Lee has Just released his album "Essence of Time". He also teaches at a very high level. check out what he has to say about teaching.
How long have you been teaching guitar?
For about 16 years. I started when I was in grade 12. But it actually hasn’t been 16 years straight I have taken breaks from it from time to time.
Why do you teach guitar?
I love playing guitar: I am still obsessed with it. And because of that I just need to show others who have the same passion for it how play to! It is pretty awesome. Nothing’s as cool as seeing a student progress week to week.
Where is your teaching practice based?
I teach here in Calgary at Axe School of Music. It is a really great place to teach. They even have Rock Camps in the summers where we coach students in a band situation then they get to put on a concert. Everyone has an awesome time!
As far as teaching goes, what is your specialty?
Talking too much! Seriously, I talk my students ears off because I get pretty wired about guitar, like I said I am still obsessed. I guess my specialty would be shedding light on topics students might be confused about. Sometimes I explain things in ten different ways. I insist they ask tons of questions and we won’t let the subject go until it is perfectly clear.
What level of player do you prefer to teach?
For me it isn’t about what level. As long as they are there because they want to be, not because someone makes them go. Nothing can drain your energy more than pushing through lessons week to week with someone who isn’t interested. But it is pretty cool to teach players on the intermediate level on the edge of becoming an advanced players, that is when I get even more wound up and talk even more, it can get exciting.
What makes a player a virtuoso?
Well, I think a saying I heard from Tom Hess sums it up pretty well: An average player practices to get it right, but a Virtuoso practices to never get it wrong. There is a big difference! I also see it as someone with no technical limitations on their playing and composing, whether it is a simple piece of music or extremely challenging, they can play it at the highest level. Most people attach speed with virtuosity, which is very often the case, but even when a Virtuoso plays something slow or simple, there is still a certain command of the instrument evident in their playing.
How fast is too fast, if such a concept exists?
When you start sounding sloppy, it is too fast! But I personally don’t think there is a limit, I mean what is fast to me might not be fast to the next guy. Everyone has their own limits on their abilities. I guess as long as the passage being played at mach 8 isn’t taking away from the song but is adding to what is being portrayed in the composition then it works. Though I have heard players who just sound like they are just wanking over a riff aimlessly, I believe notes and licks should be consciously chosen not just ripping up and down scales shapes because you know they are in the right key.
From a Teacher’s point of view, what is the number one roadblock to becoming a better player?
Looking for a short cut around practicing! I personally don’t have a button I push to make them great.
What makes a good student? Describe the student who progresses really quickly?
Someone who asks lots of questions and has decided before they come to me that they will achieve their goals! Sounds simple, but I really believe it.
Do you find that older or younger students progress faster/learn quicker?
From my personal experience I found that students in their early teens seem to be the ones that make the fastest progress. Young kids can lack the discipline to sit and practice and adults have many other responsibilities to tend to apart from practicing. Again that is just what I have noticed.
What is your teaching format?
I insist that all students know the essentials like chords, scales, intervals, and at least basic theory. After that I start personalizing the lessons for their specific goals. Not everyone wants to be a wanker like me.
What models of learning benefit the student the most?
I don’t know that I have any specific models that work all the time, but simply explaining that in the end it is up to them. Either they want to learn and get better or they don’t, and if they do then I am there to facilitate that. However, it can also depend on what the student goals are. I just really try hard to connect with them.
Is there one piece of advice that you can give the readers to improve their playing right now?
Don’t settle for second, push yourself and don’t let it go until you have mastered whatever concept it is that is causing you problems. And that means knowing what it is you are aiming for, whether it is to be a Virtuoso or not.
How can prospective students contact you for lessons?
They can go to www.axemusic.com and either email or just call.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Paul Kleff Interview - Great advice and passion for guitar.
We reviewed Paul's shred filled album "Machined" late last year, and now he's back to tell us about his passion for guitar and share some secrets about forging a career in music.
What steps have you taken to forge a career in the music industry?
I had to ask myself, “What is it I really want to do?” I think one needs to have some pretty specific goals to start with, and then you can work backwards to fill in the steps with the things you need to do in order to reach those goals. There is so much I want to do—both from an artist/composer/guitarist perspective and as a music teacher/guitar instructor.
