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Music By Sarah

  • About
  • Reviews
  • Blog/FAQ
  • Practice Tips
  • Tuition
  • Studio Policies
  • Contact

Engaging, holistic online piano, songwriting, & guitar lessons for students ages 8+ with a focus on adult beginners!

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Hi! I'm Sarah of Music By Sarah. I look forward to joining you on your musical journey! I'm a professional touring singer/songwriter, part of the guitar tech crew at Jake Wildwood, and I teach beginner to intermediate online music lessons with a focus on adult beginners for guitar, piano, songwriting, and general music. I love bringing my real-world performance experience to the online classroom and creating a fun, engaging, and relevant musical space for all students. 

We might be a good match if you're: 
-Excited and enthusiastic about learning music 
-Ready to challenge yourself with new skills 
-Willing to trust the process and follow guidance 
-Dedicated to practice outside lessons (5 minutes a day is fine to start!) 
-Looking to have fun while learning!

My studio schedule is often full or nearly full. If we're unable to find a spot right away, I'll be happy to add you to my waiting list!

I specialize in beginner online guitar lessons (ages 8+) and beginner online piano lessons (ages 8+). As an award-winning songwriter and performer, I also offer songwriting and music theory lessons as well as general music, audition prep, music appreciation, active listening, and performance coaching for all ages and levels. During the early months of 2020 I made the switch to teaching fully online and have decided to continue permanently as a 100% virtual music lesson studio to connect with students around the world!

I'm passionate about supporting women and girls in music, and I LOVE working with adult beginners (and those beginning again!) - we were all there once! From my first guitar student in 2008, I've enjoyed sharing my love of music with students around the world with online music lessons. For younger students, I strive to be both the teacher and the adult I wish had been available to me as a young musician with big dreams. And for adults, my role is like an accountability partner and cheerleader to help you reach your goals! My virtual studio is LGBTQ+ friendly and all students (and families!) are welcome here. 

I am also a cancer survivor: in spring 2024 I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer which completely changed my life. I had to step back from performing full-time for multiple surgeries and radiation treatment. As of summer 2025, I am now as close to cancer-free as I will ever be, and my voice feels stronger than it has in years with all the cancer that had been in my neck removed. I am stable, and have a new outlook on life, health, and gratitude as a young adult with cancer. My diagnosis altered my heavy performing and touring schedule, opening up more time for teaching. 

When I'm not teaching or performing, I'm usually hiking, riding horses, reading, writing, or cuddling the nearest dog/cat/horse/any other pet. Your pets are always welcome to sit in on our lessons, and you might see my cat in class too!

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS: 

Women In Music member, 2019 - present

Americana Music Association member, 2020 - present

D'Addario Education Collective member, 2014 - present

D'Addario Foundation Board Member, 2014 - present, dedicated to bringing sustainable music education to students around the world 

SESAC (performing rights organization) member  2009 - present

AWARDS:
2024 Wildflower Art & Music Festival Songwriter Finalist

2023 Great River Folk Festival Songwriting Competition Winner

2022 Folk Alliance International Official Showcase Artist

2021 New England Music Awards Songwriter of the Year

    Jun 15, 2025

    How long will it take for me to be "good" at my instrument?

    This is a GREAT question! First of all, I LOVE when students approach lessons with a specific goal - whether that's a particular song you want to learn to play, an audition you have coming up, a surprise serenade for…

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    Jan 30, 2024

    Why take music lessons instead of watching YouTube tutorials?

    This is a GREAT question! There are SO MANY options out there for learning music these days - it's actually a wonderful time to learn music because of how many pathways there are! 

    First, I will say it truly depends…

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    Feb 21, 2023

    FAQ: I'm a TOTAL beginner! Do you REALLY focus on beginner students?

    As more adults express a new interest in learning music in recent years, I've gotten this question pretty often, and it's one of my favorites to answer! I do indeed focus almost completely on teaching beginning students - and I…

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    May 5, 2022

    FAQ: Can we have in-person lessons again?

    I've been getting this question more recently as everyone is excited to move into a post-pandemic world. However, my teaching studio has permanently shifted to an exclusively online model, for a variety of reasons I'll share below. There may be…

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    Apr 13, 2022

    What does tuition cover? Are there any other costs we should know about?

    I'm glad you asked! Every studio and teacher has different policies, and it's important to know what to expect when you're investing in music lessons. 

    I review what's INCLUDED in tuition costs on my Tuition page - here's a…

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    Feb 23, 2022

    What do I need to take online music lessons?

    Students often ask what they need to get started with online lessons, so here's a quick rundown of the basics!

