Sam teaches private lessons on guitar, mandolin, bass, banjo, and ukulele from his Mountain Brook, Alabama studio, and also by special arrangement at other locations and via Skype.

Sam teaches ages 6 to adult, from beginner to advanced, and can cover many different styles: pop, rock, worship, blues, bluegrass, singer-songwriter, Celtic, and others. With each student he works on fundamentals of timing, technique, and musical taste, but beyond that he develops a tailored approach for each student based on their interests. He focuses especially on teaching various styles of popular music "in the real world": how to play with others, play by ear, and improvise, drawing on music theory and fretboard layout a little at a time to help unlock the magic of music.

See the website for testimonials from students and parents.