Guitar Lessons with Kenny Campbell, South Plainfield NJ
I teach just about every style there is, Rock, Blues, Metal, Jazz, Country, Classical, Folk, although most of my students prefer some form of Rock. I tailor the lesson to the students goals. Meaning that if the student wants to be a rock player or a blues player then that is the material I teach. On the other hand if the student wishes to learn Jazz or Classical then I will teach that material. Some students like a mix of music. I do try to introduce other forms of music to the student but I don’t force it on them. Most of my students are looking to be able to play in some kind of rock band. And most of my students do get to that point. And the lessons are geared towards that.
Some basic fundamentals are common no matter what form of music you want to learn. We all have the same strings and notes and many common techniques in all forms of music. I do try, and would like all of my students to be good at reading music. But there are many students that are turned off by that and truthfully, you can learn systems such as “TAB” and “Charts” and still be a really good guitarist.
My Philosophy is simple. I don’t believe in the old school of teaching that you have to complete a certain number of books before I will teach you a song that you want to learn. As soon as your ready, I teach it. I do encourage students to become well-rounded musicians though and learn as much as possible and try other types of music that they may be unfamiliar with.
For my advanced Students, I teach many advanced students. Here I focus on theory, soloing, Improvising, playing over different changes, scales and arpeggios and their uses, advanced guitar techniques and ear training.
FAQ
The Lessons are $30 per half hour, $50 for an hour. Paid at the time of the lesson. NO monthly payments required.
Yes. If you have more then one family member taking lessons with me, I will give you a break.
Payment is expected at the time of the lesson. Sorry no checks accepted, cash, Zelle or Venmo. I only charge for the lessons you come to. Some teachers charge for the whole month in advance. I don’t do that.
I don’t charge for missed lessons so please be kind and give me 24 hours notice.
What is some of the material I can learn?
- Read Music Notation
- Read Tab and Chord Charts
- Theory
- Technique
- Chords
- Scales
- Soloing/Improv
- Rhythm
- Note for Note Leads
- How to Play by Ear
- Chord melody
- Strumming
- Learn your Favorite Songs
- Finger Picking
- And More…
The lessons are a half hour long, once a week. Some advanced students take an hour lessons and are charged accordingly. But for most students, a half hour a week is perfect.
For beginners I strongly recommend weekly lessons. I find that anything less doen’t produce good results. But for advanced students, bi-weekly lessons may be perfect. This gives the more advanced students a chance to work on the advanced material. I do have some advanced students that take a lesson here and there on an as needed basis. Thats fine with me. I’m pretty flexible in my scheduling.
The lessons take place in my home studio located in South Plainfield NJ. There is a waiting area for parents. And I encourage them to stay during the lessons. I strive to make it as comfortable as possible for the student and the parent.
Do I need my own guitar and what are my options if I don’t have one?
Yes you will need a guitar to practice with at home. I will be glad to help you find a guitar that is in your budget.
It doesn’t matter. It’s really an old way of thinking that you have to start on an acoustic guitar to build up the strength in your hands. I have plenty of exercises on the guitar that are going to build up your strength. Plus if your goal is to play any type of music that is mostly played on an electric, starting on an acoustic means you will be buying an electric soon. And why buy 2 guitars if you don’t have to.
I try not to take students under the age of 10. It’s just been my experience that kids that young don’t really even listen to music all that much , such as the radio etc. So they really don’t have the connection with music that older kids do. Also I have found that under the age of 10, students are usually less committed to practice. But there are always exceptions to this. And the best age is really the age they come to you one day and ask to take guitar lessons.
It’s never too late to learn. I’ve had a lot of very successful adults. Adults have been listening to music for a long time. They already know a lot about it. The next step is learning to play it. And as long as they put in the time just like any other student they will learn to play.
There is a simple relationship here. The more you practice the better you’re going to get and the faster you will get there. With that said, beginners should expect to practice about 20 to 30 minutes a day. As you become more advanced you tend to need to practice more but it’s also more fun at that point.
No. I don’t because of a few reasons. My studio is equipped with everything I need. And I like my own set up. Also because of scheduling it is easier for me to teach in my studio.
Do you offer group lessons ?
No. Learning music is too much of an individualized thing.