Transform Your  Guitar Playing in Just 90 Days… Even If you're a Total Beginner or have failed miserably in the past

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3 things to consider when choosing a guitar school:

1.

There’s a big difference between part-time teachers who teach as a side gig and full-time pros with a proven track record of getting incredible results for their students.

2.

For kids to win in music, two things must happen: 1) they must have fun and enjoy the experience; and 2) they must make progress quickly, so their motivation level stays high.

3.

Teaching the guitar and playing the guitar are two entirely different skill sets. Just because someone can play the guitar doesn’t mean they know how to teach it. The key is to find someone who can back up their pedagogy with their own skills. Most importantly, they must have a track record of success with students they’ve taught.

“Enrolling my daughter in SLC Guitar
was the best decision we ever made!”

“We had been looking for quite some time and trying different classes and browsing, until we met Preston. Our daughter had classes in the past with other teachers and schools, but we didn't see any progress... Since our first meeting with Preston, we were amazed how he had a different approach and was engaging and dedicated to teaching. Our daughter was so excited that she couldn't wait to start her first lesson.

“What makes Preston different from other teachers is that he makes it fun for kids and is such a great instructor with lots of approaches and ideas. She has been taking lessons for 3 months, and we are amazed at what she has learned and how her life is so affected with everything she has learned so far. She found herself in guitar! Watching her every time she comes home from class with so much excitement and motivation to do more makes us so happy. I can't wait to see what will be in the next 3 months.”

- Mirjana / Parent

An Open Letter to Parents

From: Preston Howard
Salt Lake City ,UT

Dear Parent,


Learning to play the guitar is such an exciting time in life for kids!


I still remember that day in 8th grade when my friend Brad brought his electric guitar to school to show off what he’d learned. He played the “Enter Sandman” intro by Metallica for us, and after he finished, I was stunned! It never occurred to me that was possible or that perhaps there was a chance I could learn to play my favorite songs too.


After that, I convinced my parents to let me buy my first guitar with the money I’d saved from harvesting potatoes (we lived in a little farming town in Idaho). Dad was skeptical at first because it wasn’t “traditional” like the acoustic guitar; however, he relented, and I got my first guitar, an Ibanez GRX 20 (see below). I couldn’t put it down, and it quickly overtook video games as my new favorite childhood obsession!

My first guitar from 8th grade. An Ibanez GRX 20.

Singing Kumbaya Songs with the
Lady in the Basement!


However, none of my family members were musical, so they looked for someone who could teach me. My mom found a lady who did lessons out of her basement....

She taught the lamest songs where she'd sing, and we'd play Kumbaya or "Mama Don't Allow." It was the worst! I was 15 years old and wanted to play rock and roll, but I thought, “Hey if this is what it takes, I'll do it.”


Over the years, I had 11 guitar teachers. I had everyone from stay-at-home moms, to college kids who thought they could teach because they played in bands, to hippies with really bad breath, to guys with big music degrees who would just show off the whole time! I even tried looking up stuff online, but it was all so confusing.


Long story short: thousands of dollars and hundreds of lessons later, I realized that most guitar teachers are not equipped to really train kids how to play correctly. This became even more apparent to me when I ran my first class as a substitute teacher years ago.


The shocking “substitute teacher” experience
that finally caused me to start my own school…


When I first moved to Salt Lake City, I made friends with a local guitar teacher. I let him know I wanted to pursue a career in music. Long story short: I ended up being a substitute teacher for him one day and was shocked at what I discovered...


… I realized every student I met with could barely do anything on the guitar, even though they’d been taking lessons for 2+ years!

​

They all had binders full of music sheets but could barely play a scale or any of the songs they had. They were still trying to remember their basic chords and were fumbling through simple riffs. After I explained and demonstrated what a scale is and what it’s used for, another teacher ran out of his lesson (leaving his student) and said, “DUDE, that is awesome!"


Wait, what? I was so confused... 


It really wasn't anything special, just some basic blues licks. I thought, shouldn't this be normal? I mean, aren't we supposed to be the "pros" here? 


Needless to say, I was never invited back, as the students began asking me for lessons... Thus, SLC Guitar was born.


Fast-forward nearly 8 years, and SLC Guitar is now one of the most sought-after schools in the greater Salt Lake City area. I’ve developed my own custom method that’s superior to what 98% of schools teach (more on that below)...


To learn more, click the button below to apply for a free consultation. I'd be happy to chat with you to see if you'd be a good fit for my school.


Sincerely,


Preston Howard

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Most all other guitar schools use one of these 3 methods

After working with 11 different instructors and working with 100s and 100s of students over the years who’ve had previous lessons, I have a very good idea of how "professional lessons" are taught.

Here's the breakdown:

1.

The Read-A-Book Method:  You show up for your "professional lessons," and the teacher literally helps you read a book. It’s slow and freaking boring. There’s no training your ear, no training on creativity, no learning the cool fun songs you want, and no training you how to play songs from memory. What are you going to do, run and grab your book when someone asks you to play a song? And then play “Blow Ye Gentle Winds” or some other lame song written 100 years ago? There’s such a disconnect for students (especially kids) who want to rock out on the guitar only to then get the most boring lessons ever. Progress is slow, practicing is boring, and most don’t stick with it for very long.

