Lessons

Lessons

I offer private guitar lessons at my home studio in Overland Park, KS and online via Zoom. Please see my lesson policy and pricing by clicking the link below:

Lesson Policy

My philosophy

It’s important to choose a teacher wisely. Many people just go to the local music store and start with whomever they’re assigned without looking into their musical and educational background. This can have serious consequences for the student, from not learning some of the most fundamental elements of musicianship to even having the whole idea of learning an instrument ruined for them. Another problem that I see a lot of is people trying to teach themselves via online video tutorials. The biggest problem with that approach is the lack of feedback from someone with professional experience. Also, people often get the wrong idea about what’s important to learn and when, leading them down the wrong path. It’s difficult to judge a video’s usefulness and appropriateness without adequate experience.

 

I have been fortunate to have studied and earned degrees with some of the finest players in the world, but I’ve also had moments in my development where I felt stalled as both a guitar player and musician. When I was younger, I skipped some fundamental steps in my development as a musician, and it wasn’t until I realized this that I focused on the things that were holding me back. A good teacher will not let you skip the important stuff! I hear from potential students that tell me they’re stuck and tired of playing the same things and at the same level. Not everyone is ready to hear what they need to do to move forward. I believe in teaching students to become proficient in reading standard music notation (which includes counting and reading rhythms) and learning at least some basic music theory. Other instrumentalists learn these important fundamental skills as a matter of course, but many aspiring guitarists decide they don’t need to learn any of them. It’s a shame because these skills are not difficult to learn!

More lesson info

Though I’ve studied classical guitar, I’ve spent many years playing blues, rock, and a little jazz and I continue to teach those styles as well. 

I enjoy teaching basics such as chord strumming and note reading, as well as theory, songwriting, improvisation, composition, interpretation, and arranging.

I teach complete beginners to advanced students, and all ages, including young children. Parents are welcome to sit in on lessons. 

I rarely schedule lessons back to back because that’s something I’ve always disliked about teaching at music stores. I don’t want either myself or the student to feel rushed. I often go a little over the allotted lesson time if I feel the student needs more time to understand a concept, so I schedule some free time between lessons so that I can do this and take a quick break. This allows me to give the highest quality lessons possible.

 

Please email me at jamesstephensguitar@gmail.com or call or text me at 816-682-0226 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. I’m happy to answer all of your questions.