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  #1  
Old 09-23-2002, 10:23 PM
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bnjp bnjp is offline
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Default Does anybody teach private lessons?

I'm thinking about offering private guitar lessons. Does anybody here do that? I think I could realistically get 8 or 10 students for a weekly lesson.

-What approach do you take with beginners?
-Do you use a book, etc. ?
-How much do you expect them to learn in...say...a couple of months.
-Do adults learn faster than kids?
-Do you find that most want to learn acoustic or electric?
-If you do use a book, is there one that is somewhat contemporary so i don't have to send them home practicing "Go tell aunt Rhodie"?

I was thinking about charging $45 per month for 30 minute lessons each week. Does that sound like enough? Last time I took from a music store, they charged $60

Any words to the wise?
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Old 09-24-2002, 05:06 AM
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Jim Tozier Jim Tozier is offline
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Bryan--

1. With beginners, I start by teaching them one string at a time. I have them learn the first few notes on the 1st string (E, F, G), and then learn how to read music using just those three notes, starting with just quarter notes, but then mixing in whole, half, and eighth notes. I pay special attention to fingering--many beginners want to use one finger only for fretting, of will use the 2nd finger for the 3rd fret, etc. Then, when they've mastered the first string, I add the natural notes on each of the other strings, one at a time, and gradually add in new wrinkles to reading music (dotted notes, rests, triplets, etc.) Then I start moving on to learning basic chords . . .

2. Especially with beginners, a book is a must. There are many good ones out there (and many that are junk), so take the time to choose a good one. The one I'm using now is Mel Bay's Mastering the Guitar.

3. Students' pacing for learning will vary tremendously. The main thing here is to learn how to adjust your instructional pacing to keep them challenged but not frustrated. It's not easy . . . but it's essential for becoming a good teacher.

4. Sometimes adults learn faster . . . but many times, the kids are better at learning something completely new. The key in either case is motivation. Again, learning how to meet the pacing that suits the students is the most important thing.

5. Most kids *want* to learn electric, but I insist that they use an acoustic to learn on if at all possible. The transition to electric should then be easy. Most adults seem geared toward acoustic.

6. I charge $25-30/hour usually; $15 for a half hour. But I've varied that price structure frequently to meet a student's needs. I once charged $1 hour for an adult who was going through some difficult times financially, and I didn't want them to give up the lessons.

Hope that helps . . .
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Old 09-24-2002, 07:14 AM
fullup fullup is offline
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I give lessons to adults and teens. I have been doing after school clinics with 4 or 5 teens once a week the last couple of years. I charge $15 per clinic (about 50 minutes). I charge $20 for a private lesson (about 20 - 25 minutes). Mars Music charges $15 for a private lesson with a professional, playing musician in a practice room environment, so that should give you a ballpark idea.

I don't use a book, because I haven't found one I like at all. I would greatly prefer to use a book, it would make it a lot easier on me.

I start out everyone learning open chords. I always give them plenty of songs that will use the chords they learn that week. (majors one week, minors the next, 7ths the next). Then I introduce barre chords over the next few weeks, a little at a time (maybe 1 barre chord in a song, so they learn the concept without tiring their fingers.

About this time I introduce some lead playing. At first I will tab out simple lead stuff, like the second guitar part in The Last Time, by the Stones, or the lead in Pipeline. I find this keeps them much more motivated than giving them scales and having them practice. Also, this allows them to play duets with the other students, which is important.

After a while of this, I'll teach them pentatonic scales so they can try a little improvising. You have to understand, while this may seem a very slow process without giving them much information, I believe it is important to keep them motivated by allowing them to play songs they enjoy well, rather than pumping them full of info and not giving them a chance to master it. Also, understand that just the simple info that I described above gives them as much as many guitarists who have been playing for years.
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Old 09-24-2002, 09:40 AM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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Default Re: Does anybody teach private lessons?

Quote:
Originally posted by bnjp
so i don't have to send them home practicing "Go tell aunt Rhodie"?

Forensics!

Calling in forensics again!



That refers to another post called "Taylor Jazz" (min7b5's thread) in the regular section of the forum...probably buried a few pages by now...

melody against a harmony with rhythm...

now...could one learn to rip on Rhodie?...

yes...


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Old 09-24-2002, 09:42 AM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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Jim Tozier...

a long long time ago I tried to make the case for the 'Mastering the Guitar' series of books (another series of books, too)...will dig up the thread....

do you find my description accurate?

Thanks
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Old 09-24-2002, 09:49 AM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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what could we do with Aunt Rhodie?

seems like we could explore the following...just quickly listing some things...can go back in detail if you're interested...

1) learn to clap what we are going to play...

2) learn to teach our hands to play what the brain tells them to play WHILE THE MATERIAL IS SIMPLE....think you're going to dig yourself out of that waiting 'rut' when the material gets complicated?????...think again...lay a foundation...make the foundation 'music-centered'...not human centered...

3) 'clip' half and quarter notes (wholes, too..if we had them) down to 8ths...become aware of 'attack' when the material is simple...

4) after clipping...start putting SPECIFIC notes 'off the beat' as 8th notes...

con't...we can make a long list....we can sound like Jeff Beck with Aunt Rhodie...
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Old 09-24-2002, 10:02 AM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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5) learn to 'target chord tones' while the material is simple...we've stripped to 8ths on and off the beat...start using approach tones (neighbor tones) to nail the chord changes...

6) incorporate guitaristic techniques at any point along the way...eliminate them at any point along the way...endless variety...

7) learn to play out of triad shapes while the material is simple......ASK if you don't get it...why not replace a simple quarter note E

played as xxxxx0

with a replacement of

xxx7xx bent to xxx(9)xx while simulaneously holding

xxxx88 to round out the C major triad...play through that triad with three triplets instead one quarter note....twang it baby....then slam back down into the note D over the G7 chord...

con't....
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Old 09-24-2002, 10:08 AM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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8) learn to embellish simple melody with 'melodic patterns'

9) develop motif

10) get 17 year olds to have white supremacist tattoos removed.....Frog, is that a true story?
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Old 09-24-2002, 10:10 AM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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con't

11) what else can you come up with...

seems Aunt Rhodie uses the same notes as every other song in western music...

Jewish folk songs....heavy metal...we all use the same 12 notes...

don't we??????????????????
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