10 Things I DON'T Miss About Teaching Private Music Lessons

-10 Things I DON'T Miss About Teaching Private Music Lessons
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Thanks!!!

[@dfreshv]

I took bass lessons for almost 6 years, and never practiced. Felt awful about it every time, but I just got frustrated, since I wasn’t instantly amazing at it, it wasn’t any fun. Then all my friends formed a band and they invited me to join, but I wasn’t good enough because I never practiced. Talk about motivation! I’ll never forget the look on my teacher’s face the first day I showed up, actually having practiced, with a newfound enthusiasm for learning and passion for playing. 20 years later and I’m still rocking out. Thanks for being patient with me, Mr. Charlsen!

[@jazzyhalf]

I think what you described is accurate for most kids taking lessons. It's not till you join a band that will get you motivated to play. I did the same thing and for me, it's more of a challenge to be the best at something in a group of friends so that really motivated me to practice. Now I'm a pretty good guitarist lol

[@Vykk_Draygo]

@@jazzyhalf Could be true. I started out playing trombone in middle school, so that was in band by default. I loved practicing, and I enjoyed our few performances each year. Never had an issue with guitar either, but I started playing as a hobby in college (I had a job, and could finally afford to buy stuff). Never played guitar in a band, but I still loved to play. And since I was paying for it out of pocket, I definitely practiced in between lessons.

[@nicholasdavies9662]

I totally get this. Teaching one-to-one can get very boring actually. The same songs, the same types of kids, the same scenarios, over and over. Teaching is spending all of your time, enabling other people, to do the things that you wish you had time to do yourself. Teaching can be very rewarding, but it can also be a real grind.

[@Shadesingrey]

Agreed! Its all about the balance isnt it

[@vincentkingsdale8334]

That is EVERY job

[@guitarreilly]

Yeah I agree I teach about 36 students a week. Sometimes it's so demoralising especially when kids don't practice. However compared to quite a lot of my friends my job comparatively is way more interesting and fun.

[@isuckatguitar6252]

I'm a private teacher (not guitar) and I completely resonate with each and every point on this video. I started learning guitar at 43 years old & after some self-directed learning I forked out to take private lessons weekly, quite expensive in my city, but I see it as my weekly treat to myself & really enjoy them. I hope my teacher enjoys them too, although I spent the past 6 months prob torturing him with my attempts at mastering Haken songs....my lessons are always around dinner time, so sometimes I'll bring him a wrap or burrito or something 😆

[@Demiglitch]

If I got food out of the deal I'd let you play whatever you wanted forever.

[@guitarreilly]

Yeah lovely gesture with the food

[@MattGOG666]

As a guitar/bass teacher, im soooooooooooooo happy (for lack of a bettet term) that i'm not alone in these types of feelings!!

[@briancoyne6700]

Yeah, it's no fun teaching guitar to a kid who doesn't care. But it's such a JOY to teach a kid who REALLY cares. Then it's so rewarding!🎸

[@Groovychu]

Damn readn these comments ima go get lessons tm ima ask if I can exchange content or even intern for lessons

[@davegarski1548]

I have been a private guitar/bass guitar teacher in Orlando since 1996. As much as I love teaching music, I have to agree with all of the points you've made on the things you do not miss about teaching. I would be remiss in not mentioning one more item: The adult student who doesn't practice or refuses to practice their lessons, because of their preconceived notions about what he/she can or cannot, will or will not do - then blaming me because they haven't progressed in their lessons. Narcissistic students are the worst. It is truly difficult to make a living as a guitar teacher now. The world of music desperately needs new guitar hero's - because without them, there is very little motivation for young students. Is guitar a dying art?

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Amen! I have a video on the queue close to that point you made. It'll be out in the near future. An older brain is sometimes slower to catch on but that should also mean they now have the wisdom to know it takes time to get good at anything.

