Electric guitar lessons: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What electric guitar lessons is

An electric guitar teacher shows riffs, chords, scales and tone control, using an amplifier and sometimes effects, in styles from rock to blues. People book these lessons when they want to play lead lines or get a sound they hear on records, and when their amp setup is confusing.

Signs you need it

  • Your amp sounds thin or muddy and you cannot tell if the problem is the guitar or the settings
  • You can play scales but cannot turn them into a riff you can use in a song
  • You want to learn blues bends and vibrato for solos
  • You own pedals you do not understand and want to know which ones help
  • Your timing falls apart when you add distortion and speed up

What the pro does

  • Sets up a clean and a gain tone on your amp so you can hear each style properly
  • Teaches pentatonic and blues scales and how to use them in riffs
  • Shows palm muting and volume knob control to keep notes clean
  • Explains basic effects such as overdrive, delay and reverb and when each one helps
  • Works on bending and vibrato so your solo phrasing sounds natural

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • The styles you learn, such as rock, blues, metal or jazz
  • Teacher experience with lead playing and tone setup
  • Lesson length and how many lessons you take each week
  • Whether the teacher comes to your home or you travel to a studio
  • Amp, cable, pedal or picks you need to buy
  • Whether the lesson includes working with your own amp and effects

What a written quote should spell out

  • The number and length of lessons and whether they are private or shared
  • The styles and songs the plan covers
  • The cancellation and makeup policy for missed lessons
  • Whether the teacher uses your amp or theirs during lessons
  • Which gear you must buy yourself and which you can borrow

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Which styles do you teach, and which ones do you play best?
  • Can you help me set up my amp for clean and distorted tones?
  • Will you teach me to play riffs and solos from songs I like?
  • Which effects do you recommend for my style, and which ones can I skip?
  • If the student is a minor, do you run background checks, and what is your policy on parents in the room?
  • How do you keep practice volume at a level that will not damage my hearing?

Red flags

  • Pushes you to buy a new amp or a long list of pedals before any lesson
  • Teaches only one style of solo without asking what you want to play
  • Says tone comes only from expensive gear and cannot show you a change with your setup
  • Skips timing and clean technique to focus only on speed

What you can do yourself

You can check your cables, learn the open strings and a basic scale, and practice with the volume low enough to protect your hearing. Never open the amp or work inside it, since internal parts can hold a dangerous charge. Hire a teacher when you want to learn soloing, need help with amp settings, or keep losing timing at higher speeds.

Licenses and permits

No license is usually required to teach electric guitar lessons. Check with your state or local licensing agency if you are unsure whether a teaching business needs a registration.

Electric guitar lessons questions

Do I need an amp before my first lesson?

Yes, bring an amp you can plug into, along with a cable and your guitar. The teacher can tell you what to buy later if you want a different sound.

Do I need pedals to play electric guitar?

No. Many players start with the guitar and amp alone. Ask the teacher which effects fit your style before you spend money on them.

How do I book an electric guitar teacher on infinibell?

Describe the lessons you want, the styles you like and your level. Pick the teachers you want by name. Only the teachers you pick see your request, and it is free for you.

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer electric guitar lessons remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.

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