FAQ

What is your address?

The address is 52 Alma Road, Mount Lawley.

How much do lessons cost?

Lessons are $45 for half an hour and $80 for one hour.

What times do you have available?

Available times are listed under the ‘availability’ section of this website. I try to keep these times as up to date as possible, but sometimes there is a small delay in updating it when I book a new student.

What do I need to bring to the first lesson?

You don’t need to bring anything, although if you are learning guitar, bass or ukulele it’s good to bring your own instrument if you have one! If you’re learning drums you’re welcome to bring your own drumsticks, but you don’t have to. If you have had lessons or taught yourself before, it’s a good idea to bring any materials you’ve used in the past whether that’s a book or any sheets.

Is there parking available?

There is street parking available, 10-20m away depending on empty spaces. If you're waiting in your car you are welcome to go sideways across the verge behind my driveway. Note that parking on the driveway and sidewalk of the hall next door is not permitted as it is a private residence.

How should I pay you?

Cash or bank transfer are both good for payment. There are no EFTPOS facilities here.

What is your cancellation policy?

Same day cancellation is charged at 50% of the lesson fee, and absence without notice is charged at full price.

Can I sit in on my child's lesson?

You are welcome to sit in for their lesson and many parents do, particularly for the first one.

Can I join a group lesson?

Group lessons are at this stage generally booked as groups, for example father/daughter, siblings or a group of friends. I don’t currently offer larger format group lessons available to anybody to join although I hope to in the future.

Do I need to book and pay for a whole term?

You are welcome to book and pay for a school term but there is no obligation to! Lessons can also be booked more casually, as a one-off or for a shorter period of time.

Is my 3 or 4 year old too young to start lessons?

I would generally recommend around 5 or 6 and above as a good minimum age to start lessons, although it is possible to begin earlier than this particularly on drums and ukulele.

What are the advantages of having a music teacher over trying to teach yourself or learn online?

Well, this could be a very long answer so I’ll try to keep it brief! There are many, but I’d say the main three that come to mind are:

Feedback and dialogue: often people who teach themselves will practice a thing the wrong way repeatedly without knowing, whether that’s with the wrong technique, rhythm, tone or anything else, and therefore almost solidify a bad habit or less-than-ideal way of playing something. A good teacher can quickly correct things and help to develop good habits.
Regular check-ins and accountability: A bit like going to the gym, it’s helpful to have that regular weekly/ fortnightly/ whatever it might be check-in to say ‘this is where we are at with the material, this is what we might need to work on, and this is what you can aim to have done by next time’.
Tailored lessons: Not everyone wants to learn the same music, and not everyone has the same pace of learning and style of learning. I try to tailor lessons to each student’s interests (particularly for older kids and adults who’ve got their own taste in music) and explain things in a way that suits their age, skill level, rate of progress and learning style.

Do you teach blues/ classical/ jazz/ metal/ etc style guitar/ drums/ bass?

I do teach all of these things! It may seem spreading myself a little bit thin, but I enjoy and take pride in knowing about as many different styles of music as I can. Importantly, each style has its own specific techniques and musical elements. For example, folk fingerpicking is not the same as flamenco, rock drumming is different from funk drumming, and bass guitar has its own techniques which don’t just translate directly from six-string guitar. If you need an advanced level jazz or classical teacher, I can certainly help get you started but can also recommend some people who specialise in those areas.

Do you teach music theory/ sight reading?

I certainly do! Having said that, how much focus we put on it depends on the student. In an ideal world, it's good to understand as much theory as possible, although especially with kids I think staying engaged and interested in the instrument is probably the primary goal. Also, every student (of any age) is different to the next - some are very interested to understand how it all works, and others may prefer a more practical approach. So I'm quite open to whatever suits the individual.

Do you offer a band program?

I don’t currently offer a band program, but I spent around 12 years teaching at music schools with band programs. It’s mostly a question of having enough space to do so. If you’re looking for a band program, I would recommend Rock Scholars, where I worked for 8 years. I would also say that it’s a very good idea to continue instrumental lessons even if you’re in a band because one of the only dangers with a band program can be is that all practice veers towards learning songs for the end of term gig, and no time is spent learning new techniques, theory, particularly challenging songs, improvising and so on.