[@davegarski1548]

@@TheArtofGuitar Hey Mike, it's nice to be validated sometimes by other guitar teachers who have endured the not-so-great parts about teaching music. Looking forward to the next video on this. Thanks! Dave

[@kthulhukif]

I used to teach here in Colorado, and I actually had a 14 year-old tell me that what I was teaching him was actually making him worse and he wanted a refund. Turned out he just got his first girlfriend, and wanted the money (his parents paid, not him) to upgrade his wardrobe 🙄

[@sirbaronvoncount4147]

There will always be a marker for great songs

[@sirbaronvoncount4147]

Market

[@SMM5553]

I'm from Brazil and I teach for 20 years. I can relate to everything you said. I think these problems happens all around the world.

[@jdemarco]

That's a beautiful SG my man!

[@kabe6927]

Ive been learning guitar from the same teacher for over a year now. I do hope teaching me isn't boring for him. I also make sure to show up to every lesson having fully learnt the song/part we were practicing and then some, basically telling him that I care about guitar. And my music taste includes old rock songs which of course he loves aswell so that makes lessons much quicker and efficient. God bless him, he turned me from downpicking an entire rift to fluently alt picking solos

[@duendeguitar]

You really hit the nail on the head with this video, Mike! As a guitar teacher for close to 30 years, for me, I would have listed the health & lifestyle impacts e.g. Odd working hours, catching colds & flu from kids who are sick, the incredible stress of teaching that 5% who don't care, clueless parents, poor eating habits, waaaay too much coffee, sciatic back pain from sitting on a $10 folding chair for 8 hours a day...the list goes on! Lol!

[@TheArtofGuitar]

I devised many things to combat a lot of that. I had this small fan that I kept on the pole of the music stand that would blow air between me and the student aimed at the vent. Kept me from catching their colds, usually. hehe. Also I always tried to eat healthy which I'll talk about in an upcoming vid but yeah when you only have a few minutes here and there to snack it can get bad. Sitting wasn't bad because I constantly brought my own chair, or left mine there, that had back support. I was hooked on tea but man if I was into coffee back then I would have been a wreck. I did get hooked on Red Bull for about a month one time and my stomach wouldn't stop making weird noises. Scared me straight.

[@Zerofluffsgiven]

I love all of the clips you inserted of your adorable students!

[@TheArtofGuitar]

My next video will probably have way more.

[@williamphillips24]

I did it full time for about 8 years with 136 kids a week at the height of it all. My least favourite things: Chasing parents for money. Lack of practice. Playing E A D for 8 hours a day. Junk guitars that wouldn't stay in tune that were gifted to little kids by well meaning relatives. On the upside, every now and again you'd get a kid who took what you taught them, and take it to the next level.

[@D-Fens_1632]

It's kind of scary when you extrapolate this to education in general. In every 100, 99 are going to be talentless, don't care, and have no potential. The world needs ditch diggers I guess.

[@svenjonzy1311]

I've been a guitar/music teacher privately and in schools for the past 10 years. Also in a touring band. A few of us in the band are teachers so we would organise tours around weekends and holidays. First to go for me was private teaching. Working all day in school then doing 5 hours more in the evening... then going out around the country at weekends to come home again late Sunday to do it all again burned me out. Then this school year coming back after the summer holidays I realised I didn't have the same revitalised feeling after the break. I was dreading the school teaching. I had no energy for it at all. A friend was starting up a new business (food....yeah a completely weird and unexpected tradjectory) and asked me to get involved with running it. I a m sooooooo happy now. My gigs don't just feel like an esacpe from the dreaded school work, they are actually something I do for fun again!! If teaching is bumming you out, get out... you can always go back, when rejuvenated, or desparate :)

[@emmitscully7364]

My teacher told me I was one of the only students that actually kept the materials from prior lessons. I was shocked. There I was paying $50-$60 for each lesson. Those pages/notes were expensive for me! I couldn’t believe people would just lose them. Proud to say I still have them after all the years.

[@cody_charlesguitar]

I’ve wanted to teach guitar for years but you are making me rethink my dreams! Great video!

