One-on-One
Music Lessons
Start playing today with live
in-store or online lessons
It’s Easy to
Get Playing
Pick
Your Plan
Select what instrument you want to learn with in-store or online lessons
Choose Your
Preferences
Tell us what days & times work best for your lessons
Select an Instructor
& Check Out
Choose from a list of expert instructors and schedule your first 30- or 60-minute lesson
Pick
Your Plan
Select what instrument you want to learn with in-store or online lessons
Choose Your
Preferences
Tell us what days & times work best for your lessons
Select an Instructor
& Check Out
Choose from a list of expert instructors and schedule your first 30- or 60-minute lesson
Spotlight
On Our
Expert
Instructors
We’ve got thousands of talented and experienced musicians across the country teaching in-store and online. Explore some of them here.
Corey
Corey grew up playing piano and guitar, and is earning his master’s in musicology at Cal State Long Beach while working with the Santa Barbara Symphony.
Loren
Loren has toured internationally as a classical ensemble member, has awards from the IMA and NAACP, and mixed records for Grammy-winning artists.
Dave
Playing since 13, Dave is trained in pop, opera and rock, and composes his own music. He has a music industry studies degree from Cal State Northridge.
Maryam
An award-winning Iranian American composer/performer/producer, Maryam has performed in international festivals and holds degrees from Cal Arts.
Learn How You Can Get Playing
Contact us below or call 866-761-0244.
It's More Than
Just
Learning
to Play
Gain Confidence
Our expert instructors will be there every step of the way to support you in setting goals and overcoming obstacles. They'll encourage you as you progress and become more confident in your playing.
Improve Your Skills
Whether you're a beginner or more advanced player, taking music lessons can help you perform better in other areas of life. We personally tailor our learning programs for every skill level.
Express Yourself
Playing music is our passion. We have thousands of music instructors across the country who can help you cultivate your own identity and build the necessary skills to pursue your passion for a lifetime.
What People
Are Saying
About
Lessons
"The lessons are tailored to what my daughter wants to play, which keeps it interesting and enjoyable. Remote lessons have not slowed down her progress one bit."
– Andrew W., parent | Bass, Bloomington, MN
"My son and daughter take piano lessons and thoroughly enjoy these lessons. Not only do they love the lessons, but they now take hour-long lessons at their request."
– Kim T., parent | Piano, Medford, OR
"In about two weeks, [Guitar Center] went from, 'Sorry, lessons are temporarily closed,' to booking the next two weeks for my daughter in Zoom. From my family to the [Guitar Center] family in the Carle Place, NY location … thank you!"
– Steve L., parent | Guitar, Carle Place, NY
"We keep coming because of the talented teachers—they are real musicians who see my son as a musician. He isn't just learning an instrument, he is learning a craft."
– Eva C., parent | Guitar, Bellingham, WA
"I just wanted to sing Russ' praises and let you know I'm really enjoying my lessons with him. He also has such vibrant energy, which is really motivating for a beginner."
– Brittany K., student | Keyboard, Houston, TX
"My son has learned how to read music during his drum lessons. His instructor is patient, motivating and makes it fun. The lesson is a blend of current songs, technique training and music theory geared to grow kids into lifetime musicians."
– Jennifer T., parent | Drums, Northridge, CA
"My son has loved taking guitar lessons at Guitar Center for the past three years. He has such a knowledgeable and educated instructor who has taught him not only to play songs, but also chords, modes, scales and theory. It has been a joy to see my son develop into such an engaged guitar player."
– Missy S., parent | Guitar, Glendora, CA
"Thanks to Guitar Center for their Zoom lesson program. Genius idea! The instructor is awesome and Kenzie loved her first official lesson"
– Colleen P., parent | Guitar, Valley Forge, PA
Check Out
Our
Lessons
Open House
Meet our instructors and
preview our programs
that’ll get you playing
Learn What
You Want,
When You
Want
Our program isn’t
one-size-fits-all
Our expert music instructors will structure your program based on your individual goals and the style of music you want to play. We’ll make sure you’re on the path to learning what you want at your own pace.
