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Free guitar lessons for veterans and first responders in the north Georgia area.
Fridays, 2-ish hours, from noon to 1400. Stop by for ten minutes, half an hour, whatever you need.
You don't need to be at any particular stage of your guitar playing journey. We can work on whatever you want / need - this is all about you. More info on the questions page.
Clarkesville Library (website) (map). 178 East Green Street, Clarkesville, GA 30523
Let me know if you're planning on stopping by. I'd love to hear from you.
Next Lesson
Next lesson date is January 23, 2026
Cleveland / Sautee / Helen / Clarkesville area, north Georgia
Questions
I don't have two hours to spare
Nor would I expect you to. I have created a two hour slot where you can come by for ten minutes, half an hour, whatever you have to pick up some one-on-one time, hints, tips, maybe you have a broken string that needs some attention, maybe you're working on a particular campfire or church song. It's all good. The two hours is so that everyone gets some time with me during that period.
You don't need to make an appointment.
I will always recommend helping out your fellow guitarist if you can. If you know some basic chords and a complete beginner needs a little attention - jump in! We're all in this together.
What if I don't want to to learn the stuff in the textbook?
I wouldn't want anything to get in the way of you and your music. If you'd rather work on something else, we can absolutely do that instead. Everyone is different and so are their needs and wants.
I've never played before!
Not a problem! Beginners are always welcome!
What do I need to have / bring?
- You'll need an acoustic guitar (steel strings - not a nylon stringed classical). Nothing fancy - you can pick up a brand new Rogue or Jasmine from Guitar Center for under $100. I can always help you pick one out if you need help. I can also do a setup for you to make playing as smooth and easy as possible.
- If you're a complete beginner the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 is pretty good. It's certainly not a requirement, though.
- A guitar pick or two will probably come in handy :-)
- It's a good idea to have a tuner, too. These come in all shapes and sizes (and prices!). You could also get a tuner app on your phone.
- Playing in time is very important! Many people get by just tapping (or stomping, if you really need to) their foot. Eventually you might want to look into a metronome (or a drum machine if you're so inclined). There's plenty to choose from in the app store for your phone if you prefer. Playing a few wrong notes in time is usually better than playing the right notes out of time :-)
How long are the lessons?
I aim to be available for two hours every Friday, from noon until 2pm. I'll just hang out and see what, if anything, happens. I'll split my time as best as I can between whomever turns up. If we end up with too many people for me to handle, we'll have to come up with a plan B together, heh.
If you've been playing a while and you see a beginner struggling a little - lend a hand!
Please try to limit your visit to an hour (give or take) to keep it fair for all. If it's a slow day, stick around! It's all good :-)
How long is the program?
The Hal Leonard book can be covered in roughly fifteen weeks / lessons (if you put the effort in and do your homework). At that point you should be easily able to play over 100 songs! Whether we're using the book or not I don't see any reason why there needs to be a limit - if you keep turning up I'm pretty sure I can come up with something for us to do. If more students arrive I'd love for you to pay it forward and help out - teach while you're learning. Benefits all of us. We're in it together! :-)
What about advanced stuff? Theory?
If you have the inclination, I've got the info!