What advice do you have for people looking to get into the music industry?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from people that have been there—and don’t take advice from people that aren’t qualified to give it. And be willing to pay for the best advice and help. Once you have some goals and have a good idea of what you want, find the people that can help you figure out how to get there—people that have already done what you want to do.
Look at your goals often and be persistent. Do something every day that helps you get closer to reaching them. The combination of time and taking small steps on a regular basis is what will get you there—both as a guitar player and in your music career.
What are the pressures in the industry and how do you cope with them?
I think the biggest pressures are the ones we put on ourselves. You have to be able to find that motivation within and find ways to keep it going on a day to day basis. There are so many great musicians out there.
During your formative years, what sort of practice regime did you have?
I got serious about guitar when I was in high school—when I was about 15 or so. I practiced and jammed with friends a lot and picked people’s brains for information. So most of my early years were spent learning songs and parts of songs and solos. Most of the time, I tried to emulate the feel and phrasing of the guitar players I liked. I was never really good at totally copying solos and playing stuff note for note.
I learned some theory and scales from books and tried to apply it—stuff like the modes and different scales. I studied music and majored in classical guitar in college and that was where I formally learned a lot about music theory. I never took lessons on the electric guitar back then and I’m sure that held up my progress a lot. So much of what I did on the guitar was a trial and error kind of thing.
So I practiced and jammed with other people a lot the first couple years. I started teaching guitar about four years after I started playing. When I was in college, I was pretty much immersed in music—between school, teaching and playing in local bands. Music was all I did then—and that was when I made a lot of progress as a musician.
What advice do you have for beginner and intermediate players who are trying to achieve a highly advanced level of playing?
Figure out what it is you want to be able to do and then find someone who can help you get there. Don’t be too proud or whatever to take lessons—find the guitar teacher in your area that can do what it is you want to be able to do and take some lessons—that will save you a lot of time and eliminate the time wasting “trial and error” effort. There’s so much info out there on the internet, some of its good and some is not so good. Find someone who can help you learn to do what you want to do.
If you’re a beginner, you can start off right, get a good foundation and advance much more quickly. No matter what style of guitar you want to play, whether you want to shred or just learn to strum some chords and play songs, you can learn what you need in order to be able to do what you want to do and not waste time on things that aren’t going to help you.
For an intermediate player, a teacher can help you refine things and show you ways to improve much more quickly than if you stumble around looking for the solutions on your own. Sometimes very small adjustments or changes to your technique or the way you are doing something can give you big results or a breakthrough in a relatively short amount of time. This is where a good teacher is most helpful. You can learn a lot from books, videos and the internet, but there’s no substitute for what you get from a good teacher—they are going to help you the most. They will be able see and hear things in your playing and how you are doing things that you won’t be able to see and show you how to improve the fastest. You might struggle with something for weeks on your own that can be fixed in the course of one lesson—it’s definitely worth it.
Like I said, I didn’t take lessons at first and ended up having to “unlearn” some things that were holding me back as I went along. If I could do it all over again, I would have taken lessons from the best teacher I could right from the beginning.
What gear do you use and why?
I’m not all that picky, really. I’ve played everything from Gibson to Kramer to Ibanez to Carvin over the years. But, I’ve played the Strat-style body guitars for so long now that it feels really weird to play a Les Paul or something like that. My two main guitars are a Carvin DC127 and an Ibanez PGM 301. Between those two, I get the best of everything. The Carvin has a Floyd Rose and the Ibanez is a hard tail.
What parts of your playing reflects your personality and self expression most accurately?
I was influenced and inspired by so many different guitar players and bands so there are a lot of sides to my musical personality and self-expression that I try to get out. To me, a guitar solo is more like a mini-composition within the song and I try to approach it like that, rather than just trying to string some licks or technical stuff together and calling it good. Technical skills are really just a way to add more expression to your playing—the more things you can do on the guitar, the more ways you can express yourself—you’re not as limited.
