That’s What I’m Talkin’ ‘Bout: The Educated Guitarist
25/03/09 02:37 Filed in: Teaching Advice
In my previous post I talked about the negative influence that a musically-illiterate guitarist can have on an impressionable up-and-comer. I even used a YouTube video and a quote from Guitar Player magazine to help make my point. Well, lo and behold, as I walked by my kitchen table to pick up an older issue of GP (April 2009) and quickly scanned it to see if I was ready to file it away. And, I wasn’t. There were still two articles that I had not read: interviews with Joe Louis Walker and Nile Rodgers. Both influences and inspirations. Read More...
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Problem: Glorifying Illiterate Guitarists
24/03/09 02:44 Filed in: Teaching Advice
I came across two things last week. The first, I was surfing through YouTube the other day and came across a video from Dave Navarro’s Spread TV. His special guest was George Lynch and, in this video, they both admit that they are not knowledgable musicians. George states (at 2:44 of the video), and I quote, “I have absolutely no musical knowledge… I couldn’t play a major scale if you put a gun to my head…” To which Dave responds, “Right, me neither…” Now, Lynch has a Guitar Dojo that provides instruction and guidance to aspiring guitarists as well as producing his own instructional videos. Read More...
Problem: Constant Noodling
16/03/09 02:47 Filed in: Teaching Advice
What is it about the guitar that renders the player into a semi-conscious state of executing uncoordinated single-string non-melodies characterized by nauseating tone at irritating volumes? Why do they succumb to this zombie-like state that they fall into and out of where there is no rational communication possible? I imagine that to them I sound like the teacher from the Peanuts as I try to talk them back into reality. Can they hear the unpleasant sounds that are emanating from their instruments? Or, is the delusion of rock stardom so intoxicating that they cannot pull themselves away from noodling without the help of a 12-step program? Read More...
What’s a Shred-o-meter?
14/03/09 02:51 Filed in: Music Gear
I want to thank Lynnette from Beansprout Productions for suggesting this in a previous comment. The shred-o-meter is invented by guitar virtuoso Tobias Hurwitz and is the next generation in metronomes. Hurwitz describes his creation as a super metronome that can measure notes up to 1300 BPM (beats per minute) and also detects the player’s speed and clocks it in NPS or notes per second. Check out the demo videos for the shred-o-meter. Read More...
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I even used a YouTube video and a quote from Guitar Player magazine to help make my point. Well, lo and behold, as I walked by my kitchen table to pick up an older issue of GP (April 2009) and quickly scanned it to see if I was ready to file it away. And, I wasn’t. There were still two articles that I had not read: interviews with Joe Louis Walker and Nile Rodgers. Both influences and inspirations. Joe Louis Walker is almost 60 years young and he has crossed paths with a who’s who of blues and rock giants: From sharing a rehearsal space with Jimi Hendrix, to bunking with Mike Bloomfield, to opening for B.B. King, to learning slide guitar from Mississippi Fred McDowell and Earl Hooker, to the legendary list of greats that he’s recorded with. A bluesman since the age of 12, JLW took a break from his career to go back to school. He was in his 30s at the time and earned his degree from San Francisco State University. Yes, JLW is a bluesman with a degree in Music and English. Nile Rodgers, who was born in NYC, is a session guitarist, producer, songwriter, and founding member of the disco/R&B band Chic. In his GP interview (April 2009) he talks about being the house guitarist at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and being a session player. “You had to read back then and be able to interpret… and you had to do it fast,” Nile recalls. This was the era when they were making records and doing sessions, the golden age of recording. He also talked about his jazz and funk influences that became a part of his style which, at its core, comes from the George Van Eps method of inverting chords and visualizing them in string-sets of three. Here are two successful guitarists that fly somewhat under the radar yet are leaving their marks on music. They have also managed to adapt to the ever-changing music scene and utilized their knowledge and education to expand on our musical language. During his hiatus from the music scene, JLW also took the time to study Gospel music and learn to, as he put it, sing it right. You can hear this influence on his music thereafter. JLW has transformed himself into an American Roots musician. NR, on the other hand, took his love for jazz and funk and helped create and define the 70s and early 80s disco/R&B sound as well as the style of guitar playing that made him and his hard-tailed white strat so famous. Take a listen to the R&B of that era and compare it to today’s version. There is a much more spiritual connection and organic vibe to the music of yesteryear. Both of these players have had very different journeys yet they both haven taken the time to learn their respective crafts. I know I may be speculating but I believe that if you asked them if they found their musical education limiting their creativity in any way they would not only