Showing posts with label ask. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ask. Show all posts
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Frequently Asked Questions and What You Should Ask
The most frequently asked questions:
- How much are lessons? Probably the top question and the one that should be much lower on the list. As with any other purchase, you get what you pay for. Do you really want to take lessons or have your child learn from the cheapest teacher? While price is no guarantee of quality its certainly wise to be leery of someone with ridiculously low prices.
- At what age should my child start guitar lessons? Most guitar teachers will start a beginner at age 7 or 8. There are some programs, Child Bloom and Kindermusic that start them younger. The critical decision here is how you as a parent will react when your new student doesnt practice as much as you think they should. The most important part of learning guitar at this age is for the child to enjoy the lessons. Nagging, reminding, and scolding them does much more harm than good.
- Am I too old to learn guitar? In most cases, no. As long as you have desire and time to practice, youll do fine. Setting realistic goals, being patient and finding time are the biggest obstacles adults face.
- What guitar method do you use? Most teachers will start you off with a book of some sort, get you moving around on the guitar, and then gear the lessons more to the style of music youd like to play. Be wary of the teacher that uses the same approach whether youre 7, 17 or 70.
- What kind of music do you play? Lots of teachers advertise that they can teach you any style of music youd like, but be aware that it doesnt mean theyre equally good at all types of music. This is most important if you have a specific style of music in mind. While there is some overlap, there are different techniques, licks, (small musical phrases), and sounds that define the music.
- Have you worked with children before? Some teachers cant or dont want to teach younger students, so be sure you ask if you have a young child.
- Are you comfortable or qualified teaching my special needs child? There have been many instances where weve had parents register their child and then almost as an afterthought mention that they have ADD, a learning disability of some sort, or an emotional problem that well have to deal with. Its very awkward for the teacher to find this out after the fact.
- What qualifications do you have? While a college degree is nice, it shouldnt be the only consideration. When I hire a teacher I look for a combination of education, teaching, performing experience and a genuine interest in teaching. Our students trust that we know what were doing and we cant let them down.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Five Questions to Ask Yourself About Taking Guitar Lessons
Self Assessment for Beginning Guitar Players
As I said in a previous post, the hardest students to teach are the ones who have no real idea of what they want to play on guitar or why theyre even taking lessons. Saying "I just want to play guitar" is far too broad of a statement when you think about the versatility of a guitar. Answering the following questions will help you focus on what you have in mind.
As I said in a previous post, the hardest students to teach are the ones who have no real idea of what they want to play on guitar or why theyre even taking lessons. Saying "I just want to play guitar" is far too broad of a statement when you think about the versatility of a guitar. Answering the following questions will help you focus on what you have in mind.
- What kind of music do you enjoy the most? Dont just answer "I like all kinds of music." Were looking for specific styles.
- Who are your favorite guitar players? Name no less than 5. Dont worry about whether or not you think theyre beyond your ability, just name names.
- What is your main reason for choosing to learn guitar? Do you want to be in a band, play and sing for fun, jam with other people? Again, "I just want to play guitar" is not helpful.
- If you could play like ONE GUITARIST who would it be? We all have favorites and I know picking just one is difficult, but it gets you thinking about what you really like. I have guitarists that I like but dont necessarily want to play like them. For instance, I like listening to jazz and classical music on the guitar, but its not my main interest.
- Name the songs youd most like to play. Having a list of songs is a good step towards learning to play guitar. Seek out a teacher, present him or her with the list, and get advice about which songs to start with. Depending upon how long youve been playing, it may not be possible to play them immediately, but thats a great way to set goals.
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