Vibrato is really important to me. I love players that have that wide, singing vibrato. Most people, when they start playing guitar, they get so hung up on trying to shred, sweep pick, etc., that they forget about vibrato and how important it is to developing your own sound. People listen to players like Yngwie or Paul Gilbert and get so hung up on learning all the technique involved in the styles of guys like that, that they forget that these guys have absolutely killer vibrato. You don’t hear that mentioned that much—listen to Yngwie’s vibrato. Man—it just sings and it’s just as important to his sound as all the technical stuff in there. George Lynch, John Sykes and guys like that—great players and great vibrato, too—smooth.
What are you trying to achieve compositionally? – You can mention your influences, techniques you’ve spent a lot of time with, concepts, etc.
I’m really a huge music fan and have been influenced by so many artists—everything from the Beatles and Led Zeppelin up to newer metal stuff coming out today. When I started playing, I was really into the 80s style and all of those players—everything from the NWOBHM, the LA bands and guitarists as well as all the shred stuff that exploded during that time period.
So, compositionally, I was really influenced by songs that have a great melody and usually some sort of a hook in there. Whether it is an instrumental or a vocal tune, having a hook and a melody that sticks with you has always been an influence on me and I think that comes out in both my songwriting style and approach to soloing.
Talk about the process of recording your album. Are there any tips and tricks that you could pass on? How did you choose the other instrumentalists (if you did).
“Machined” was written and recorded over about a two month period in the summer of 2008. I was getting ready to go on a tour doing some guitar instructional clinics and wanted to have a CD to be able to take out with me and promote. So it came together pretty quick. When I started working on the album, I was debating whether I wanted to go instrumental guitar-oriented music or a vocal melodic/heavy rock format. So I compromised and did two songs of each.
Technology and amp modelers really make it easier to get a half way decent sound for writing and recording and with the computer you can do so much on your own now. So many people do albums right in their home studios today. Having that flexibility really allows you the time to write and record your own material at a relatively low cost. You don’t have to worry about the studio meter running and you can record at 3 in the morning without waking anybody up.
Right now, the band is myself and my good friend Jerry Keyzer (vocalist.) We've known each other a long time--we played a lot of shows together and did some recording with one of our old bands in the past. Even though we live in the same city, we lost track of each other for awhile and then reconnected. We've known each other for so long we've almost got a sixth sense musically when we work together. Our musical tastes run similar and we complement each other well.
We are currently writing and demoing material for a full length CD which will be out by fall 2009. I plan on adding a drummer and bassist later this year and then some live shows will follow—probably by some time early in 2010.
Thanks, Guy!
http://www.paulkleffmusic.com/
What steps have you taken to forge a career in the music industry?
I had to ask myself, “What is it I really want to do?” I think one needs to have some pretty specific goals to start with, and then you can work backwards to fill in the steps with the things you need to do in order to reach those goals. There is so much I want to do—both from an artist/composer/guitarist perspective and as a music teacher/guitar instructor.
What advice do you have for people looking to get into the music industry?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from people that have been there—and don’t take advice from people that aren’t qualified to give it. And be willing to pay for the best advice and help. Once you have some goals and have a good idea of what you want, find the people that can help you figure out how to get there—people that have already done what you want to do.
Look at your goals often and be persistent. Do something every day that helps you get closer to reaching them. The combination of time and taking small steps on a regular basis is what will get you there—both as a guitar player and in your music career.
What are the pressures in the industry and how do you cope with them?
I think the biggest pressures are the ones we put on ourselves. You have to be able to find that motivation within and find ways to keep it going on a day to day basis. There are so many great musicians out there.
During your formative years, what sort of practice regime did you have?
I got serious about guitar when I was in high school—when I was about 15 or so. I practiced and jammed with friends a lot and picked people’s brains for information. So most of my early years were spent learning songs and parts of songs and solos. Most of the time, I tried to emulate the feel and phrasing of the guitar players I liked. I was never really good at totally copying solos and playing stuff note for note.
I learned some theory and scales from books and tried to apply it—stuff like the modes and different scales. I studied music and majored in classical guitar in college and that was where I formally learned a lot about music theory. I never took lessons on the electric guitar back then and I’m sure that held up my progress a lot. So much of what I did on the guitar was a trial and error kind of thing.
