My Teaching Philosophy

 

My philosophy on guitar instruction is to ensure that the student learns all the tools necessary to achieve their personal goals and most importantly… to have fun doing it. It also stems from various experiences that I’ve gone through in my lifetime and from the 30+ years of learning, playing, touring and teaching the guitar professionally. I was once a student myself and I never forget that simple fact.

Over the 30 years of instructing, I’ve taught hundreds of students. Every student is different in that the way they learn. I focus on and treat each student as an individual, focusing on their level of learning. While I have a curriculum that I follow, that curriculum is modified and personalized for each student.

As your instructor, My goal is to help you develop the skills needed to become the best player you can be. That being said, it’s up to you, as a student, to practice. The question I’m asked all the time is… “How long will it take for me to be a good player?” and my answer is: “That’s up to you and how much you put into it.” It would be nice if there was a magic pill you could take to become a great player, but there isn’t. So that means that it’s going to take a little work for you to reach your goals.

Also, as your instructor, it’s my goal to keep your learning experience interesting and fun. I know that learning can be frustrating at times, but I strive to keep it fun and exciting for the student. While music theory, chords, scales and proper technique are all vital, it’s also important to keep it fun as well.

“I started taking lessons from Jeff when I was a shy nine year old girl and he was always patient with me even if I got frustrated, and always taught me anything that I wanted to learn. He is a superb guitar player and teacher, as well as a superb and laid back person. I would never hesitate to recommend him to anyone!”

Lauren Cook - Greensboro, NC

“I took guitar lessons from Jeff for a while back in the 90’s. I’ve recently started taking lessons from him again. He’s a fantastic musician and teacher. Couple that with being a very cool, laid back person and you have Jeff. It doesn’t matter if you are a complete beginner or an advanced player who needs work on your theory, he can help you to improve.”

Jim Lesaux - Greensboro, NC