Our Top Picks to Get You Playing
Frequently Asked Questions
The Guitar Center Lessons Experience
We offer live, one-on-one lessons on guitar (electric and acoustic), bass, drums, piano and DJ, online and in-store. At select locations, we offer lessons for orchestral stringed instruments and brass & woodwind instruments. We also offer singing lessons, currently available online only.
Each instructor customizes lessons to ensure you are learning what you like and having fun. Your instructor will start you slowly, introducing new concepts each week, plus give you exercises or easy songs to play to keep you learning at home.
Our flexible curriculum allows students of all skill levels to experience growth. We help create a foundational understanding of music theory through the style of music you want to play. Our instructors will work to understand your goals and passions, and make sure you are on the path to learning what you want at your own speed.
30-minute lessons allow young or beginner students to learn the basics of the instrument and start playing songs. 60-minute lessons are ideal for more advanced students looking to progress faster and focus on the finer points of technique.
This varies by age and the type of goals the student has set out to achieve. However, most new students usually spend 15–30 min. practicing daily, while advanced students can practice for an hour or more each day in between lessons.
Learning an instrument is an enriching and rewarding experience that creates lifelong benefits, including increased self-esteem and the boosting of memory. Additionally, benefits for school-age individuals can include improved coordination, the expanding of social skills, and higher scores in math, reading and language.
Yes. We record all of our lessons for the safety of our students and instructors, and to monitor for quality control.
Important Message Regarding the Recording of Online Lessons
Parents and guardians: If you are signing your child up for online lessons, please read this first. Guitar Center takes the safety of students and instructors very seriously, which is why our online lessons are recorded.
The recordings, which may capture the voice and image of your child, are stored using Zoom's Cloud recording service and are only accessible to authorized Guitar Center employees. Neither students nor instructors have access to the recordings.
Recordings are temporarily stored by Zoom to ensure the safety of both students and instructors and are not used or shared for any other purpose.
To proceed, we will need your consent to record your child's lessons through Zoom. By completing the payment, you consent to this recording.
For more information about Zoom's privacy practices, visit here. See Guitar Center's complete privacy policy here.
What do you do with our recorded lessons?
We only use the recordings for safety and quality monitoring purposes. Recordings will not be used for marketing purposes or any other use. We do not provide those recordings to anyone—students, instructors or the public. Only approved Guitar Center employee administrators have access to the recordings.
How do you secure the recordings?
The recordings are encrypted and stored in a secured location that is only accessible by approved Guitar Center employee administrators.
Our Expert Instructors
To make sure you're finding the best possible match, we let you choose your instructor. Based on your interests, preferences and schedule, we'll curate a list of expert instructors. If at any point, you'd like to change instructors, let us know. Our weekly monitoring of progress and wide-ranging curriculum means you can switch to any of our qualified instructors, or another instrument, without missing a beat.
We've carefully selected the most qualified and well-respected instructors, ensuring a great fit for those who are just learning to play, as well as those who want to advance their skills. Beyond having celebrated careers, our instructors are personable, patient and well educated, often with advanced degrees in music from renowned music schools. All of our instructors are required to pass through detailed training and a background check.
Billing & Payment
Pricing for lessons will vary depending on your location. (NOTE: Pricing for in-store and online lessons is the same.) Click here to search by ZIP code, city or state.
When you purchase lessons, you pay for your first month, which is equal to four lessons. After that, you'll be billed every four weeks via an auto billing system called EZPay.
When you purchase lessons, you'll be billed for the first month, or first four lessons. After that, EZPay will automatically charge your credit card every four weeks, adding four classes to your account.
The EZPay automatic billing system provides a hassle-free way to guarantee your lessons continue on a weekly basis, and that you're able to get the schedule that works best for you. Continuing to take lessons on a weekly basis will also help you keep progressing.
In order to see results, we recommend trying at least one full month of lessons. Learning a new skill takes time. If you decide to continue, you'll be automatically enrolled for the next month. If you are not satisfied, we can switch your instructor, change your schedule or cancel your account at any time.
