Christopher Wallace

I always try to get a clear idea of what my students want to accomplish before hand. On our first lesson we spend a good amount of time establishing the student's experience, abilities and personal goals, because each student is different and should be treated like it. I always design the instruction specifically for the student.

I LOVE teaching and I LOVE music! Its the perfect marriage! I started teaching in high school, first by assisting my music teacher and shortly thereafter my first studio teaching gig in college. I have been a professional musician and instructor ever since. It really is my dream job because I get to help other people learn to enjoy music on a whole new level. I have been teaching for about 17 years and always look forward to learning to new ways to help people learn music.

I have worked with everyone from complete beginners to other professional musicians to special needs individuals. There is literally not a type of person that I haven't helped learn to play music. Anyone can do it with just a little bit of determination and some elbow grease!

I had a student with cerebral palsy. His form prohibited him from moving one arm or hand without moving the other, which you might imagine would make everyday movements near impossible, let alone learning how to play the guitar! But he was determined to learn how to make the sounds he was hearing in the music that kept him persevering in his everyday life. We worked tirelessly on developing his independence, something his doctor said would probably never happen and after some blood, sweat and tears he was finally playing the songs he loved! He has always been an inspiration to me whenever I get stuck in a musical rut and whenever a student is struggling with a goal, I always remind them about this student overcoming incredible odds.

The best thing you can do is to find an instructor that you think is a good fit for you and make sure you look forward to working with them. The more you look forward to your lessons, the faster you will achieve your goals and the more fun you will have, during and after!

Think about what you REALLY want out of playing an instrument. Make sure that the teacher's goal is to get you reaching yours. Whether it be playing a simple song or learning music theory or how to solo, make sure you feel confident that they are the person you want to help you. Ask how long they have been teaching. While there are many people who teach, very few can sustain it. This can be a good sign of their ability and dedication. Ask how many students they have. A full student load is a good indication of student retention and progress. Ask about prior or current students' accomplishments and goals. Do they have students like you? Are they familiar with the things you want to learn about? Ask them why they do what they do. If its not to help the student directly approach learning the music they want to learn, that's not the right teacher for you!