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Electric Crown Guitar Studio Students

Guitar Teacher Interview: Don Parkhurst Jr

Reading how other guitar teachers think about guitar lessons and how they approach them is a great way to get new ideas for your own lessons. In this interview you will see how Don Parkhurst Jr from Electric Crown Guitar Studio in Lebanon, USA gives his students a wide range of options in addition to the traditional face-to-face lessons. Don also shares some great advice for people wanting to learn guitar so check it out.

Tell us a bit about yourself and where your studio is located

Well I’ve been playing guitar for over 30 years and teaching for the last 10 years. I started out both working at a local music shop and beginning my own guitar teaching business. I’ve since left the music shop to focus more on my own business here in Lebanon, Connecticut called Electric Crown Guitar Studio.Don Parkhurst Jr

You offer your students a wide range of learning options, tell us about the different ways your students learn in your lessons

I think it’s very important to offer my students many different options to both keep things interesting and giving students a full range of experiences to help prepare them for real world situations. Here are a few options I offer:

  • Full band backing tracks: We take both the real tracks and backing tracks minus the guitar parts of songs the student wants to learn to help teach them about correct timing and different challenges they will face when playing with real musicians. These tracks are presented in a variety of speeds to help each student progress at their own pace.
  • Recording Sessions: I also record each student along the way so both myself and the student can analyze the recordings together. This helps with determining what sections need additional attention and also gives them a real sense of how they are progressing. Once the student is ready we record them for real. I’ll then mix them along with the backing track and in the end they have a demo of themselves playing along with a full band, many times including vocals!
    In addition to working on songs during our regularly scheduled lesson I also provide additional recording sessions where students have the opportunity to get more time in to complete their project. This leaves a potential combined total of 2 hours of instruction/recording time per week.
  • Live Performance: This is a very new thing I’m offering as part of the guitar program. Students get the opportunity to go up on a real stage and perform their songs. This could be solo or with other musicians. While some students are not comfortable performing in front of people I encourage my students that are ready to take advantage of this opportunity. This helps in preparing them for joining or starting a real band of their own!
  • 24 hr. video exchange lesson support: I encourage all of my students to contact me between lessons with any questions they have. There is a member’s support area where students can upload a video of themselves demonstrating what they are having problems with. I can then view it and send a video response back. This is great because nobody is left waiting until their next lesson to get questions answered.
  • Video Exchange lessons: If students can’t come to the studio to study with me we can also do video exchange lessons. It works in the same way as the support lessons I outlined above except these lessons are more involved covering a variety of subjects.
  • Skype lessons: I also offer Skype lessons for anybody that wants a more real-time type of lesson experience.
  • Coming soon: My students will have the opportunity to perform in a professional video production studio and their performances will be broadcast on public access television stations! How cool would that be to see yourself on TV?

What styles do you focus on and what songs are popular among your students?

While I can teach a variety of styles the main styles I teach are Metal, Classic Rock and Modern Rock. I get a lot of request for songs by Metallica, Megadeth, Judas Priest, Ozzy etc… and on the Classic rock side I get a lot of request for Pink Floyd, Lynard Skynard, Aerosmith, Cream etc… Again though I work on whatever songs my students are interested in providing it’s at an appropriate skill level.

What are some of the things accomplished by your students?

Many of my students go on to form bands of their own playing cover material, their own original material or a combination of both.

Electric Crown Guitar Studio Students

Walk through a typical guitar lesson and how all the extra services you offer make a difference to a student's development

A typical lesson would most often start with going over any area’s the student struggled with while working on the previous weeks material. If there were no problems at all then we would move onto running through a couple skills (Lead techniques, theory, rhythms etc…) For the remainder of the lesson we will work on cover tunes, improvising, original compositions etc… Focusing on only one of these area’s per lesson of course!

