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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need weekly lessons?

  • Most people know someone who has owned a keyboard or guitar for years, but they've hardly made any progress in learning how to play it.  That's because just wanting to practice isn't enough.  Life gets in the way and we need to set deadlines.

  • Having a financial investment in scheduled lessons will motivate you to practice regularly. 

  • Weekly lessons with an instructor will encourage you to grow faster.

Why shouldn't I just learn my instrument
for free by watching YouTube videos?

  • Random videos aren't likely to present your lessons in a logical order, according to your ability.

  • Pre-recorded videos can't tell if you're picking up bad habits (which can be very hard to break).

  • YouTube can't see or hear you  Only a private teacher can assess your skills, personalize your learning and help you improve your performance and sound.

  • Good teachers are experienced in finding sheet music at your particular level, which are enjoyable to play and which sound good.

Should I put stickers with
letter names on my instrument?

  • Definitely not.  It will only encourage you to stare at your hands instead of reading the music.

  • It's a crutch, and crutches will hold you back.

Should I write letter names or finger
numbers on every note on my music?

  • That's the equivalent of highlighting every word and paragraph of a book.  You haven't made it easier to digest -- you've only made yourself focus on each individual note.

  • As your arrangements become more challenging, this will hold you back.

  • Certainly, you'll want to write a letter name or fingering on your music here and there -- especially in difficult passages.

Should I buy a left-handed guitar?

  • Unless one of your fingers, hands, wrists, or arms is functionally impaired, I believe that most left-handed people should not buy a left-handed guitar.  Full disclosure: I'm left-handed when I bat, throw, write, or open a door, but I play right-handed guitar and bass.  Here's why I made that choice:

  1. The fact that you lead with a particular hand doesn't make it easier to fret or pick with one hand vs. the other.  Fretting and picking are unlike any other muscular movement you make in your daily life.

  2. You'll be learning and practicing completely unfamiliar movements with EACH of your hands, no matter which hand you favor.

  3. If there's a guitar at someone's house or at a campfire singalong and you're asked to play, there's a 90% chance that it will be right-handed.

  4. If you ever want to sell your guitar, the market for left-handed guitars is smaller (10% of all players).

  5. Most instructional guitar photos, demonstration videos and teachers will be right-handed.

If you've read all of these reasons and you still feel you should buy a left-handed guitar, then it may be the right personal choice for you.

Why Shouldn't I Buy Popular Music Collections?

  • Folios, as they're called in the sheet music business, often group songs together by category, like your favorite artist, style, era, etc.  These collections are sold with attractive covers that are often labeled "Easy."  But typically, you'll end up learning only a few songs from the entire book, because the others are not arranged at the same difficulty or they don't sound right, even if they do appear "official."

  • Although individual sheet music can be more expensive, your teacher can shop online for a song-by-song fit for your abilities, each of which are enjoyable to play.

  • Also, some teachers can write great-sounding arrangements of your favorite songs -- at your playing level -- for free.  These arrangements can look every bit as professional as sheet music that's available to buy.