Guitar Lessons

I teach students in their homes. The lessons are for an hour. I also teach half-hour private lessons at Gene Ford Music in Brentwood, as well as at Arts for Life in the Factory in Franklin, as well as private 30 minute lessons as well as 30 minute GROUP lessons at Willow Hall Academy (when school is in session) in Franklin. If you are interested in taking guitar lessons with me, please send an e-mail to schinto@aol.com with your name, your contact information, and a brief description of your current experience level. You will be contacted as soon as possible for more information

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Should my child start lessons on an electric or an acoustic guitar?

A: THAT’S A TOUGH ONE TO ANSWER. I ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THAT ONE. MY SHORT ANSWER IS TO SAY I DON’T THINK ONE IS BETTER THAN THE OTHER. ACOUSTIC GUITARS DON’T REQUIRE AMPLIFIERS, BUT YOU CAN’T REALLY PLAY EVERYTHING ON AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR OR A CLASSICAL GUITAR THAT YOU CAN ON AN ELECTRIC GUITAR. CALL ME AT (615) 287-3199 AND LET’S DISCUSS IT. I WON’T TELL YOU WHAT TO DO BUT I’LL GIVE YOU ALL THE INFO YOU NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE THE CHOICE WITH WHICH YOU’RE MOST COMFORTABLE.

Q: What is the youngest age you teach?

A: I’M CURRENTLY TEACHING A 5-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO SEEMS TO LIKE IT VERY MUCH BUT AS OF THIS WRITING I’VE ONLY GIVEN HIM A FEW LESSONS. HIS MOM IS VERY HAPPY WITH HOW IT’S GOING SO FAR BUT I MUST BE FAIR AND SAY THAT HER EXPECTATIONS ARE NOT THAT HIGH, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE.

THE SECOND YOUNGEST CHILD I’VE EVER TAUGHT WAS 6. HE WAS A GREAT KID AND LOVED ME TO DEATH, BUT HE HAD A LEARNING DISABILITY, AND HIS PARENTS WERE IN DENIAL ABOUT IT. SO HE DIDN’T LAST TOO LONG. BUT I DID TEACH A COUPLE OF 7-YEAR-OLDS. THEY LIKED ME TOO, BUT NEITHER OF THEM PRACTICED MUCH SO THEY DIDN’T LAST MORE THAN A YEAR. THEN AGAIN, A YEAR IS A GOOD LONG TIME FOR A CHILD OF SEVEN TO BE TAKING LESSONS! I HAVE HOWEVER, TAUGHT SOME 8-YEAR-OLDS THAT I BELIEVE DID QUITE WELL. I TAUGHT ONE FOR OVER 3 YEARS AND ONLY STOPPED WHEN HE MOVED OUT OF STATE. I MET HIM IN 1996 AND WE’RE STILL IN TOUCH. HE WAS ONE OF MY BEST STUDENTS. SO FROM EXPERIENCE I CAN TELL YOU THAT I KNOW I CAN HAVE SUCCESS WITH KIDS 8 AND UP, BUT IT CAN SOMETIMES BE A GAMBLE WHEN THEY GET YOUNGER THAN THAT. BUT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE CHILD, THEIR EXPECTATIONS AND THE PARENTS.

I’M SURE THERE ARE 4 AND 5-YEAR-OLDS WHO I COULD HELP A LOT MORE THAN SOME OF THE 40-YEAR-OLDS I’VE WORKED WITH. SO I BASICALLY WILL TAKE KIDS AS YOUNG AS 6 (AND EVEN 5 IF MY GUT TELLS ME THE CHILD IS REALLY GEARED FOR IT) BUT THAT I WARN PARENTS THAT KIDS DON’T REALLY HAVE MUCH PASSION FOR IT (BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE) UNTIL THEY’RE IN THE 2ND GRADE. AGAIN, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE KID. IF YOU’RE GUT TELLS YOU THAT YOUR CHILD HAS PASSION, IS CREATIVE AND IS BURNING FOR LESSONS, WHY NOT GIVE IT A TRY? THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN IS YOU PAY FOR A MONTH’S WORTH OF LESSONS AND DECIDE TO NOT CONTINUE. THAT’S CERTAINLY CHEAPER THAN SENDING SOMEONE OFF TO BOARDING SCHOOL OR COLLEGE FOR A TRIMESTER OR SEMESTER. AND I CAN AT LEAST GUARANTEE THAT THE LESSON TIME WILL BE WELL SPENT EVEN IF THE STUDENT DOESN’T KEEP UP WITH THE ASSIGNED WORK FOR WHATEVER REASON.