As I already mentioned earlier we will play along with backing tracks and record the student’s performances. We’ll then sit together and analyze how the performance went to determine what they need to work on more in the upcoming week.
This approach works great because let’s face it - it’s a lot more fun playing songs along with real band backing tracks then along with a metronome. The nice thing is that even at slow speeds students can practice with full backing tracks. I have software that slows everything down without making it sound like a mess. Also many times these backing tracks will be the actual band with drums, bass, vocals etc… minus the guitar. How cool is it to be able to play on a track with James, Lars and Cliff from Metallica? Nothing against Kirk but you’re now the guitar player!

Students bring these backing tracks home with them to practice along with by the way. There are usually a total of 3-5 tracks at different tempos. Sometimes even certain sections looped over and over.

As time goes by we eventually start recording their performances and work on getting them ready to perform their songs live for an audience!

How do you use technology to give your students more than the traditional face-to-face lesson?

When I was younger and studying with my guitar teachers it was basically “Here is what you will be working on during week and I’ll see you next week.” The next week the teacher would depend totally on me to tell him what we were working on. This meant that they hadn’t put much thought in beforehand, actually none, as to what we went over in the previous week. They took a wing it approach. Now while I had some excellent teachers I felt that they all could have improved in this area. When I began teaching I decided not to teach in this way.
I give each student a lesson plan sheet where I list different areas of study. Under each category I write down assignments and instructions for the upcoming week. I then record all this information on my computer which allows me to review exactly where we are at now, where we were three months ago etc… Each week I sit down and review this for every single student and decide what we are going to work on in the next upcoming lesson. Having said that if someone has a question about something and we veer off the plan then I’m open for that also because these can end up being the best lessons. We can always work on the planned stuff the following week. Generally though I know exactly how the lesson will go before they step a foot into the studio.

I also create all kinds of sheets to keep track of practice, metronome readings etc… Keeping records of all these things will produce more consistent and quicker progress.
Another thing that would often happen to me back when I was taking lessons was I would either forgot what they had said or I didn’t fully understand what I was supposed to do. I didn’t ask questions during the lesson so it was partially my fault also but the result would be that I would end up clueless and not working on any of it during the week. I’d have to go back and basically do a repeat of the lesson I already had. Technology has changed this!

I have a powerful online audio/video exchange system where every student has full access to me whenever they need it. If they got home and forgot what it was they were supposed to do or their not sure if they are playing something correctly all they have to do is record a video of themselves and post it in their personal support site. I can then send them back a video response showing them what they need to work on. It’s great because when students get stuck they can contact me and continue moving forwards. Here at my studio, gone are the days of “How was I supposed to do that?” Help is there at the exact moment they need it!

I also have a facebook page where I regularly post additional tips to help students along with anybody else move forwards with their journey into the world of being a musician!

What advice do you have for somebody wanting to learn guitar or currently learning on their own?

My biggest advice is to find a good teacher and study with him or her. If they are any good at what they do they will bring you to where you want to be in a fraction of the time it would take by doing it on your own. I know because my first five years of learning to play guitar was all self-taught. I was very self-motivated also which is, as I’ve come to find, not the norm. I did have a couple failed attempts at lessons because once a teacher wanted to work on anything I didn’t I would drop him like a bad habit. I got to a point where I knew certain fundamental well but I couldn’t figure out how they related to these other concepts I have learned. It was like a puzzle where you have groups of pieces scattered about but without looking at the box you would have no idea of how they relate to each other. I finally got serious and took lessons for real!

I have to say that in that one year, actually maybe in 6 months, I learned more than I did in the first five years combined. I was a little more advanced in certain areas while at a complete beginner’s level in others. My technique was wrong in many places and I was generally an inconsistent mess. It was hard on my ego at first to be working on basic beginner’s material after playing for five years but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I actually eventually developed a passion for understanding music theory for which I still enjoy discussing with other musicians today!

The point here is that when you have a good experienced teacher in front of you what you really have is someone that has already been where you are at, made all the time sucking mistakes, learned how to overcome them and even more importantly learned how to explain effectively how to avoid and overcome these mistakes and pitfalls. In short you’ll a lot save time and frustration!

