FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The founder of justinguitar.com lends GT his insight as one of the world’s most successful guitar teachers. This Month: If You Want To Get Better, Teach!
Believe it or not I embarked upon my guitar teaching journey at the tender age of 12. While I couldn't boast virtuoso status, my skills were good enough to hold my own in a band and clumsily figure out simple songs by ear. My exact start into teaching remains hazy in my memory, but I recall getting started by teaching neighbourhood kids, word got around and soon adult students were knocking on my door for weekly lessons.
But the prospect of new students always filled me with apprehension. I dreaded the possibility of being confronted with a question I couldn't answer. Consequently, I devoted substantial time to exploring and understanding my own technique and playing approach. This process, it turned out, was as beneficial for my own playing as it was for my teaching.
Over time, I learned to view every query as an opportunity to deepen my connection with my passion. I crafted templates for chords, scales, licks, and songs, meticulously handwritten during lessons. The repetitive act of copying these materials helped to etch scale and chord shapes into my young, malleable brain.
Transcribing music became a skill that I honed early on, thanks to a piece of advice from my non-musician father. He refused to buy me the sheet music book I wanted, reminding me that I couldn't read music anyway. Instead, he urged me to rely on my listening skills. This led to countless hours spent with those old scratched vinyl records, although life got considerably easier when cassette players made their debut.
I vividly recall explaining to a teenager named Wayne how I learned songs by ear. In the midst of my explanation, I stumbled upon a revelation: that songs often followed consistent chord progressions rooted in the initial chord's notes. Blues chords adhered to a similar ‘shape of root note movement’, while Minor chords nestled in between. I had unwittingly uncovered the concept of chords within keys (harmonised scales), despite my lack of formal music knowledge. Explaining my method to Wayne forced me to make this connection and it really helped with my own progression.
Once I started college, I possessed confidence in my practical knowledge but remained illiterate in music theory and notation. I had learned the language but lacked the grammar. It was my college music teacher, Alan Cato, who served as a catalyst for my transformation. His patient guidance in notation, rhythm, and harmony inspired a lifelong interest in music education. What's more, I paid it forward by imparting this