So I practiced and jammed with other people a lot the first couple years. I started teaching guitar about four years after I started playing. When I was in college, I was pretty much immersed in music—between school, teaching and playing in local bands. Music was all I did then—and that was when I made a lot of progress as a musician.
What advice do you have for beginner and intermediate players who are trying to achieve a highly advanced level of playing?
Figure out what it is you want to be able to do and then find someone who can help you get there. Don’t be too proud or whatever to take lessons—find the guitar teacher in your area that can do what it is you want to be able to do and take some lessons—that will save you a lot of time and eliminate the time wasting “trial and error” effort. There’s so much info out there on the internet, some of its good and some is not so good. Find someone who can help you learn to do what you want to do.
If you’re a beginner, you can start off right, get a good foundation and advance much more quickly. No matter what style of guitar you want to play, whether you want to shred or just learn to strum some chords and play songs, you can learn what you need in order to be able to do what you want to do and not waste time on things that aren’t going to help you.
For an intermediate player, a teacher can help you refine things and show you ways to improve much more quickly than if you stumble around looking for the solutions on your own. Sometimes very small adjustments or changes to your technique or the way you are doing something can give you big results or a breakthrough in a relatively short amount of time. This is where a good teacher is most helpful. You can learn a lot from books, videos and the internet, but there’s no substitute for what you get from a good teacher—they are going to help you the most. They will be able see and hear things in your playing and how you are doing things that you won’t be able to see and show you how to improve the fastest. You might struggle with something for weeks on your own that can be fixed in the course of one lesson—it’s definitely worth it.
Like I said, I didn’t take lessons at first and ended up having to “unlearn” some things that were holding me back as I went along. If I could do it all over again, I would have taken lessons from the best teacher I could right from the beginning.
What gear do you use and why?
I’m not all that picky, really. I’ve played everything from Gibson to Kramer to Ibanez to Carvin over the years. But, I’ve played the Strat-style body guitars for so long now that it feels really weird to play a Les Paul or something like that. My two main guitars are a Carvin DC127 and an Ibanez PGM 301. Between those two, I get the best of everything. The Carvin has a Floyd Rose and the Ibanez is a hard tail.
What parts of your playing reflects your personality and self expression most accurately?
I was influenced and inspired by so many different guitar players and bands so there are a lot of sides to my musical personality and self-expression that I try to get out. To me, a guitar solo is more like a mini-composition within the song and I try to approach it like that, rather than just trying to string some licks or technical stuff together and calling it good. Technical skills are really just a way to add more expression to your playing—the more things you can do on the guitar, the more ways you can express yourself—you’re not as limited.
Vibrato is really important to me. I love players that have that wide, singing vibrato. Most people, when they start playing guitar, they get so hung up on trying to shred, sweep pick, etc., that they forget about vibrato and how important it is to developing your own sound. People listen to players like Yngwie or Paul Gilbert and get so hung up on learning all the technique involved in the styles of guys like that, that they forget that these guys have absolutely killer vibrato. You don’t hear that mentioned that much—listen to Yngwie’s vibrato. Man—it just sings and it’s just as important to his sound as all the technical stuff in there. George Lynch, John Sykes and guys like that—great players and great vibrato, too—smooth.
What are you trying to achieve compositionally? – You can mention your influences, techniques you’ve spent a lot of time with, concepts, etc.
I’m really a huge music fan and have been influenced by so many artists—everything from the Beatles and Led Zeppelin up to newer metal stuff coming out today. When I started playing, I was really into the 80s style and all of those players—everything from the NWOBHM, the LA bands and guitarists as well as all the shred stuff that exploded during that time period.
So, compositionally, I was really influenced by songs that have a great melody and usually some sort of a hook in there. Whether it is an instrumental or a vocal tune, having a hook and a melody that sticks with you has always been an influence on me and I think that comes out in both my songwriting style and approach to soloing.
Talk about the process of recording your album. Are there any tips and tricks that you could pass on? How did you choose the other instrumentalists (if you did).
“Machined” was written and recorded over about a two month period in the summer of 2008. I was getting ready to go on a tour doing some guitar instructional clinics and wanted to have a CD to be able to take out with me and promote. So it came together pretty quick. When I started working on the album, I was debating whether I wanted to go instrumental guitar-oriented music or a vocal melodic/heavy rock format. So I compromised and did two songs of each.