Now I hear many people say I can just teach myself through the internet. There are tons of youtube videos, sites and blogs on learning how to play guitar. Why would I pay for lessons? I have to say that I’ve seen some great tutorials on different areas of learning the guitar. The bad thing here is that there is no real plan set out for you. Just as the case was before I started lessons I developed big holes in my playing because I had no structured plan to follow.

Even more importantly you have nobody there to correct you from developing bad habits that take much longer to break then learning correctly in the first place. There is absolutely no replacement for having your own personal guide to help you navigate through this confusing world of becoming a competent musician.
Now having said that I need to mention that I think all of these online sites and youtube videos are a great additional resource. I wish I had all this when I grew up! If you don’t understand a certain subject just to youtube and you’ll find tons of videos on that subject. It’s like having your own huge personal library at a click of the button. I have some videos on different subjects on my own site.
Now using the internet to study from doesn’t necessarily mean you are limited to random bits of information. There has been an explosion of Skype and video exchange type lessons online recently. As you already read earlier I myself have begun teaching online using these formats. These lessons can be a very effective way to study because you still get the benefit of having a teacher watch and critique your performances.

So while I still think that live in person lessons are best, Skype and video exchange lessons provide an alternative when you can’t find a good local teacher, you don’t have time to travel to a teachers studio or in the case of video exchange lessons you simply can’t coordinate a consistent weekly time to study with a live in-studio or skype teacher. One nice advantage you have with these online formats that you don’t get with live in-person lessons is you can watch your video lessons over and over again.
So in conclusion you can get by to a degree with lesson sites and videos off of Youtube but as soon as you can afford it go find a local teacher or one on the web that can provide the personal attention you really need. I can’t tell you how many people have come to me telling me how they tried to learn on their own off the internet and finally decided to look for a real teacher to study with. As good as online videos, even some books and online courses are the one thing you can’t replace and never will be able to is having your own personal mentor guiding you to where it is you need to be!

Check out Electric Crown Guitar Studio at rock-lessons.com or their Facebook page.

Student stage practice at stickandstrum

Guitar Teacher Interview: Shane Nicholas at stickandstrum

This interview is with guitar teacher Shane Nicholas from stickandstrum. Shane offers great insights into what it's like to be a multi-instrument teacher running a very unique studio. While most guitar teachers focus on traditional styled lessons either one-on-one or in small groups, Shane gives his students a lot of variety in learning options. From a guitar teacher's point of view it's great to see how Shane puts his strengths to work to create a unique learning environment for his students.

Tell us a bit about yourself and where your studio is located

The new stickandstrum studio is in Riverchase. It is conveniently located with easy access for those seeking music lessons in Hoover, Pelham, Helena and Alabaster.

I have been teaching privately for almost ten years. I began as a guitar instructor, quickly added piano lessons and added bass, ukulele, and drum lessons as the years progressed and I saw that people were interested.

Shane Nicholas from stickandstrum

Shane Nicholas from stickandstrum

So, you teach guitar, bass, drums, piano, and ukulele? How does teaching all those instruments help out your guitar students?

It’s a mouthful to have to list all of those, isn’t it? I do teach a variety of instruments and I love it. For me, it helps to keep me fresh because my day is constantly changing. I’m not sitting in the same chair teaching the same type of student for hours on end. An afternoon on a typical day might see me teaching a group drum class for ages 6-12, followed by an intermediate guitar student that is working on songs for his band, followed by a teen student working on songs for her upcoming CoffeeHouse gig, followed by a preteen ukulele student working on songs from Katy Perry and Bruno Mars, followed by an advanced guitar student working on songs for his High School jazz band, followed by a middle school band working on Lorde, Adele, and Owl City tunes. It keeps me on my toes and gives me energy as I am constantly changing gears.

