About
Hi Everybody. How does my service stand out? I truly enjoy sharing my decades of musical knowledge with students. I love seeing the "lights go on" in people's eyes when they understand something about the guitar they never got before.
I've been playing guitar since I was seven, and after decades as a pro, I've also learned a lot about how to teach what I know. Over years of refinement I've learned to simplify the specific things people need to learn in order to play and enjoy the guitar.
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Jett G.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
First I usually ask students to play a simple song or two. From this I can see where their stregths and challenges are, whether it's in fingering, chords, strumming, or something else.
I try to stay away from any theory that's not immediately useful. As I tell my students, "if you can't use it right now, it's probably not worth learning".
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I took private lessons from age 7 until 16. In high school I played in rock bands in New Jersey. During and after college I performed as a soloist, and then toured nationally in country rock bands.
In later years I toured internationally doing my original music. I also wrote music with some gold-record songwriters, including Mentor Williams. Mentor wrote the great hit "Driftaway" Give me the beat boys...(Columbia Records). (I studied music theory and voice classes in college and have been a life long pro musician.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Yes. My regular fee is $60 per hour. I always try and make sessions available for those who are truly motivated, but this is my baseline.
How did you get started teaching?
I've been teaching for decades, moreso when I'm not touring. As I mentioned before, I truly enjoy sharing what I know whether it's guitar, voice, or songwriting. It just seems to be a natural extension of who I am.
What types of students have you worked with?
I've worked with all levels of students, from beginner to pro, though most of my present students are usually not total beginners.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
Well. We are now (March 24, 2020) in the midst of the Coronavirus, and I'm happy to report that almost every one of my students has "moved" with me to doing lessons online through Zoom. It's wonderful feeling that the heart/musical connection we've created is continuing and healing us in the midst of this epidemic.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Be sure to find a teacher who's fun to work with. Learning the guitar shouldn't be arduous or heavy. It should be a joy to be with your teacher, and he or she should be able to inspire you regardless of what leverl you're at.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
What do you really want to do with the guitar? Do you just want to learn a few songs? (That's fine). Do you want to learn how to improvise? To write music? What styles of music do you like most? Country? Blues? R&B, Soul, Reggae.
All of these styles overlap of course, but sometimes it's nice to know what really lights a fire in a student.