As a teen I decided to devise an easy way to memorise the key signatures. It seemed to me that knowing every note in every key was going to be helpful because it was so central to music. When I began teaching I found the system I had devised worked quickly and easily for most…
Tag: music
“Am I too old to learn guitar?”
I recently received an inquiry from a guy in his 40’s asking if he was too old to learn guitar and if he was kidding himself. I am sure we all know the answer is you are never too old but I think it is a valid question. Ageing is a process we all go…
The future of teaching
The cry for abundant cheap energy has been the focus of most countries for over a hundred years but almost out of nowhere and without anyone really noticing information took its place. Our world has transformed. Information is now abundant and cheap and in many cases free to a large percentage of the world’s population. With…
So you wanna be in a band?
Forming a band is like getting into a new relationship except with 3 or more people at once. Its very complicated and balancing a group of sensitive musicians is never an easy task. Many well known bands have fought court battles over songs rights just like a divorce couple fighting over custody of a child….
Learn the notes on the guitar fretboard in record time Part 4
If you missed the previous parts to this lesson click here to go back. Now lets put it all together. You know the Chromatic scale and you know the open notes on a guitar. By starting on the open notes and using the chromatic scale you can simply count up to work out any note. In the…
Advice For Students Learning The Guitar
Learning guitar is like learning a new language. It takes years of practice and dedication. I really admire anyone who is willing to follow their ambitions of learning a musical instrument. Here is some advice for those students 1. Have a Goal: The clearer your goal is the more likely you will…
The Yin and Yang of Learning Guitar
Learning guitar is by no means a perfect science. What works for one person may not work for another as every teacher well knows. Finding what works for you will be a challenge. Success is usually the result of many failures and accepting this is your first step toward success. We therefore need to be…
Why was Jimi Hendrix such a great guitarist?
When I read the Jimi Hendrix biography I realised that his success was largely due to the people he met. When Jimi was young he would take his guitar to concerts and literally go back stage to pick the brain of the guitarist. Some probably even thought he was a little mad I am sure…
Which guitar should I learn on?
This is a common question. You can in fact start on any guitar as long as it has 6 strings and is in reasonable condition. Below I have listed some pluses and minuses of each of the three most common types of guitars. Classical +Nylon strings so tends to be easier on the fingers. +Nice…
Ear training software
Ear training (Aural) is often overlooked and under valued among guitar players. Developing your ear really is a critical step in the process of learning music because with a good ear you learn faster but you also learn to articulate. Students with weak aural skills can often rely too heavily on tab and can become…
Great (Guitar) Coaches Have A Plan
“Learn the songs you want to learn”. What’s wrong with this statement? It’s an all too common claim from music teachers and music schools and on the surface tit can seem very attractive. After all who wants to learn songs they don’t like? I think its a bit like casinos luring in gamblers with the idea…
Why don’t all guitar teachers charge the same?
This is a complexed question but I will make my answer as simple as possible. I have been teaching guitar for 27 years and for the first 10 years I just charged the going rate that most teachers charged. I figured guitar lessons and guitar teachers were all much the same so there was no…
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