Sonora Guitar Intensive

[fwellers]

Hi. Has anyone ever gone through the Sonora Guitar Intensive courses, or know anything about them?
It's pretty expensive and seems like a big commitment. Wondering how good it is and it it can lead an old fart to keyboard fluency.
Thanks,
Floyd

[Deliberate1]

I had not heard of them, so visited their website which, lacks detailed content revelaing their actual instructional approach, other than stating that a student will have access to a "mentor," and that a student's needs will be addressed on an individual basis. I am not sure how that appraoch differs from a conventional private lesson model, other than the "unlimited" accessibility part, though the term is not defined. Oh, and the promise that their program "condences years of study" into "months."

I saw no information regarding cost other than "Pricing depends on your educational needs, apply for a quote." Their questionaire also states (or cautions) "Sonora Guitar Intensive is a financial investment in your growth as a musician. Are you willing (and able) to invest in getting the help necessary to achieve your goals on the instrument?" And it goes on to ask if you currently possess the "resources" for the tuition, or can be "resourceful" in finding the funds, or have "access to invest" in their program.

And they surely imply that one must undergo a vetting process to be accepted into their program.

Sounds, umm, pricey....

Floyd, do you have any more information than that is not presented on their website?

David

[fwellers]

Hi David,
I don't have much info. I searched, maybe in this forum and I think I found some that say it's about $1500 for tuition,, but not sure how long ago that was.
I filled out one of their questionnaires and they've been emailing and texting me ever since.
The last 3 days they've been sending me videos that explains their training methods and theories behind them.
Saying the major scale gives you the most bang for the buck, learning it inside out. How they use special repetitive intervals to help you remember longer. Lots of stuff. Too much to try and remember and describe.
It sounds like it could be put to good use but it's a big commitment. I'm not sure how much of it is just sales hype.
Supposedly it's a world class learning platform and they have at least 40 employees etc.. Justifying their high prices.
I just want some real people who took the course to talk about it before I plunk down that much.
Thanks for checking it out to try and find out for me.

[Railroad Bum]

I would just take lessons from somebody. That Sonora outfit seems way, way overpriced.

[davidbeinct]

They are selling a magic bullet without a lot of clarity about what goes into it. Spaced repetition and learning the major scale is surely worthwhile, but you can find a teacher to guide you through that.
I was in a lot of contact with the a year or so ago and they did give me access to some student contact information through their social media presence. The one person I discussed it with who had actually paid for and been through the course said he guessed it was okay. Not the rousing endorsement I wanted to hear to shell out that kind of money.
They get very pushy once you express an interest but eventually back off when it’s clear you are not going to buy their services.
Bottom line it’s not a scam in that you do get what you pay for but you pay a lot for it and it’s not necessarily a game changer.

[b1j]

Sonora Guitar Expensive.

[fwellers]

Originally Posted by davidbeinct

They are selling a magic bullet without a lot of clarity about what goes into it. Spaced repetition and learning the major scale is surely worthwhile, but you can find a teacher to guide you through that.
I was in a lot of contact with the a year or so ago and they did give me access to some student contact information through their social media presence. The one person I discussed it with who had actually paid for and been through the course said he guessed it was okay. Not the rousing endorsement I wanted to hear to shell out that kind of money.
They get very pushy once you express an interest but eventually back off when it’s clear you are not going to buy their services.
Bottom line it’s not a scam in that you do get what you pay for but you pay a lot for it and it’s not necessarily a game changer.

Thank You. I think I'll just duck and let this pass. :-)
Appreciate the feedback.

[Huskyman]

Billy Strings is in the program.

https://youtu.be/yLbnfEOsnEg?si=_m2USrcmU2TSxDCm