Yes. If you have not taken a lesson in 90 days, those unused lessons will expire.
No. Lesson credits are non-refundable once purchased.
For more information, check out our terms and conditions page.
Scheduling
New students who purchase lessons online can schedule their monthly lessons at checkout. Current students can modify their upcoming lessons by calling their local Lessons location.
As long as you provide 24-hours notice that you need to reschedule your lesson, your unused lessons will remain on account. Unused lessons will expire after 90 days.
When you set up your student account and profile at guitarcenter.com, you will be able to access our online Lessons Scheduler to view your lessons account history, lessons schedule and launch your online lessons.
To cancel or reschedule a lesson at no cost, you must provide at least 24 hours prior written notice. We will reschedule your lesson subject to instructor availability. If you do not show up for a lesson or provide adequate notice, you will be charged for the missed lesson. Bonafide emergencies are handled on a case-by-case basis.
Getting Started
Start by filling out our online form to tell us a bit about what you're interested in learning, whether you prefer to learn online or in-store, and the day and time that'll work best for your lessons. After that, you'll get a list of expert instructors, and you'll choose the one who best fits your interests. Then, you can schedule your first lesson and check out.
If you scheduled your lessons at checkout, you'll receive an email confirmation with details to prepare you for your lessons. If you selected to schedule your lessons later, the next step is for you to call or visit your store to schedule your lessons.
Online Lessons
We use a customized Zoom platform that's simple to use. This is a secure video conferencing tool. Once you schedule your lesson, you'll receive a link via email one to two hours before your lesson starts. You can also join directly from the Student Portal via your guitarcenter.com account.
You don't need a Zoom account to get started with our online lessons.
No download is required to get started with online lessons, unless you are using a mobile device, in which case you will need to download the Zoom app.
You will need to have an instrument for your online lessons. You can shop the world's greatest selection of gear at guitarcenter.com, or call one of our Gear Advisers at 877-687-5403 and we'll help you find the instrument that's right for you.
You will need a computer or mobile device with a microphone, camera and stable internet connection.
While you do not need special audio equipment to take online lessons, we do recommend that you turn on "High Fidelity Audio mode," which can be found within the advanced audio settings for Zoom.
We recommend having materials, such as a pencil, sheet music and metronome ready, if you have them. Prepare your room to be as well lit, quiet and distraction-free as possible. Adjust your webcam or mobile device so that your instrument is visible, with your speakers turned to a reasonable volume.
Log in to your guitarcenter.com account, click on "My Lessons," then "Online Lessons," and you can find the link there. If you need additional help, please reach out to your local Guitar Center.
No, we will make sure to reschedule your lesson without penalty.
As a licensed enterprise Zoom customer, we access Zoom's secure global data centers, providing enhanced security and controls beyond what's provided through free publicly available Zoom accounts. A unique password-protected link is provided for every lesson—available only to the instructor and the student. Only an instructor can start a lesson and admit a student from the Digital Waiting Room. Lessons are locked as soon as they start. The instructor is the only one who can share a screen and can immediately expel anyone, in the highly unlikely event an unwanted guest gets in. We have locked down file-sharing capability to "OFF" so no one can share a file during a lesson.
In-Store Lessons
We have a wide range of instructors teaching in safe, modern learning facilities located conveniently within our Guitar Center retail locations. There are cameras in each Lesson studio so you can monitor your child's progress from the waiting room or lobby.
Students learning guitar or bass will need to bring their instrument to their in-store lessons. For students taking drum, piano or DJ lessons, they'll be able to use the instruments provided in the Lessons studio. Just make sure to bring anything else you'll need for your lesson, like drum sticks.
Bring your instrument, if you're learning guitar or bass. If you're learning electric guitar, we'll have an amp and cable onsite for you to use. Also bring any accessories you'll need, like sticks for drum lessons, guitar picks and sheet music, and a pencil and paper for taking notes.
An adult parent or guardian must accompany any student under 12 years of age upon arrival and departure from every lesson.
We want to keep you safe, so everyone (us too) will have to wear a face mask during in-store lessons, regardless of vaccination status.