say no but would quickly claim the opposite. ShareThis Posted in For Parents, For Students, Teaching Advice, Teaching Philosophy | No Comments » Tags: art of teaching, educated guitarists, guitar instruction, guitar lessons, guitar player magazine, guitar teacher, illiterate guitarists, joe louis walker, music musician teaching, nile rodgers, Teaching Philosophy Problem: Glorifying Illiterate Guitarists 24th March I came across two things last week. The first, I was surfing through YouTube the other day and came across a video from Dave Navarro’s Spread TV. His special guest was George Lynch and, in this video, they both admit that they are not knowledgable musicians. George states (at 2:44 of the video), and I quote, “I have absolutely no musical knowledge… I couldn’t play a major scale if you put a gun to my head…” To which Dave responds, “Right, me neither…” Now, Lynch has a Guitar Dojo that provides instruction and guidance to aspiring guitarists as well as producing his own instructional videos. And the second, I was reading the latest issue of Guitar Player (May 2009) and the Back Page feature was an interview with Nancy Wilson of Heart (from a December 1979 issue). Nancy Wilson is a self-taught player and the interviewer asked if she had regretted not taking formal lessons. Her response was no, because she felt that (playing the kind of music that she plays) it is most important to play by ear and that she knew of other people who were confined by their learning and couldn’t feel the music. I do understand where both are coming from. On the one hand, no one can deny the contributions that both Lynch and Wilson have had on the guitar community let alone music in general. However, it is these contributions that have put them in a position of influence where one word from them and they would probably send scores of future musicians in search of music education. On the other hand, we wouldn’t want them to go against their beliefs and, in Wilson’s defense, she simply stated that it was not for her and that decision was contingent upon the music that she played. But Lynch has a responsibility as the owner of “The George Lynch Guitar Academy” to choose his words carefully. Maybe someone should ask them if they feel that they would benefit from being educated musically. Some of you may be wondering, what’s it to you Ed? My concern is that in teaching teens and tweens I’ve noticed how impressionable they are by the folks that they admire. In many cases it’s monkey see, monkey do. You notice it in how they express themselves: From the way they dress to the guitar that they play to the way that they carry themselves in general. In this era of signature guitars with signature amps and pedals it’s very easy to see who the young guitarists’ idols are. Also, with the availability of YouTube lessons and downloadable tabs, young fretburners are learning licks faster than ever before. But don’t we want to see the guitar language grow? Today’s working musician is asked to be incredibly versatile with the ability to hear and feel the music as well as to communicate in an intelligent musical manner. Only guitarists and some bassists will understand that 5th string, 3rd fret is a C. Many guitarists are being disillusioned into thinking that playing faster and faster is the answer. And for some that may be okay, but for the aspiring musician who happens to play guitar a simple statement like “I can’t play a major scale if you put a gun to my head,” could lead to disappointment and time wasted. At 3:00 of the Navarro/Lynch video Lynch jokes (about their lack of musical knowledge), “What are we doing in the business then when there’s people who know these things and we don’t?” And Navarro responds, “They lack the creativity and that’s the difference.” This statement also sums up Wilson’s point as well. But what they don’t know is that maybe by learning a little bit of information that they may challenge their creativity. My point is that “Knowledge is Power.” A little bit of information can only create more options and those options are empowering. In addition, I also feel that we owe it to arm the future torchbearer with as much information as well as our experience so that they may further the development and evolution of the musical language that has given so much to so many. In closing I would like to add that I’m a fan of the three guitarists mentioned in this post and am not looking to make a mockery out of their beliefs, if that is indeed what they are. I remember reading a Guitar Player interview (yes, I’ve been reading GP for my entire guitar playing life) and there was an interview with Adrian Smith and Dave Murray from Iron Maiden where they joked about not knowing scales. I felt uncool about knowing scales and music theory; that is, until I discovered Larry Carlton, Pat Metheny and Mike Stern, and understood their interviews that were probably in Guitar Player magazine too. ShareThis Posted in For Parents, For Students, General, Teaching Advice, Teaching Philosophy | No Comments » Tags: Dave Navarro, George Lynch, guitar, guitar instruction, guitar lessons, guitar teacher, Heart, illiterate guitarists, Iron Maiden, Larry Carlton, Mike Stern, music teachers, music theory, Nancy Wilson of Heart, Pat Metheny, Spread TV, Teaching Philosophy Announcement: Free Voice Screening for Professional Singers 17th March MusiCares® Sponsoring World Voice Day Outreach Event: Free Voice Screening for Professional Singers Up to $1000 in vocal assessment and diagnostic services to be provided FREE of CHARGE to pre-screened, pre-approved clients. Tests include stroboscopic exam of vocal folds, vocal use questionnaire and physician examination. WHEN: Saturday, April 4th, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm WHERE: The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, Voice and Swallowing Institute, 6th Floor, 310 East 14th St. @ 2nd Ave. NYC HOW: Call 212-245-7840 or 877-303-6962 for more information and application materials. Completed MusiCares applications must be on file and approved in order to confirm appointment. ShareThis Posted in Announcement, For Parents, For Students, General, Teaching Advice, Teaching Philosophy | No Comments » Tags: free voice screening, MusiCares, professional singer. singer, voice, voice screening Problem: Constant Noodling 16th March What is it about the guitar that renders the player into a semi-conscious state of executing uncoordinated single-string non-melodies characterized by nauseating tone at irritating volumes? Why do they succumb to this zombie-like state that they fall into and out of where there is no rational communication possible? I imagine that to them I sound like the teacher from the Peanuts as I try to talk them back into reality. Can they hear the unpleasant sounds that are emanating from their instruments? Or, is the delusion of rock stardom so intoxicating that they cannot pull themselves away from noodling without the help of a 12-step program? Let’s take a look at a common scenario. A Typical Lesson The student storms in without knocking, drops his case in the middle of the floor, pulls out his guitar and kicks the case to the side. He then plugs in, doesn’t pay any mind to their guitar being out of tune, and tweaks the knobs of the amp—usually the channel that’s inactive. Then it starts: their eyes glaze over as they stare at their fingers flying haphazardly over the strings. Their hands out of sync like when you were learning to ride a bike and your feet kept trying to catch the pedals without—God forbid!—slowing down. I usually patiently wait for them to stop—and, many of them do after 30 seconds or so of rockstar dreamland—and, while I wait, I quietly wonder if they can actually hear themselves. A few things that I’ve noticed is that boys are more susceptible to this zombie-like state while girls seem immune to it. Most students will visit the above scenario for a few seconds at a time but there exist those problem students that will go from social user to habitual abuser. The problem with the latter is that it disrupts the lesson and turns bandmates against them. Yes, this problem spills over into band rehearsals. Back in the lesson room… The lesson begins and is soon interrupted by, you guessed it, more noodling. We slowly trudge through the lesson repeatedly starting and stopping for yet another round of incessant noodling. The problem is simple. This is a bad habit that needs to be broken. I usually begin by making students aware that they’re noodling. If this doesn’t work then I remind them, while adding, that noodling is not only a bad habit and inappropriate during the course of a lesson but it is also rude. This is when they usually feel a little bit ashamed and promise to not do it again. My Experience I’ve travelled the corridors of many music schools, conservatories, high school music departments and colleges alike. During these trips I’ve witnessed trumpeters and saxophonists warming up with long tones while working on their embouchure; in addition, I’ve seen violinists and pianists play long, lush arpeggios while percussionists execute dynamic paradiddles. The thing that they all have in common is that they’re loosening up with musical phrases and exercises. Which brings me back to my first questions. Is it the rock and roll rebel in us? My Story Yes, I, too, was an incessant noodler. I’d been playing for a couple of months and didn’t realize that I was noodling. My teacher was none to happy and strongly stated how rude it was to noodle while he was talking. This was a lesson that I never forgot and as I continue to teach I realize just how much noodling affects everyone. The lesson that I learned from my teacher has actually helped me get gigs. In my current band—a corporate band that performs at business functions, civil events, social affairs, casinos, etc.—I noticed during the audition process that the other final three guitarists were great players. I was just hoping to do my best. When it was all said and done, I was told that I got the job. they told me that from a performance standpoint we were all pretty even so they started looking at other points. I was told that I was the most professional by the band’s management company. The music director told me that the other guitarists were, of all things, noodlers. ShareThis Posted in For Parents, For Students, Lessons, Teaching Advice, Teaching Philosophy | No Comments » Tags: Add new tag, art of teaching, guitar instruction, guitar lessons, guitar teacher, guitar tone, noodling, Teaching Philosophy What’s a Shred-o-meter? 