ArtistWorks - Bryan Sutton

[theoscarpaco]

Originally Posted by ddewees

Bryan typically replies in about a week. He tends to batch up 5 or 6 responses every few days. His replies are very detailed and usually run 10-15 minutes. I have one in the queue as well.

Thanks for the heads up and thanks for your comment on my first video exchange. Bryan's critique was very insightful and I am looking forward to working on the issues he identified in his response. I am still blown away that I am receiving personalised feedback from him for the price I'm paying.

One question for you. Do you think there's such thing as uploading too many videos? Do you think he's ever like "Oh great, THIS guy again!" Basically, do we just show a little respect for other students and refrain from overloading Bryan's queue?

I'm not the type to send him that many videos, I'm just wondering if it happens. That's a risk you'd run operating a website like ArtistWorks.

Back to practising.

[ddewees]

The preference of Artist Works and the instructors is to only have 1 video in the queue at a time. They posted a note in the announcements a month or so ago, at least in Guthrie Trapp's course. They stated that the want to keep the dialogue between student and teacher focused on 1 thread. It sounded like they might try to enforce that by preventing multiple posts but I'm not sure if that was implemented.

1 other instructor also gently asked student's to keep it to 1 video at a time to make it easier to have a single back and forth "conversation".

You could always work on another video and have it ready to submit once a reply is received. I don't know, but Bryan might be ok with that if it were say separate by slightly related thread, either a different tune or a more technically focused lesson like the picking exercises, scales or etudes. But having that connection between lessons has been helpful for me.

[innocent75]

I got an email with a discount code and jumped in. I just watched 4 or so of the basic videos and a bunch of VEs. So far I am impressed.

Dear daughter is in bed so no playing tonight, but tomorrow I'll probably work through a few basic videos and look at my right and left hand technique. Really insightful lessons and responses to uploads. It will be a bit until I get around to uploading, but I will take advantage of it for certain.

Thanks for the suggestion. I am pretty thrilled so far.

[NateFreezy]

I'm interested in this as well. How are people submitting their videos? Is a webcam sufficient to start?

Would also be interested if there's an easy upgrade to the webcam. I don't have any other recording equipment for acoustic at the moment (do have an audio interface for electric, which might work if I had a pickup on my acoustic, but I don't...).

[BFD]

Lots of folks just use their smart phone. Video & audio is just fine. I've used phone, tablet and mostly laptop/webcam. No real need for an external audio interface & mic, though some folks do use them.

[innocent75]

I have been using a Sony handy cam but I know there are a lot that use cell phones or webcams on a laptop.

The hardest thing for me was cutting the video to length and converting it to the appropriate format.

[ddewees]

I've just been using built in camera on my Macbook. I also use 2 Samson condenser mic and run these through a Scarlet 2i2 audio interface. I use iMovie to capture audio and video.

I don't edit in iMovie so I'm forced to get it all in 1 take.

[innocent75]

When I am gonna do a VE I typically record a whole practice session. Then I cut a clip I would like him to critique.

Not necessarily a "perfect" run but one I feel I could improve on. For example, when watching an entire practice if I see I am having a consistent problem with a section, I will submit the "best" video showing the problem to get help with.

It's been eye opening but I have been making leaps and bounds so far.

[Sean65]

I signed up a few years ago and I made more progress with Bryan's course in that short three months than I've made in the previous 20 years.

I've also studied with Keith Wyatt and Guthrie Trapp who are both fantastic.

The thing that most struck me about Bryan's instruction was how complete you sound as a player. As you learn the tunes, you'll realise that you are playing the bass lines, the harmony/chords and the melody all at the same time. It's a very satisfying and complete way to play music if you are at home alone and even more so if you can get together with other musicians.

It depresses me to think that if my work hadn't caused me to travel so much I would have made so much progress in the past two years.

Just sign up and follow the curriculum. Bryan will meet you where you're at and dial in the details via feedback. He's both a great player and a great teacher.

Jump in.

[Sean65]

Originally Posted by ddewees

The preference of Artist Works and the instructors is to only have 1 video in the queue at a time. They posted a note in the announcements a month or so ago, at least in Guthrie Trapp's course. They stated that the want to keep the dialogue between student and teacher focused on 1 thread. It sounded like they might try to enforce that by preventing multiple posts but I'm not sure if that was implemented.

1 other instructor also gently asked student's to keep it to 1 video at a time to make it easier to have a single back and forth "conversation".

You could always work on another video and have it ready to submit once a reply is received. I don't know, but Bryan might be ok with that if it were say separate by slightly related thread, either a different tune or a more technically focused lesson like the picking exercises, scales or etudes. But having that connection between lessons has been helpful for me.

I suspect they have had to do this to counter the handful of students that seem to think they are getting more value for their money if they submit half baked video's every few days of so.

It doesn't really work like that and I'd imagine it is tiring and time consuming for the instructors to watch and feedback on video's that they know have been rushed for no good reason BEFORE they have received feedback on their previous submissions.

I think this kind of online study works best if students bring an acceptable level of personal responsibility and due diligence to the table.

It's also annoying for the other students to see the same handful of faces knocking out constant video's of material they need to spend several more weeks or months with in the woodshed.

That's just my take as a previous student.
Cheers
Sean

[michaelnel]

I am enrolled in Bryan's course. Today I watched a video submission by a new player. He had a metronome going, but his playing had no relationship to the metronome at all. It was just picking open strings, but with string changing in the pattern.

Bryan's video response was 21 minutes long. He very tactfully analyzed the problem and spent 21 minutes talking about it. He also suggested the guy drop back one lesson and work on single string stuff with the metronome.

Bryan is soooo patient and understanding with everyone, and appears to really care about helping. I think he is by far the best teacher I personally have ever had in 50 years of trying to learn this thing.

EDIT: I am a terrible guitar player. I just don't have the brain for it. That said, I enjoy the tunes, even played slowly and sloppily. I am doing this for myself and nobody else, and as long as I feel like I am getting better, I want to stick with it. I have no aspirations to reach any particular level in my playing, only that it continues to please ME.

[Blueser100]

Originally Posted by dhodgeh

Ditto. I had a bit of an issue with a billing and requested a refund. Nothing but silence from 'customer service'.

Other than that, the concept is sound and the instructors are top notch.

D

Still paying it off. Beware.

[JAMKC]

Interested in this due to the comments re how good of a teacher he is. That said, I’m not much of a bluegrass guy... should I look elsewhere? I’m also trying to learn some fingerstyle. Maybe I’ll make life too complicated?

[michaelnel]

Originally Posted by JAMKC

Interested in this due to the comments re how good of a teacher he is. That said, I’m not much of a bluegrass guy... should I look elsewhere? I’m also trying to learn some fingerstyle. Maybe I’ll make life too complicated?

So far the stuff I am learning just makes me a better guitarist. I will never be a fast flatpicker, my brain just doesn't work that way. But the fundamentals Bryan teaches are going to be helpful no matter what style I play (fingerstyle less than pick-oriented styles though).

If you want to concentrate on fingerstyle, Bryan's flatpicking course is probably not the best for you.

One of my favorite fingerstyle online teachers is Dan C Holloway. He has stuff from beginner to advanced, although there is no feedback mechanism in place. He does do a great job of explaining fingerstyle stuff though.

[ddewees]

JAMKC, for fingerstyle you might want to look at Martin Taylor’s Artist Works program or Adam Rafferty’s Study with Adam.