Guitar Lessons in Reno, NV

Instruments: Piano Guitar Violin Ukulele Mallet Percussion Orchestral Percussion Music

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Build it into a routine or schedule. (For example, always practice for the first thirty minutes following supper). Set a timer, don't look at the clock, and read the notes left by the teacher. I always give students a list of what I'm expecting them to practice, and part of the lesson is that I teach them how to practice what I've assigned.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
Definitely a history teacher! History is my second love, and actually studying it is not that much different than studying musical styles. Both music and art reflect history almost more than a written record does! The world is full of rich cultures that I love to study, especially through music.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
There is usually one of two reasons a student begins lessons, and each have a different answer. First, a child wants to learn. Sometimes kids say they really want to learn an instrument, but don't understand the effort and diligence that it takes. While music is a gateway to train a child in effort, diligence, patience, and self-discipline, it's helpful if you notice these qualities in your child in every day instances before they begin. If a child has proven that he is willing to put work in for other things, chances are if he's wanting to learn an instrument, he'll put in the work in that area as well. Also, long-term interest is more likely to result in long-term commitment. How long have they been asking for lessons? A couple of weeks, a couple of months, or on and off for years? These answers can help determine how ready your child is. Second, a parent is looking to expose their child to music education. In this case, it's likely that the initial desire to play the instrument is not had by the child, although they quite possibly are open to learning and often do eventually enjoy it. Because a main ingredient of success is motivation, the same qualities from the first reason above can be good indicators that your child is ready to add this commitment to their life. However, if your child has yet to learn diligence and self-control, especially while sitting for long periods of time (such as the length of a lesson or practice session), I would suggest that you introduce them to this quality first before putting them in lessons. A child that has to learn to sit still at a piano bench, in addition to all the skills the teacher is trying to introduce, is more distracted, and therefore will stay at a beginner's level longer to compensate.

When will I start to see results?
It all depends on the student, the instrument, and what you consider to be "results". If you consider a short melody played on the piano to be a result, the student will begin to learn these little "songs" by the second week of lessons. For violin students, you may not hear melodies that resemble recognizable songs for several weeks, although many notes and exercises are learned weekly.

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