my music teacher....

[hcoll]

...like to tell you all about my teacher...he's the kind of guy I hope you all meet up with if you decide to take lessons....

...he asks me what I want to do/learn...I bring in cd's of songs that I like and he weeds out the too advanced or unintersting ones...we decide on one out of the ones left...then he transcribes the song into my notebook...tabs/chords/etc...that becomes my lesson...

...we also have a music theory book that we're going through...he's less forgiving with the music theory lessons....

...I play in a folk group at church...he told me he's very proud that I did that...if I have problems with the music I can bring it to him for help....

...as far as equipment goes...the AJ-10 and the Dot that I have is all that I need...he tells me to forget about any other guitars until I've mastered the instrument...then I can go looking for the tone that I want....

...he did the set up on my AJ-10..."would you rather pay the price of a lesson or the price charged out in the store...."

....he did the set up on the Dot...he showed me how to do the intonation on the bridge...he set the p/u selector to the neck position and told me to leave it alone for now..."I don't care if you've got an expensive Gibson...they all go bad...just leave it alone and some day we'll replace the switch and pots if you want to stay with the Dot..."...I haven't touched it since....

...the other day when I went in for a lesson...there was a big ole V-Series Crate combo sitting in the studio...I asked him If I got to play that tonight...he said..."No"...it belonged to one of his other students...it had a blown tube...he was going to replace and check the bias on all the tubes for him...I just looked at him in wonder...he continued..."when you're out performing...you gotta know this stuff...or...you announce to your audience...gee...I can't play tonight because my amp's broke...."

...in other words...he is one heck of a teacher....

[Irish Mike]

Sounds like a GREAT guy- you are very fortunate- Ask him if wants to move to South Carolina-

Irish Mike

[hcoll]

...hey Irish Mike....

...this is the local shop where I bought my AJ-10 about four months earlier...just walked to the back and inquired about private lessons...talk about luck....

...hope nobody takes this as boastful...it's not meant to be...I was worried about that when I first wrote it...Mike I'm grateful for your positive reply...I just wanted to let people know that if they look...they'll find someone...might be in the local shop...county recreation dept...the Y...their local church...a neighbor....

...he just got married...pretty sure he's thinking about putting down roots HERE....

[samicksg]

Wow sounds really great! Your VERY fortunate.

[hcoll]

...hey samicksg....

...very fortunate...here's another one....

...I have the last slot at night for my lesson...so one night we're walking out together...I asked if he was going home...

...He replied that he was heading over to Virginia and that he probably wouldn't be home until around 4 the next morning...in this business the hours get a little messed up...that's why the lessons start at 2 in the afternoon....

...I'm thinking...a gig...so I asked him where he was going to play....

...No...he was going to help a lady who sang opera at the Kennedy Center with a recording she wanted to do....

...What...I was stunned....

...Then he reminded me that he was a classically trained concert guitarist with a degree in music....

...Yeh...but...what about those pictures on your bulletin board...the Bogen head on a half stack...the Gibson LP....

...Yeh...well...I do that too...but remember....

...Master the instrument...and you can play any guitar...any music...that you want....

[samicksg]

Who is this guy...Clapton??

Seriously though this dude sounds really cool

[hcoll]

...he is very cool...the best part...though...is his patience and ability to bring himself down to my level of playing....

...something to look for in a music teacher...how long have his students been with him...this guy's has had students with him for many years...that says something to me....

...that's not to say there isn't turnover...especially in his late afternoon time slots...he's had to tell some students that they're wasting their parents' money with lessons...usually the result of not practicing....

[hcoll]

...maybe I'm beating a dead horse....

...just did a google search...10 pages....I'm shocked....

...the Bogner site lists him as a Heavy Artist...not quite the same category as Terrifying Artists (Guy, Vai, Satriani, Aguilera, etc.)...well hell...how many people even get mentioned by a manufacturer...looking at that list you'd never guess he's classically trained...and this guy's teaching me guitar...geez....

[wierdsley]

Hey hcoll...sounds like you have found a great teacher. You are fortunate. Good luck.

[supedupviper]

your teacher reminds me of one of the music teachers at my school. He teaches a class where you play any instrument you want, from guitar to the triangle, and he's real down to earth. If you're good, he'll let you know that and help you improve more, if you're bad, he'll really let you know that, but he'll still help you out a lot. He also helped out in a few broadway plays, im not sure what he did though. He also has a degree in music, and still is an instructor to the school band

The world needs more nice music teachers.....

[hcoll]

...I almost got to see him play this Memorial Day in Falls Church, VA....my wife and I were going over to meet with friends...watch the local parade...go to a concert...he was subbing in the band...he told me that it had more to do with meeting people and making connections...he had to learn 13 songs he had never heard before in the space of a couple of weeks with only a couple of practice sessions with the band and a cd of the songs....

...monday turned out rainy and we never went...there'll be other times....

[hcoll]

...two stories from my music teacher in his undergraduate days................

...Story # 1...he had a professor whom he had taken private lessons from earlier as a teenager...as a college prof the guy was brutal...gave everyone a hard time...my teacher ended up getting a 'D' from him...my teacher went to the Dean of the Music Dept. and complained...seems as though other people had complained too...the prof was removed...my teacher took the course over and got an 'A'...........

...Story # 2...he had a German prof for some kind of voice recognition course...a theory course where you had to identify musical notes by listening...kinda like those perfect pitch courses you see advertised.....

...anyway...the final exam is taken individually in a room...student & prof...so he finishes the exam and the prof turns to him and says..." I want you to know...you are an ass"...my teacher's heart leapt into his thoat thinking..."oh no...I flunked"....

...the prof continued..."I'm going to give you an 'A'...but I want you to know that I think you're an ass"...the prof pointed towards the door..."all of those others out there are struggling with this...and it comes easy to you...you could be doing so much more...get out of my sight".......