    Computer (or other device with camera)

    A computer works best here as you can adjust sound settings on Zoom to…

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    Feb 16, 2022

    FAQ: What's the yearly schedule? Do you teach during summer or school breaks?

    I get this question a LOT, so let's jump in!

    The Basics

    • I take off the week between Christmas and New Years.
    • I do teach throughout the summer, as long as I'm home! Lessons are available year-round.
    • I usually teach…
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    Nov 18, 2021

    UPDATED: Optimal Zoom Settings for Online Music Lessons

    Zoom recently made some audio updates that have made lessons challenging! Here's an update on ideal Zoom settings:

    As many of us have discovered, Zoom wasn't designed with music in mind. In fact, Zoom's default settings tend to distort or…

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    Nov 3, 2021

    What's the deal with affiliate links?

    As you have may have noticed, I have "affiliate link" noted on my site when I mention method books I use. As an independent musician and music teacher, I'm part of the Amazon Associates program, where I can earn a…

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    Jul 29, 2021

    Online Lessons

    Technology has allowed me to continue teaching students when geography or health made it impossible, and it's also enabled me to share my love of music with students I otherwise would never have met. I'm happy to use technology to…

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    May 18, 2021

    FAQ: What methods do you use to teach?

    I'm glad you asked! I incorporate a variety of teaching methods into my curriculum, and often combine more than one in lessons. Learning music isn't a "one size fits all" journey, and I strive to utilize the best materials for…

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    May 4, 2021

    FAQ: My child didn't play that piece perfectly - why did you let it slide?

    The title says it all, and I'm overdue to address this question - it's SO important to my teaching philosophy, and I'm happy to discuss in-depth.

    My goal as a teacher is to impart a sense of excitement and understanding…

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    Dec 18, 2020

    Updated Tuition Payment Policies for Online Lessons - 2021

    When we're making music in person, it's usually pretty straightforward at the start of the month when we figure out together how many lessons to plan for and what the tuition will be for the month. I leave that first…

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    Dec 16, 2020

    FAQ: But I don't WANT to play piano today, online edition

    I've transitioned entirely to online lessons this year, and overall it's worked out great - students are still learning and building skills, and we're using technology to stay connected.

    Teaching online is a little different since I'm not there in…

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    Nov 13, 2020

    Can you teach this instrument: Online edition

    One positive that's come out of this year is many students of all ages are finding the time to learn music - and since I'm not traveling between students, I actually have more students now than I did in-person! 

    With…

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    Aug 14, 2020

    Music Lessons for Fall 2020

    Hello current and prospective students!

    I was talking with my husband this week about how happy I am teaching - how genuinely excited I get each time students learn a new concept - and how thankful I am to be…

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    Mar 25, 2020

    COVID19 Studio Policy Updates

    Vermont is now under a "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order due to COVID19. This minimizes all non-essential activities outside the home, and music lessons are not considered essential. Although I teach in my students' homes, for now it is my…

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    Jan 3, 2020

    FAQ: Can we come to your studio?

    I currently operate with a mobile teaching studio - this means I come to you and teach music lessons in your home. This also means I don't have a studio for you to come to at this time. Over the…

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    Dec 29, 2019

    FAQ: Are Private Music Lessons Right For Me/My Kids?

    I LOVE music, and I love sharing my love of music with others. I say nearly every day I have the best job in the world! Helping inspire others to learn and grow musically is amazing. Here are some factors…

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    Dec 22, 2019

    FAQ: Can you teach this instrument?

    I love living in a small community - knowing someone else can check on our cats or let us borrow a ladder without a second thought is great! One of the downfalls of living in a small community can be…

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    Sep 10, 2019

    FAQ: How Do I Help My Child Succeed With Lessons?

    We're all different - we like different music, we learn differently, we think differently. That's why - although I often use the same method for many students - I tailor my lessons to the student's needs and goals. However, I…

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    Mar 26, 2019

    FAQ: How Do Online Lessons Work?

    I now offer online lessons for students in any location, as well as in-person students who may have weather- or illness-related cancellations. This allows us to keep progressing with music, even when the climate or immune systems don't want to…

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    Mar 19, 2019

    FAQ: How Young is Too Young for Music Lessons?

    My first guitar student was 8 years old and I still remember those early lessons with her, when progress seemed slow, and I wasn't sure whether she was actually having fun. I'm happy to report now she's in college and…

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    Feb 10, 2019

    NEW 2019 Weather & Illness Cancellation Policies - all students please read!

    Since I've been teaching music in rural Vermont, I've discovered weather and illness can have a much larger impact here than in my previous locations! Weather and illness are out of our control, and as such, there is NO CHARGE…

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