G4 Guitar School Ventura County

d an age and skill appropriate class to put your child into. If there isn't such a class, he would be the first person in a new group, and others would be added as appropriate.

* What can I expect for the first lesson?
* If the student doesn’t have a guitar, I will size him or her for the appropriate size. If he or she has one, I will make sure it is appropriate size and condition. Then, I will teach some exercises that will get him or her started for the week. At about 10 minutes before we must stop, we will talk about scheduling 4 more lessons with $99 payment (Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, ApplePay, debit, credit, cash, check). Your payment will secure your child’s slot from being given away to another student. If you decide that the lessons are not for you or your child, then you pay nothing with no hard feelings.

* Does my child need a guitar for the first lesson?
* If your child already has one, then he or she should bring it so that I can make sure it is good to learn on. If he or she doesn’t have one, He or she can use one of mine just for that first lesson. I can then make recommendations based upon his or her size compared to the guitars that I have. New beginner guitars can range from $100 - $200 or more. I know of a few models that are great, and I can send Amazon links to them.

* I have more than one child who wants lessons. Can you give me a discount?
* For the 5 week introductory course, I have to charge you $99 a student. But, I will drop $24 off your monthly price for every child taking group lessons after the 5 week introductory course is over. For example: After the Intro Course is done, your bill will be $175 for 2 kids. $250 for 3 kids. I normally don’t teach more than 3 kids at a time, but if you have a family larger than that, we can works something out.

* My child seems to “forget” what to practice. How will G4 Guitar Schools be any different?
* Nearly all of my lessons match videos that I have made to guide your child. They can rewind them, slow them down, pause, and practice along as much as they need to until they get it right. They will also receive our unique lesson book (free, but only available through our schools) so that they can see exactly what needs to be practiced.


* When group lessons start, how many kids will be taught at a time?
* No more than 3 students in a class, whether it’s in person or on zoom.

* How long are the group classes?
* 30 minutes long, once a week.

* Aren’t private lessons better than group lessons? You know, more attention for the individual.
* Actually, no. Many studies show that kids learn better in small groups. It encourages them that they are not alone in their quest, they enjoy meeting new friends and seeing them every week, and playing music with other people not just an important learning tool, but it is much more fun. That’s why we try hard to place your child into a group class as soon as possible. Ask me for a sample video of one of my group classes in action. Also, in private lessons, most of the time is spent watching the student attempt to do the exercises. Not very much time is spent for the teacher actually teaching. So, your child will get the same amount of instruction in a group class but without all the benefits of the social environment. Since private teachers only teach one student at a time, they have to charge $35 - $40 or more per half hour just to cover their expenses. Teachers who charge less than that are generally not professionals and just teach as a side job. You get what you pay for. I charge a very low rate because I know I can make plenty of money to support my family and improve my teaching business by doing group lessons.


* My child really needs structure to learn well. Are your lessons structured, or are they done “on-the-fly” with a “see what works before we run out of time” attitude?
* The G4 Guitar Method of teaching and lesson books are highly structured so that the child knows what to practice each week. If he or she forgets how an exercise is done, they can click the video links I send and play along with it. They can even slow the videos down to a speed that they can keep up with.

* When will my child be able to play a song?
* That is a tricky question, because this question can mean different things to different people. You could mean how long it will take to play the most recognizable part of the song, the melody. For example: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star can be learned within a few lessons. “Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are…”. But, if you mean how long it will take to play “Wonderwall” by Oasis, it could take some time depending upon how much time your child practices, and what part of the song that he or she is trying to play (strumming the chords, playing the notes to the words, singing and playing the chords at the same time, etc.) Some songs have multiple parts that can be very simple. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door by Guns’n’Roses chords and strumming is relatively simple, but the guitar solo will take much more practice. The intro to Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison is also relatively simple, but it is a very small part of the song. It also has somewhat difficult barre chords that must be mastered to play well. We at G4 Guitar Schools will help develop your child’s skills to help them play simple parts to songs until they are able to play “whole songs” however you define it.

* If I find that the G4 Method is not for my child, can we stop lessons?
* Of course. G4 works well for most people, but not necessarily for everyone. There are no contracts. Once your child has finished the final lesson you paid for, you may cancel without penalty or hard feelings.