This blog is dedicated to the idea that learning and playing guitar should be as fun as possible. It is a fine read if you are starting to learn guitar from scratch and if you tend to search for ways to be more creative.
Learn guitar and have fun too.
I am rather fond of saying, "No one learns in a bubble." It's true. Many students march up to me in their first lesson and tell me that online guitar lessons were a complete waste of time. I won't blame them; There is no interaction with online lessons. Neither is there is any encouragement either. Playing music basically means learning from other people, people who can empathize with you and perhaps offer a suggestion or two. Playing music also means not limiting oneself to learning from one teacher, either.
The people I work with who have the most fun with guitar branch out and find other people to play music with. It's the jamming with others that is exciting about playing guitar. It's even more fun to play with a good drummer and a solid bassist. In six years of intense study, I played with countless musicians. Each one taught me something or at least inspired me to learn even more. Sometimes it was bad, sometimes beautiful, but always instructive. Also, the good news is that you don't have to buy lessons from everyone you play guitar with. Just play and pay attention!
But gingerly and begrudgingly I must also offer that learning guitar also means learning from more than one teacher, especially if the goal is to get a world-view that is incredibly wide. I had six teachers (see the list at the end of the post if you're curious), and each taught me something different, thus expanding my palette exponentially. I must say that as much as I do want to keep being a teacher for any one person, and be a complete teacher from scratch to mastery, it's better ultimately for a person to find many more sources of information. It's all about connecting the dots.
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I had six guitar teachers. They were:
There is a wise saying: You have make some space if you want something new in your life. I think this is true with teaching guitar and getting more clients. If you want more clients, you gotta make some space for them.
Sometimes, in between lessons, I'll sit in my studio without any distractions. I'll lock the door. I'll try to say to myself "Man, I really could be teaching right now." Doing this can have some interesting effects. First, it definitely preps the mind for teaching, and helps to give a bad-ass lesson to someone I like teaching anyways. Second, it's never a bad thing to think that we could be more successful (maybe in my opinion). If it goes well and works, then hey who can argue with progress?
Sometimes the temptation of filling that time with Twitter, blogging, computers, or whatever is too intense, and yeah I'll just dive in. I still recognize that I need my mind to be ready and relaxed. Doing that means emptying the space to make room for something more important, like teaching, being with friends, playing music, and having money to eat food. Food is good for the stomach. I'd rather eat than not eat. Therefore Twitter, you will get second priority.
Making a space and refusing for it to be filled with anything other than what I want (clients for me. What do you want?) tends to re-enforce the idea that I am here to teach too. The less I think about teaching during the day can means the less I find a rhythm. With any luck, I stay far away from the computer, and I just teach. Empty the space of time-wasters, fill the space with students, mentally if not physically. Maybe it's just dumb common sense, but still worth a mention.
"You may find yourself in jobs where you are surrounded by other artists, but the pay is terrible. You may find a decent wage, but you're too exhausted to live your double life as a musician."
By Chris Holm, via http://www.guitarschools.com/. He's right too. It's hard to fight all the time for it. He goes on to explain:
"A well-rounded education can provide you with the ability to play in other styles besides your favorite, allowing you to play out, get stage time, and get your name out there while you're developing what you really love."
I agree. There is nothing wrong with studying other types of music, but being a chameleon is good to a point. I believe that it can be taken to an extreme. Perhaps it's better to to just approach one thing at a time, exhaust it, and then move on? Also, what if you hate to play a certain genre, can play it to a decent level, but do it just to pay the bills? Sounds terrible to me. Music is more sacred than selling it, by doing something that sucks your soul away.
"Musicians who rely only on their natural abilities often find frustration in the many years of waiting for a life-supporting career."
True, if you want a career. If you are doing it just for fun however I can see someone studying slowly and enjoying every bit of the process. If music is near and dear to you and you felt that you were running around in circles, then that would be the time to branch out and study more stuff. Added bonus to that: Amaze your friends! Impress your parents! Build a harem! Just kidding (or am I?).
Once again, Chris Holm. Awesome article!
This blog is dedicated to the idea that learning and playing guitar should be as fun as possible. It is a fine read if you are starting to learn guitar from scratch and if you tend to search for ways to be more creative.
This blog is dedicated to the idea that learning and playing guitar should be as fun as possible. It is a fine read if you are starting to learn guitar from scratch and if you tend to search for ways to be more creative.
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