At first, I tried to keep all of the instruments separate. I tried to be a guitar teacher. Then a piano teacher. But, it’s not who I am. I’m not just a guitar teacher. I teach multiple instruments and that’s what makes what I do unique. Once I embraced that, students and parents could really see a difference. For one, I have the ability to jam with students on a variety of instruments. It’s fairly common for me to grab a cajon and accompany an acoustic student or group guitar class, drag a guitar student over to the drum set so that we can jam together and he can get a feel for playing with a drummer, or show students how different instruments interact with what they are playing. As I’m working with bands (and the students within the bands) I have a unique perspective in that I have a big picture overview of the entire band and song but also work with each student in the band individually. So I can help a bass student on his part while explaining (and even demonstrating on guitar or drums) what it will sound like and how it will fit in the big picture.

I have also seen quite a few students pick up a second (or even third) instrument while taking lessons. Unless you are going for virtuoso status, picking up a second instrument will probably help you to become a better guitarist. I know that I am a better guitar player because I play bass, piano, drums, etc. Each instrument gives you unique insight and abilities. Your rhythm develops on a whole new level once you know how to play drums as well. Your understanding of chords and theory may drastically improve if you learn how to play chords, scales, and inversions on the piano. Instruments are a lot more interconnected than most people think and I find that picking up a second instrument is fairly easy for most students.

You help students form bands and solo acts which is something most teachers can’t help with. How do you do that?

As my students grew in numbers and ability I found myself in an interesting predicament. I teach most instruments (guitar, drums, bass, piano, and ukulele) and do big recitals each Spring. I found that many of my intermediate students were losing focus and getting bored. They worked hard and enjoyed themselves during the early stages of learning an instrument and saw immediate gratification as they gained skills and ability. Once they reached the intermediate stage, change comes slower and more gradually as they begin to refine their skills. Without an outlet and a goal to strive towards, many students were getting bored and starting to pursue other options. So, I started to put my students into bands for recitals. I would form a band with a couple of guitarists, a bassist, a drummer, and maybe a keyboard player. In the early years, I would sing or bring in friends to sing along with my students. The recitals were a major success, including our ALL BEATLES recital in 2012!

As the success of bands started to take off I also had a growing number of students interested in singing and playing acoustic instruments (acoustic guitar, ukulele, and piano). Last year I started doing a CoffeeHouse each semester to give these students a first taste at performing. We set up a location to look like a CoffeeHouse with tables, chairs, snacks, coffee, and a cool stage design. I want it to feel as authentic as possible for students while also making it a very laid back and safe environment for beginning performers. The students that play in the CoffeeHouse each semester now range from my “pro” students who have performed numerous times at these events and other local gigs to students that are playing in front of people for their first time. I have had quite a few parents come up with tears in their eyes thanking me after a CoffeeHouse and telling me that they had no idea that their child could do that! We have just finished up our 4th CoffeeHouse and they are always a lot of fun!

As these two sides of the studio grew (bands and acoustic acts), it only made sense to combine them. I took some of my most confident and talented acoustic artists and let them be the frontman for a band. I currently have three student bands (with a few more in the pipeline) that are entirely student led that play songs ranging from The Beatles, Imagine Dragons, Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, Lorde, and more!

What are some of the things accomplished by the bands and solo acts that you’ve helped create?

We are just getting started with local gigs, but in the past two months we have played at the Vulcan Run 10K in downtown Birmingham, a Fall Bazaar in Helena, and the Bucs Bazaar at Bumpus Middle School. We have had great crowd response at each show and have quite a few gigs on the horizon in the Spring. People see these kids rocking out (most are in middle school) and are blown away. We also strive to be respectful and professional at each show which goes a long way.

Student stage practice at stickandstrum

Student stage practice at stickandstrum

Each year we do a big Spring recital that showcases not only the bands and solo acts, but also the beginner students that are working their way towards that goal. It’s a great way for advanced students to look back and see where they were a few short years ago while also inspiring up and coming students as they get to watch older students perform. We also do a CoffeeHouse each semester for acoustic students that has great success. Students also take their abilities into their local churches and schools to perform.

