Welcome! Primarily with video call platforms Skype and Zoom, I have been teaching guitar students online for years, and thanks to current internet speeds and video capabilities, local students and many from abroad have had great success with the platform. In fact, the viewing angle, when demonstrating a technique or excerpt from a piece of music, is optimal. I use high quality condensor microphones, an HD Logitech wide angle lens camera, which maintains great resolution for a mobile device or any large screen (30 or 60 fps), and a digital audio usb interface mixer (classical and acoustic guitars, electric guitar with multi-effects, my voice, and audio tracks run through this USB mixer which sync's perfectly with the live video). I regularly share PDF's, studies, and practice tracks during and between lessons, having arranged more than 3000 songs for my students.

Formally trained as a classical guitarist, I also play and teach in a variety of styles/musical genres. From J. S. Bach (and before) to Hendrix, there is a plethora of music to be enjoyed and studied. Whether you choose to work on strum patterns to a folk song, blazing electric leads, technical ideas which advance a particular area of your playing, or a Baroque Period Suite Sarabande, the opportunity is here for you to improve your playing, to expand your musical knowledge, and by studying in detail ideas such as effective tone production, form, harmony, and historical context, to gain a deeper appreciation for music.

For information about Royal Conservatory of Music classical guitar examination specifics, practice / playing tips, and warm-up manusripts, please visit the Guitar Lessons Homepage link.

Schedule Arrangement
By coordinating via email, text, or telephone using the Contact link, we will arrange a time to meet online via Skype, Zoom, or another video call platform. I teach students from around the world, in a variety of time zones, and while maintaining a busy teaching schedule, I try my best to arrange for new student schedule openings at different times of the day.

♪ Your first lesson is a 30 minute free trial. During the first meeting, we will discuss your goals, I will share my teaching philosophy and approach to playing/practicing, and I will answer any questions that you may have regarding guitar lessons and related ideas. My local time is Eastern Time Zone in Canada. Feel free to share with me your favorite tunes and genres of music which interest you the most on the guitar, and pieces you have played in the past, if you already have a start to playing the guitar.

♫ Between and during online guitar lessons, I regularly send ideas such as studies, jam/practice tracks (mp3's), lead riffs, chord charts, improv. scales, theory sheets, strum patterns, fingerstyle techniques and various other ideas to work on throughout your week of routine practicing. All manuscripts and tabs will be shared online in PDF format. By ear and by referencing recordings, I have tabbed and charted several hundreds of tunes (chord progressions, lyrics, solos, etc.), which I regularly share with my students (songs in a variety of genres and playing styles).

Fees, Payment Method & Procedure
As mentioned above, the first online meeting is complimentary (free). If the student chooses to register for regularly scheduled lessons, fees may be paid as follows, listed in Canadian Dollars.

1 Hour Lessons $45:
• Monthly payment $180
• 10 lessons advance $430 ($20 discount applied)
• 20 lessons advance $850 ($50 discount applied)

3/4 Hour Lessons $38:
• Monthly payment $152
• 10 lessons advance $365 ($15 discount applied)
• 20 lessons advance $730 ($30 discount applied)

♫ Payment is to be made by either e-transfer or PayPal. I pre-calculate and share with students the currency conversion calculations, and I cover any fees associated with PayPal payments. Students in Canada commonly pay by e-transfer, while Paypal is often preferred by students who are located in other countries. Be sure to take note of the date of payment for your own bank statement reviewing. After confirming a lesson time, I will send you an invoice via email. Payment is to be received at least 48 hours in advance of the booked lesson time, or a cancellation will result. If you prefer, after payment has been received, I will send you a confirmation, either by email or Skype, whichever you would prefer.

♪ I maintain detailed, dated track records of every past lesson, which I share with students if they so request.

Cancellations
Notice for a cancellation is to be given at a minimum of 24 hours in advance of a booked lesson. At times, I will make exceptions and arrange a make-up lesson, considering special circumstances which I understand can arise. Throughout my several years of teaching, I rarely have had a student who cancels continually.

Digital Requirements
For the student, a laptop, desktop computer with a webcam, or a mobile device will suffice (Mac / Windows / Android). There is no need to use anything high-end that would require a great investment. More important than high definition is the lack of significant signal lag - recently, we have had minimal issues during online sessions, regarding local internet connection speeds and overall quality / connection. Reasonable clarity is obtained with any type of smart phone or other connecting device.

© 2024 Stephen Weiss