Patient lessons on Guitar, Piano or Bass
Expert, positive oriented, Instruction
Columbia University, MA Music. Berklee College of Music.
Now offering remote Lessons.
New Beautiful Location in West Davis, CA.
Former Public School Choir Director, Folsom, CA.
Musical Director, Emerson/DaVinci Davis, CA.
Concert Band, Concert Orchestra and Chorus.
Starter Instruments
Starter Guitars:
Contact me for Current Inventory.
Beginners should start with a nylon string (classical) guitar as they have much less tension and thus are easier to play. Even players planning to be rock stars should start with nylon string instruments.
Guitars should be sized for a student: 1/2 sized 3/4, and 7/8th. I do not carry these instruments but will recommend a size and brand that will work online. You still want a guitar that will play easily and correctly and sound good so as not to discourage a young student.
Perhaps I can sell it for you to a future student when the student outgrows it.
There's plenty of time to get ready for an electric guitar, but first learn enough so you can make an intelligent decision. Of course I'll help.
For beautiful tone, always select a guitar with a solid cedar or spruce top. You can have laminated sides and back and still sound fine. Solid top guitars sound better with age.
Better instruments are made of all solid woods, and should sound much sweeter. They will take a student further.
Good instruments improve over time when played. The more you play the easier it will be for the guitar to vibrate.
Used quality instruments are a great investment. Cheap plywood instruments only degrade in value.
The mechanics of a guitar must be perfect. This means the angle of the neck must be perfect, the top must not be raised, and the frets should be usable. It should play easily and sound sweet. I will help identify a guitar for you with perfect mechanics. I will check out any guitar, so be sure to have the right to have me inspect the guitar and return it.
Inventory of Starter Guitars:
I try to have a good inventory of used economical instruments in great shape. I also try to know where there are good deals available.
I also have some great deals on step-up instruments. No one ever regretted playing a better guitar.
Starter Electric Basses and Guitars:
Obviously bass guitar students generally play an electric bass.
Used instruments generally offer the best deals, but it is best if you follow the directions I provide and if possible, have help.
Once again, I recommend students wanting to play electric guitar to start on an acoustic guitar and get an electric guitar when they are ready.
Please remember, a quality electric bass or electric guitar is generally much more expensive than an acoustic instrument. Think about it: you have to pay for an instrument, the electronics on the instrument, and for an amplifier. Big box store electric guitars and amps are junk.
You will need an amp, and bass guitar amps require more wattage than a guitar amp and specialized bass speakers.
Obviously, a new student lacks the knowledge to get appropriate instruments and amps. I am happy to help my students get a reasonably priced setup.
Rock Amps generally have a Head and Speaker Cabinet. You will need at least 100 watts for a bass, preferably more, and there are various speaker combinations. They are very heavy and difficult to transport. Do not get one until you actually need one. A combo amp is the better choice.
The economy has made many amps available at low prices. I'm glad to help.
Analyzing a guitar or electric bass:
To determine if the neck is straight, press the string down at the top and bottom frets. This creates a straight edge and shows if the neck is warped. It should come close to touching every fret.
Often the angle of the neck is off. If the neck is straight, take a straight edge such as a ruler off the end of the fingerboard, and it should hit the bridge near the bottom of the saddle.
With perfectly level frets, the action can be lowered without any buzzes. The string test will help show if they are reasonably level frets.
Believe it or not, an electric guitar or bass if first of all an acoustic instrument. It should sing without being plugged in with good sustain. If it lacks acoustic qualities, no electronics will turn it into a good instrument. When shopping for a solid body instrument, I first try them out acoustically before plugging them in.
The procedure above will help you weed out unlikely candidates.
A Better Instrument:
No one ever regretted buying a better instrument. Often adults get a slightly better guitar, which might seem unnecessary. However, they tend to be more motivated and enjoy playing more. If you can expand your price range for your child, the difference can be remarkable.
In fact, the right instruments have historically been great investments.
Here's an all-solid wood classical guitar with a super sweet sound I imported from a maker in Ecuador. I can offer a special deal on this one because it has a scratch on the top.
A Starter Piano:
There is no substitute for a real piano, and if you have the room and commitment, they are the best choice. However, they require regular maintenance and tuning. Older pianos that have not been regularly maintained are worthless. In upright pianos, look for tall pianos, as there's no substitute for string length. All pianos should be checked out by a piano technician. They have 1000s of moving parts.
Electric Pianos:
However, because of space, cost, and maintenance, an electric keyboard is the only solution. Forget about bells and whistles; they are optional. What is essential for lessons is that the keyboard have 88 keys. The keys should be velocity sensitive; the harder you play, the louder the sound.
The best deals are an older Yamaha or Kawai 88 Key Electric Piano, generally made furniture style. While they have real piano feels and a variety of sounds, they won't have the latest bells and whistles. You'll save hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Upright Basses:
First, recognize that any quality upright bass is an excellent investment.
Most beginners start with a quality laminated bass. They generally are well over a thousand dollars, and with a quality instrument and complete setup.
Better Instruments are fully carved from solid woods. They will easily start around $5,000.
Over the years, good basses improve in sound, so professionals prefer older instruments, even though they are likely to show many repairs and have finish flaws. A good bass is a great investment.