Guitar Lessons in Mississippi
What guitar lessons cost across Mississippi, and how to find the right teacher.
Guitar lesson prices across Mississippi
A one-hour guitar lesson in Mississippi typically costs $58 to $80, and a half hour $31 to $44. Most towns sit close to that range. The Gulfport area runs highest, up to $84 an hour.
Every town has two guides: a guitar lessons guide, with local schools, events and places to play, and a costs guide, with that town's prices in detail.
| Town | 30 minutes | One hour | Guides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson area | |||
| Jackson | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Madison | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Pearl | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Clinton | $31–$44 | $58–$80 | LessonsCosts |
| Brandon | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Ridgeland | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Byram | $31–$44 | $58–$80 | LessonsCosts |
| Canton | $31–$44 | $57–$80 | LessonsCosts |
| Flowood | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Gulfport area | |||
| Gulfport | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Biloxi | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Pascagoula | $32–$46 | $58–$84 | LessonsCosts |
| Gautier | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Ocean Springs | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Long Beach | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| D'Iberville | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Moss Point | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Southaven area | |||
| Southaven | $32–$45 | $58–$83 | LessonsCosts |
| Olive Branch | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Horn Lake | $32–$46 | $58–$84 | LessonsCosts |
| Hernando | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Hattiesburg area | |||
| Hattiesburg | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| Petal | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Other Mississippi towns | |||
| Brookhaven | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Clarksdale | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Cleveland | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Columbus | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Corinth | $31–$43 | $56–$78 | LessonsCosts |
| Greenville | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Greenwood | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Grenada | $31–$43 | $56–$78 | LessonsCosts |
| Laurel | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| McComb | $31–$44 | $58–$80 | LessonsCosts |
| Meridian | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Natchez | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Oxford | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Picayune | $31–$44 | $58–$80 | LessonsCosts |
| Starkville | $32–$45 | $58–$83 | LessonsCosts |
| Tupelo | $31–$43 | $56–$78 | LessonsCosts |
| Vicksburg | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
No Mississippi town by that name yet. Lessons are live online, so you can still start from anywhere in Mississippi.
Meet a Guitar Teacher in Mississippi Before You Continue Weekly
The first meeting gives you or your child a chance to meet the teacher and see whether the teaching style feels like the right match before weekly lessons begin.
- Meet your guitar teacher before continuing weekly
- Work with the same dedicated teacher each week
- Get live feedback on chords, rhythm, songs, and setup
- Choose 30, 45, or 60 minutes after the first lesson
Find Your Next Guitar Teacher in Mississippi
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How guitar learning works in Mississippi
Mississippi’s student music opportunities come through different organizations, and guitarists should distinguish school activities from band-focused programs. The Mississippi Music Teachers Association (MMTA) runs Pre-College Evaluations and age-banded concerto competitions, while the Mississippi Music Educators Association (MMEA) offers student music activities across elementary, junior high, and high school. The Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) coordinates school contests, and the Mississippi Bandmasters Association (MBA) centers on bands and its All-State Jazz Band. That distinction helps you choose a guitar goal that fits the event.
Who runs what in Mississippi
Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA)
- Runs
- Coordinates school band and choral contests.
- For
- Students in participating school music programs.
Mississippi Music Educators Association (MMEA)
- Runs
- Offers student music activities, clinics, festivals, contests, and workshops.
- For
- Elementary, junior high, and high school students.
Mississippi Music Teachers Association (MMTA)
- Runs
- Runs Pre-College Evaluations and age-banded concerto competitions.
- For
- Pre-college students in grades 3 through 12.
Mississippi Bandmasters Association (MBA)
- Runs
- Runs the State Band Clinic and All-State Jazz Band.
- For
- Student jazz musicians auditioning for the ensemble.
Auditions and events in Mississippi
How does a guitarist reach Mississippi's top student honors?
