FAQ’s
Q: How far do you drive for lessons?
A: We are currently only servicing guitar and vocal lessons in the following Vermont counties: Chittenden, Addison, and Franklin.
Q: What times are you available for lessons?
A: We work well around families busy schedules. Our schedule is as follows:
- Monday & Tuesday-6:00 p.m.to 9 p.m.
- Wednesday through Friday-3:00 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Weekends-9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Q: What age is the youngest you would suggest a child beginning to learn?
A: The most ideal age would be no younger than 5. The youngest student we have had was 5 and she enjoyed playing basic fun songs such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. It is a good age to begin to understand the guitar; however, it can begin to hurt their little fingers which may lead to frustration for them.
Q: How do I know whether to pick the 5-half hour lessons, or the 5-full hour lessons option?
A: For younger children and/or beginners, we always suggest the half hour lessons because we need to understand the type of learner they are, and how they absorb the information. Also we suggest the half hour lessons for younger students due to their typical short attention spans. We suggest the full hour lessons option for older children, teens, adults, and intermediate caliber students.
Q: Are you flexible with the lesson schedule?
A: Yes, we communicate well with our students and families as we realize that everyone is very busy with many obligations.
Q: Do you charge for a missed lesson?
A: We have a strict 24 hour cancellation policy. Any cancellation within 24 hours from the time of the scheduled lesson will count against the number of lessons purchased. If there is an emergency circumstance please call us at 802-398-7595 or email us at ryan@hansonsguitarschool.com and we can discuss possible solutions.
Q: What if we don't have a guitar for the lessons?
A: We unfortunately do not supply guitars for lessons. You will need to borrow or purchase a guitar for yourself or your child. We are more than happy to help guide you through the process of purchasing a guitar so that it is not stressful for you or your child. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any assistance that you may need.
Q: What if we really enjoy the lessons but cannot continue at the end of the 5 lessons due to upcoming scheduling conflicts and a busy schedule?
A: We have many students that have really busy schedules and they will often take a break at the end of their 5 sessions. They typically schedule another set of 5 lessons when they find that their schedule will allow it. We want you to learn at a pace that is comfortable for you.
Q: Do you give group lessons?
A: We do not offer group lessons at this time as we believe in an individualized learning experience
Q: Do you ever give lessons to more than one person in a household?
A: Yes we do. If this is the case, we typically try to schedule the lessons back to back to make it easier and more convenient for both you and us.
Q: What kind of music do you teach?
A: We specialize in acoustic & electric rhythm guitar, including vocal lessons as well. At the beginning of the first lesson we ask the student what kind of music they desire to learn and enjoy listening to. From there, we pursue the education requirements in order to teach the music you are interested in. We essentially teach all the facets of basic music theory and playing in different timing signatures.
Q: Do you teach how to read sheet music?
A: No we do not teach how to read sheet music at this time.
Q: Do you teach how to read tab?
A: Yes we teach how to read tab.
Q: What is tab?
A: Tab is a form of reading music. It explains where to put your fingers for notes and chords.
Q: Do you teach how to sing and play guitar at the same time?
A: Yes. We typically like to start off by teaching guitar first, followed by vocal lessons if desired. For vocal lessons we always start off by determining what kind of voice you have such as alto, tenor, or baritone. Then we will learn how to use your voice in certain keys depending on the type of songs we are playing.
Q: What's the difference between playing an electric guitar and acoustic guitar?
A: An electric guitar requires an amplifier in order to produce sound unlike an acoustic guitar which does not. It is also easier on the fingers to learn on an electric guitar.
Q: Can I pay per lesson instead of 5 up front?
A: No you cannot. All lessons must be purchased in sets of 5 at a time.
Q: Can a parent be in the same room for lessons?
A: Absolutely. It is often a great idea for a parent to be there during the lesson as they can help absorb some of the information and material that is being taught in order to assist their child when they are practicing on their own later on.
Q: We don't have a lot of time to practice, should we just not even bother learning?
A: This is completely up to you and what it is you want to accomplish. Practice is a requirement in order to become a fluent guitar player. If you feel like you enjoy the lessons as an outlet, because it is fun, or whatever the reason may be, then that is your choice and we support you either way. We always encourage our students to dedicate time to practicing daily if they can.
Q: Do we have to purchase anything other than a guitar for the lessons?
A: No you are not required to purchase anything else but the guitar and lessons. However there are some items that we find may aid you during your lessons such as a guitar capo and a music stand for sheet music. Also we suggest that you have some back-up guitar strings in the unfortunate circumstance of one breaking during the lesson.
Q: What if my guitar string breaks?
A: We do not provide replacement strings, but we are more than happy to show you during a lesson in how to replace a broken string. We suggest you have extra strings during each lesson just in case this happens.
Q: How do I know if my guitar is in tune?
A: Part of our lessons is teaching the important aspect of tuning your guitar. There are many different ways in order to accomplish this, and we can show you some best practices and what works best for us.