Technology and amp modelers really make it easier to get a half way decent sound for writing and recording and with the computer you can do so much on your own now. So many people do albums right in their home studios today. Having that flexibility really allows you the time to write and record your own material at a relatively low cost. You don’t have to worry about the studio meter running and you can record at 3 in the morning without waking anybody up.
Right now, the band is myself and my good friend Jerry Keyzer (vocalist.) We've known each other a long time--we played a lot of shows together and did some recording with one of our old bands in the past. Even though we live in the same city, we lost track of each other for awhile and then reconnected. We've known each other for so long we've almost got a sixth sense musically when we work together. Our musical tastes run similar and we complement each other well.
We are currently writing and demoing material for a full length CD which will be out by fall 2009. I plan on adding a drummer and bassist later this year and then some live shows will follow—probably by some time early in 2010.
Thanks, Guy!
http://www.paulkleffmusic.com/
Friday, March 13, 2009
Interview - Shred Teacher Paul Tauterouff
New York guitar teacher and all-round nice guy Paul Tauterouff shares some amazing insights from the perspective of a shred teacher.
How long have you been teaching guitar?
I have been teaching guitar steadily for about 4 years now. I taught guitar for a short time back in my late teens too, but things were a lot different then. For example we didn't have computers or notation software. I have always been a natural teacher; always showing things to my friends.
Why do you teach guitar?
Two reasons that drive most people - Love and Money! I love helping other people to reach their goals. It is very rewarding on a personal level. You truly feel like you make a difference in people's lives. The money is also good, but it is secondary to the emotional rewards. I feel like teaching guitar is what I was put on Earth to do.
Where is your teaching practice based?
I live and teach in the Binghamton area of New York State in the US. I teach private lessons in a nice professional studio.
As far as teaching goes, what is your specialty?
I focus mainly on rock, metal and blues-rock guitar. As far as techniques goes, I teach lead and rhythm guitar beginner to advanced. I really love teaching improvisation.
What level of player do you prefer to teach?
There are challenges to face when teaching people at the various levels and I don't really prefer one level over another. An intermediate or advanced student may be able to move their fingers really well, but depending on their prior training they may also have deeply ingrained bad habits. A beginning student is more like a blank slate to work from, but often they lack confidence, so the challenge with some of them can be to get them to believe that they can become good at guitar.
What makes a player a virtuoso?
I think a true virtuoso is someone who has full command of the instrument and the ability to express themselves and their emotions as they want to. A virtuoso has a combination of mastery of technique and musical knowledge.
How fast is too fast, if such a concept exists?
I don't think that there is any such thing as too fast, or at least I haven't heard it yet. It really comes down to what someone wants to express.
From a Teacher’s point of view, what is the number one roadblock to becoming a better player?
Number one - inefficient or not enough practicing!
What makes a good student? Describe the student who progresses really quickly.
A good student to me is someone who puts in their practice time at home, pays attention and focuses on what they are doing while practicing, and enjoys the process. I think a student will progress quickly if they have these traits and believe that they can become as good as they want to be.
Do you find that older or younger students progress faster/learn quicker?
It's a popular myth that younger people learn more quickly. I don't agree with that. It really depends on the person. If they are passionate about learning older students can advance just as quickly. The bigger issue with adult students is a lack of time to practice.
What is your teaching format?
I teach mostly private lessons. My format varies because I find that it gets boring for most people if you keep things the same. I try to create a nice balance of knowledge, technique and enjoyment. I think it is important for the student to enjoy the learning process.
What models of learning benefit the student the most?
There is no single right answer here because all people are different.
Is there one piece of advice that you can give the readers to improve their playing right now?
Two pieces of advice:
1. Take a portion of your practice time and really focus on the little details in your playing. Look at your hands! Be aware of any inefficiency of movement in your hands and make sure you are not squeezing too hard with your fretting hand.
2. Learn your scales and theory. Knowing what your options are musically will enable you to more fully express yourself.
How can prospective students contact you for lessons?
