Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on what genre of music you are most interested in playing. There are three main types of guitars: Electric guitars, Steel string acoustic guitars, and Nylon string guitars. Electric guitars have an amplified, bigger-than-life, and at times distorted, sound and are used mainly in rock, punk, blues, country, jazz, metal, reggae, and funk. Acoustic steel string guitars are used predominantly in folk, country, blues, pop, and they have a brighter, more sustaining tone that is typically associated with the acoustic guitar. Nylon string guitars will have a mellow, more muted tone that is heard mostly in classical, flamenco, and latin music.
As with just about anything, the amount of money you are willing to invest will reflect the quality you receive. If you think you will be playing guitar for many years to come than it is probably wise to spend a little more up front so you don’t feel like you need to upgrade too soon, where as if you or your son/daughter are just “trying it out” you might not want to invest as much.
The following is a list of recommended guitars and basses for novice students, with price and quality in order from high to low.
For Acoustic Steel String Guitars:
For Electric Guitars:
For Electric Bass Guitars:
For nylon string guitars:
Yamaha guitars are a good standard with a range of student models to meet your budget. Recommendations with price and quality in order from high to low:
I would invest more in the guitar or bass and start with an inexpensive amp, and then upgrade as you get more advanced. For some choices on excellent beginner guitar amplifiers, see:
For some great choices on the bass amplifiers for beginners, see:
All you will need to bring is your guitar or bass, a pick (for guitar), a strap if you are more comfortable using one, and a three ring binder. I have an amplifier and cable to plug in to and I will provide you with materials and a lesson plan to practice during the week.
I recommend being on a consistent schedule to progress as a student and to have a timeframe to motivate you to practice for. 1 lesson a week is normally good, although I have students that do two lessons a week for a more accelerated program. I do very few hour lessons every other week, as I need to schedule someone to alternate with these students and I don’t do half hour lessons every other week because it is not enough of a commitment for a student to advance. If you have the time to practice, an hour lesson will give you more exercises and focus to keep from developing bad habits, plus I offer a discounted rate for weekly hour lessons.
An electronic tuner and metronome are both very important tools you will use as a practicing guitarist and/or bassist. A good tuner that clips on the guitar or bass headstock is the Snark Super Tight Instrument Tuner. Although a clip on tuner will be more accurate and easier to use, the free N-Track Tuner App for iOS, Android, or Windows phone is a good alternative. A great free metronome App I recommend is the Pro Metronome App for Apple iOS or Android. Guitar Tuna for Apple iOS or Android is another relatively decent free alternative that has a tuner and metronome in one App. A proper music stand for practicing is an excellent investment, as is a guitar stand. Students are typically more motivated to practice if they don’t have to pull the guitar or bass out of a case or closet.
Good is a relative term… it is always hard to say how long it will take for a student to advance, it is largely dependent on the amount of time they put into practicing, plus having the right instructor to guide them. Some students pick up the instrument more naturally than others as well, but I will say I have had students that had a harder time in the beginning surpass naturally inclined students because they worked harder at it. Learning to play an instrument is no different than learning to play a sport, it takes practice to improve.
