“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” ―Aristotle Hearing your child play a musical instrument is every parent’s dream. Getting him/her to practice, however, can be a nightmare if you don’t have a plan. That’s why I put together five scientifically proven tips to help your child […]
Category: Uncategorized
A New Hope Arises: The Future of Guitar Lessons
If you read The 4 Greatest Challenges Facing Guitar Teachers, you know the music education industry is rapidly changing. Guitar sales are slumping, online learning platforms like YouTube are becoming better organized, and traditional guitar lessons are competing with more after-school activities than ever. To make matters worse, too many guitarists invested far too much of […]
Three Flow Principles for Teaching Effortless Group Guitar Classes
Imagine for a moment you’re teaching a room full of guitar students paying rapt attention to your every word. The students are buzzing with curiosity and enthusiasm, and joy is clearly written in the smiles on their face. You lose yourself in the moment, and time melts away. That state of consciousness is known as […]
Easy Buying Guide for Your Child’s First Guitar
Electric vs. Acoustic Nylon string acoustic guitars are an excellent choice for starters. They’re durable, cheap, and easy to play. However, if you signed your child up for rock guitar lessons, chances are they want to rock! In my experience, students quickly make the jump from acoustic to electric guitar in a matter of months. […]
Classroom Management for Guitar Teachers: Expected vs. Unexpected Behaviors
Classroom Management for Group Guitar Instructors What do you think separates a great group guitar teacher from an average one? Technical ability on the guitar? No. A lifetime of music theory? Nope. Two-handed tapping? Wrong. The number one skill needed to be a rock star guitar instructor for kids is the ability to manage a class full […]
Three Great Groove Guitarists: Playing in the Pocket
The Pocket The pocket is the rhythmic glue that binds a band or a song together. Playing in the pocket happens when a musician finds his/her space in the music while simultaneously leaving space for the other bandmates to occupy. How to Play in the Pocket While the ability to play in the pocket is […]
Finger Exercises for Beginning Guitarists
Have you ever seen a great guitarist like Jimi Hendrix, Joe Satriani, or Steve Vai play the guitar with one finger? Absolutely not, but that’s precisely how many young guitarists spend their first couple of years learning to play the guitar. I call it the “one-finger of doom syndrome” because it’s guaranteed to self-destruct […]
3 Practice Tips for a Guitarless and Recovering Guitar Hero
While most die-hard guitarists have little problem establishing efficient and daily practice routines, they often struggle with “not practicing.” Busy schedules, outside distractions, and repetitive stress injuries can impose a quick halt to their best intentions. For many musicians, imposed time off from their instrument can cause frustration, anxiety, and depression. However, the truth is time […]
Basic Rhythms: It’s All About that Groove
“There is music wherever there is rhythm, as there is life whereever there beats a pulse.” -Igor Stravinsky Rhythm is the fundamental glue binding music together. Without rhythm, music would be reduced to noise. So if you want to rock on the guitar, you should spend some time each practice session building your rhythmic vocabulary. In […]
Rhythm Games for Guitar Teachers
It’s no secret that kids love games! Kids are drawn to the reward systems games provide because positive reinforcement makes them feel good. Games also give kids a chance to team up and collaborate to solve difficult puzzles. Finally, games give kids a chance to test their skills against their classmates. Moreover, games are a […]