2.

The Show-Random-Songs Method:  In this method, you show up, and the “professional” teacher asks, "So, what song do you want to play?" Every week… It's like showing up for kindergarten, and the teacher asks the kids, "What do you want to learn today?" Can you imagine the randomness and the problems with the lack of structure? How could any sort of coherent learning take place? What most don’t realize (until it's too late) is years can go by and the student will still be a beginner. They never learned anything except how to play some songs. They are totally clueless on virtually everything except moving their fingers around. Yea, it’s more engaging than the boring read-a-book Method, but it’s really sad to see someone spend years trying to learn a skill and paying a “pro” to help but getting nowhere.

3.

The Whatever-Comes-To-Mind Method: This is the most common method used by teachers who are more advanced players. This is similar to the show-random-songs method, but instead of songs, its random musical concepts: scale patterns, arpeggios, triads, the modes, etc. You end up learning a bunch of musical “stuff,” but you don't really learn how to put it all together. It’s like first-graders learning college-level things, then off to 4th grade, then next week its 8th grade, then back to 1st. I know it seems like an exaggeration, but this has been my experience and observation.

Yes, some teachers are better than others. Most are also nice people, but due to their flawed approach to teaching guitar, most students ultimately fail to learn how to play the guitar and they are left thinking they weren’t good enough and that they lacked “natural talent” or some special gift, when really, the entire premise of the method being used set them up to fail.

What makes SLC Guitar totally different?

  • Gives your child the opportunity to “find themselves” in music. Many students have experienced life-changing transformations as they start to excel in a skill WAY beyond what is average, giving them a major boost to their self-esteem!
  • A well-organized, structured training program that’s designed to get students results quickly. It’s a proven process that’s guaranteed to work faster than any other method out there.
  • Adaptive learning that matches your child’s unique personality, learning style and experience. This is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Although we follow a specific process, we can also adapt it to meet the student’s unique learning style without throwing out the structure.
  • Gives guidance on how you, the parent, can help your kid succeed (even if you don’t know anything about guitar). Discover how to reinforce and support what your child is learning in class so they can get the most out of their home practice sessions.
  • Builds a rock-solid foundation that will be strong -- and deep -- enough to support a lifetime of learning (when kids don’t get this, they end up hitting a big plateau after a while, and they can’t seem to get better because so much was skipped).
  • Did you know there is a secret technique and training method that can easily get students playing extremely fast? This is how Milica, the 9-year-old girl in the above video, was able to play about 600 notes per minute after only 3 months of playing! There’s tons of guitar secrets like this that we'll train your kids on at SLC Guitar.
  • How to have a blast while also going after results. Kids learn how to take their training seriously but not to take themselves too seriously! They learn a valuable life lesson: you can have fun, enjoy the journey and be super competitive at the same time!
  • Lessons are held in a nice commercial location in a professional building surrounded by local shops (not in a stranger’s garage, basement or living room). Do some shopping, get your nails done, or get some work done in our waiting room with free bottled water and WiFi.
  • Get expert level feedback. Preston is a full time professional guitar teacher who has the knowledge and foresight to give the right advice at the right time. While most teaches will say, “just keep practicing” Preston will dissect the issue, give specific step by step instructions, so that your kid knows exactly what to do to win.
  • Learn songs very quickly. After 90 days, most students will be able to play the following: 12+ famous guitar riffs, 7 chords (and know what key they are in), 3 etudes and 2 full songs from memory! In this time, they’ll also learn basic music theory concepts (i.e., what rhythm is, how rhythm works, how to read 2 types of music notations and much more!). They'll even have written 2 to 3 short songs themselves!
  • Our school will help your child develop critical life skills, such as time management, organizational skills and goal setting. At the end of the day, we're going to reinforce the life skills you want your kid to have but through something they enjoy! Cool right?
  • A program that takes EVERYTHING into account such as Physical skills needed to play the guitar, KNOWLEDGE side (how music works) the emotional side (building confidence and keeping them motivated) and the creative side (learn to create like a mad musical scientist
  • Students learn advanced level learning techniques and are trained by learning experts. This is critical because a great method with poor learning techniques applied won’t work (e.g. it's common to have a kid leave after his first day with an entire 16 bar etude learned and memorized).
  • Guitar-Parent Training: Most parents aren’t guitar players, let alone guitar teachers, which means you probably aren’t quite sure how to help your kid succeed with guitar. We’ll help you understand what to do and how you can help. It’s actually pretty easy and hardly takes any time or effort, but it makes all the difference!
  • Exclusive access to our private online members area. So your kid can learn in an organized and approved way at home. They’ll have online access to tons of support materials to supplement what they do in class and not be expected to “figure it out” at home or look up amateur videos on YouTube.
  • Preston (owner of SLC Guitar) is a full time expert guitar teacher who is 100% dedicated to your kid's success. With over 5,000 hours teaching many satisfied clients and proof of taking students from 0 to high levels of playing, SLC Guitar is the guitar school that every parent wishes their child had.
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After just 90 Days, your child will know...