Q: My child has small hands. Do I need to get him or her a child-sized guitar?

A: THAT’S ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE "I CAN’T TELL YOU WHAT TO DO BUT I CAN EDUCATE YOU IN ORDER TO HELP YOU MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION" QUESTIONS. I’VE PERSONALLY NEVER HAD A STUDENT WHOSE HANDS WERE TOO SMALL FOR THEIR GUITAR WHEN THEIR GUITAR WAS A STANDARD MODEL. USUALLY BY THE TIME THE CHILD NEEDED TO GET THEIR FINGERS WRAPPED AROUND THE FINGERBOARD OR WHATEVER, THEY’D GROWN INTO THE STANDARD MODEL ANYWAY, SO IN SOME CASES THE ARGUMENT FOR A JUNIOR MODEL IS A STRAWMAN ONE. BUT IF THE STUDENT IS REALLY GUNG-HO AND HARD WORKING, THERE IS A GREATER CHANCE THAT THE JUNIONR MODEL ROUTE MAY BE THE ONE TO TAKE. IF YOU’RE CONCERNED, CHECK OUT A STORE THAT SELLS JUNIOR MODELS. SOME OFFER 1/2 SCALE, 3/4 AND EVEN 7/8 (I’M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT LAST ONE). I KNOW GENE FORD MUSIC IN BRENTWOOD SELLS THE 1/2 SCALE MODEL FOR $50 (AS OF THIS WRITING). THAT’S NOT A LOT TO SPEND IF YOU’RE CONCERNED THE LESSON THING MIGHT BE A PASSING FANCY. MY TEST FOR WHETHER A CHILD’S HAND IS TOO SMALL FOR THE GUITAR IS IF THEY CAN’T LAY THEIR FIRST FINGER ACROSS ALL 6 STRINGS ON THE FIRST FRET, THEN THAT MAY BE A CLUE THAT A SMALLER SCALE IS NEEDED.

Q: What do you mean by "a charge will be incurred?" I thought the lessons were already paid for at the beginning of the month. Why am I being charged more?

A: YOU’RE NOT, ACTUALLY. AN "INCURRED CHARGE" MEANS THAT LESSON TIME "CREDIT" WILL BE DEBITED FROM THAT MONTH’S RESERVED LESSON TIMES. FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE RESERVES 4 $20 LESSONS THEY’VE ALREADY PAID $80 TO HOLD THEIR RESPECTIVE LESSON SLOT. IF THEY MISS THE FIRST LESSON OF THAT MONTH AND IT’S AN UNEXCUSED ABSENCE, THEY STILL HAVE $60 CREDIT FOR THE REMAINING 3 $20 LESSONS FOR THAT MONTH. A $20 CHARGE HAS BEEN INCURRED; HENCE THEIR "LESSON CREDIT" DROPPED FROM $80 (FOR 4 LESSONS) TO $60 (FOR 3 LESSONS).

Q: What happens if payment is late for a student who normally takes lessons at Willow Hall and it’s time for their first lesson to begin and they’re sitting there waiting to take their lesson?

