Not Another Guitar Riff, Please!

While teaching a guitar lesson the other day I realized that there is an enormous hole in the way music is taught these days. The student was playing a guitar riff from Nirvana that he had learned from a friend. When he finished I asked him if he knew more of the song other than just the beginning. He said that it was all his Friend knew but that he could also play a bunch of riffs from other tunes.

This, to me is a major problem. Music lessons will typically cost between $40 and $60 per hour depending on the level of service provided by the school. As a parent myself I believe in accountability. If I am paying good money for music lessons I expect my child to learn how to play to the best of his/her ability. As a music teacher I know that there is much more value in learning entire songs from start to finish with all the parts, including the rhythm and lead lines. Almost any kid can find a guitar tab on the Internet and figure out the first few chords. There is no point paying someone to do that for them. If, and when they get an opportunity to play in a band it won't do them any good to be able to play the first 10 seconds of the song just to leave the band hanging.

So, when your deciding on, or deciding to continue with a music teacher please make sure that your money (and time) is not waisted on "just another guitar riff" type of teacher. Or save yourself the energy and and visit the Academy of Music in Oakville Ontario or Burlington Ontario at www.academymusic.org