  • How basic rhythm works and ability to keep rhythm
  • 12+ famous guitar riffs
  • 7 + chords which key they are in and ability to change chords in time
  • 3 Etudes (Short songs from memory!)
  • 2 Full Songs
  • How to play 300+ notes per min (seriously!)
  • How to learn and memorize quickly
  • How to read 2 types of guitar music
  • and more!!

Oh yea, and they'll have written 2-3 songs of their own!

Is It Worth It? Ask These Parents & Students

My 9 yr old can't get enough... Preston and team really know their stuff

My son has been coming here for the past nine months and we have nothing but great things to say. He was a complete novice when he started. Now he has an extensive knowledge of riffs, etudes, chords... the list goes on and on. It is so exciting to watch his progress. He takes a particular liking to creating his own songs, an easy feat for him now because he learns music theory and composition along with amazing instruction on how to actually rock out. My 9 year old happily goes to TWO hours of guitar classes every week. It is NEVER a fight to get him to go to guitar. He actually keeps begging me to let him take MORE lessons a week, he cannot get enough. Preston and team really know their stuff and we are so glad to have found them.

Kari C.

He teaches guitar in a way that is fun and effective.

Our 11-year-old son has been taking lessons from Preston for 7 months now. He's never played the guitar before and I can hardly believe how fast he's learning and how good he's getting now, all thanks to Preston's teaching style, his dedication and his interest in each and every student's success. I am so glad we found Preston. He teaches guitar in a way that is fun and effective. If you want to learn in a fun, engaging and good-paced environment, you can't go wrong with SLC Guitar and Preston.

Paulina G.

Preston is an amazing teacher.

Preston is an amazing teacher. My daughter has learned so much the short time she has been taking lessons from him and we are so pleased we went with SLC Guitar for her lessons.

Cydne O.

We definitely recommend.

Preston is a great teacher and very knowledgable - he basically eats, sleeps and breaths guitar. This is reflected in his teaching. He cares very much about his student's progress, while maintaining a fun atmosphere for us to learn in. His classes are very organized and well-planned. He also has a student resource center which is helpful for slower learners like myself. We definitely recommend.

Cameron F.

I had previous lessons with another music school for about 5 years, and I really think Preston could have taught me everything they did in less than a year.

​I've been taking guitar lessons here for about 3 years, and my progress is unbelievable. I had previous lessons with another music school for about 5 years, and I really think Preston could have taught me everything they did in less than a year. Preston is the best guitar teacher you'll find anywhere near Salt Lake City. If you want to learn how to play guitar correctly and be creative with it, don’t look anywhere else.

Randy S. 

Andrew’s Timeline: Age 5 to 8

Andrew began taking lessons in 2016 at 5 years old. He works VERY hard, and we put together a timeline of his progress to demonstrate a few things he has learned.

Who Is SLC Guitar For?

​SLC Guitar is for students who want to learn guitar (the right way) in a fun, enjoyable atmosphere and excel. So, if you don’t want your kids to have fun and laugh as they learn, then this probably isn’t the place for you. And if you don’t want them to be pushed to excel, set goals and achieve them, then we probably wouldn’t be a good fit either.

However, this program is for you if…

  • Your child is new to guitar and you’re looking for a teacher who knows how to get results.
  • You want them to be in an atmosphere that’s both fun and challenging.
  • You’re looking for a guitar school that’s well-organized and structured.
  • You get excited about seeing your child develop new abilities!
  • You’re willing to commit to your child’s interests in guitar and support them.
  • You’ve tried other guitar teachers but weren’t happy with the results.

About Preston Howard

Preston Howard is a full-time professional guitar teacher and the owner of SLC Guitar. After working with 11 different guitar teachers over the years and studying music in college, he decided to start his own school based on a unique process known as The Complete Guitar Mastery Method.™ It’s proven to get results faster than the other three methods typically taught.


Preston has devoted 100% of his time and energy into his method. He spent 6 years as a member of an international network of guitar teachers and music school owners brainstorming the most effective methods, and he’s spent 1000s of hours developing and testing his own unique method known as The Complete Guitar Mastery Method.™


Now, with over 5,000 hours of face-to-face coaching under his belt, he’s learned how to break down complex concepts into simple, easy-to-digest lessons. His students say his method is unlike anything they’ve experienced before in that it’s very structured and organized (a rare trait among musicians) while also being fun and lighthearted!

When not helping his students learn the guitar, or improving the methods at SLC Guitar. Preston enjoys playing guitar himself, studying music, composing music, He also enjoys snowboarding, kickboxing and hiking.

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FAQs

We need help buying our first guitar. Can you help?

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We’ve tried music lessons before. How will this be any different?

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Click the button below to apply for a free consultation. After you submit your application, we’ll have a short phone call to get to know each other. If we feel like we’d be a good fit, then I’ll invite you and your child to come into the school for a free consultation.

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