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Author Topic: Thinking of teaching guitar full time  (Read 20651 times)

JJretroTONEGOD

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Re: Thinking of teaching guitar full time
« Reply #30 on: August 19, 2013, 04:53:59 PM »
Oh I agree. That's sort of what I meant. If you don't know theory it doesn't necessarily mean you're just hitting random notes, lol.

I knew that's what you meant and. I im agreeing think there's loads of factors which come into play when writing music other than theory. Your point in valid because id 'developed my own style' knowing i was picking up on eastern and classical ideas and when I took the time to learn theory I was using a lot of minor scales and the phrygian mode.  Before that I didnt know what it was but id got it down and had it figured out. 

Luck, plagerism, errors, planning, inspiration using your ears and ideally innovation also coming into play when writing music.

Most theory was thought up hundreds of years ago and for our corner of the world a lot of was from the church.  They obviously knew the tri tone sounded evil and banned it but what else has happened in music since that they or other theory buffs didnt consider?
Tremelo dive bombs and crazy harmonics, masses of distortion, feedback, different effects, different techniques, screaming like Rob Halford.  Guys like Rob Halford, Ian Gillain etc just did whatdid and they didnt pick it up from a book what they did was just screaming and some people thought it was really musical.  Kirk Hammett slipping his string off the fret board on the recorded solo of master of puppets and keeping it because it sounded cool.  Conventional theory would not have acknowledged these things and people have explained it since but most of the guys at the time would have just done it inetnionally or by accident without thinking of the theory behind it.

Theory started in ancient greece when they started to measure everything including string vibrations harmonics and giving the notes a systematic value for the first time, I'd say it's thousands of years old not hundreds.
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JimmyMoorby

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Re: Thinking of teaching guitar full time
« Reply #31 on: August 19, 2013, 05:09:17 PM »
I know the ancient greeks are responsible for a hell of a lot not just music but I was talking more about western music i.e building from the major scale and all of the modes which the church revised and put into a form pretty much every one nowadays learns from.

jpfamps

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Re: Thinking of teaching guitar full time
« Reply #32 on: August 24, 2013, 09:01:20 PM »


I think a good quote (I forget who said this... it might have been dimebag but I'm really not sure) is (paraphrased) to learn as much theory as you can, and then forget it. Hopefully it goes into your subconscious, kind of thing, and you'll instinctively know what you're doing.


Charlie Parker certain said something a kin to this.

jpfamps

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Re: Thinking of teaching guitar full time
« Reply #33 on: August 24, 2013, 09:43:51 PM »
I went from repairing building amps in my spare time, to now doing this for a living.

Before I started working on amps commercially I only worked on/ built gear I was interested in myself, mainly vintage valve amps.

Once I started fixing gear on a commercial basis, which I did several years before it became a full time job, I had to learn how a much wider spectrum of gear works, eg effects pedals, which I have very little interest in as a user, although I found the electronics very interesting and stimulating.

If you are going from the transition of doing some lessons on the side, to doing it as a full time job (as I have), then you will be subject to market forces, and you will need to decide whether you can afford to turn away prospective students who want to learn something you don't feel you can teach them, regardless of whether you think they "need" to know this or not. I don't refuse to fix chorus pedals because I think chorus is a hideous effect.

I suspect that there are few guitar teachers who can teach all styles (for example could you teach Danny Gatton's picking style?), and I'm sure all teachers have their specialist areas.

Nevertheless, I think some understanding of theory is a good idea as it can provide a framework for some students to understand what they are trying to achieve. Remember we all learn at different rates and with different methods.

Of course in an ideal world we would all learn everything by ear, however not everyone has the talent to do this (I certainly don't), so some theoretical support is of benefit. You should bear in mind that the OP is clearly a very capable guitarist, and I suspect few of his prospective students will achieve that level of capability.

I have a reasonable grasp of theory, and have never found it particularly troublesome to get my head around (although I am mystified by any guitarist's obsession with modes.......).

As an example, I think you should be able to teach a student how to work out the notes in a chord, and thus work out the chord shapes and arpeggios, eg a Dmin9, or an G13.

I think the bottom line is that you need to feel you are giving value for money, which incidentally I feel I do with my repair business.

JimmyMoorby

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Re: Thinking of teaching guitar full time
« Reply #34 on: August 25, 2013, 01:09:30 AM »
I went from repairing building amps in my spare time, to now doing this for a living.

Before I started working on amps commercially I only worked on/ built gear I was interested in myself, mainly vintage valve amps.

Once I started fixing gear on a commercial basis, which I did several years before it became a full time job, I had to learn how a much wider spectrum of gear works, eg effects pedals, which I have very little interest in as a user, although I found the electronics very interesting and stimulating.

If you are going from the transition of doing some lessons on the side, to doing it as a full time job (as I have), then you will be subject to market forces, and you will need to decide whether you can afford to turn away prospective students who want to learn something you don't feel you can teach them, regardless of whether you think they "need" to know this or not. I don't refuse to fix chorus pedals because I think chorus is a hideous effect.

I suspect that there are few guitar teachers who can teach all styles (for example could you teach Danny Gatton's picking style?), and I'm sure all teachers have their specialist areas.

Nevertheless, I think some understanding of theory is a good idea as it can provide a framework for some students to understand what they are trying to achieve. Remember we all learn at different rates and with different methods.

Of course in an ideal world we would all learn everything by ear, however not everyone has the talent to do this (I certainly don't), so some theoretical support is of benefit. You should bear in mind that the OP is clearly a very capable guitarist, and I suspect few of his prospective students will achieve that level of capability.

I have a reasonable grasp of theory, and have never found it particularly troublesome to get my head around (although I am mystified by any guitarist's obsession with modes.......).

