LESSON POLICIES: All students/parents must read and sign the lesson agreement before beginning lessons.

Rates as of September 1st, 2008:

30 minute lesson: $120 per month for 4 lessons (comes to $30 per lesson).

45 minute lesson: $180 per month for 4 lessons (comes to $45 per lesson).

60 minute lesson: $240 per month for 4 lessons (comes to $60 per lesson).

1. The Rocky Mountain Center for Musical Arts has its own set of policies and rates that apply to all students and teachers. They can be viewed at rmcma.org. This school requires a commitment of 18 weeks of lessons. You may miss ONLY ONE lesson during this time, and if you inform me at least 24 hours in advance, you may make up that ONE LESSON ONLY at the end of the 18 week period (which in in December). All other missed lessons are forfeited.

2. Robbs Music Store has a different policy, which all teachers there enforce equally (robbsmusic.com). You pay for a space on the lesson schedule. This space costs either $120 or $150 a month, depending on weather there are 4 or 5 weeks in that month. PAYMENT FOR LESSONS IS NOT BASED ON ATTENDANCE. The last week of each month, I will ask you to pay for the next month to reserve your spot on the schedule. All lessons must be paid in advance. Any student that bounces a check will be demanded to pay cash for all future payments. I am unable to promise make up lessons to students that do not come at their appointed time, even if you contact me in advance. I WILL NO LONGER "RESCHEDULE" MISSED LESSONS. ALL MISSED LESSONS ARE FORFEITED! It's like a day care center or a gym - you pay for a month's membership, and you may come as many times as you please. I commit your lesson time each week for you only, and you must make the same commitment to me. If you call me and ask me to reschedule your lesson, I will not return your call. If you pay in full for the months of September, October, and November, and the first two weeks of December, I will allow you to make up ONE lesson missed during this time. This make up lesson may only be taken on a day and time that is convenient for me.

Telephone policies: I do not answer my telephone. I prefer to communicate via email. If you are a new student, I will try to return your call within seven days. My religion prevents me from conducting business, teaching lessons, or doing scheduling on Sunday, so please do not call me on Sunday or leave me messages on Sunday.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. WHAT KIND OF GUITAR SCHOULD I BUY MY CHILD? I recommend a three-quarters size nylon string guitar, for all students in elementary and middle school, and a full-size nylon string guitar for high school students and adults. Robbs has some JASMINE and FENDER models ranging from $100-$200. Please don't buy a guitar at Sears or Wal-Mart. They simply are toys, and will not stay in tune.

2. WHY NOT A STEEL-STRING GUITAR? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? Steel string and nylon string guitars are tuned and played exactly the same way, but nylon strings are easier to push down. This results in less soreness of the fingers. Steel strings tend to make the fingers tender. It's unfortunate that many beginners are discouraged during their first week at home due to tenderness of the fingertips caused by the steel strings. Nylon strings help to minimize this.

3. IS IT OK TO BUY MY CHILD AN ELECTRIC GUITAR, BUT WAIT TO BUY AND AMPLIFER? That's like buying a car, but not getting any gas. All students of electric guitar should play and practice through an amplifier. The amp is as much an instrument that has a tone as the guitar.I recommend that you allow your child to start on an acoustic guitar for the first year, and if they are still playing at the end of the first year, buy them an electric as a reward. I hesitate to start kids on an electric.

4. MY CHILD WANTS TO LEARN ELECTRIC GUITAR, BUT IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. IS THAT OK? Electric guitars are solid wood, and are heavy. To properly hold and play an electric guitar, the player must stand up and use a guitar strap. The strap must be adjusted so that the player strums the strings directly in front of the child's belly button. Most young kids complain that the guitar is too heavy, and then they immidiately sit down. This causes the guitar to go directly into their right armpit. If the child learns and practices this way, it will be a huge detriment to the progress of the student. The child will develop bad habits that will take years to untrain. It's best to have the child learn to play the correct way from the beginning, which means learning on acoustic until age 12, and only switching to electric when the child can properly hold the instrument.

5. WHAT IF MY CHILD HAS SOCCER PRACTICE AND CAN'T COME TO HER LESSON? Then you've paid me to hold that spot open for you and not fill it with someone else who's willing and eager to get off the waiting list and onto the schedule. If you miss more than one lesson due to other commitments, it's time to ask yourself if you have too many commitments, and if you are really serious about learning to play the guitar.

6. DO I HAVE TO PRACTICE EVERY DAY? Yes. The only way to succeed is through daily practice and weekly lessons.

7. CAN I SIGN UP FOR LESSON ON AN "EVERY-OTHER-WEEK" BASIS? No. Again, you will not succeed at learning to master the guitar.

8. IF I DON'T COME TO MY LESSON, CAN I MAKE IT UP SOME OTHER TIME? I no longer do make up lessons. I cannot guarantee that if you miss your lesson that I will then devote a second time during the week to you. I have had 26 students ask for make up lessons in the same week! That's 13 hours of extra work at the end of my day. That is not realistic, or even possible.

9. I'M ONLY GOING TO COME TO THREE LESSONS THIS MONTH. CAN I JUST PAY FOR THREE? No. Again, payment is made by the month and is not based on attendance.

10. I'M ONLY GOING TO COME TO TWO LESSONS THIS MONTH. WHAT SHOULD I DO? You can pay for all 4 to hold your place on the schedule. Or you can take a month off of being on the schedule, but I cannot guarantee that your old spot will be available when you wish to resume.

11. CAN I HAVE A FREE INTRODUCTORY LESSON? There are music instructors in the area who offer a free intro lesson, but before you attend that lesson, ask the teacher where they earned their Masters degree, if they can teach you to read music, if you are the teacher's only student, and how often the teacher actually performs in public. Will the lessons be in the teacher's basement? If all you are looking for is something for free, you should reconsider if you have the committment level it takes to actually learn how to play the instrument.

12. IF I'M GOING TO MISS A LESSON, SHOULD I CALL YOU? It would be a courtesy for you to inform me if you're going to be absent, but remember lesson rates are not based on attendance. It's better to email me.

13. WHEN IS A GOOD TIME TO REACH YOU ON THE TELEPHONE? I don't answer my telephone. I try to return calls within one week. You may write an email - I try to check it once per day. I only answer the phone if my wife is calling.

14. IF I LEAVE A PHONE MESSAGE FOR YOU, HOW LONG BEFORE I CAN EXPECT A RETURN PHONE CALL? Usually, I am able to return calls within one week.

15. WILL YOU COME TO MY HOME TO TEACH? Yes. The rate is $240 per month, which comes to $60 per lesson. I teach home lessons on a FULL HOUR basis only, no half-hours. You must pay for every week, regardless of cancellations.