I'm a guitar teacher. I have a bunch of opinionated thoughts about teaching. Yes, they're unconventional. However, it's my hope that they'll be of use to you, and help you on the path to training the future generation of guitar players. We have an important job, and we shouldn't forget that.
As an instructor, I consider it my job to light someone’s soul on fire with the creative flame of music. I want to see them consumed with it, lighting up the world around them with their love of song, noise, melody, and rock ‘n roll.
I love to see that kid walk through the door to my studio, with that look on their face like they’ve just seen the presents under the Christmas tree. Or that light go off over the electrician’s face when they understand how the pentatonic scales link together, and how they'll be able to tear it up in their bar band.
I consider myself an arsonist, and I hope to be responsible for many thousands of dollars of gear bought by enthusiastic students, many hours spent burning down the airwaves in clubs, bars, arenas, and many lives bettered by the fire of music.
It seems that a lot of us instructors can get lost in the day to day grind of showing folks the
latest regurgitated pop song, and calling parents to make sure that Johnny can come in on Tuesday for a make up lesson. We can’t let this cause us to forget that we’re all trying to set the world on fire. Here’s my thoughts on starting that conflagration. They’re radical, but they work for me. Take them for what they’re worth. And if you're a student, perhaps these thoughts can help you size up your teacher.
In order to set a fire, one needs a proper spark. This ember can be found in any kid that picks up a guitar on his or her own. It’s an intrinsic part of the guitar, because guitars are cool.
Sometimes, however, us instructors have to start from scratch. I’ve had quite a few students that were forced to play the guitar by good ol’ Mom and Dad.
In this case, it’s our job to be a blazing bonfire. Youngsters are impressionable tinderboxes, and with a spark thrown in their direction, a fire is easily set. I usually accomplish this by a combination of enthusiasm, insanity, and their favorite song played with attitude by yours truly.
Sometimes it’s the chops, sometimes it’s the attitude that sets this ember to burning.
Once this is going, and if it’s already there, so much the better, it must be handled with care.
We are the direct connection between music and the outside world. We often forget, and fall into the preacher mode of “Play your scales, kid, or else!” Little Johnny is gonna remember for the rest of his life what you said during the first lesson.
And if you blow it, chances are there will be one less guitar player walking around.
Just as we form impressions about different religions or political parties based on the actions of the followers, and especially the elders, so to do kids form opinions of music based on the actions of the instructors.
Now, once you’ve got that spark going, your next task is to catch some other stuff on fire.
Don’t kill the flame by piling on the big firewood yet. Now is not the time for harmonic analysis of “Giant Steps” or even explaining the modes of the Major scale.
Usually a song that the kid likes will be the musical equivalent of lighter fluid. Make sure you break it down into easily digestible bits here.
If the student is bent on pursuing a traditional route, a familiar song in traditional notation would work well.
I personally never force a metal song on a classically leaning student, or vice versa. Remember, the ice you’re on here is paper thin.
Once you get a few pieces of kindling burning, keep heaping it on, and show them how rewarding, fun, and achievable learning the guitar can be.
If you’re doing it right, you’ll be able to show them how to play the Dorian mode in all twelve keys...eventually! Be patient. And take your ego out of it. You already know how to play, you don’t need to prove it by playing circles around the kid, and making him feel two feet tall.
As teaching is 99% human psychology, be on the lookout for the state of a student’s self esteem. You always want it high, and if it’s not, do something about it. Guitar can save a person's life. So be with it, be astute, and don’t be a blockhead.
I’ve talked to music teachers who insist on starting out with the traditional view of “solid fundamentals.” They claim they’re professional teachers, and their students had better conform to their standards. While I’m sure it works well for them, it brings to mind an interview with Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine that I read once. He wanted to learn a song in his first lesson, but they said “oh no, first things first.”
Thankfully, his ember could survive a bit of rain, metaphorically speaking. But how many more truly great guitarist would there be if we didn’t cram century old teaching methods down poor students' throats?
I’ll always remember the time my nine year old brother came home from his first drum lesson...In tears. He wasn’t holding the sticks right. So the “instructor,” an accomplished musician, forced the proper way on him. What was this teacher thinking?
It took him years before he ever went back (to a different teacher.) He now knows how to hold ‘em right, but he’s a web designer, not a drummer. His spark was put out by his own tears.
And people get paid to do that?
Remember, folks, we already know how to play our scales. The kids will learn too, but they’ve got to want to first. It’s our job to get them hooked. It’s our job to build that bonfire.
And remember this: You only get one match.
Josh Urban (photo) is a musician with a unique perspective on music.
Always a thinker, he gains insight wherever he can find it, be it in the clubs as a working musician, busking on the city streets, or teaching in the classroom.
A naturally enthusiastic fellow, Josh is always fired up about bringing the lessons he’s learned to his readers. Maintaining a website, a blog, and a monthly newsletter, he aims to make musicians stop, think, and play with a little more intensity, integrity, and inspiration. You never know who’s listening.
Open Question: Frances chances at the Rugby World Cup!?
Are the French being built up to take a long fall.
I think a lot of their chances are in relation to the 1998 world cup in soccer. France won it, but what makes anyone think that they will win it in the rugby, the rugby team has a poor home record over the last few years.
The pressure they face from their faces is huge, if they are not cheering their team they are booing them. They will expect a lot from their country (as does every "Top Tier" nation).
Its nice to have a favourites title but that too brings a lot of pressure.
Everyone has said that the french played fantastic games recently. not really. they were hammered by the all blacks, they then hammered a very poor english team and then barely beat them second time round. And finally beat a very scrappy Welsh team. These results are good but not spectacular looking back over the last few years. So they are playing well now it will be hard to keep it up, so how low could they drop.
Your opinions....
