Music Lesson FAQs

What types of music lessons do you offer?

  • Guitar
  • Piano
  • Drums
  • Ukelele
  • Electronic Music Production
  • Studio Recording

What to expect at your music lesson?

Ages 6+ are ready for music lessons. Students under 8 who want to learn guitar might be better suited to learning the Ukulele. Guitar and drum students need to be able to focus on a single drill or exercise for three minutes with minimal interruptions. 

What ages do you teach?

I teach students 6+. I do make exceptions for students that highly motivated and focused. Students should have the maturity to focus on a single exercise for 3-5 minutes with minimal interruption.

Where do you teach?

The learning studio is in my home in North Round Rock. I can teach at your location for an additional fee.

How hard is it to learn to play an instrument?

Like with so many things, it depends. Drums and piano, for example, are easy at first but get progressively harder quickly. Guitar is on the other end of the spectrum. It’s hard at first then gets progressively easier. 

How fast a student progresses depends on motivation. Highly motivated students who practice regularly will develop faster. For students who don’t practice, much of our lesson time will be spent practicing. I’ve seen some beginner guitar students progress rapidly in a few months while others progress slowly. The difference is how much they practice. I can’t emphasize the importance of practice enough. At a minimum, students should have AT LEAST 30-minutes of focused practice time each day. Sometimes life and schedules get in the way. In these occasional cases, the practice minimum should be 15 minutes. However, for very young students, ~6, 5-10 minutes a few times a week is great!

It can take several weeks for students to understand how to practice. Learning to practice can be a bit more challenging if a student has not been introduced to the concept of regular homework at school.

How long are lessons?

You have the option for 30-, 45-, or 60-minute lessons. I recommend 45-minute lessons.

How much do lessons cost?

  • 30 minutes – $142/mo
  • 45 minutes – $211/mo
  • 60 minutes – $282/mo
Lessons are priced based on yearly enrollment. All students get 48 lesson a year regardless of their lesson day.

Do you offer group lessons?

Group lessons can be effective for siblings, friends, and family. Pairs of students that are the same age, skill, and maturity level tend to do well. Please contact me to discuss if this is of interest. I do offer a small discount for group lessons.

How is payment handled?

All billing is done via My Music Staff for payments. Payment is by the month. Invoices are created on the 15th of each month and due on 1st before lessons.

Monthly lesson fees are based on yearly enrollment. All students get 48 lessons per year.

What if I can’t make a lesson?

Life happens! Please be aware that I spend time prior to our time crafting the most effective lesson. In addition, that time is reserved for the student. Please don’t cancel because there was a lack of practice. We can use the time to practice and review the material.  
 
Please contact me at least 24 hours in advance if you know you can’t make a lesson. We can reschedule or cancel the lesson without cost. 

Lessons missed with notice will convert into a make-up lesson credit. Students are allowed to have 2 outstanding make-up credits at a time. Make-up credits expire after 2 weeks.

Make-up lessons cannot be rescheduled.

“No shows” or cancelling within 24 hours result in the loss of that lesson.

Will there be public performance options?

Yes! Once the student is comfortable, we can arrange a public recital. We usually play 1 - 3 songs. 

What do I need for a lesson?

All students need the following basics

  • Metronome There are great apps for phones and tablets that work well. (Guitar Center Link)
  • 3-Ring Binder To organize lesson handouts and sheet music. (Amazon Link)

Essentials for Guitar Students

  • A Guitar — For young beginner students, I recommend an electric or a nylon string acoustic guitar. Steel-string acoustic guitars are hard for small and young hands. However, if that’s what you have, don’t buy something else! We can work with it but be aware it can be a bit more uncomfortable and will require more practice to build finger strength. I can provide recommendations within your budget during our first lesson.
    • The Yamaha C40 is a great first nylon string acoustic guitar for new students. (Guitar Center Link)
    • The Squire Affinity is a great first electric guitar. You still need an amplifier, bag, and cable! (Guitar Center Link)
  • Humidifier for Acoustic Guitars — D’Addario makes two excellent options. The GHP Acoustic Guitar Humidifier (Guitar Center Link) and the Humidipak system (Guitar Center Link).
  • Bag or Case — Please transport your instrument in a bag or a case. Not only does it protect your instrument, but it also protects items from inevitable contact.
  • Capo — the D’Addario Pro Plus (Guitar Center Link) or NS Tri Action capo (Guitar Center Link). These are great because they have an adjustable tension spring. Other capos will over-tension the strings and make the guitar sound out of tune.
  • Guitar Picks — Any standard medium-weight pick will do. (Guitar Center Link)
  • Tuner — Make sure you turn the power off on the tuner when done. The batteries drain fast! (Guitar Center Link)
  • Short Fingernails on the Left Hand
  • Recommended Books

Essentials for Ukulele Students

Essentials for Drum Students

Essentials for Piano Students

  • Please contact me before purchasing piano books! There are many books out there. I need to assess which book is correct for the student.

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