| How do I know what lesson program is best for me? |
We recommend that all interested students contact us for a free phone consultation with the instructors at Rose City Guitar Company. In this consultation, we will be able to get to know you, your current skill set, your goals and interests, and determine what would be the ideal fit for you. This also gives you an opportunity to get to know us and our teaching philosophy. Fill out the contact form on this website for a free intro or call us at 971-300-4202.
|
| What makes your school different from your competitors? |
Rose City Guitar Company offers a multitude of class options designed to work for every type of learner and at any skill level. There are additional workshops, performance opportunities, and guest speakers you cannot find at other schools in the area. Our instructors have invested a lot of time and money into furthering their own skills for teaching, performing, and songwriting and can help you to achieve the goals you have set for yourself. Building community is our biggest goal. We specialize in adult education and make sure our programs are flexible and fun to work with the modern challenges of today.
|
| How large are the classes? |
This largely depends on which program you would be attending at Rose City Guitar Company. If you sign up for one of our reoccurring group classes, the current size is up to 5 students per classroom. However, if you attend some of our paid masterclasses/workshops then the group size will depend on demand and space accommodations.
|
| I'm worried about being in a group lesson... what if I'm not at the same skill level as my peers? |
All of our group students are interviewed and placed into an appropriate group class according to their current skill set, age, and musical interest. Our monthly classes are kept small enough to ensure that all students are challenged and given the individualized attention they need. The class is not dictated by the top performer or the student that is struggling the most, but is rather modified to make sure each student is appropriately challenged while working on the same topic. Studies have shown that most students actually do better in the group lesson format. Working among your peers is highly motivating and it actually prepares you for the real life scenario of playing with other musicians. This is important even if you don't intend to play in a band or professionally. These are the skills you need to play casually with friends/family, and believe it or not, it's still very useful for learning how to play with backing tracks by yourself at home.
|
| Why should I pay for lessons rather than using free resources/cheap options such as Youtube, through a friend, taking an online crash course or through miscellaneous books?" |
Well for starters, the large majority of what you are fed from these avenues are sporadic in nature and vague. Have you ever felt like you were watching a video and you were understanding it, but then somewhere along the lines you got lost and overwhelmed because certain information was glossed over? This is really common because these resources are designed to be a one-size fits all. When it comes to learning, however, the one-size fits all approach just doesn't work unless you are a specific kind of learner. When you work with an effective instructor, you are given the right information that you need at the right moment in time. The assignments selected for you will be in complete alignment with your goals. In addition to that, you will have the coaching and immediate feedback that you need in a supportive and understanding environment that works at your pace.
|
| Am I too old to learn how to play the guitar? |
Not at all! It's never too late to learn so long as you have a keen interest and are willing to put in the time to practice. We have taught students up into their 70s and it's not been an issue.
|
| Do I need natural talent to learn how to play the guitar? |
You don't have to be naturally gifted in order to learn how to play music. The skills can be acquired similarly to when you are studying a language. Music is just another form of communication and once you have some basic understanding of the structure and the way that language works, then it's totally possible for you to succeed and express yourself! What is required for a student to succeed is not innate skill, but rather, a strong work ethic and a supportive and effective instructor.
|
| What styles of music do you teach? |
Amber Russell currently specializes in solo acoustic fingerstyle, but also has many years under her belt as a singer songwriter playing styles in the pop, country and folk realm. Samantha Russell currently specializes in metal and rock, but has years of experience playing Americana styles and has studied both classical and jazz in university. Nick Arne specializes in singer-songwriter styles as well as blues, Americana and RnB & Soul.
|
| What age range do you teach? |
The youngest age we currently accept is 7 years old. After that, any age is welcome! We have taught people in their 70s and they are still able to learn and have a great time. We have a couple of dedicated kids/teen classes but we do specialize more in adult based education so most of our class offerings are focused around that.
|
| How long will it take me to be able to play a song? |
We have had students who were able to learn how to play a song from start to finish in just a few months. However, we have also had some students where it takes a little longer. Why? This is because each and every student has differing strengths/weaknesses and a different level of work ethic. Anyone can learn how to play a song, so long as they are consistent, have a strong work ethic, and they have a teacher to help get them there.
|
| Do you offer the option to teach lessons out of my home? |
Our students travel to our teaching studio so that we can provide the best lessons possible. If we were to teach out of someone else's home, we would not able to have the equipment and supplies needed. We're also able to offer less of our services due to commuting times.
|