With the new studio, I will be turning over more responsibility to the students in each band. Students will create logos and designs for T-Shirts, posters, and other advertising and merchandise. Students will take over social media for their bands. They are GREAT at this! One of my students setup an Instagram page for his band (www.instagram.com/meninblackband) and within a few hours they had almost as many followers as my studio page! I will also begin letting them work with the website more so that they can get a better feel for marketing and promotion. I promote leaders in each band to help run practices, pick set lists, and keep everyone in line. Our two current websites are www.meninblackband.weebly.com and www.stickandstrumacoustic.weebly.com and work is underway on websites and social media accounts for our two new bands that were formed last month.

Walk us through a typical guitar lesson and how it is different to the standard format.

I’m not sure that I’ve ever had a typical guitar lesson, haha! In my early teaching years I think I stuck to a much more traditional path. Almost all of my students were beginners and I would go through a method/lesson book one song at a time each week. After a few semesters of this, both me and my students were bored out of our minds! I started incorporating riffs and songs they wanted to work on and things started to improve.

I don’t really have a typical student, so it’s hard to give a concept of a typical lesson but I’ll take a stab at it.. I have learned that when you help a student to find his or her passion, then you have just unlocked his potential. If a student comes to me without knowing what they want to work on (or if they are a complete beginner) we work through foundational material. I want to make sure that whatever they decide to play, that they have a taste of everything and the capability to play it. Within the first year with guitar students, I generally try to cover basic guitar tab, reading treble clef, and guitar chords in the key of G. By the time the foundation is laid, most students have an idea of what they want to work on. My job now is to find things that inspire them and push them forward, whether that be a song that we are working on or the opportunity to play at an upcoming gig with a band.

One of the things that really sets stickandstrum apart is that we take lessons with a goal in mind. A lot of guitar instructors and students go through lessons with no real sense of purpose. When people walk into my studio they know: I am here to learn to play in a band or perform as a solo act. Now, it may take a few years for them to reach these goals but they have a purpose and they can see other students that are just a little further in their journey playing with bands and playing gigs.

A challenge for many bands and solo acts is to get out there and get gigs. How do you help with that?

I think you have to play to your strengths. I have been incredibly fortunate in a variety of areas. Most guitar teachers are also musicians and have made contacts through that. I use different musician contacts to set up student gigs much like you would if you were seeking a gig for your own band. The thing that has really helped me is the parents of my students. Many of them have a variety of contacts that I would never have thought of. For example, one parent is an avid runner and marathoner. She and her husband are close friends with a guy that helps to put together most of the local races around town. A lot of these races will have bands along the course and some will have bands at the finish line. We have already played one race and are looking forward to doing a few more in 2014. We also played at a fundraiser for a local middle school a few weeks ago. One of my parents was the head of the PTA group that was setting up the fundraiser. That was an awesome experience as we were able to provide entertainment, but I also made some great contacts, and picked up a few new students.

Another big one for us is social media. stickandstrum’s Facebook page is constantly being updated with photos (we have a professional photographer that does our events), videos (I use my iPad or iPhone for now), and other updates. I also make sure that all of our performance videos in addition to random student update videos are on our YouTube page. I can tell people about how great stickandstrum and lessons are all day but when they can see videos of what these kids can do… that sells itself.

Let’s be real though.. Who doesn’t want to see a band of middle school guys that ROCKS? I’m anticipating a lot more gigs in the spring as word of who we are and what we are doing starts to spread.

Your new studio opened at the start of the year (2014). How is it different for your students?

