Guitar Lessons in Washington, DC

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
To be effective, practice has to be on a regular schedule, which you and I will establish together. It's best if you do it every day for at leat a half hour. Even if that's not practical on some days, you should try to pick it up for at least 5 minutes. It's not just the time but the quality of practice that is the key to learning. They say "practice makes perfect" but it's really only "perfect practice" that does that! All learning happens because of repition, so the point of practice is to repeat the correct motions, again and again, so they become part of what folks call "muscle memory": something you eventually do without having to think consciously about it. That way you stay in the moment but always anticipating what's coming next.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
Before you get them started, it's important that they express interest in learing how to play. Many parents want their kids to study music because we find that musicians often do better in other subjects, too. If you also love mucic, play music around the house or in the car, that's a great way to instill an appreciaation for music and musicianship. If you tell them no and they keep bugging you, that's also a good sign! Once they get going, you should know in a matter of weeks if they are ready. This applies to older students, too. If they play with it for a week or so, then start to find other things to do, if you have to remind them to practice constantly and you don't notice any progress, you might want to consider giving them a way out to see if they take it. I, of course, see it as part of what I do to motivate and inspire them to practice and learn, so I will also notice if they are not ready. I'll give you an honest assessment, so please consult with me before deciding to terminate lessons.

When will I start to see results?
All students progress at their own pace, so there is no single answer to this question. Lessons are designed to promote gradual progress, concentrating on the basics at first. After a couple of weeks you should start to notice they doing things they could not do before. You should probably give them at least a month before you even think about stoppping lessons. Guitarists have to devlop callouses on their fingers to be able to press the strings down effectively and without any pain. This takes patient time and is probably the biggest impediment that students, especially children, face as beginners.

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