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FUN FACTS
John's previous career in selling instruments to music stores across the country brought many famous encounters from LA to Nashville to Chicago. If your question starts with, "Have you ever met...?" then the answer is probably yes.
For 13 years John was a member of the beach band, 9th Row, and opened for major acts such as Four Tops, The Coasters, Chairmen of the Board, and The Drifters.
John is an avid comic book fan. He still purchases the latest comic books each week when they come out.
The son of Aerosmith's lead guitarist, Joe Perry, taught John to cook.
John has played in and directed the worship band at The Church at LifePark, Seacoast Church and Cathedral of Praise.
About John Smith
Since 1982, John Smith has been a fixture in the guitar community both locally and nationally. He is a well-known authority in music instruction and the instruments themselves. Besides being a full-time instructor, John still performs professionally, so he maintains relevant, real-world knowledge of the skills his students need to play in different environments.
The positive motivational approach that John takes with his students keeps them practicing and progressing each week. While students select their styles and even songs of choice, John breaks them down to fit the student's individual level of ability while still giving an appropriate challenge. In that way, each lesson is truly personalized.
It's not uncommon for any proficient guitar player to offer lessons as a side job, especially to beginners. What sets John apart is that he is a clasically trained professional musician with nearly 40 years of experience teaching beginner players to intermediate players to professional musicians. Teaching is his passion and full-time job, not just a side paycheck.
What all of that means for the student:
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they will be gaining real-world music skills to be able to play in many different environments
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the student is on a direct path to meet their goals, whether that is to become a professional musician, play in a local band, or simply share their musical talents with family and friends
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material is presented in an age- and skill-approriate manner to keep them engaged
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lessons begin and end on time so everyone's schedule is respected
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they can actually enjoy learning and developing their skills
what others say...
"I've always wanted to play the guitar. I've tried a couple of other instructors over the years, but nothing seemed to click for me. Now that I'm retired, I've decided to give formal instruction another go. I've only been working with John a couple of months but I've already learned more than I could have imagined! John just breaks it down for me and it makes perfect sense. He's very engaging with his instruction. I've heard him giving lessons to much more advanced students so I know he can help anyone regardless of their skill level or age. I highly recommend John's guitar instruction without reservation!"
- Bob W.
"John is the absolute best! My daughter has flourished with his teaching and has gone from not knowing how to play a note to playing entire songs on the guitar proficiently in the space of a couple months."
- Megan H.
"I have a lot of love for music and the guitar, and I am so glad I found a teacher who shares that love. Mr. John is knowledgeable and patient, and has been very accommodating with my schedule. If you're looking for lessons, this is the place!"
- Sydney L.
"I have been taking guitar lessons from John for over 2 years now and I can tell you he is an exceptional guitar player and has been a great guitar instructor! Learning to play the guitar can be frustrating, but he has made learning to play the guitar both fun and inspirational! He is very knowledgeable about music in general and has many interesting stories and fun facts to share about various bands, musicians, and songs when he is teaching me to play. Anytime there is a new song I want to learn, he can almost instantly listen to it by ear and teach me how to play it, which is great since I like so many different genres of music. If you are looking to learn to play the guitar, I would highly recommend taking lessons from John! You won't be disappointed."
- David I.
"My daughter has been taking guitar lessons with John for about three months now. We love how he brings in music of her interests as well as introducing her to other genres! We are extremely pleased with her progress and are excited to see her continue!"
- Precious P.
"Mr. Smith has been teaching my daughter music since she was 4.5 (2019). She started out with the ukelele and soon transferred over to guitar. He takes the time to understand what motivates your child and will customize their lessons accordingly. My daughter looks forward to each lesson and actively searches out what she has learned and wants to learn. In 2020 with the Covid-19 surge we switched to online learning and have since moved. We will continue to go to Mr. Smith for lessons as long as we can. Music brings joy into your life; he has brought joy into the lesson."
- Rae M.
"I have taken lessons with John Smith for about 7 years. He is the best. Super talented, very patient with his students. He is very good at focusing on what a student wants to learn, not just some strict curriculum, which keeps it fun for the student. He teaches all levels and all styles. I highly recommend John."
- Todd K.
"I've been taking lessons from John (off & on) for over 6 years. I was apprehensive and quite timid when I first started... John immediately put me at ease with a very welcoming and individualized approach.
He is very patient and will make sure you are comfortable before moving on to the next guitar skill. If you have a particular interest, he will help you with that area to make sure you are getting the most from your lesson.
I highly recommend John for lessons at any stage of your guitar exploration."
- Steve B.
"John is the best for any skill level. He is patient, but also pushes you to be your best. I highly recommend lessons with John to anyone of any skill level."
- Brian M.
"My son has been taking guitar lessons with John for over a year now. John is an excellent teacher and has a wonderful ability to engage with his students to make learning an instrument fun! My son was only seven years old when he began lessons and its remarkable to see how incredibly confident and happy he has become playing guitar. John tailors each lesson to fit the needs of his individual students and even takes into account the type of music the student likes, which makes it exciting for them to learn. We feel so fortunate to have found such a talented instructor right here in Mount Pleasant, SC."
- Kelley H.
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