by Jay | Jun 24, 2011 | Blog, Guitar Lessons
I have been getting some really interesting questions in response to my poll from those who’ve joined my list recently. Right now I’m in Amish Country for my Kauffman family reunion, driving past quilt shops and horse-and-buggies, but wanted to answer a...
by Jay | Jan 15, 2011 | Blog, Classical Guitar Basics, Classical Guitar Lessons, Classical Guitar Technique
I’ve been thinking about about the difference between what I say here on this blog, and how I actually teach most of the time. In a guitar lesson, we’re working on something specific….how to play a bar chord, how to interpret a piece of music, how to...
by Jay | Oct 5, 2010 | Blog, Classical Guitar Basics, Classical Guitar Technique
Playing classical guitar is technically demanding. There are a lot of hurdles even if you want to play a relatively simple piece well enough for it to be satisfying. The tendency for many players—and for many teachers—is to focus on technique, and leave everything...
by Jay | Oct 4, 2010 | Blog, Classical Guitar Technique, Guitar Heroes
Have you heard the legend of the guitarist with no bad habits? It goes like this: “there was this guy, who my friend used to go to school with, a monster guitarist, who’d been taught so well as a child that he never developed any bad habits!” His...
by Jay | Oct 1, 2010 | Blog, Classical Guitar Basics, Classical Guitar Technique
Here’s a little piece for anyone who practices but doesn’t seem to improve much. I suggest you take a look at a book called “Talent is Overrated,” by Geoff Colvin. The book is not written primarily to musicians but to a general audience of...