Frequently Asked Questions
Take your playing to new heights with Andy Mayne Guitar Tuition!
How much are the guitar lessons?
$30 for a half hour
$45 for 45 mins
$60 for a full hour
What do I need to bring?
A. Just a willingness to learn and your enthusiasm. If you have your own guitar, feel free to bring it along, or you can use one of Andy's guitars. A folder to keep any chord charts, guitar tablature or written music will be helpful to keep all your manuscripts together in the one place. You may also bring any of your own music books, guitar TABs and of course, your favorite songs you would like to learn how to play.
Do I have to read music?
A. No, Andy will write down the music in easy to read TAB (a simple guitar writing method). Of course, for those who want to learn to read music notation, Andy will certainly oblige. Some of the greatest guitarists past and present, including Django Reinhardt, Jerry Reed, Tommy Emmanuel and Eddie Van Halen never learnt how to read music just to name a few. These artists excelled on the guitar by listening carefully and training their ears to hear the notes and chords with great accuracy.Andy can teach you methods for developing your ear, enabling you to work out songs and learn them on the guitar without the need for reading music.
Do I need to bring and learn on an acoustic or an electric guitar ?
A. It really doesn't matter, as long as you're comfortable on your chosen instrument. For the little ones, it is helpful to buy a half size or three-quarter size guitar to accommodate their smaller fingers. As for your chosen instrument, it does not make any difference whether it is an electric, acoustic nylon (Classical or Spanish guitar) or a steel string folk guitar, as they are all tuned to standard guitar tuning.
Should I book an hour or a half-hour lesson ?
A. Adults generally find an hour is perfect to learn and fully absorb all that is being taught, while the younger ones usually only require a half hour to keep it fun and interesting. Of course not everyone is the same and will have different needs and preferences. Andy will accommodate any student’s requests or change in the structure of the lessons as the need arises.
How many lessons should I book ?
A. Booking four or more lessons at a time is really helpful, as this gives the students some weekly structure and more of an incentive to practice between the lessons. This also guarantees a certain time spot each week. Of course, you can book one lesson at a time for those whose timetables are more unpredictable. Guitar lessons generally work best when they are once weekly as this gives the students time to practice what they have learnt and not too long a break to forget what was taught in the previous lesson.
How much would I be required to practice?
A. A good place to start is at least a minimum of five to ten minutes everyday to strengthen the fingers and improve their agility along with the development of muscle memory.Muscle memory is the development of internal wiring connecting your hands to the brain, which over time enables your fingers to ‘remember’ the shapes on the fretboard. Practicing once a week for two hours straight, for example, will not develop muscle memory as quickly or efficiently as practicing for ten, twenty or more minutes everyday.
What is a good age to start my child guitar lessons ?
A. Children can generally start learning an instrument as young as four years old,but having said this, stringed instruments like the guitar come with their own challenges regarding very young fingers. Children as young as four or five can and indeed do get lessons at this age, but tends to be on the piano as it’s easier for their small hands.Learning guitar at this young age is generally not recommended, as their hands and fingers are physically not strong enough to push the strings down and form chords and notes.This means waiting a little longer before commencing guitar lessons until they are at least six or seven years old.
You’ll be over the Moon once you discover what Andy Mayne Guitar Tuition can do for you!
