Welcome and thanks for your interest in taking online lessons from me!
I offer private guitar lessons via Zoom to students living in or outside of my area of McDonough, GA. Actually, anywhere in the world.
For 35+ years, I’ve taught one-on-one, face-to-face private guitar lessons. Since live-streaming and video-conferencing technology has greatly improved over the last few years, I began to offer this option to aspiring guitar students who live far from my location. And just like in my in-person lessons, I endeavor to make my online lessons fun and productive as well. My available evening lesson slots are posted at my Lesson Openings page (link is also provided at the bottom of this page). I can also give daytime lessons during certain times upon request. Daytime lesson slots are not listed, details below.
In order to have the best experience with online lessons, please read all of the info below regarding my policies, pricing and how online lessons work. You’ll have the option to request to be contacted about starting your lessons by filling out the form at the bottom of this page. Thanks!
Lessons for Children to Adults – all levels:
I do teach children, but no younger than 13 years old for online lessons. I do teach 11 years old but that’s only for in-person lessons which are best suited for younger players. Many of my students are young adults to retirement age, from beginner to advanced.
Lessons are for an individual student and not group lessons. Lessons for more than one person must be slotted as separate individual lesson slots for each person and paid for as such.
How Online Lessons Work…
- Lessons will be given via Zoom – it’s a free download!
- The Zoom app is a free download from the App Store or Google Play if you’re using a smartphone or Ipad.
- If you’re using a laptop or desktop, sign up for Zoom to download for free here.
- Each week, you’ll get an email with the Zoom meeting (lesson) link which will launch when you click on the link.
You also need to need to have the following to participate in online lessons:
- A high-speed internet connection.
- PC or laptop with a webcam or…
- iPad or Smartphone with camera capability.
- Your own guitar for lessons and practice.
- A well-lit area, free of distractions and noise to do your online lesson.
- Printer to print lesson material emailed to you for you to practice.
Online Lesson Rate & Details
- I’ll Save You Money! The average cost for private lessons at a local music store is $30 – $35 per 1/2 hr. My lessons are $20 – $30 less per month than what your local music store will charge you.
- My Guitar Lessons are Weekly for 30-minute and will only be $25 per lesson (paid by the month) for the same time slot each week. A typical 4-lesson month from me will be only $100 (instead of paying $140 per month at your local music store). If there’s a 5th lesson week, it would be $125 total for the month. Weekly lessons are the BEST way for any student who wants to progress steadily and quickly. That being said, I don’t offer to do any bi-weekly lessons.
- This is a month-to-month commitment and is prepaid to reserve your spot for the month. I have available time slots during the daytime hours as well as a few weeknight slots. All of my available slots are posted below.
- Lesson(s) must be prepaid each month through CashApp, PayPal, Venmo or Zelle for the full month’s lessons. Lessons will not be given if they’re unpaid.
- There is no refund for unused lessons; for example, if a student decides not to show up or discontinues before the month’s lessons are taken. Payment is made to reserve the time slot for the whole month. I’ve only had that happen once in my 35+ years of teaching but it needs to be stated.
Paying for Your Lessons and Due Dates
Your online lesson payment must be prepaid each month prior to the lesson. Payment is due the last week of the month for the following month’s lessons, or no later than the week of your lesson but it must be prior to the lesson at least 24 hours. Lessons are paid a month-at-a-time which reserves your slot for the month. Example: lesson is due the last week of October to pay for November’s lessons or no later than 24 hours before the first lesson for the month. Lessons may be paid by either CashApp, PayPal, Venmo or Zelle. There is no refund for unused lessons.
Holidays, Cancelled, & Missed Lessons
Holidays: There are no lessons during holidays. Lessons that fall on a Holiday (Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, & New Year’s Day) are not charged.
Teacher-Cancelled Lessons: If I cancel lessons due to sickness, emergency or conflicting event, I will schedule a make-up for the student or credit the money if it can’t be worked out in that month or the month following the lesson.
