Frequently Asked Questions
How much are lessons?
Our lessons are 30-45 minutes long and every week at the same time & day-- so around $120 - $300 per month depending on the teacher. Details for each teacher are on the calendar for that specific lesson slot.
I'm not sure if I want to do lessons, can I schedule just one?
One lesson really isn't enough to get to know your teacher or learn anything and results in a waste of money. Instead, we ask that you commit to a month of lessons as a test run. We'll schedule recurring weekly lessons - then decide that last week if this is something you want to stick with and email us to cancel if it's not a good fit.
Can I buy a gift card?
Yes! Since we schedule lessons by the month, we'd recommend buying a month of lessons and can help advice you on which teacher (or amount) makes sense. Just fill out the New Student Sign Up page and add a note about buying a gift card in the notes. Or email us and we'll send you an invoice for the amount of your choice.
What age can kids start?
For dexterity reasons, we recommend waiting until age 8-10 to start guitar depending on the student's size, attention span and desire to play.
Any younger and we will recommend a 30 minute Ukulele lesson or group lessons if they are available. Under 5, the student will find more success and enjoyment from a musical class that involves movement such as Kindermusik.
Am I too old to start? Never!
Do you teach online lessons?
We've tried. Our studio is not set up for online lessons and our teachers feel like they are most effective teaching in person so we have decided to limit our studio to in-person lessons.
What do I need?
We recommend having a notebook of guitar tab. This will keep your student and teachers notes from each week of lessons in one place that they can return to every time they practice or come to lessons. We are hoping to have one we really like created just for our studio but until then, here's one we like from Amazon.
And a guitar! (or ukulele, bass, drums, etc depending on what you're taking lessons for!)
Do you rent guitars?
If you plan to be a guitar player, you should own a guitar that is the correct size for you.
But we understand it's an investment so we do have a limited supply of small Fender Acoustics that are reserved for rent. The rental fee requires automatic draft be set up for both rental cost & lessons. If you decide to purchase that exact guitar, we will apply 50% of any paid rental fees towards the instrument. If you purchase another guitar from Casino Guitars, we will apply 25% of the rental fee towards the instrument of your choice.
We also have youth sized electric guitars but keep in mind, there are extra accessories needed for an electric guitar (a cable & amp) and will cost more depending on what you need. Link to details will be here once we have it written up!
Ideally, after a few months of renting, you'll know if you're ready to buy your own and maybe you're more likely to invest in one that will last a lifetime!
We can't come every week, do you have lessons that are bi-weekly? Or just every once in a while?
We have tried several times to work with teachers and families to coordinate every-other week lessons and have found it can be detrimental to the student's progress. We do have lessons on every day of the week and as early as 9am. We would recommend waiting until there is a time & day of the week that you can commit to weekly lessons for a month.
In addition, we do sometimes have camps that can offer a quick intro to the music world. When we are running camps, you'll see the tab at the top of the main page!
Just once in a while lessons: Some of our teachers will work with irregular lessons for advanced students. When we have cancellations, sometimes we can fill them with one-off lessons. If that is something you are interested in, add that as a note when you sign up. Our studio may need to confirm that your student is at a level where this makes sense.
I don't like using a credit card, can I pay cash/check?
Yes! We need a card to schedule lessons but you can pay with cash or check. We bill monthly, in advance of lessons, but you can put cash/check into an envelope (which we keep in the teaching studio) along with your student's name and we'll add it to your account to cover that month of lessons. You'll receive an emailed confirmation of receipt when we add it to your account.
I paid in the shop and don't see that amount on my lesson account. How do I find it?
The guitar shop is on a separate system than the lesson studio but we can transfer it over! If you have an emailed receipt from Casino Guitars, you can forward it to lessons@casinoguitars.com OR email us the description of when and how you paid so we can search through the guitar shop records and make sure it gets transferred.
Can I change teachers or lesson times once I start?
Of course! Our studio stays busy and the teachers all hold a mutual respect for each other so there's no hard feelings if you want to change. If you decide you'd like to try a new teacher or need to change lesson times, email our studio coordinator to see what we have available or request a specific teacher. Keep in mind, there may be a wait to find a lesson time but we think you'll find the right teacher can make all the difference!
I won a couple lessons through a local charity's auction! How do I start lessons?
First... Congratulations and Thank You for supporting our local nonprofit organizations!
Sign up yourself or your student through the Sign Up page and add some basic information about where you won the lessons (or the number on your gift certificate) and we'll make sure that we add that balance to your student's account!