Guitar Lessons

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. I spend a lot of time as a coach during aspiring guitarists' first few months of playing, when it's the hardest to continue. Most new guitarists give up during this time because without guidance, it's all work and no reward - you can't make sounds you like hearing with a guitar yet. I like to call the moment when new guitarists gain that ability the "point of no return." You play something, go, "Holy crap... I did that. That sounded cool!" and the passion is born. I help people get there faster by helping them avoid all the mistakes beginners make and ensuring they have a solid foundation of skills to build on.

I also work with a smaller set of intermediate/advanced students where I'm there to help them keep growing and not fall back on what they're already good at (very common if you're not getting lessons). I help these students eradicate bad habits and develop the highest-leverage skills for mastery of the guitar, and fill any gaps in their knowledge of theory, performance, or technique.

I also mentor advanced students as they start pursuing a music career, helping them join a band or start writing songs, get jobs performing in ensembles, identify and develop the skills they'll need as a professional (including technical things like sight-reading and stagecraft), and market themselves.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Look for guitar teachers who have experience, but don't be afraid to try out somebody new on the scene, if they have references, a resume, and a professional look. College degrees in music can be a plus, but sometimes all those guys wanna talk about is theory. You need somebody who's gonna be half teacher, half personal trainer, and customize an approach which will help you grow into a well-rounded guitarist. If you're dealing with a newer guitar teacher, just ask who they've studied with and what their approach is. They should answer that they focus initially on technique with enough theory to give context. Full-fledged study of music theory is indispensable for any serious musician, but best after gaining basic facility on the guitar. This is the opposite of piano lessons.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I customize my approach with each student, but it all comes from a tried-and-true body of experience and study. Most importantly, I make it my #1 goal to "work myself out of a job" by teaching my students how to study a musical instrument and develop new skills that I never showed them.

I started as a self-taught guitarist and got pretty good. There are some secrets there as well as mistakes to avoid. And then I got lessons and took theory courses in college, where I learned what I'd missed. I have the best of both worlds, and I'm able to share it to create self-educating, self-starting musicians who not only have all the requisite knowledge, but will never stop growing and having more fun than before.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I'm good at it! But that's not to brag - I dropped out of high school playing guitar. Went back and fixed that later, but you understand - this is my passion, so I have a lot of practice.

The most amazing thing is watching students discover that feeling. Usually you don't know if you have an affinity with music until you develop it a little. When one of my students reaches that point, I'm usually there to see it, and it's awesome. Shortly after that happens, you don't really need lessons any more.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. I get all kinds of questions. Most of them are technically related, so I just devote some lesson time to it until they get it. As long as I make sure they have all the relevant background knowledge, this can be a lot of fun for both of us.