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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2015 21:18:58 GMT
......who is also a pop star! For the last few weeks I have been teaching a very fine singer songwriter, who as well as being the voice of the dance group Lamb, also happens to be the parent of one of my A level students. Some months back she asked me for guitar lessons Its taken a little while to sort out in between her touring her latest album round the world, but we have finally got down to it. My dilemma is that I have never taught an adult before, let alone someone who is so obviously an accomplished musician. I am really enjoying it, but sometimes wonder where to go with the lessons, as its not like she needs to be taught 'the basics'. She gave me a copy of her solo album, on which it is quite clear she knows her way around the entire neck of the guitar, and has a good right hand technique. She has been coming to me with questions on how to improve her technique, which we have looked at. She also seems very keen to learn some theory after 30 years of earning a living as a composer of some of the finest dance music I know, and we have been looking at that. I must say it gives me such pleasure teaching someone about the circle of 5ths and them saying to me "you are the first person able to explain that to me"!! But, for those that teach adults, and particularly those that are pretty good already, how do you approach the task? Its not like my student has a list of songs or instrumentals she wants to learn, and she seems pretty happy with just focussing on small ways to improve left and right hands, and get some theory behind her. Robbie
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Post by earwighoney on May 25, 2015 21:27:36 GMT
WOW.
Seriously, I love that band. 'Fear of Fours' was a huge part of my teenage years.
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minorkey
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Post by minorkey on May 25, 2015 21:59:21 GMT
Cant play it , and Ive never heard of Lamb
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2015 22:00:32 GMT
Well it was their first album that got me in to music technology on the first place. Her solo album is a seriously beautiful album, and she has the finest, most controlled voice of any female singer I know. She was telling me how Gorecki was recorded- all those string parts were recorded with just 2 cellos. That's all they could afford at the time ?
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2015 22:01:35 GMT
Sorry the YouTube link is not lamb. It's one of mine and I don't know how to get rid of it from my signature
Edit: ok sorted it now
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Riverman
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Post by Riverman on May 25, 2015 22:46:43 GMT
Hi Robbie I have a couple of adult students, one of whom is already a decent player and songwriter. He approached me at a gig last year and asked if I gave lessons. When I asked him what he wanted to get out of it he was fairly unspecific, but given that he was the one instigating the arrangement, and that he said he liked my playing, I thought we'd be able to work something out. In practice it's turned out to be quite similar to what you describe - bits of technique, some basic theory etc. It's a very flexible arrangement and sometimes I worry, before the lesson, what I'm going to show him. But I always make sure to set him some practice tasks as "homework" at the end of each session, so going over how he's got on with that always gives us something to look at for the first few minutes - after which he can usually be relied upon to come up with something he wants to work on. Recently we've been looking at how he approaches songwriting and performing, and that's been more of a mentoring arrangement. I think I'm enjoying it as much as he is to be honest! It certainly doesn't feel like hard work. In effect I suppose I've been acting as much as a critical friend as a teacher to him. I sometimes wonder whether I'm qualified for such a role, but I've learned that even good players can benefit from honest feedback about aspects of their playing. Gratifyingly, there's been more than one occasion when he's gone away from the lesson saying that a light bulb has just gone off for him, and he's inspired to take what he's learned (often some quite simple technique or concept) and put it into practice. As your student is happy with what you're teaching her I'd suggest you just enjoy the process, and milk the celebrity aspect for all it's worth when looking to attract new students! Cheers Richard
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 7:14:17 GMT
Thanks Richard, you have described my situation exactly. I am certainly annoying it as much as she seems to. But like you say, sometimes I go in to the lesson not quite knowing what we are going to do, but invariably we end up working on something that inspires. Last week we worked on the opening of Pinball Wizard- she was fascinated by how the accents within a strumming pattern can change.
Thanks again,
Robbie
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 7:17:13 GMT
Oh, and here is one of my favourite songs of her solo album:
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on May 26, 2015 12:49:24 GMT
My experience is similar to Richard's in that the adults I have "taught" have all been fairly eastablished in what they do, and my role was largely as coach/mentor/honest critic than teacher, though in some cases the active teaching element was larger.
The crucial thing is to establish what the potential student wishes to achieve from the relationship, and what you feel you can contribute. If those things overlap in some way then the prospects are good! An hour or so talking at the beginning can be the most useful time you'll spend.
I have also found it useful to specify from the start an "end time" eg after 5 ,10 (or whatever) lessons, when the presumption is that lessons will cease. As this time approaches, the situation can be re-evaluated and a decision made to actually cease, or to "sign up" for another spasm of lessons to further develop the original aims and/or begin work on any new ones that have cropped up during the first period of time. This gives you and the student an option to stop without any embarrassment on either side, and prevents stagnation/continuing just for the sake of it etc.
Keith
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Post by vikingblues on May 26, 2015 17:27:14 GMT
I have also found it useful to specify from the start an "end time" eg after 5 ,10 (or whatever) lessons, when the presumption is that lessons will cease. As this time approaches, the situation can be re-evaluated and a decision made to actually cease, or to "sign up" for another spasm of lessons to further develop the original aims and/or begin work on any new ones that have cropped up during the first period of time. This gives you and the student an option to stop without any embarrassment on either side, and prevents stagnation/continuing just for the sake of it etc. Keith An excellent idea that should be universal but unfortunately isn't. Would save a lot of bad feeling / misunderstanding. I tip my hat to anyone who tackles teaching - horribly difficult and my limited experience of it (not to do with music needless to say) just made my head ache. So sorry - no advice worth having from me Robbie. Must make it a more joyful experience though when the pupil is so very musically talented already. Mark
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