Additional FAQs are available at the Tom's Guitar Show website.
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How long does it take to get good?Guitar students can play well enough to accompany a song in two months with regular practice. They could also expect to play basic rock and blues guitar in that amount of time. To play intermediate classical guitar music it takes about two years of study for a diligent student, but one could spend a lifetime studying the guitar and never know it all.
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How often do I have to practice?Generally one should practice at least half an hour a day. If you practice forty-five minutes to an hour you will progress more quickly. By practicing Tom means that the student identifies what needs work and repeats an exercise or piece of music until it becomes easy to play. It's really rather fun. Though if you want to be a virtuoso it's going to take a lot of hard work.
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How young can a student begin?Four and half years of age is the youngest one should be to begin guitar. Before that age they can do rhythm games, singing and listening to music, but the motor control necessary to begin an instrument generally doesn't mature enough until children are four and a half. Eight is a very good age to start an instrument. The trick with young children is to make it fun so they'll have a positive experience.
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Is it ever too late to start?It is never too late. Some of the best beginning students Tom has had started in their fifties. Many people begin in middle age and do very well for themselves. Perhaps they appreciate it more than younger students. One of Tom's best students was seventy-six years old when he began. He played very well.
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What if I can't read music?You don't have to read music to play the instruments Tom teaches. However for classical guitar and classical mandolin it's necessary. The folk and popular styles don't require reading music, but it helps. Learning to read music really isn't all that difficult if you take a step-by-step approach. He has taught thousands of people to read music. Generally students find it quite liberating.
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Do I need to have an instrument for my first lesson?No. Tom has quite a collection of instruments students can borrow at the first lesson. Some people like to try out different instruments before they decide which they want to purchase, e.g. acoustic, electric, nylon string, steel string... We don't sell instruments at the studio, but Tom will give you advice on where to get the one you need.
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How often should I take lessons?For most beginning and intermediate students one lesson a week is probably the best. Form and technique are very important when you're starting out, and if something's wrong it should be corrected quickly. Some people like to take two lessons a week because they advance more quickly. But only advanced students should take lessons less frequently; they will already have solved their simpler problems and may need longer time between lessons to practice.
