HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT TEACHER
How do you choose a guitar teacher for yourself or your child? The answer isn’t an easy one. How do you know what questions to ask and how to weigh the answers you receive?
First, here’s my take on the above and why you should take private guitar lessons from me.
-Quiet and conducive atmosphere for learning. There are no lessons (ie. drums) taking place in the studio next door. Many stores can’t say that. Believe me, I’ve taught in those environments.
-Access to a commercial recording studio. It’s invaluable to be able to send a student home with backing tracks for soloing, or a drum track. Many students record their own songs during their lesson for no extra charge!
-Incredible cost to value (what am I getting for the money). I am versatile in all music styles as well as having over 90,000 songs in my Itunes and the ability to slow them down. I have been stockpiling music since 1987 and have an unlimited access to new songs. You will never be bored taking lessons from me.
Every teacher has certain styles of music they are proficient in and qualified to teach. Additionally, musicians have personal preferences that directly affect and impact the lessons. You wouldn’t want to take from a country or bluegrass guitar from a Rock guy unless you were sure they could and have played those styles.
Education
Having a college degree is important but not as important as teaching experience. While at the University of Utah I taught privately and had more students than teachers that already had their degree. Why was that? I realized that having an actual guitar lesson program, as opposed to the “Hi, what do you want to learn today” approach was the key in obtaining and retaining students. Get a feel for the prospective teacher’s experience, knowledge and education as a whole before making a decision just on education or of it.
Program
The key to successful music lessons is the legitimacy of the program or lack of one. Some teachers swear by a stuctured program ie. Suzuki. Others, like to personalize the program to each student, which is what I prefer. Every student has different goals and reasons for playing the guitar, why would I want to limit their progress by only having one program? Good teachers can be found in your neighborhood, music store, or other teaching facility. Try to find one that has experience, a program, passion for teaching, references and testimonials, and a personality you, or your son or daughter can relate to.
Value/Product
Does the teacher hand write the lessons? Do they hand out 10th generation photo copies of songs you didn’t choose? Does the teacher use a computer or have the ability to? Will you need to buy books or do they print subject matter as you need it? I’ve created a ‘Yuck’ folder where students can put their previous lesson material that they shouldn’t have been given in the first place. You’re paying for a service that demands quality. My lessons are computer generated and laser printed. I prepare in advance and plan to give you too much material. You never know when a lesson wil be your last, things happen.
Meet & Greet
As you make calls, is the teacher willing to set up a time to meet him or her? I set up meet and greet appointments on Saturday afternoons. I don’t offer free or trial lessons as they are just an opportunity for the teacher to show off. I guarantee the student won’t learn anything if they’re not paying for the teachers time. No one works for free. Meeting the teacher is important if you’re worried that your son or daughter might clash with them. But, often you can get a good feel by talking to the teacher on the phone and listening to their program and experience.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT TEACHER
How do you choose a guitar teacher for yourself or your child? The answer isn’t an easy one. How do you know what questions to ask and how to weigh the answers you receive?
First, here’s my take on the above and why you should take private guitar lessons from me.
-Quiet and conducive atmosphere for learning. There are no lessons (ie. drums) taking place in the studio next door. Many stores can’t say that. Believe me, I’ve taught in those environments.
-Access to a commercial recording studio. It’s invaluable to be able to send a student home with backing tracks for soloing, or a drum track. Many students record their own songs during their lesson for no extra charge!
-Incredible cost to value (what am I getting for the money). I am versatile in all music styles as well as having over 90,000 songs in my Itunes and the ability to slow them down. I have been stockpiling music since 1987 and have an unlimited access to new songs. You will never be bored taking lessons from me.
Every teacher has certain styles of music they are proficient in and qualified to teach. Additionally, musicians have personal preferences that directly affect and impact the lessons. You wouldn’t want to take from a country or bluegrass guitar from a Rock guy unless you were sure they could and have played those styles.
Education
Having a college degree is important but not as important as teaching experience. While at the University of Utah I taught privately and had more students than teachers that already had their degree. Why was that? I realized that having an actual guitar lesson program, as opposed to the “Hi, what do you want to learn today” approach was the key in obtaining and retaining students. Get a feel for the prospective teacher’s experience, knowledge and education as a whole before making a decision just on education or of it.
Program
The key to successful music lessons is the legitimacy of the program or lack of one. Some teachers swear by a stuctured program ie. Suzuki. Others, like to personalize the program to each student, which is what I prefer. Every student has different goals and reasons for playing the guitar, why would I want to limit their progress by only having one program? Good teachers can be found in your neighborhood, music store, or other teaching facility. Try to find one that has experience, a program, passion for teaching, references and testimonials, and a personality you, or your son or daughter can relate to.
Value/Product
Does the teacher hand write the lessons? Do they hand out 10th generation photo copies of songs you didn’t choose? Does the teacher use a computer or have the ability to? Will you need to buy books or do they print subject matter as you need it? I’ve created a ‘Yuck’ folder where students can put their previous lesson material that they shouldn’t have been given in the first place. You’re paying for a service that demands quality. My lessons are computer generated and laser printed. I prepare in advance and plan to give you too much material. You never know when a lesson wil be your last, things happen.
Meet & Greet
As you make calls, is the teacher willing to set up a time to meet him or her? I set up meet and greet appointments on Saturday afternoons. I don’t offer free or trial lessons as they are just an opportunity for the teacher to show off. I guarantee the student won’t learn anything if they’re not paying for the teachers time. No one works for free. Meeting the teacher is important if you’re worried that your son or daughter might clash with them. But, often you can get a good feel by talking to the teacher on the phone and listening to their program and experience.
