First Frets & Noteworthy Music
About
I provide the most rewarding and effective online and in-person guitar lessons for all student types! Have a question about my lessons that you want answered right away? Feel free to call or email me any time.
I've been playing guitar for over twenty years and I've been teaching private lessons in my personal studio for over a decade. Whether you are a beginner student or in the intermediate/advanced stages of playing, I can help take your playing to the next level.
And best of all, I now have two learning options: in addition to in-person lessons, this year I've added an online course (with realtime Q&A with me whenever you need it). If private lessons are not feasible for you right now, the online option is dirt-cheap, plus you can go at a pace that make sense for your busy schedule. These lessons are filmed with 4K HD cameras and have some incredible features, like a "live" fretboard for showing chord shapes and scales - It's truly unique!
Want proof? Visit us at FirstFrets.com and see for yourself! Or visit my private studio lesson site, Noteworthy Music, at nwmky.com for the in-person option.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I love the challenge of working with each individual! Every person has their own goals in music, and while there is definitely core guitar content that applies to every student, I like offering unique paths for every student type. If a student loves classic rock, for example, then we use some classic rock songs to illustrate the principles we're learning. If they like blues, country, etc. - the process is similar.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I've been playing guitar for over twenty years, and I've been teaching private guitar lessons for over a decade. After studying under guitar phenom, Ben Lacy (YouTube him - trust me), I started passing out fliers for teaching guitar lessons of my own. It took off from there, and not long after I began my own teaching studio. That was 12 years ago now! At this point I've taught hundreds of students and literally thousands of hours of private lessons in my studio. The journey continues!
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Our pricing is straightforward; there are no hidden fees or ad-ons.
Our FirstFrets.com full access monthly subscription is $10/month. This includes all current and future content, access to instructor (via Intercom) for questions at any time, and all bonus content.
Private, in-person lessons at my studio are $110/month. This includes all take-home material, studio fees, recital fees, etc. It also includes a full access subscription to FirstFrets.com as a supplemental resource.
How did you get started teaching?
My dad taught me my first chords and I took it from there. Then there was a very illuminating (and humbling) season when I took private lessons from Ben Lacy. This introduced me to a whole new level of guitar playing, and not long after this I began my own teaching studio.
What types of students have you worked with?
Young, old. Kids, parents, college-age and retired. I've worked with all types of students in every walk of life, including students with mild learning disabilities such as autism, or learning hindrances such as attention deficit disorder.
With each new challenge comes new rewards, and I love how each of these challenges has - and continues to - develop me into a better guitar instructor.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
My new FirstFrets.com online guitar lesson website! I've spent countless (countless!!) hours developing the site and lesson plans, and I can honestly say I'm very proud of how it's turned out.
I've been pleasantly surprised throughout its development, too, as me and my team have created and recreated the concepts and plans to come up with something truly unique and something that caters to every type of person. I'm so excited to see what happens with it!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Find someone you trust, someone who has a lot of teaching hours under their belt, and someone who helps foster a passion and joy for guitar. The importance of having fun while playing cannot be overstated!
There are plenty of teachers out there who know all the right stuff, and who can play the guitar like crazy, but they don't put the fun into it! If you don't enjoy the process of learning guitar then you'll probably quit pretty early. But if you having fun playing music while you're learning the techniques and theory then everything feels different. Love what you play and play what you love!!!
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Ask the common questions about pricing and value. Is the service inexpensive? If so, great, but is the content top notch? Is the teacher engaging, professional, and relatable? The price must be right, but the lessons must be great! Great lessons = great success on the guitar!