Everyone's First Mistake
When people look for the right guitar instructor, they look first at his/her ability to play the instrument well. Unfortunately, most people forget that teaching guitar is a completely different skill set from playing guitar. This skill set must also be sharpened and fine-tuned through dedication and practice. Whether you're looking to start lessons with Adam, or a competitor, look for indicators that the potential instructor is more than just a great musician.
The Method
Teaching guitar has been Adam’s passion since accepting his first guitar instruction position at age 16. His entire career has been spent perfecting not only his ability to play guitar, but also his ability to communicate this knowledge to others.
The core of Adam’s teaching method is finding a balance between two very important elements, what Adam refers to as the ‘vegetables’ and ‘dessert’ of the lesson:
- The ‘vegetables’ are the elements of guitar that, although usually not as exciting on a week-to-week basis, move a student from being a ‘guitarist’ to a well-rounded musician. This portion of the lessons includes such elements as reading notation, learning scales, ear training exercises, and much more. These elements help students to learn the language of music to better communicate with other musicians in any musical setting and genre. Not only does the study of these elements provide an important long-term musical investment, but it also develops a work ethic that is important in all areas of life.
- The ‘dessert’ of Adam’s teaching method is working on music that the student is passionate about. Every band, artist, and musical style has techniques and lessons that students can learn from them. There are lessons hidden in every style and genre of music. Whether it is the Beatles, Beethoven, or Miley Cyrus; when a student is learning music that they know and love, they are much more excited to practice every day.