For a Mississippi student seeking a guitar performance goal, the Mississippi Music Teachers Association (MMTA) offers Pre-College Evaluations; confirm that the current event accepts guitar before planning around it. In 2027, Group B is scheduled for April 10 in Columbus, Starkville, Tupelo, Ellisville, Gulf Coast, and Vicksburg, followed by Group A on April 17 in Cleveland, Goodman, Hattiesburg, Jackson, and Oxford. MMTA State Finals are scheduled for May 15. Teens interested in jazz can also explore the Mississippi Bandmasters Association’s All-State Jazz Band, which has a separate audition process and a clinic in Natchez in December. These are distinct possibilities, so choose the one that fits your musical aim.
The guitar route in Mississippi, step by step
- Pre-College Evaluations, Group BApril 10, 2027, for participating students in the listed regional locations.
- Pre-College Evaluations, Group AApril 17, 2027, for participating students in the listed regional locations.
- All-State Jazz BandA separate MBA audition route leads to the December 8–12, 2026 State Band Clinic in Natchez.
The Mississippi guitar year
MHSAA State Concert EvaluationMississippi High School Activities Association / Mississippi Bandmasters AssociationStart the piece Sep to Dec
Working on the event piece, 3 to 6 monthsEvent
What do auditions ask you to prepare?
Mississippi’s MMTA Pre-College Evaluations and concerto competition give guitar students a performance goal, while the MBA jazz audition is a separate ensemble route. Preparation depends on the event’s current requirements, so a teacher should shape the piece and practice plan to that event rather than assume every audition asks for the same scales, sight reading, or memorization. In weekly lessons, the student can work through a performance piece in sections, then connect the parts and build a steady, confident run-through. Allow three to six months for an event piece so there is time to learn it, refine technique, and perform it reliably.
What else is there to enter?
Mississippi students who want a goal beyond a school performance can consider MMTA’s Pre-College Evaluations or its age-banded concerto competition. They suit players who want a prepared solo and feedback; the evaluation route also gives a student a defined performance milestone without making an ensemble audition the only option. Students drawn to jazz can explore the MBA All-State Jazz Band route. These opportunities serve different interests, so the best choice is the one that keeps a guitarist motivated to practice.
Guitar events in Mississippi, 2026–27
MBA Honor Jazz Band auditions
Mississippi Bandmasters Association
- When
- Auditions usually in fall; 2026–27 audition information is posted, but no audition date was shown
- Entry
- Ask the organizer
- Who
- Student jazz musicians
MHSAA State Concert Evaluation
Mississippi High School Activities Association / Mississippi Bandmasters Association
- When
- March 1–5, 2027 (North and Central regions); March 8–11, 2027 (South region)
- Entry
- Ask the organizer
- Who
- School concert bands; student performers in participating school bands
Starting at any age
Starting a child on guitar
A child can begin guitar when the instrument fits their hands and they can focus on short practice sessions; there is no single starting age that suits every learner. Private lessons give your child individual help with posture, picking, chords, rhythm, and reading music, so they can build a foundation before or alongside whatever music opportunities their school offers.
A teen in Mississippi
For a Mississippi teen, the clearest state-level guitar routes are MMTA’s Pre-College Evaluations and age-group concerto competition, alongside school music activities. School band events are designed for band students, while MBA’s All-State Jazz Band has a separate audition process. Weekly lessons can keep repertoire moving while a teen balances schoolwork and rehearsals; the teacher can help set a realistic target around the event that best fits the student’s interests.
Starting or coming back as an adult
It is not too late to begin guitar or return to it as an adult in Mississippi. The adult ensembles named here are choirs, and the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra in Jackson is not a guitar group, so a guitarist can instead work toward playing songs confidently, accompanying a singer, or preparing a solo. A dedicated teacher meets you at your current level and helps you set a musical goal that feels worthwhile.
Finding the right teacher
What should a good guitar teacher do?
A good Mississippi guitar teacher helps you or your child build technique around the music the student actually wants to play, then makes room for a performance goal when one fits. For a student considering MMTA evaluations or the MBA jazz route, the teacher should understand how to pace a prepared piece without turning every lesson into audition practice. Training matters, but so does a teacher’s fit with the learner’s age, goals, and personality. Lesson With You teachers hold at least a bachelor’s degree in guitar, and you can choose a teacher yourself or ask us to recommend one.
