Guitar lesson specifics

One of the questions I always ask my students is "What music do you listen to?" This helps me to establish a good connection with the student. I then will ask "What is it that has attracted you to the guitar?" The conversations that follow really give me an insight into the musical awareness of the student and help me to formulate the best teaching program. I believe it is very important to not have too many preconceived plans about how you want to teach the guitar. It has to be a creative process. Of course, you must have a very firm method for imparting the basics of technique but it is very important that the student sees the reasons behind these disciplines and the benefits therefore attained. The student may love to listen to songs in the acoustic/singer songwriter folk style genre and so will respond well to any techniques directed to that particular style. If the student has never really heard music with long extended guitar solos then there is little point in commencing a program of detailed scale study. What works for one student may not work for another. As an extreme example, there is no point in setting about teaching someone a whole set of altered jazz-based chords if they have never listened to that style of music. Of course that is not to say that you never introduce your students to new styles of music. Some students who are very receptive and talented will really enjoy delving into different styles and more challenging concepts. Again, what works for one may not work for another.

For an in-depth look at my guitar technique method go to the link below.

http://knol.google.com/k/rory-o-donoghue/playing-guitar-with-a-pick/222g3fw3z5e9o/2

Holidays

I'm on holidays at present from my position as guitar tutor at Abbotsleigh School and during this time I'd like to add more material to my YouTube channel. I have many pieces that I'd like to video but we have tradesmen here at present doing some work on the house so it's a little too noisy to begin recording.

Last week I completed a new 45 sec music track for the Outback Spirit bus tours TV commercial featuring some spectacular footage of Lake Eyre. Prior to that I performed at a corporate event in Pyrmont for The Cancer Council with my daughter Jessica and son Ben and last Sunday Jessica and I performed at a wedding expo in Terrey Hills. There is footage of the Pyrmont gig on Jessica's YouTube channel

I did manage, during a lull in the hammering, to post a YouTube clip of a song with my new ukulele. It's a great little instrument and I have many more ideas of good material to do with it. My next video will probably be with my Fender Strat through my new Roland Cube 80XL, a hot little amp with some sweet sounds.