Send me an email at lessons@paultauterouff.com or visit my website at http://paultauterouff.com
How long have you been teaching guitar?
I have been teaching guitar steadily for about 4 years now. I taught guitar for a short time back in my late teens too, but things were a lot different then. For example we didn't have computers or notation software. I have always been a natural teacher; always showing things to my friends.
Why do you teach guitar?
Two reasons that drive most people - Love and Money! I love helping other people to reach their goals. It is very rewarding on a personal level. You truly feel like you make a difference in people's lives. The money is also good, but it is secondary to the emotional rewards. I feel like teaching guitar is what I was put on Earth to do.
Where is your teaching practice based?
I live and teach in the Binghamton area of New York State in the US. I teach private lessons in a nice professional studio.
As far as teaching goes, what is your specialty?
I focus mainly on rock, metal and blues-rock guitar. As far as techniques goes, I teach lead and rhythm guitar beginner to advanced. I really love teaching improvisation.
What level of player do you prefer to teach?
There are challenges to face when teaching people at the various levels and I don't really prefer one level over another. An intermediate or advanced student may be able to move their fingers really well, but depending on their prior training they may also have deeply ingrained bad habits. A beginning student is more like a blank slate to work from, but often they lack confidence, so the challenge with some of them can be to get them to believe that they can become good at guitar.
What makes a player a virtuoso?
I think a true virtuoso is someone who has full command of the instrument and the ability to express themselves and their emotions as they want to. A virtuoso has a combination of mastery of technique and musical knowledge.
How fast is too fast, if such a concept exists?
I don't think that there is any such thing as too fast, or at least I haven't heard it yet. It really comes down to what someone wants to express.
From a Teacher’s point of view, what is the number one roadblock to becoming a better player?
Number one - inefficient or not enough practicing!
What makes a good student? Describe the student who progresses really quickly.
A good student to me is someone who puts in their practice time at home, pays attention and focuses on what they are doing while practicing, and enjoys the process. I think a student will progress quickly if they have these traits and believe that they can become as good as they want to be.
Do you find that older or younger students progress faster/learn quicker?
It's a popular myth that younger people learn more quickly. I don't agree with that. It really depends on the person. If they are passionate about learning older students can advance just as quickly. The bigger issue with adult students is a lack of time to practice.
What is your teaching format?
I teach mostly private lessons. My format varies because I find that it gets boring for most people if you keep things the same. I try to create a nice balance of knowledge, technique and enjoyment. I think it is important for the student to enjoy the learning process.
What models of learning benefit the student the most?
There is no single right answer here because all people are different.
Is there one piece of advice that you can give the readers to improve their playing right now?
Two pieces of advice:
1. Take a portion of your practice time and really focus on the little details in your playing. Look at your hands! Be aware of any inefficiency of movement in your hands and make sure you are not squeezing too hard with your fretting hand.
2. Learn your scales and theory. Knowing what your options are musically will enable you to more fully express yourself.
How can prospective students contact you for lessons?
Send me an email at lessons@paultauterouff.com or visit my website at http://paultauterouff.com
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Interview - Shred Teacher Nick Layton
This is the start of series of interviews with teachers from around the world, who can shred and teach others how to shred. Although the interviews are relatively brief, these guys have loads to teach, so lookout for the great tips they give.
Nick Layton kicks off the series. Let’s see what he says.
How long have you been teaching guitar?
Professionally for about 7 years, although I taught friends informally for years before that.
Why do you teach guitar?
Several reasons: (1) I’m not cut out for the typical 9-5 day job thing and teaching is a great way to make more money in less time….which results in me having more free time to work on other music related things like recording for example. (2) I can set my own schedule. (3) I get to spend my working hours with guitar in hand. (4) It’s great helping others reach their musical goals.
Where is your teaching practice based?
Vancouver, WA.
As far as teaching goes, what is your specialty?
Rock and Metal styles involving lots of technique work, improvising, and theory.
What level of player do you prefer to teach?
I prefer intermediate to advanced.
What makes a player a virtuoso?
Hard question to answer really. Based on the musical styles I listen to it could be defined as: “Able to fully express oneself musically without technical barriers or other restrictions”.
How fast is too fast, if such a concept exists?
