Essays Page

There are a few questions that come up over and over in lessons and pre-lesson interviews. Sometimes the answers are too detailed for the Frequently Asked Questions page. This page connects you to a few of the essays I've written about music and the guitar.

If you'd like to link to any of my essays, please feel free to do so. Also, quote as much as you like provided you cite the source properly. If you would like to reproduce the content elsewhere, please contact me using the Contact link to the left and we'll work out an agreement.

Guest Essay: "Natural Talent" by Jamie Andreas

Jamie Andreas, the world-famous guitar teacher whose system of guitar instruction I use exclusively, has granted me the rare privilege of publishing one of her essays on my Web site.

Click here to read "Natural Talent".

All rights to the Natural Talent essay are reserved by Jamie Andreas.

Photo Credit: David A. Silverstein, www.ImagicArt.com

My Essays

There are a few questions that come up over and over in lessons and pre-lesson interviews, for which the answer is too detailed for the Frequently Asked Questions page. This page connects you to a few essays I've written about music and the guitar.

How do I measure my progress on the guitar?

This essay introduces qualitative and quantitative measurement techniques for the guitar. I give a copy of it to all my students, and to the parents of minor students.

I want to learn electric guitar. Should I learn acoustic guitar first?

The short answer is "no". The essay at the above link will show you why.

What should I look for when shopping for a guitar?

Make sure you buy the kind of quality that will last, and avoid paying more than you need to. Find out how to buy an appropriate sized guitar, and learn what features to look for in a guitar or amplifier.

Is it possible to learn the guitar even with a physical, learning, or cognitive disability?

My research so far indicates that unless your impairments are severe enough to keep you functioning in most other parts of your life, you can definitely learn to play provided you've got the will to do so. The above link will show you why.

How do I create the best possible environment for learning music?

There are things you can do to stack the deck so as to give yourself, or your child, the best possible chance of learning and enjoying the guitar. The link above will show you how to "stack the deck" and help you, or your child, get the best possible bang for the buck when it comes to music lessons.

Is it true that children learn better than adults?

The short answer is no. Children definitely learn differently from adults, and they use different techniques to absorb and process information. Those strategies and techniques are better suited to some kinds of information than others, but luckily playing the guitar is not age specific. The most efficient and reliable way of training your body to play the guitar is the Principles Method, which emphasizes concentration and mindful study. The link above will take you to an essay that compares child and adult learning.

What does it take to learn the guitar?

I'm no expert in cognition, but I put together a bit of an essay showing the different steps involved in learning music.

Non-guitar essays

These essays are music related, but they don't focus on the guitar. They were written in response to questions I was getting from friends, students, and other musicians. Some of the questions required a lot of thought and research, so the results are here for anyone who wants them.

Why are tenors an endangered species?

This essay looks at some of the reasons why it's hard to find, and keep, certain kinds of amateur ensemble singers.

How does a person make a living as a musician?

Everyone's heard of the stereotype of the starving musician, but it turns out that professional musicians have a very simple strategy for not starving. This essay reveals the strategy by which every single one of the professional musicians I know personally set up their financial lives and their careers.

Isn't "The Music Industry" something I should warn my child away from?

This essay looks at some of the myths surrounding the music and entertainment industries. It discusses the kinds of work that are available and the qualifications that are needed to get each kind of work. It's definitely not an exhaustive study of the music business or how to succeed in it. For that, you'd need several books.

Other On-Line Information Sources

In addition to "Natural Talent" and the links it contains to some of Jamie's other essays, there is a lot of free material at the Guitar Principles Web site here. There is also a well moderated forum.

If you're looking for technical essays about different kinds of gear and different parts of the guitar, check out Ed Roman's Web page here. You can get a basic grounding in the design and construction of electric guitars by reading the technical articles on Ed's site. Plus, there are lots of cool guitar pictures.