. I thought, “I’m just not good enough for this”. Finally with much prodding from my parents I agreed to take lessons. The first words out of my teachers mouth were, “you have the right idea, but your technique needs to be completely overhauled”.
Learn. Improve. Play
For over 14 years I have helped hundreds of students of all ages discover their joy of playing, improve their ability to play the instrument and deepen their understanding of music in general.
My approach to teaching the guitar comes from the enjoyment of actually playing it. I don’t have a one size fits all approach to teaching as we all come to the instrument from different levels and have very diverse learning styles.
Every lesson is tailored towards you. I customize each lesson to address the things that you want to improve on or new concepts that you need to learn.
Together we will find the best, quickest way to get your playing to next level!
There are hundreds of concepts that we can cover with the guitar. I like to teach in a methodical, conceptual method so that the skills you learn will build onto one another making you an independent player. Some of the things you might like to focus on are
Chords, strumming and singing
Playing rhythm guitar
Improvising melodies and leads
Music theory on the fingerboard
Improving specific techniques
Classical guitar playing-Fingerstyle
Playing by ear
If there is anything you don’t see that you might like to cover in lessons, get in touch and I’m happy to help out!
What a few of my students have to say!
Rates for Lessons
I offer 30-45 and 60 minute lessons. I suggest for younger learners that you start with 30 minutes and then move to a longer time if needed or wanted.
$120-$150 a month depending on number of weeks for 30 minute lessons
$180-$225 for 45 minute lessons
$240-$300 for hour long lessons
Scheduling and Make ups.
I understand that life can get in the way of our plans at any moment. Below I outline my process and policy for make up lessons.
If I am unable to teach a lesson for any reason, that lesson will be made up at your convenience. If the lesson can not be made up, I will credit the lesson on the following months bill
If you or your student are unable to attend a lesson. That lesson will be made up at my schedules convenience. If the lesson can not be made up it is considered a missed lesson and no credit is given. Think of this schedule as a rental of a time slot and services rendered. You are renting a spot on my schedule. I do this to protect both you and me. I don’t pay for your missed lessons and you don’t pay for mine.
Tuition is due at the 1st lesson of each month. I accept cash, check, paypal and venmo (each of these should be done as friends and family to avoid fees).
Lessons during the time of Covid-19
I know a lot of people are hesitant to come in for face to face lessons while we’re dealing with Covid-19. I’m happy to offer lessons on ZOOM or using FaceTime. To help with these lessons as I’m not able to play along with students in real time, I often record backing tracks, melodies, or chord progressions for my students to play along with. This is a very helpful tool to have anyway but I find it even more helpful for students to be able to play along to a track during the week. Any video or backing track that I create is archived on an online student portal that all my students have access to. This way you’re not searching for emails or trying to store videos and pdfs on your heard drive. They can be viewed and played right online or you can download them and save them for yourself. If there are any questions you have about how to get started with online guitar lessons, don’t hesitate to reach out.