The advantages of taking lessons online are pretty obvious to most people by now. You may not know that most of the disadvantages have been overcome with more user-friendly video conferencing technology and more reliable high-speed connections.

I'm making the transition to online lessons because I believe the time is right. People are comfortable with the technology, and video conferencing is catching on.

Because of my savings in time and gas (not to mention yours), I can provide quality lessons online at a competitive price.

And don't worry about what time it is here in Houston. I'm prepared to accomodate nearly any hour of the day or night, my schedule permitting.

Value Added Options

Along with your lesson you have a choice between two 'Value Added Options.' This is included with your lesson. There's no extra charge.

[1] I'll give you a two-week guest account to my beginner's practice video library, or

[2] I'll produce three short practice videos especially for you, based on whatever you want to cover for that lesson. **

** Please note I can't do videos of parts from songs, but I can demonstrate them in the lesson. Also, you can record the lesson from your end onto your computer.

I am available (Houston time) most weekday mornings. Also Monday and Tuesday afternoons. Weekend times vary week to week depending on my band performance schedule. I'm also available until late on weekday evenings.

Please contact me by email for specific times.

Please contact me by email and have a confirmed lesson time before you make a payment. Use the 'Contact' button in the top right corner of this page to send me an email. You don't have to open your email, but please include your email address, or I have no way to get back with you.

My standard rate for online lessons is $35 for 45 minutes, and this includes one of your 'Value Added Options,' either two weeks access to the practice video library, or 3 custom practice videos. The practice videos are each very short, and are intended to be looped to create a useful play-along.

Paypal will show your payment going to 'Greg's Guitar Lessons.' HoustonGuitar is a part of Greg's Guitar Lessons.

I'm Greg Varhaug, and if you're reading this you've probably seen my videos on Youtube. I'm a full-time musician and music instructor in Houston, Texas. I also teach locally at ABC School Of Music.

I've been helping people learn to play their favorite songs on the guitar for more than fifteen years. You'll see from the start that I have a different approach from most other teachers.

I teach all levels of students, from beginner to advanced. I have special materials prepared for beginning students which are included in the lessons.

My emphasis is almost completely on hand-conditioning and ear-training. That adds up to the ability to play with recorded or live music in real time from start to finish. And it produces an outlook on music and your relation to it that's different from traditional methods.

The ability to understand what you hear directly in terms of your instrument gives you a freedom that most musicians don't experience. Most musicians can't approach a piece of music unless someone has prepared a written arrangement to tell them how to play it.

Playing by ear frees you from that, and there's absolutely no mystery about how it is done or how to learn to do it. It comes very naturally from observing a few examples. I've been teaching people how to do this for years, and I can probably teach you.

Regarding my policies

Lessons are scheduled individually, by email. There's no obligation to take future lessons, or to pay for lessons in blocks.

I wont charge you for missing a lesson. On no account will I take money for a lesson you don't receive.

I can legally demonstrate and discuss copyrighted songs in online lessons, the same way I can in my live lessons. I can write tabs on copyrighted materials, and I can send them over the net.

Just to be clear about the copyright stuff, I can show you any song you want, as many times as you want during the lesson. I can make short practice videos showing variations and related techniques used on specific songs.

**I cannot legally make you a separate practice video demonstrating a part from a specific song.** Regardless of what people are doing on Youtube or at other sites, synchronization rights are needed to distribute any copyrighted song within a video of any kind, whether for education or entertainment.

I'm sorry to say my only language is English. I work with several teachers who are very fluent in Spanish, and I can put you in touch with them. I'm able to correspond in Spanish.