There are a few things that I’m really excited about. The first is the overall feel and attitude of the new location. It has a vintage recording studio vibe with a nice lounge area for students and parents. First impressions say a lot and I want to make a good one here. Secondly, students have access to a bigger variety of instruments. I have the ability to keep various guitars, banjos, ukuleles, and other instruments out on the wall for them to try and experiment with. Want to try your song on a six-string banjo instead of your guitar? Go for it!

stickandstrum lounge area

stickandstrum lounge area

The facilities for group classes are also greatly improved. I have six electric drum sets for my group drum classes and the response from students has been excellent. There is a stage area for bands and acoustic artists to practice and record videos. I’m currently working on setting up a small studio and recording area for students to record themselves and put together demos. I could go on and on.. There's a lot of new features available to students and a lot more to come in 2014!

What advice do you have for a guitarist wanting to form a band or solo act in 2014?

For beginners, the first step is just getting the guitar in your hands. The first few months are often the hardest so put yourself in a position where you can see others achieving goals around you. It will help to inspire you and drive you forward. If you see someone your age on stage rocking out to The Beatles or Imagine Dragons in front of hundreds of people you have to be able to visualize that you can be there too. It just takes hard work, dedication, and time.

For people that already play guitar and are looking to get plugged in somewhere, start playing with people. Find some friends and start a band. Like a lot of people, I got started as a teen with a few friends in my garage. I am able to help students and guide them with bands, but ultimately it is up to the student to find that drive within themselves and go for it.

Get started! What are you waiting for?

How do you use technology in your studio?

Technology has moved SO fast in the last few years! When I first started teaching, the only way to learn a song was if a student brought me a CD and brought a printed out sheet of TAB. I would often have students bring me TAB for a song that I had never heard without bringing a CD and I wouldn’t be able to teach it because I didn’t know the song. Now, I use my iPhone and iPad. I can instantly pull up any song that a student wants to learn and the guitar TAB or chords for it. There are apps like Songsterr that make learning songs so much easier and we can always look at covers and tutorials on YouTube. I was initially afraid of these things taking away from my business, but they have only helped!

I also frequently do video recordings for students. I can record a quick video demonstrating a technique on their phone and they can go back and rematch it during the week. This has helped tremendously!

Check out stickandstrum's website for more information or shout out to Shane at stickandstrum's Facebook page or Twitter. Thanks Shane for providing this excellent insight to your unique lessons and studio. Say thanks to Shane by sharing his interview using the social media buttons below.

Vic Tims Guitar School

Guitar Teacher Interview: Vic Tims

If you're considering a career as a guitar teacher this interview is a must read. Vic Tims is a very passionate (and busy) teacher who runs more than one music school along with other projects as you'll soon find out. If you have ever wondered what is possible with a career in teaching, Vic Tims shows a great example.Vic Tims Guitar School

 

1. What's your background and experience as a guitar teacher?

I fell into teaching quite accidentally, I've played most of my life and have always had guitars sitting around the house. When my two sons got old enough to learn and showed an interest I taught them a few things and soon all their friends and their friends were wanting lessons so that was the start. That was back at the Glendale, AZ. studio and I must admit I used a lot of trial and error approach to teaching back then but eventually I honed my system down to a very efficient machine. Live Teach Guitar has been a tremendous help in this area with their teaching materials, they fit well into my program as I can TEACH THE STUDENT WHAT THEY WANT TO LEARN. The DESIRE TO LEARN is a powerful motivator, if a student WANTS to learn a particular song or technique then teach it to 'em!

 

2. What type of music do your students learn?

My students tend to lean towards rock and roll, from 50's and 60's stuff up through modern hard rock, but I try to teach all of my students the value of at least messin' around with several styles, get out of their comfort zone kinda thing, especially with lead guitar, timeless country and blues licks can come in mighty handy sometimes.

 

3. In your opinion, what is the key to becoming a great guitarist?

Ha! Guy jumps into a cab and asks "hey driver how do I get to Carnegie Hall?" Cabbie turns around and says "...practice man, practice". To become a great guitarist ya gotta play A LOT, every day, standing up, and keep trying new things, learning, jamming, refining your chops! But lets back up, we dont all have to be GREAT guitarists, in fact to do so would involve a lot of blood, sweat, and tears...plenty of fun to be had strummin' a few chords, pickin' a little lead, and the commitment is much less intense! A well-rounded student who enjoys learning to play guitar is my goal.