As an example, I think you should be able to teach a student how to work out the notes in a chord, and thus work out the chord shapes and arpeggios, eg a Dmin9, or an G13.

I think the bottom line is that you need to feel you are giving value for money, which incidentally I feel I do with my repair business.

Since I posted this ive had a right good crack at theory and covered the outright beginners stuff which led to what makes up a chord and how to work out modes etc.  Should have learnt the major scale early on i guess and it would have all fallen into place a lot easier but after youve been playing for over 10 years it isnt all that appealing to go back to basics like that but ive done it now.

Ive got to say it is hard when you dont know how to apply it/need to apply it (want which ever way you want to put it) because theres no point to it for me at this stage but ive done it now and because i wont practise it ive written it all down in a way I can refer to and instantly understand and now hope fully ill be able to explain it in the simplest terms which  some seem capable of from reading books and looking at stuff online!  It's still a weakness in that I cant just instantly come out with it but its still all new.....

I know what you mean about Danny Gatton's style.  I couldnt play that stuff as it stands with such speed and precision but I guess it comes down to where the student's at and I could set them on their way or whatever and it probably wouldnt be beyond me its just getting the motivation to learn some thing like that when its not completely my thing.
I dont know who the greatest teacher is of all time but Satriani has gotta be up there given who he's taught but he doesnt come close to being able to 'play any thing' he certaninly seems to know his stuff though and his solo work is awesome.

Chris Broderick seems as if he can play pretty much any thing and convincingly but I cant think of any one else like  him. Its obvious to me where guitarists strengths and weaknesses lie.  Ask Danny Gatton to play like Stanley Jordan or Shawn Lane.... it just wouldnt happen but you wouldnt think any less of them for not taking on each others techniques fully and id take lessons off all of them!

I know from learning lots of Al Di Meola stuff he slates any kind of picking techniques that arent strict alternate picking with a plectrum (e.g legato, sweep picking etc etc). I dont agree personally but I can see why he says it and I respect his views and for his style of music nothing else would do.  I defnitely wouldnt troll him as a teacher just because he wasnt good at sweep picking or tapping (maybe he is i dunno) but I think the reality is if youre a dedicated student you want to learn from as many sources as you can we dont all just learn from one guitar player do we?

I dont think anyone's technique is faultless or beyond criticism I remember some one saying in terms of his soloing techniques that John Petrucci was a 'jack of all trades and master of none'.Clearly a ridiculous remark but he isnt 'the best' at any technique in particular but I like the way he fuses everything together which many dont/cant do. Some one like Jason Becker is a master sweep picker but ive gotta be honest after a bit as good as he is/was it grates on me and i just wish hed mix it up with something else.  Not ragging on jason becker hes a legend no doubt and his amazing abilities were taken far too earily... just my 2 cents though

« Last Edit: August 25, 2013, 01:34:58 AM by JimmyMoorby »

dave_mc

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Re: Thinking of teaching guitar full time
« Reply #35 on: August 25, 2013, 06:06:30 PM »
Charlie Parker certain said something a kin to this.

It may well have been him :lol:

Good post afterwards about the market forces etc. thing too :)

Lew

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Re: Thinking of teaching guitar full time
« Reply #36 on: August 28, 2013, 11:29:16 PM »
I've not read through all of the replies, sorry (I will) and this might end up being a long post and not all relevant but you might find it useful so imma ramble on.

It seems that I'm in a very similar boat to you. I've been very calculated over the last three years and have been working on my days off and using up holiday time to go and work music jobs and build up a network - Primarily, I've been working for a music charity. Your attitude of getting a 'day job' and filling the evenings with guitar teaching is wise and is exactly what I'm doing. The hope is that eventually I will have enough music work to do it full-time.

A few weeks ago I got a new job and changed from shift hours to office hours because I wanted to do more with music and got tired of having to turn opportunities down (as well as being sick of my job) because of cr@ppy 12hr shifts and alternating days off - which is what I imagine you do? (my wife is a CDO and works 2x12 days + 2x12 nights then 4 off)? I've worked with mental health and challenging behavior so maybe I've got a glimpse into the stress you're under as a bobby.

It was a huge step for me, because I took quite the pay cut and was worried about doing the office hours (see my other thread if you can be bothered). Money aside it turns out it was one of the best things I've done for my mental health and general well being :-) It's been a bit over two weeks since I went office hours and I already have a couple of 'regular' students and have a meeting next week about the possibility of more work (watch this space).

So what I'm saying is do it, but make sure you're bills are completely covered by a day job and then anything on top is your spending money - or in my case Juansolos money ;-)

Theory is important. In the very least as a way to have a musical dialogue. The competition is FIERCE and the other guys will know it. Sounds like you've got an ok grasp of it, though so I'm sure you'll be fine or at worst be able to bullshitee your way through it and figure out what you need to learn before the next lesson! I've got a degree in music and went to a guitar 'college' in my teens and I'm pretty $%&#ing terrible at theory. What's important is to be able to teach the student what they need to know in a practical sense and that's not just limited to theory but about timing and rhythm and technique.

One of the best things you can do is get a guitar teacher yourself, even if it's once every few weeks. Watch what he does and rip him off ;-p

Hope some of that helps :-)
« Last Edit: August 28, 2013, 11:32:54 PM by Lew »

mgelinas

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Re: Thinking of teaching guitar full time
« Reply #37 on: September 24, 2013, 08:37:10 AM »
Don't let the noise of others' opinions drowns out your own inner voice, and most important,have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

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Dave Sloven

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Re: Thinking of teaching guitar full time
« Reply #38 on: September 24, 2013, 08:45:57 AM »
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