Lessons

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Private lessons with an instructor

Lightning Joe’s Guitar Heaven offers private, one-on-one lessons with an instructor on the top floor of our shop. We have spacious rooms that offer a comfortable and rockin’ environment for each student to reach their preferred level of learning. Our teachers have years of experience, both as working musicians and as instructors, and can tailor each of their student’s lessons to their needs. We offer beginner, intermediate and advanced lessons from guitar to bass to ukulele and more. We have students as young as 8 all the way up to 80! If you can sit for half an hour, you can do lessons!

What you need:

We require each student to provide their own instrument. Each lesson room is equipped with all of the additional gear needed. We have a media library packed with instructional books; your teacher can make a recommendation on books for purchase that fit your learning needs, should you need any written material for practice at home.

Types of lessons:

We offer half hour and hour lessons. We also offer the opportunity to try a lesson so you can see if it’s a right fit for you, which would just be the cost of a single lesson. If you are someone with a fluid schedule and aren’t able to commit to the same day and time every week due to that, we offer on-the-fly lessons, subject to teachers availability.

*Pricing and faq’s listed below

To schedule lessons with one of our instructors, please reach out to Ashley Tuesday through Saturday at (805) 481-2226 or fill out the form below for inquiry:

Instructors

  • Charlie Foppiano

    Charlie is a second generation working musician that graduated from Musicians Institute in 2008 with an Associates Degree and has made a living playing and teaching for over 15 years here on the Central Coast. His self described “Musical ADD” has aided him in absorbing a variety of genres and styles over the years, and takes pride in his ability at teaching and communicating what he’s learned to brand new beginners to more advanced players. Charlie teaches guitar, bass and ukulele, and prefers to work with his students to craft a curriculum suited specifically to their interests, as well as the musical theory and techniques required to achieve their goals. Also, with Charlie’s many years of studio recording experience, he is the perfect choice for students interested in learning the ins and outs of home recording and the knowledge necessary to teach themselves what they need to know to get started. Anyone looking to improve their skills will have a great time learning with Charlie, whatever they’re trying to accomplish.

    *Charlie teaches beginner to advanced guitar, beginner to intermediate bass, beginner ukulele and beginner keyboards

  • Toan Chau

    Toan is a working professional musician and has over 35 years experience as a guitar player. He plays in a variety of local bands including Cuesta Ridge, The Gipsy All Stars, Shantastics and more, in addition to solo performances. Over the past 23 years, Toan has taught private lessons off and on, which makes him a great addition to the team. Styles/genres of music that he likes to teach are blues, slide blues guitar, rock, country, bluegrass, gypsy jazz, funk and classical, and teaches acoustic and electric guitar (beginner to intermediate), bass (beginner), and banjo (beginner). Toan has a open and flexible approach to teaching, where he helps the student focus on what they like to learn and play while providing knowledge and insight to help you reach your musical goals.

    *Toan teaches beginner to advanced guitar, slide guitar, banjo, and ukulele

Pricing

  • $135 monthly

  • $225 monthly

  • $225 monthly

  • $33.75 per half hour lesson

    $56.25 per hour lesson

    $56.25 per half hour for two students

FAQ

  • Fill out our inquiry form above and our lesson coordinator will be in touch within 24-48 hours. You're also welcome to call the shop Tuesday-Friday, 11am-3pm, and ask for Ashley. We can look at what the availability is and fit you in.

  • We typically schedule our lesson students on a month to month commitment. We do four half hour or hour lessons, same day and time, with the same instructor. On occasion we can accommodate on-the-fly lessons for those with a more fluid schedule, but that is subject to the teacher's availability.

  • If you are unable to make your regularly scheduled lesson, we can schedule a makeup lesson for you within that month. If we are unable to find a makeup lesson date/time, and you do not have a fifth bonus lesson that month, you forfeit that missed lesson. Any schedule changes need to be made in advance to our lesson coordinator, Ashley. Please review our lessons policy for makeup lessons.

  • We do not rent or loan instruments, students are required to bring their own. However, we do have a wide selection of new and used instruments to choose from if you are needing one.

  • We teach kids from 8 up through adults. In the past, we have had some kids younger than 8 take lessons, and we are open to that, they just need to be able to sit through instruction for half an hour. In those instances, we suggest paying for a trial lesson to see how your child does, and then we can go from there.

  • We can teach just about any style! Please read the teachers profiles to see if one of them fit your style needs and align with how you want to learn.

  • Beginner to advanced guitar and bass, ukulele, banjo, and keyboards. Please read the teachers profiles to see which teacher offers what you are interested in learning.

  • Lesson tuition for the month is due on your first regularly scheduled lesson of the month. We keep a card on file for all lesson students and their tuition is auto-debited on the first regularly scheduled lesson of the month, which will reserve their spot for the month. If alterative payment options are needed, you'll need to arrange that with our lesson coordinator, Ashley.

  • A minimum of 2 week' notice is required to avoid another month's charge. Any paid lessons are not eligible for a refund or credit.

Lessons Policy

Lesson Times:

·        Scheduled lessons will be the same day and time each week

·        It is the student's responsibility to be on time. If you will be arriving late, please give as much notice as possible. If you are more than 5 minutes late without prior notice, your slot may be forfeited for that lesson. If you are late, you will only finish out your lesson to your regular scheduled lesson time and will not be able to go the full half hour or hour.

·        There are four lessons scheduled each month with the same instructor. Should your scheduled day happen to fall into a fifth week of the month, that lesson will be included free of charge. This is a bonus, courtesy lesson and will be used as a make-up lesson if necessary.

·        We have a 24-hour lesson cancellation policy. If you are unable to make your lesson that week, and you have given more than 24 hours’ notice to cancel or modify your lesson, we can schedule a make-up lesson. If you need to cancel or modify your lesson within 24 hours of the scheduled time, you forfeit your lesson for that week. Exceptions will be made for sudden illness, family emergencies, weather conditions, and instructor absences.

·        When you sign up for lessons, you are committing to a full month. If you cancel your lessons altogether, and have remaining lessons in that month, you will not receive a refund for those remaining lessons.

·        If you are unable to attend one of your lessons in any given month, we will reschedule your lesson within that month. If the available make-up days/times do not work out with your schedule, and you have that fifth free lesson remaining, that fifth lesson will be considered your make-up lesson. Otherwise, the lesson you’re unable to make will be forfeited. There are no refunds for missed lessons.

·        Recurring no-shows may result in your scheduled lessons being dropped

·        On-the-fly lessons are scheduled per the instructor’s availability

Payments:

·        Lesson payments are due the first lesson of every month, before your scheduled lesson time

·        Missed lessons will not be refunded

·        On-the-fly lessons are to be paid before your lesson, not after

Instruments and Literature:

It is the student’s responsibility to bring their own instrument(s), in good working order. We do not loan out or have instruments available for rent. Additional materials may be required as per the teacher’s request and are the student’s responsibility to bring. We do have materials available for purchase.