[@Gaborc86]

I really needed to hear this. I'm starting my guitar school and today I lost a student after the first lesson. Apparently even though she was a beginner, the mom thought she didn't hear a lot of playing and it was me mostly talking. Basically I showed her how to hold the guitar, motor skills exercises for both hands and 2 chords in 30 min. They said that wasn't satisfying and I wasn't the right fit for them. It was discouraging but I'm glad to know there's other teachers here who struggle with this kind of nonsense. Hopefully they'll find another instructor capable to teach a beginner to play a lot of songs in 30 min.

[@ThatIsSomePig]

I worked as an instructor at guitarcenter so I’m so glad i didnt have to deal with payments, especially those last minute cancellations lol. Also can definitely relate to the feeling of failure when a student quits. Like i let them down or failed as a teacher in some way. I didn’t mind keeping track of each student’s progress, i used to journal each lesson so I knew where to pick up after each week. Great video, i’m looking forward to the next one!

[@carterp3753]

As a guitar teacher I feel your pain

[@TheRealxVincent]

My dog ate my guitar. I got it back, but I couldn't practice this week.

[@HannahCope88]

Love this! I wish I could've taken lessons at a younger age, I still have a student statement from my school when I was aged 12 and in it I state that I would like to learn guitar. I have my struggles with practice these days for many reasons, but I just know it would've had a good effect on me back then, I might not be a totally different person but I might have become more like what I am now sooner in my life. That being said, later is better than never and my journey to learn has brought me so much already, some great experiences but even greater friends. Looking forward to the companion video :-)

[@justdavedoindavestuff3479]

Geezuzf*ck, i wish you were my teacher 30 odd years ago... I was a rocker at the time and my "teacher" was a jazzhead with a headless steinberger. To say the least, this arrangement didn't work out. And I just watched your video on older students, being 51 and learning how to replay the bass, actually made me understand myself little bit more. Many thanks to you, young lad. Subscribed🙂

[@claycrowe4032]

As a teacher I can completely relate to all of this. I ran a private lesson studio to support myself through college and now am a public school music teacher. It is the same feeling teaching in both situations, but the positives greatly outweigh the negatives. I wound bever want to do anything else. The biggest point of concern for me now-a-days is, as you mentioned, finding the motivation to do personal practice. After engaging my creative mind with students all day I find that I am a little fried and I have to force myself to practice. Great video.

[@footsoljier6468]

When I was getting into learning drums from a teacher and then eventually guitar from the same one, I didn’t realize how close I could get with a teacher. It’s more than a traditional school teacher relationship because you’re one on one every lesson and you get to have regular conversations. Some of my favorite memories learning drums and guitar from a teacher was talking about bands or albums we’d gotten into and showing each other. Techniques, players, bands, songs, albums, all of it. Such an amazing experience that is worth it for more than learning your instrument

[@intehelt8606]

I so love how you first talks about students excuses for not practicing and then talks about how you stopped practicing ;)

[@brianharris7243]

Teaching anything is a regular job- When I retired I taught guitar, songwriting and uke for The University of the Third Age(UK) once a week but with decompressing, prep and teaching two groups a week my songwriting went to the wall!

[@luxangelsong]

What a wild journey you’ve been on. The description of the tiny box room gave me anxiety lol. I have massive respect for anyone who teaches… it’s incredibly difficult.

[@mongchacha]

i never would've guessed you've been teaching for 30 years. unless you've been teaching since 8 years old! youthful genes!

[@gtrxtra]

Hi Mike, a friend sent your video because I'm kind of going EXACTLY what you're doing. Word for word. I finally quit one school and so I can work on being creative and NOT be constantly burning out. I love playing, gigging and teaching as well... and Im also finally teaching at my studio again :) ps You still look 25yrs old

[@MichaelTrentColvin]

Thanks for sharing... I'm just starting to teach more full time !

[@lucasdaun1903]

I just want to say that some of the kids that quit lessons may not have quit guitar. When I was starting out I took a few lessons with someone my mom knew. It quickly got to the point where the lessons were not affordable anymore. So after about 5 lessons I stopped going. I never stopped playing guitar though, I'm still playing 21 years later. In the end it worked out because those few lessons gave me a jump off point to start guiding myself while learning. There were enough other resources for me to be able to do that thankfully.