School Breaks (Fall Break, Winter Break, etc.): I teach during the school breaks since I am running a private business. Only a percentage of my students are in school, many of my students are adults. If you are planning on going out of town for a school break, please let me know so that we can plan for that opening and work out a make up lesson.
Missed or Cancelled Lessons: If a student needs to cancel a lesson, I’ll work to give make up lessons for those missed sessions, if there is an available opening. I require at least 24-hours advanced notice if a lesson will be missed. That gives me enough time to schedule another student to use the missed slot for a make-up. I can’t guarantee that everyone will get a make-up lesson in the same month since it will depend on available slots, but I’ll do my best. Make-up lessons will not be given without sufficient advanced notice (i.e. cancelling just prior to the lesson is not sufficient notice).
If a lesson needs to be missed because of illness, please give me the courtesy of contacting me prior to the lesson as early as possible. In some instances, I’ll offer a make-up lesson. If the student is a no show without any notice of the missed lesson, I still have to charge for that time. I do not offer make up lessons if there is a no show for a lesson. Much can be worked out if I get some notice of the missed lesson.
If a student cancels lessons for a month or more with the desire to resume afterward, that student’s time slot cannot be reserved without payment for the unused time and will be opened up as an available time slot to be sold. The student is always free to check back for any available time slots when they intend to resume lessons. However, the student can reserve their time slot for the month if they pay that missed month’s lesson tuition even though no lessons will be taken during that time. Tuition will need to be paid again when lessons are to be resumed.
Missed Make-up Lessons: If a make-up lesson is missed without sufficient advanced notice (24 hours in advance) so I have the opportunity to schedule someone else for a make-up in that slot, then the make-up is lost. Missing scheduled make-up lessons without advanced notice & expecting another one, is not fair to other students who are waiting for an open slot to do a make-up lesson. If you feel you’ll have a schedule conflict with a make-up lesson, please give me the courtesy of advanced notice and I’ll be more than happy to re-schedule another time that would be more convenient to your schedule.
Avoiding losing Your Lesson Slot: Please note that I do reserve the right to drop the student without notice and give the slot away without a refund, even though they may have paid for the lessons. The following 3 reasons explain how a slot can be lost and how you can avoid this:
- Multiple No-Shows: When a student misses 2 or more lessons without notifying me of the missed lessons, I will drop them from the schedule even though they have paid lessons left in the month. I justify this because in my mind, I’ve been left with the impression that the student dropped the class & will not return.
- No-Show on the first lesson of the month: When a student is a no-show on the 1st lesson of the month without prior notification when the month’s tuition is due, the student is dropped and the lessons are given to someone else. Payment is due on the last lesson of the month (for the following month) and no later then the first lesson of the month.
- Non-Payment of Lessons: When a student does not pay for the lesson by the 1st lesson and at the 2nd lesson still has no payment, the student will be dropped at the 2nd lesson.
Please extend to me the courtesy of a call, email, or text message in advanced to let me know if a lesson will be missed. Lessons cancelled with last minute notification are not given make-ups, so advanced notification is much appreciated.
If a student is planning to drop from lessons, I ask to be notified ahead of time so I have time to notify the people on my waiting list to fill the slot.
Available Openings for Online Lessons:
All available lesson slots are posted on my Lesson Openings page and are listed as Eastern Time Zone. These are current openings and updated whenever there’s a change. Lessons are 30 minutes long but I can do hour lessons if I have an available back-to-back slot. The cost for 60-minute lessons are double the price of the 30-minute rate. If you see a convenient time slot that you’d like to have at my Lesson Openings page, you can request lessons for that time slot by filling out a short form at my Contact Me page, Link is also below Or feel free to contact me directly using the info below.
Questions or Requests?
If you still have questions, or would like to contact me directly about signing up for lessons, please contact me at 678-233-7728 (call or text) or feel free to E-mail Me at jimcruzmusic@duck.com with your questions, I do respond .
Ready to Sign Up for Online Lessons?