A: AS IS DESCRIBED IN MY TERMS OF SERVICE, THE SERVICES WILL NOT BE RENDERED IF REGISTRATION ISN’T IN PLACE. IN THE CASE OF A GROUP LESSON THE STUDENT WILL BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN THE LESSON AREA, BUT THEY WILL HAVE TO AUDIT THE CLASS, WHICH MEANS THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LESSON. THESE STUDENTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO RESUME REGULAR CLASS PARTICIPATION ONCE PAYMENT HAS BEEN MADE IN FULL AND IF NO OTHER PAYING STUDENT TAKES THEIR PLACE. AS REC ENTLY AS OCTOBER OF 2006 I HAD 2 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN A GROUP LESSON. THEIR PAYMENT WAS LATE AND WAS STILL OUTSTANDING BY THE TIME THE FIRST LESSON ENDED. NIETHER STUDENT EVER CAME BACK. 2 OTHER STUDENTS WHO WERE ON A WAITING LIST FOR THIS CLASS SUFFERED AS A RESULT. AS WITH PRIVATE LESSONS AND IN-HOME LESSONS, I WILL FIRST COMMUNICATE WITH THE CLIENT TO SEE WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS ARE AT THAT POINT BEFORE ALLOWING SOMEONE ELSE TO TAKE THEIR SLOT.

Q: What happens if SOMEONE doesn’t pay by the day of the first lessons of the next month and they’re an "at-home" client?

A: I WON’T SHOW UP. IF NO ONE TAKES OVER THAT SLOT, THEORETICALLY, THAT SLOT IS STILL AVAILABLE TO THAT STUDENT FOR HIM OR HER TO START OVER THE FOLLOWING WEEK, BUT I’M NOT OBLIGED TO HOLD IT FOR THEM. BOTTOM LINE, IF THEIR LESSONS SLOT IS REALLY THAT POPULAR, I’D FIRST DO EVERYTHING I COULD TO ACCOMMODATE THE CLIENT AND SEE IF THEY REALLY STILL WANT THE SLOT BEFORE LETTING SOMEONE ELSE "SWOOP DOWN" AND TAKE IT FROM THEM. BUT THAT MISSED LESSON WOULD NOT DELCARE A MAKE-UP.

Q: You must have been burned a lot in the past if your policy is so strict, huh?

A: OH WELL, YOU CAN’T PLEASE EVERYONE. ACTUALLY, I DON’T THINK MY POLICY IS STRICT AT ALL. I KNOW PLENTLY OF PLACES THAT CHARGE A LOT MORE, WON’T TEACH FOLKS IN THEIR HOMES, ALLOW NO MAKE-UPS FOR ANY REASON, AND CHARGE BY THE SEMEMSTER OR TRIMESTER, WHEREAS I ONLY CHARGE BY THE MONTH. AND I DON’T EVEN MAKE FOLKS COMMIT TO A FULL MONTH IF THEY JOIN LATE IN THE MONTH. IN ADDITION, I’M CURRENTLY CHARGING LESS TO GIVE LESSONS IN PEOPLE’S HOMES THAN I DID OVER A DECADE AGO. AND I DON’T CURRENTLY CHARGE LATE FEES OR REGISTRATION OR BILLLING FEES. I GUESS DRIVING 30 MILES TO KNOCK ON SOMEONE’S DOOR ONLY TO FIND OUT THEY "FORGOT" TO TELL YOU ABOUT THEIR TRIP TO THE MOUNTAINS OR WHATEVER CAN HAPPEN TO SOMEONE JUST SO MANY TIMES BEFORE THEY START ADOPTING A MORE DEFENSIVE BUSINESS STRATEGY. I SUPPOSE BLAME SHOULD BE ASSIGNED TO ALL THE "LAST MINUTE LARRYS" THAT HAVE MADE THIS POLICY STIPULATION A REGRETFUL NECCESSITY.

For more information on me and my teaching methods, click on "Biography" to the left, or click here.

As an additional resource, I endorse Jguitar.com, a really cool site to help you figure out the name of virtually any scale or chord that you can think of.