It’s only too fast if it’s (unintentionally) sloppy. “Too fast” is totally a matter of opinion in terms of just sheer speed. But speed without clarity and precision is not true speed in my opinion.
From a Teacher’s point of view, what is the number one roadblock to becoming a better player?
I’d say an inner drive and desire to put in the necessary work to get better. Some people seem to think getting better is just going to “magically happen.” It takes work to be good, always has and always will. From a student’s perspective this means realizing that it all takes time. Consistent work over time=consistent results!
What makes a good student? Describe the student who progresses really quickly.
A good student is one who listens, thinks and then asks questions. A good student also is hungry enough to study on their own, away from the lessons, because they want to get better and because they love to play.
Do you find that older or younger students progress faster/learn quicker?
I think, in very general terms, that students in there mid teens and older tend to progress faster than early teens and younger. This has to do with several factors but I think it’s largely because older students really want to take lessons and have a sense of what areas they want to improve upon, whereas some younger students really have no idea and can sometimes lose interest a lot quicker. There are always exceptions though.
What is your teaching format?
Usually a 60 minute lesson once per week.
What models of learning benefit the student the most?
A combination of technique, theory and creative applications such as improvising, songwriting and recording seem to work best. The student’s needs and interests will determine which areas are emphasized at any given time.
Is there one piece of advice that you can give the readers to improve their playing right now?
Stop comparing yourself to other players. Although it’s good to be inspired by others and learn from them, you have a unique voice on your instrument and your goals should include developing that voice and getting it out to the world so we can all enjoy it!
How can prospective students contact you for lessons?
You can simply email me at : nick@nicklayton.com
Nick Layton kicks off the series. Let’s see what he says.
How long have you been teaching guitar?
Professionally for about 7 years, although I taught friends informally for years before that.
Why do you teach guitar?
Several reasons: (1) I’m not cut out for the typical 9-5 day job thing and teaching is a great way to make more money in less time….which results in me having more free time to work on other music related things like recording for example. (2) I can set my own schedule. (3) I get to spend my working hours with guitar in hand. (4) It’s great helping others reach their musical goals.
Where is your teaching practice based?
Vancouver, WA.
As far as teaching goes, what is your specialty?
Rock and Metal styles involving lots of technique work, improvising, and theory.
What level of player do you prefer to teach?
I prefer intermediate to advanced.
What makes a player a virtuoso?
Hard question to answer really. Based on the musical styles I listen to it could be defined as: “Able to fully express oneself musically without technical barriers or other restrictions”.
How fast is too fast, if such a concept exists?
It’s only too fast if it’s (unintentionally) sloppy. “Too fast” is totally a matter of opinion in terms of just sheer speed. But speed without clarity and precision is not true speed in my opinion.
From a Teacher’s point of view, what is the number one roadblock to becoming a better player?
I’d say an inner drive and desire to put in the necessary work to get better. Some people seem to think getting better is just going to “magically happen.” It takes work to be good, always has and always will. From a student’s perspective this means realizing that it all takes time. Consistent work over time=consistent results!
What makes a good student? Describe the student who progresses really quickly.
A good student is one who listens, thinks and then asks questions. A good student also is hungry enough to study on their own, away from the lessons, because they want to get better and because they love to play.
Do you find that older or younger students progress faster/learn quicker?
I think, in very general terms, that students in there mid teens and older tend to progress faster than early teens and younger. This has to do with several factors but I think it’s largely because older students really want to take lessons and have a sense of what areas they want to improve upon, whereas some younger students really have no idea and can sometimes lose interest a lot quicker. There are always exceptions though.
What is your teaching format?
Usually a 60 minute lesson once per week.
What models of learning benefit the student the most?
A combination of technique, theory and creative applications such as improvising, songwriting and recording seem to work best. The student’s needs and interests will determine which areas are emphasized at any given time.
Is there one piece of advice that you can give the readers to improve their playing right now?
Stop comparing yourself to other players. Although it’s good to be inspired by others and learn from them, you have a unique voice on your instrument and your goals should include developing that voice and getting it out to the world so we can all enjoy it!
How can prospective students contact you for lessons?
You can simply email me at : nick@nicklayton.com
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