14th March I want to thank Lynnette from Beansprout Productions for suggesting this in a previous comment. The shred-o-meter is invented by guitar virtuoso Tobias Hurwitz and is the next generation in metronomes. Hurwitz describes his creation as a super metronome that can measure notes up to 1300 BPM (beats per minute) and also detects the player’s speed and clocks it in NPS or notes per second. Check out the demo videos for the shred-o-meter. Shred-O-Meter Part 1 Shred-O-Meter Part 2 ShareThis Posted in For Parents, For Students, Music Gear | No Comments » Tags: guitar, metronome, music technology, shred-o-meter, shredometer, tobias hurwitz Problem: Online TABs 9th March To begin with, are downloading free tabs from the internet a problem as I stated in the title of this post? Or, are they simply supplemental material that can add to the enjoyment of learning how to play an instrument? These are questions that I discuss with friends and colleagues. I often play devil’s advocate to explore the topics a little more in depth. Let’s begin with the “pros” and later we’ll look at the “cons.” The Benefits of Downloading Free TABS 1. I can download the song that I want to learn how to play in seconds without paying a dime. 2. I can get the song that I want without having to buy a book that has a bunch of songs that I don’t want just because my song isn’t available by itself. 3. I can get it now. 4. In addition to studying the instrument I get to have fun playing the songs that I like and not forcing my guitar teacher to learn the song and then show me. These are all valid points that some of my students share with me. However, there is always another side to the story. The Drawbacks of Downloading Free TABs 1. There are parts missing and/or incorrect! I really only needed one point for the “cons” section. I wanted to be as objective as possible when listing the “pros” and “cons.” My Story When I was first learning how to play I had a difficult time finding a teacher. Some would last for a few lessons, others didn’t really know how to teach, while others didn’t care, etc. I did find someone that I later learned didn’t really play guitar—he played jazz-style, pedal-steel guitar; which is a different animal compared to my six-string best friend that I’ve come to know and love. He wouldn’t teach me how to play guitar, let alone tunes and licks. But instead, he taught me about music. I learned how to play during the Big 80s when there was no internet, P2P file sharing, free MP3 downloads, YouTube, and free online TABS. If you wanted to learn a song, you figured it out with two ears and two hands or you found a friend who knew how to play the song to teach it to you. Many aspiring guitarists would head to the record store after school on a Tuesday to pick up the latest rock record. They would then lock themselves in their rooms and listen (yes, listen) to the record from beginning to end a couple of times. After those first few critical listens, it was time to plug in your axe and start figuring it out: riff by riff, lick by lick, chord by chord. There was a famous story about Jimi Hendrix playing “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” at a party that the Beatles were attending to celebrate the release of the record by the same name. The astonishing part was that the record was due to be released a few days later. Hendrix learned the tune from a private preview. Now that, my friends, is a Guitar God. My teacher didn’t give me the licks. He showed me how to get them myself. Unfortunately, I never did thank him for that. Instead, I resented the hours of lessons spent in front of the piano learning solfege and analyzing Bach chorales. My Position on Downloading Free TABS It simple… I’m against it because, once again, the artist is getting shafted on his or her royalties. Free TABs is the same as file sharing MP3s. In my day (wow, I sound like my dad) we paid for music, songbooks and lessons. The message that we’re giving the youth of today is that we condone “free” by turning a blind eye to it. Today’s generation feels that they’re entitled to free. I wouldn’t have a problem with free TABs if they weren’t at the expense of someone else’s hard work. From a teacher’s point of view I’ve seen many downloaded TABs that are incorrect, incomplete, or both. Yet, the students (tweens, teens, and adults) will look at the TAB like it’s the Holy Grail and then look doubtful at the teacher. All of that time that I spent listening to records and figuring out riffs, licks and songs was valuable and I don’t regret it one bit. I learned how to listen (something that the aforementioned students still struggle with) and I learned how to get a good tone from my guitar and amp (yet another thing that students today struggle with). If you’d like to buy music books then please go to Sheet Music Plus or if you’d like to download one song at a time then try Sheet Music Direct or Music Notes. These TABs are created by professionals and are complete and accurate with the owners of the song’s license receiving their percentage. What do you think? ShareThis Posted in For Parents, For Students, Teaching Philosophy | No Comments » Tags: download tabs, free tabs, guitar tabs, music notes, online tabs, sheet music direct, sheet music plus Problem: Taxes and Accidents
09/03/09 02:56 Filed in: General Announcement
Thank you for your comments and emails. I apologize for being MIA for the past few weeks but since my last entry I was involved in a car accident and had to file my taxes. While each one is more than enough to deal with, both at the same time turned February into a month that I will hopefully not have to repeat again in the near future. Unfortunately, there are still forms left to fill out as well as loose ends that need attention but, thankfully, the bulk of the work is over. Read More...