Do any of you teach ?!

[Eb7+9]

Hi gang,

I just started teaching a couple of people over the last year, and I'm kinda enjoying the experience ... one is the son of a friend who's 16 years old and a total video game addict - I'm teaching him piano and mathematics (sometimes combining the two), and have actually begun to see him appreciate that a little "real" adversity can bring huge satisfaction - something video games don't offer ... I'm also teaching guitar to a brilliant young girl (13) - I show her stuff once and she remembers it - she's scary smart ! I'm also tutoring a few adults ...

It's very interesting because I'm starting them out on stuff I worked on later in my non-formal self-training - almost doing it backwards, eg., using a few Larry Coryell lessons from GP in the 70's as starters (neck learning techniques I later adopted) ... I'm leaning heavily on emphasis of interval and triad recognition and familiarity at this point as they seem to work like LEGO blocks ... I figure the biggest service I can do for them is usher their familiarity of these two aspects of scales, as opposed to just learning seven notes ... aiming to emphasize hand-ear coordination and leaving the written stuff for later ... it's all very interesting to see this take hold and grow in other people's minds ...

anybody else delving into this area in their, ahem, later years ... ?
~jc

.ps I saw the thread on depression and I thought I'd say that sharing your talent with the hungry, especially young people, can do wonders in that department ...

[SkidMarkJohnson]

I never really considered giving lessons until this year 2009 because I didn't feel I knew enough about what I was actually doing to really explain it to anybody. Now I'm finding out that that's okay. The people I tutor are just happy that I can answer a lot of the questions that about playing in a group. I can also give them a lot of helpful one to one tips on technique that they can't get from watching instructional videos. Going back and analyzing how I do things that I hadn't really thought about in 25 years has been helpful to me as well!

[YL West]

I would like to teach. The problem is confidence. I don't feel like I know anything of real value. I wonder if this is symptomatic of self taught players? I'd also feel guilty taking money from people for telling them about things that I love! I've mentioned before I wish I was around when the old jazz cats were open to sharing all of their knowledge. Nowadays I feel like people are trying to keep secrets (particularly with soloing approaches). If I were to teach, I would focus on just that- giving out any and all approaches I could thus arming students with multiple vantage points to draw from...something I feel the few teachers I have spent time with failed me on...

YL

[Eb7+9]

you don't have to do it for money, I'll give a lesson for a sandwich :)

[Paul Marossy]

I don't feel like I have anything to offer, and no else seems to think so, either. Otherwise, I would probably be teaching beginning guitar to people. Maybe people pick up on those perceptions of yourself?

I'm not really interested in teaching someone how to play a song or whatever. I generally have zero interest in that sort of thing. It seems like that's a lot of what the guitar teachers I know do, though.

[Eb7+9]

I'm not into doing songs either - I'm more into playing with modes and flavors, approaching scales geometrically and introducing basic arithmetic into the picture ... it's philosophy - and there is the odd kid out there that will be responsive to hearing an adult speak in terms of triads and intervals, they might be lucky enough to find you - even only as a temporary guide ...

I remember once hiring a jazz head - at the time I didn't understand what he meant by Thirds etc. but 20 yrs later it sank in (LOL) ... I don't go for the music-store method of churning out lessons, if you're an odd-ball player you're probably better suited to the odd-ball student ... to think that anybody has nothing to offer no-one is likely absurd ...

[Paul Marossy]

I was playing for about five years before I understood what was meant by a key. I was clueless, I had no teachers, I taught myself everything. I understand basic music theory, but I have limitations since I never had any formal training. I've only had three lessons, and that was only to hold a spot for one of my friends at the time.

Anyhow, that's part of what makes me unique. It causes a lot of frustration in certain settings, but when I am being a one-man band, I'm right at home.

I guess you're right, everyone does have something to offer. Even when don't feel or think that is true.

[Eb7+9]

Paul. to me formal equates with literal - like playing with a sheet of paper in front of your face (the conservatory trap) ... many young players dream of "not" doing this, you're probably suited for those kind of intuitive minded players - doesn't matter if you don't have a complete view of music either, many youngsters prefer hanging with a player with style rather than a typewriter ... the other thing too, is by teaching/tutoring/mentoring (whatever you want to call it) it makes you rethink your own practices, and sometimes that leads to pleasant observation that can help you move forward in your own music ... double win ;)

[Paul Marossy]

Good points Eb7+9.