How do live online guitar lessons work?
A live Zoom guitar lesson lets the teacher hear timing, tone, and chord changes in real time while watching both hands, so a small adjustment can happen as the student plays. Set the camera where the fretting and picking hands are visible, and keep the guitar, music, and tuner within reach. The lesson is one-on-one each week with the same teacher, which builds continuity without a commute and gives you access to a teacher who fits rather than only whoever is closest. A guitarist in Jackson and one in Long Beach get the same choice of teacher and the same lesson.
What $35 a week gets you at Lesson With You
GabrielMaster’s in GuitarWillBachelor’s in GuitarJacobBachelor’s in GuitarGuitar in Mississippi
Where to hear guitar
Live music gives Mississippi guitar students a chance to hear how the instrument fits different styles. Jackson hosts the free National Folk Festival on November 13–15, 2026, with blues and bluegrass among the traditions represented. In Clarksdale, the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival is a free event each August, while the free Highway 61 Blues Festival in Leland offers a chance to hear Delta blues. These settings connect guitar playing with the state's blues traditions.
Where to play with others
Guitarists looking for informal playing with others have a distinct option in Clinton: the Clinton Trace Jammers invite musicians to bring an instrument to a November 29, 2026 session at the Clinton Visitor Center. Students ages 13 to 20 in Gulfport can audition for the Gulf Coast Symphony Youth Orchestra, though its orchestral setting serves ensemble playing rather than a guitar-specific group. These examples point to two different kinds of experience: an informal jam and a structured youth ensemble, so a guitarist can choose based on comfort and goals.
Guitar around Mississippi, area by area
Jackson area
Jackson offers two distinct ways to hear live music: the Levitt AMP Downtown Jackson Music Series presents free concerts from April through October each year, while the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra's season includes masterworks, chamber concerts, and Pops performances. The outdoor series gives a guitarist a chance to hear live music in a casual setting; the orchestra's varied programs show how guitar sits within a broader musical landscape.
Oxford area
Oxford’s annual Summer Sunset Series brings free live music every Sunday evening in June, starting at 6 p.m., giving guitarists a relaxed way to hear live performance. The Mockingbird Early Music Ensemble also presents free concerts during its 2026–27 season, with reservations required because space is limited. The two offerings provide different listening experiences, from a summer music series to an ensemble concert.
- Town guides
- Oxford
A little guitar history in Mississippi
Mississippi’s guitar heritage is closely tied to the blues. Mississippi John Hurt, born in Teoc, became known for a distinctive three-finger style, and the Mississippi Blues Trail recognizes his inventive fingerpicking and influence on generations of music fans. That history gives a student a local example of how a personal approach to the instrument can become part of a wider musical tradition. A guitar student can explore that sound while building the fundamentals needed to play blues, songs, or other styles with control.
Start Guitar Lessons at Lesson With You
- Meet your guitar teacher before continuing weekly
- Work with the same dedicated teacher each week
- Get live feedback on chords, rhythm, songs, and setup
- Choose 30, 45, or 60 minutes after the first lesson
Frequently Asked Questions
Choose a guitar teacher whose training and teaching style fit your goals, experience, and personality. Lesson With You teachers hold at least a bachelor’s degree in guitar, and you can select one yourself or ask us to recommend someone.
Yes, a live Zoom lesson lets a teacher hear your playing and see both hands in real time, so they can respond as you play. A weekly one-on-one lesson with the same teacher also builds continuity without a commute.
The state’s student route for guitar includes MMTA Pre-College Evaluations, with State Finals scheduled for May 15, 2027. Teens interested in jazz can also pursue the separate MBA All-State Jazz Band audition route.
A child can start when they can hold a guitar comfortably and focus on short practice periods; there is no single required age. Private lessons give them a way to build basic technique before or alongside school music activities.
No, adults can start or return to guitar at any age. A teacher can begin with your current experience and help you work toward playing songs, accompanying a singer, or another personal goal.
Guitar lessons in Mississippi typically cost $58 to $80 an hour, or $31 to $44 for a half hour. Lesson With You charges per lesson with no term to sign up for, and the first lesson is free.