Why take lessons with vmsmusiclessons.com?

In-home lessons makes for a more convenient experience

Getting ready to leave, dealing with traffic, spending gas money, travel time, and - if you're dropping someone off for the lesson - having to wait around for the lesson to finish are all reasons why it is much more convenient to have me come to you instead of you traveling to me. Or, for even less of a hassle, we can always conduct the lessons live online (for even less of a price).

A more forgiving cancellation policy saves you money

Most places/teachers have a 24 hour cancellation policy, and/or require you to make up the lesson another day during the week. Since I live and breathe, I understand things happen. Thus, I only ask that you let me know why 12pm of the day of your lesson if you intend to cancel. Else, I charge 50% of the lesson for the late cancel, or %100 if I am already out and about for the day (which usually means around 4pm).

A fair price for a quality product

A lot of lessons are given by teachers who work for someone else (e.g a store, or lesson coordinator). Thus, prices tend to be higher so the teacher can get a decent rate and the store/coordinator can make money too. Since vmsmusiclessons is a 'one man show', I have no need to jack up prices to accommodate two parties. Which is not to say my prices are the cheapest around. After 17 years of teaching I would no more accept bottom level rates than a detective three years shy of retirement would accept a rookie's salary. We all know the value of experience.

Effective instruction forged by experience

For 17 years I have made a living exclusively as a musician, with an overwhelming majority of it earned through teaching. It's not something I have done on the side; it's what I do. But experience is one thing; what is learned from experiences is another. Over the course of these 17 years, I have continually refined and expanded upon the ways to teach the many subjects and topics involved in learning the guitar, always with an aim to making the instrument easier and fulfilling to learn.

A patient & flexible approach to teaching

A student's inability to understand is my failure as a teacher. If a method I have used to successfully teach numerous other students fails to work on a given student, I don't get frustrated or exasperated; I simply take it as a challenge to come up with another way to teach it that will help this student understand and improve. It is by believing in this approach that I have learned to become a better, more effective teacher over the years.

Continue to explore the lessons further by visiting either the The Guitar Site or The Bass Site, depending upon which instrument interests you. References are of course available upon request. Choosing a teacher isn't a lifetime commitment, so I encourage you to contact me via email or by clicking the 'Inquire Here' button below to set up a lesson so you can see (and hear) the difference.