Useful Podcasts on iTunes

If you like video podcasts, you’ll find dozens for free on iTunes. Here is partial list:
Beginning Guitar 101
Dolphin Street Guitar
Learning Guitar Now
Lick Library
Beginner Guitar Lessons
Gibson Guitar
Guitar Theory

These are well-done with good production values. Some cover the basics and others are for the advanced or intermediate player.
You can download them to your computer, iPod or iPhone for use in the studio.
They range from a couple of minutes to several minutes long.
You can read reviews on each podcast before downloading it.

Gift Certificates

Several students and friends have asked me to make gift certificates so that they can give them to friends or family members who want to learn guitar. They are easy to make. I made this one with Word using an invoice template that came with the program. It works well for birthdays and other holidays.
Here it is.

Using The iPhone

After getting my iPhone in August, I began finding ways to use it to manage and teach students. Because it plays video and audio, and because of the applications available, it’s been a very useful aid. Here are some ways I have found to use it:
1. It has a direct connection to YouTube, which has thousands (?) of instructional videos on playing guitar. I have found some that are quite good, and bookmarked them for later use or reference.
2. When a student wants to learn a song I don’t know, I can download the song from iTunes. Sometimes I can even do it during the lesson if there is a wi-fi connection.
3. I can also download tablature.
4. I can store Finale music files on my iPhone. I create them on my computer, then transfer them to the iPhone.
5. I have a tuner application.
6. There are several guitar applications available from iTunes.
7. Use the iPhone to call and email students.
8. Google maps lets me find the locations I need. I go to the student’s home for the lessons.

If anyone else has ways to use the iPhone (or other phones or ?) I’d be interested

Strum And Pick Patterns

Every guitarist should be able to use several strums and picking patterns. I have organized some very useful ones into a text document available here.

Meters include 3/4, 4/4 and 6/8; simple, compound and complex strums, arpeggio and travis picks are shown in tablature style.

You can use these patterns to play real songs. With these examples, practice with the A-D-A-E-A chord progression.

All Those Guitars

Do you know how many people received a guitar for Christmas? I don’t know either, but, trust me, there are thousands.

A few tips:

Now is a great time to advertise your services

Offer a starter package of lessons. Some people don’t want to commit to an ongoing lesson schedule, but will sign up if the lessons end in a specified time frame. This way, they feel that they can get a proper start

Offer accessories with your lesson package: some picks, a tuner, a capo or method book to sweeten the deal

Schools are a great resource for finding students. Contact the music teacher(s) and let them know about you. These teachers are asked often about referrals to private teachers

Contact you local classical guitar society. Even if you don’t play or teach classical, many classical aficionados like to play other styles

I hope some of these ideas are useful.

Music Teachers’ Helper

I’ve only used the free version, but this appears to be a handy tool for music teacher with private students. It’s easy to set up and user-friendly, and contains many features for scheduling, billing and making reports. Use it to manage your studio.

http://www.musicteachershelper.com/

A Cool Teaching Aid

I am using GarageBand to make CD’s for my students. Here are a couple of examples.

One of my students is learning to improvise using the Dorian scale. Since it’s better to have some music to improvise with, I made a CD with accompaniment so he can practice while listening. The cuts I made for him include rhythm guitar, bass and drums. I also record the cuts at slow and fast speeds. When he practices, he can hear what it sounds like in a band setting, rather than just his guitar by itself. GarageBand contains many loops of guitar, bass and drum riffs (some of which can be edited). You just drag and drop them onto a layout, copy and paste to turn one riff into an ostinato, export your work into iTunes, then make a CD. If there is any interest, I can post an example.

With a class I’m teaching, I record the accompaniment for the songs I am teaching so that the students get a feel for playing in an band. I usually don’t make copies for them; I just use them in class. I’ve found them to be motivational. Students must keep a steady beat and tempo.

Calling All Guitar Teachers

Let’s use this forum to share information and techniques. How do you get students? How do you keep them? Where/when do you give your lessons? What kinds of materials do you use to help your students learn?

These are just a few of the things we can help each other with. After teaching guitar students for over thirty years, I have learned a few things that will benefit newcomers to the field. I’m sure each of you can contribute your unique experience also.

STAR After-School Program

Star is a program that hires artists to direct after-school programs. One of them is RockStar.

I just had my interview in Oxnard. Ken, the program director, is a super guy with great ideas. He’s hiring people for 13 elementary and 3 middle schools. $25 an hour. You set your hours (between 2 and 6 p.m.) and pick your school.

It looks interesting and I’ll have more to say about it later. Guitar teachers, this might be something to investigate because you can teach a class and make contact with students/parents who are interested in guitar.

Find New Students In Schools

Click here to download my podcast about ways to get more students from the public schools. You’ll find several good ways to create a demand for your services.

PODCAST