 

4. What sets you apart from other guitar teachers?

Simple...results. I get my students playing SONGS right off the bat. this is the reason they wanted to learn guitar, TO PLAY SONGS! When a student hears themselves playing something that even vaguely sounds like what they're trying to play they're hooked! They come back and they keep coming back and every new song they learn teaches them something new.

 

5. What's a 'best practice' you can share with other guitar teachers?

Listen. Listen to your student and make a genuine effort to teach them what they want to learn. A complete and thorough understanding of the guitar and music theory isn't necessary to have fun playing guitar! Follow their lead and utilize their desire to learn to motivate them! We all know that the real learning takes place at home when the student practices, so make every effort to increase the possibility that they will do so!

 

6. What was a big challenge for you in a past while teaching and how did you overcome it?

Lessee, there have been a few...teaching young students presented a challenge at one time as they sometimes aren't yet into or that concerned with pop culture, they literally HAVE NO pop or rock influences, no favorite artists to motivate them. I've found the best way to overcome this obstacle is by introducing the young student to some easy, strummy, but still cool pop/rock tunes and show them that if they just learn these three or four chords they can play them! So we pick one and focus on those chords, and as I said earlier, when they, and their parents, start to hear something they recognize, its off to the races! More songs, more chords, new techniques!

 

7. How do you find teaching online via Skype compared to in person?

Its great! Its a little clumsy at first but you quickly get used to not talking at the same time and the occasional little delays...I do encourage a slightly longer lesson to help accommodate these things...its important to remember that with Skype you can not only reach far, far away, but also, and maybe more importantly, you can reach just across town...maybe someone sees your local ad but lives to just a little to far away, or has transportation limitations, and can't drive to your studio...bingo, Skype is your answer! Even with Vic Tims' Guitar School studios in Downtown Phoenix, AZ and Avondale, AZ., I have students in Tempe, AZ., Gilbert, AZ., and other relatively nearby cities who prefer Skype over driving.

8. What advice would you give to somebody wanting to start teaching guitar?

Well, I wish I'd had you guys around when I started, thats for sure! With resources like the ones available at Live Teach Guitar getting started is easier than ever! I'm not just strokin' you guys, the materials you've accumulated are practically a roadmap! Lesson plans, Business plans...coupled with patience and a kind, fun demeanor its everything you need!

 

9. How has Live and Teach Guitar helped you with your teaching?

Live Teach Guitar gives you ability to react to a students wishes, if the student wants to learn finger-picking there's a lesson for that..palm-muting, barre chords, whatever they want to learn, there's a well-organized and presented lesson for it, with handouts for the student and instructions for the teacher. This looks very professional, and early on in your relationship your student, or their parents, have nothing other than your materials to judge you by, so they better be good! And the forum is great, talking with other teachers can be very productive, and the personal website is awesome, again, it helps you look more professional!

 

10. Apart from teaching, do you have any other interests or projects on the go?

Man I've been so busy! I've got my band 'Vic Tims and the Kentucky Rifles', I've got a gig with an Aerosmith tribute band (Aerotrain Aerosmith Tribute Band on Facebook) so I've had to learn 26 Aerosmith tunes ON BASS, AND I'm opening a second studio downtown, AND my radio show (Vic Tims Radio Show Mondays 7-10MST at www.NoLabelAZRadio.com) is taking off like crazy just not enough hours in the day man!

 

Thanks to Vic Tims for this great interview - it's always good for other teachers to hear about another's teaching philosophy. Please support the Vic Tims Radio Show (and unsigned Arizona bands) by sharing their Facebook Page. If you would like or know somebody who would like guitar lessons with Vic Tims, you can contact him at vtgs.liveteachguitar.com

If you teach guitar and would like to be interviewed to share your experience with other guitar teachers, please contact us here.