Upcoming Camps, Group Classes & Singalongs

Alabama Folk School

From Scratch Weekend, March 18-20, 2022

  • Introductory/Beginner course: “Acoustic Guitar: Meet The Rhythm Machine” featuring two days of workshops for the guitar newbie. Friday night through Sunday early afternoon. Your fingers will forgive you.

Mars Hill University

Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week, June 5-10, 2022

  • Early Intermediate Old Time Guitar course: “A New Approach to Old Time Guitar,” plus a one hour workshop on effective vocal exercises — “Ready, Set, Sing!”  Also, a daily one-hour class for beginners (see the description above in Alabama Folk School’s From Scratch weekend). A whole week of traditional music bliss.

Lessons in the Home or Online

Susie Coleman gives music lessons at her home in Pegram, Tennessee, and via Zoom, Skype or Facetime. She will also bring lessons to your home for an extra $5 per lesson if you live nearby. If you home school your children, Susie can provide a program to teach them to sing and play using traditional children’s songs. Email her to request lessons.

Beginner Guitar

We start with the basics of playing the guitar. You will learn how to:

  • hold, string, and tune your guitar
  • understand rhythm and pitch
  • read and use a time signature
  • play simple melodies while reading music
  • play steadily with your strumming hand
  • smoothly play commonly used chords in standard keys
  • how to identify chord structure patterns of simple songs
  • how to use a capo

30 minute sessions:  Single lesson: $30  Series of four: $100
50 minute sessions:  Single lesson: $45  Series of four: $150

Rhythm Guitar for Singers

This course is for women and girls who have had a little experience with a guitar and want to put it to use. You will learn:

  • chord families for all major singing keys
  • how to maintain a steady beat
  • how to understand time and play in different “feels”
  • how to hear and walk simple bass lines
  • how to choose the right key for your voice
  • how to read and write a chord chart
  • how to use the Nashville Number System
  • how to construct simple but interesting arrangements
  • lots and lots and lots of songs

30 minute sessions:  Single: $30  Series of four: $100
50 minute sessions:  Single: $45  Series of four: $150

Ready-Set-Sing!

This is a three-part workshop to help you become a stronger, more in-control singer. Susie explains simple but effective warm-up exercises that will help you maintain outstanding pitch and sustain, and all the air you will ever need every time you sing. It’s a progressive study for men and women who love to sing and would like more confidence, accuracy and power in their performance.

Week 1

  • The importance of warming up more than your voice
  • The order of attention: timing, pitch, air control
  • Taking care of your vocal chords
  • How to clear and stretch your resonance chamber
  • Body breathing: exercises to build and conserve air
  • How to practice: intervals and scales
Week 2
  • Exercises to improve pitch
  • Exercises to control volume
  • Study: soft tones vs. hard tones
  • Find your starting note from a guitar chord
Week 3
  • Review progress with scales exercise and pitch accuracy
  • More exercises for singing with better precision and expression
  • What is your range?
  • How to hold a microphone
  • Create a personal 10-minute warm-up routine.

One two-hour session followed by two one-hour sessions: $200

Bring a friend: 10% off each student with multiple student discount.

Lesson Appointments

You can email Susie to schedule a lesson. Please arrive on time. Sessions are meant to be 25-30 minutes long (kids) or 45-50 minutes long (adults), starting on at the scheduled appointment time. Please come prepared to make your next appointment at the end of each session.

Payment Policy

Payment for lessons is due in advance, by cash or check. Payment can also be made by debit or credit card at Paypal.com. Advance payments are non-refundable.

Rescheduling a Lesson

To build on what you learn, each session should follow another in a timely fashion. Momentum is particularly important in the process of learning to play a musical instrument. Putting too much time between lessons can interfere with your progress. However, we understand that sometimes things happen beyond your control. Rescheduling requires a minimum of 24 hours advance notice. Please do not ask to reschedule more than one lesson out of each four lesson series.

Missed Lessons

Missed appointments without an attempt at rescheduling will result in forfeiture of payment for the scheduled session.