Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I practice?  The amount of practice one should do will vary with the student's goals, age and instrument.  As a general rule of thumb, fifteen to thirty minutes per day is a good starting point.  Talk this over with your teacher.

Do I need to have an expensive instrument?  No.  It is my opinion that a professional quality instrument is not a necessity.  However, the instrument should be in good repair and play without undue difficulty.  Sound quality is of less importance than playability.

Where should I purchase my instrument?  I recommend that a student's instrument be purchased from a reputable local dealer.  Mostly, I do not encourage purchasing instruments on the internet as the instrument cannot be checked for quality and playability prior to acquiring it.

Should I buy a new or used instrument?  Both new and used instruments can be of good quality.  Each should be evaluated on its own merit.  Watch out for cracks and bowed necks in guitars, mandolins, violins etc.  Bent keys and leaky pads are a caution in woodwinds.  Brass instruments (trumpets, trombones) have fewer problems but check for bent slides and pitted valves.

Do you teach Adults; children? Yes!  I enjoy teaching both adults and children.  Music is a skill that can be acquired at any age.

I'm retired! Am I too old to take music lessons? Absolutely not.  Just as the study of music has been proven to assist children in their other studies, music can be an attribute to living a longer life.  It only takes a few minutes to find countless studies on the benefits of music and the aging process.

Can playing an instrument help my career? I believe that it can.  I give credit to my own musical endeavors to helping me get through some very stressful career issues.  Music can give you that psychological break to rest and recuperate. My wife, Monique, started playing guitar again after twenty years.  She works as a sales rep for a major pharmaceutical company where the levels of stress can sometimes be quite high.  She believes that the break that she gets from playing guitar is helpful.

At what age should I start my child on an instrument? I have changed my tune concerning this question!  There was a time when I would have said that a child should not start before the age of eight or nine.  However, I am presently having great successes with children who are as young as age six.  I'm convinced that if the child has passion and can physically handle an instrument, get them started.

Will you come to my home for lessons?  Yes, but generally I do not. The fee for in-home lessons is priced at three times the regular lesson fee.  The time factor beyond the lesson time is just too extended.  Any in-home lessons must be scheduled outside of the "prime time" lesson time frame of 3pm to 9pm.