Guitar, piano, violin, trumpet, kazoo, pots and pans; there are so many wonderful (and not so wonderful) instruments, which is the best one to learn music with?

Drum (or "pan") roll  please....


The one that inspires you the most!


Now, in the rare event that you are indifferent and really don't have a preference, piano is going to give you the best general approach to learning and understanding music as a whole and its many parts. But if you do have a preference, go with it, enthusiasm will always reign: the more you like what you're doing, the more you're going to do it! And "doing" has always been the best (not to mention ONLY) way to learn anything!


I have been thinking of getting my child into private lessons for a while now, is HE/SHE TOO YOUNG?

Though a widely excepted general rule is age 6, as with anything of this nature, discretion must be used. We do not want to waste any time/money or discourage a young student from future learning. Most importanly, the student must be able to focus/sit still and listen for up to 25 minutes. If you are not sure and would like know, sign up for a FREE SESSION! This is yet another reason I believe an interview is necessary.


Should I get an instrument before looking into instruction?

This is an easy one. If you know enough about instruments to buy one, than what do you need a teacher for?!?! The  differences in instruments are equally complex to the concepts of the music they are used to play. DO NOT BUY AN INSTRUMENT until you know more than just the color it is and how many knobs it has (or doesn't have)!


Guitar: What's the best to learn on? Acoustic like Bob Dylan or Electric like Slash? Acoustic, right?

I love this "question", though it usually ends like a statment! I KNOW (and so do you!) that junior wants to "thrash" like Slash on Guitar Hero, and you want the ballads of American folk echoing softly in your foyer. And you know that the "loud" electric guitar can't possibly be productive. Well, I hate to support what you already know in your heart with actual facts, but they are tuned the same and basically played the same. Enthusiam is the key here. If you, as the paying adult, want the most out of your money, than you want your child to practice as much as posssible. Get them the guitar they will likely pick up the most.

Let's say you like Bob Dylan/American Folk and you want to learn to play guitar. Are you going to go out and buy a Les Paul and a Marshall (Slash's Rig) Full-stack???

And by the way, that electric guitar isn't so loud when you turn the volume knob down... actually, now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever seen acoustic guitar with a "volume" knob!



Am I too old to learn?

You can't teach an old dog new tricks, so they say. Well, good thing you're not a dog- and who are they anyway?!?! Though there are studies that support that learning (anything, language, music, etc.) at a younger age is more effective, I have also come to find that many of my best students are more mature. Learning (absorbing information at each session) is less than half of learning music- PRACTICE is where the work is done, and let's face it, children don't really like to do that. And the reported benefits of studying music as we age to prevent and/or treat Demensia grow every year. The Law of Use: Use it or Lose it. You're never to old to use or develop what you've still got, and you're never to young to lose what you don't use!


I am very busy, I want to take private instruction, but I cannot practice regularly, will this be a waste of time and money?

Every minute you spend with a professional is like an hour on your own! So the answer to this question is "NO"! Of course, by practicing you will get the most bang for your buck. And though you will not be maximizing your time or money spent if you don't practice diligently, you won't be wasting it either. If you sign up and don't show up, that would be wasting!


I have always wanted to play piano, do I have to buy a full size expensive piano?

There are many reasonably priced and suitable (suitable as in: "not a toy")electronic or digital keyboards available starting around $120. Aside from saving money and space, one of the most exciting things about digital keyboards, is that you can get multiple voicings on these instruments allowing it to sound like an organ, an electric piano, horns, etc. Best of all, they are not sensitive to climate, never need to be tuned, and don't weigh as much or more than a silver-back gorilla (over 500 pounds)!


Due to the fact that I'm a millionare and have a solar-powered car (dag-gum those gas prices!!!), I have NO BUDGET- what should I buy, an ACOUSTIC or DIGITAL PIANO?

Really, that would be like asking, "what's better, an Escalade or a Corvette?". Naturally, there are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Digital Piano: 
First, a true Digital Piano (NOT to be mistaken for a Digital Keyboard), is a mock version of an Acoustic Piano. It will have 88 weighted keys, hopefully with hammer action, touch sensativity, and a multi-layered piano sample to truly immulate the dynamics (pp, p, mf, f, ff) of an acoustic piano. One of the best advantages is that you can turn the volume down to almost nothing and still practice or even use head phones to practice in complete privacy. A keyboard (a.k.a. synth or workstation) is something different entirely. As far as these are concerned, the options and differences is another FAQ all-together. You can still learn "piano" on a keyboard, and actually, base Digital Keyboard models are cheaper than base Digital Piano models. A standard Digital Keyboard will run around $150, whereas a base Digital Piano will run you about $500.

Acoustic Piano:
Nothing says, "Elegance & Class", like a true acoustic piano. The sound of a beautifully voiced piano, and its expression have yet to be matched by a digital piano. Though it takes a very trained hand to play and ear to hear what I'm talking about, so only seasoned amateurs or professionals would truly appreciate or benefit from owning one. And unless you are either, consider the following warnings. Generally, they are quite testy. You must closely regulate the temperature (hot/cold) and climate (wet/dry) of the room the instrument is in. You must have it tuned a minumum of 2 times a year (every 6 months) and that's just the bare-minimum. Once you're ear is trained, you'll want to have it tuned every 2-3 months. And everyone knows what it's like to move one of these. Because of the maintainence and accomodations required, buying an acoustic piano is like buying a Golden-Retriever... that NEVER dies, that doesn't fetch, and could possibly kill you if you tried moving it!

Your question wasn't answered? Contact me and I'll be glad to answer it!