Looking for a Guitar Teacher?
There’s an awuful lot of “smoke and mirrors” stuff about learning to play the guitar
Here’s the musical “facts of life” about learning the guitar
FACT 1 : A good guitar player does not necessarily make a good guitar teacher
FACT 2: A good teacher does not necessarily make a good guitar player
As strange as these statements may sound, when you think about it guitar playing and guitar teaching are require two entirely different sets of skills.
Here are two very obvious examples to start to thinking …
Just because a person has aquired the necessary funds to purchase the materials to build a house does not mean they possess the skills to build the house.
Likewise, it would be foolish to presume that a person who repairs airplanes would be able to fly them.
Guitar Teachers: Do your research
You owe it to yourself to put the same amount of effort into researching your guitar teacher as you would researching your Doctor, Dentist or Accountant.
This is particularly important to today’s’ world where anyone with a “free” YouTube account can become a guitar expert/teacher instantly!
Step 1:
Can the teacher actually DO what you want to do?
Again, very obvious, but most often overlooked.
NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING … just because a person has a teaching degree does not guarantee that they can actually play or teach; what it means is that they have had the tenacity to follow through a prescribed set of studies and have completed the set course.
I actually know of an accountant who doesn’t know how to use a calculator properly! Unbelievable, but true.
Understand this!
A teacher who has only studied classical theory cannot possibly help you understand jazz improvisation concepts; like wise a guitarist whose only claim to fame is playing in the car park at the Country Music Muster would not be the best choice to help you read traditional music notation.
Step 2:
Check out their track record.
Do they have any successful students?
Again, super obvious … if they are any good at TEACHING they must have the ability to pass on their knowledge /abilities to their students …
So, check them out … where and who are their past students?
Don’t fool yourself that YOU are going to be their first success story.
Review:
Your perspective teacher must have the necessary skills and the ability to pass them on to you.
Over the years I've worked with the best all the big names particularly on guitar: Joe Pass, Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Charlie Byrd, Martin Taylor, John Williams ... great jazz musicians like Dizzy Gillispie, Stan Getz and Frank Sinatra.
Apart from being a very accomplished performer, Mike has all of the teaching skills, and most importantly of all ... he has the ability to pass them on!
A motto that's stood me in good stead throughout my life has been.
"You can't learn flying from a guy who has never been off the ground" and I can assure you that Mike has really been off the ground, and I'm sure that you will benefit from his skills."
You can’t learn flying from someone who’s never been of the ground!
Bruce Clarke
Professional guitarist/musician, Melbourne, Australia.
The Mike Hayes Guitar Studio offers Specialized Tuition in JAZZ, COUNTRY, ROCK, FOLK, IMPROVISATION, COMPOSING, ARRANGING & BASS.
For Beginners, Semi Pros., Professionals or Groups – Free Advisory Service.