[@DirkRadloff]

I have been a violin teacher for around 20 years and I can really to many of your points. The reason for me to quit teaching and to focus on a normal daily job (insurance employee) was the financial risk of teaching. As you say every student counts and how can you feed your family if you loose some students? I could not sleep well anymore especially after I got own children, so sometimes I think about to start again as a teacher, but certainly only as sideline job.

[@matturner6890]

*lose

[@dcflake5645]

I was probably a terrible student. I never practised anything my teacher set me. It was a super relaxed environment so i never felt bad and I was one the best guitarists at college so I must been doing something right. Honestly, one on one guitar lessons were fine but the one thing that made me improve more than the 2-3 years private lessons was suddernly be thrown in the deep end playing with guys lightyears better than me.Trying to keep up with people much better than you is the biggest motivator ever and i improved so much just being around highly skilled musicians.

[@gameroftheyear1000]

That’s how learning guitar was essentially for me. I’m a horrible music student and found my progress came from just going into the deep end from the get go. Sure I sounded like alley cats having water thrown at them for a time, but finally one day everything literally just clicked. I was able to recognize chord progressions from other songs and the muscle memory of where each fret is just finally stuck. And it all came from learning to play stuff like Jake E Lee, Randy Rhoads, Eddie Van Halen. Just coming back to songs time and time again and I’d get a little better each new attempt.

[@zakwojnar4714]

I took piano as a kid but bounced off it. But then in high school I studied drums and really got into it. I’m honestly not very good at it, but I really like it, even if it’s “only” a hobby.

[@FrettingProductions]

What I enjoyed about teaching was when I got that rare pupil that decided to take music at school or joined a band and I could teach them what I am interested in songwriting, arrangements and theory but you have to sit through all the kids that don't practice and worse those who are being forced to be there

[@paulyman28]

I was a bad student that didn’t practice much cause my teachers wanted me to learn theory & “Mary had a Little Lamb” & I wanted to learn Welcome to the Jungle. If they would have taught me a small piece of the songs I wanted to learn every week, I would’ve stayed interested in the basics. “Gotta crawl before you can walk” they’d say, so I’d quit. I wish those teachers would’ve listened to me more instead of just pushing the boring beginnings on me only 😢

[@jrb748]

I'm sure you knew better than the teacher who has already done everything you're trying to.

[@Mr.H0LLYW00D]

How were you gonna play Welcome to the jungle good, if mary had a little lamb was too much 😂

[@Llama_charmer]

I learned bass from youtube by just picking a song that i liked, that was just outside my playing ability, and played it over and over until i could do it. I dont like when teachers say you have to do this or that. It might be more efficient but it isnt fun, and fun is what its all about at the end of the day. I wanna play enter sandman not learn the major scales lol

[@russell2910]

Imagine a kid that can't play anything asking his teacher to teach him how to play the intro alone. No

[@lucasdaun1903]

The point is to help the student learn things they are interested in. There are things that are easy to play that are more appealing to kids than Mary Had A Little Lamb. The teachers that are the best are the ones that can incorporate the fundamentals while teaching kids what they want to play. I mean what's the point if you bore them to the point they don't want to practice? @@jrb748

[@adamhowemusic]

I taught music lessons for over 20 years, and I relate to every single thing you said in this video

[@brothermike5598]

I'm laughing my ass off because I deal with this every day... Very good points thanks for putting out this video

[@xavoblues7]

I've taught guitar lessons for more than 30 years now, and I totally relate with everything you've been through, its like the things I would have said I've I'd made a video like this, thanksfor sharing, I so understando you, 100%!

[@Milehighshred]

FANTASTIC!!! Loved this video. I can relate to nearly everything. I got very excited seeing this title I did a live reaction to it, which I just finished. Really nice to see relatable moments. Thank you so much for making this!

[@Shadesingrey]

Guitar teacher with 15 years of experience. Ive taught 10 years privately 1 to 1 and 5 years in classrooms where I had up to 20-25 students playing guitar at once, all different level. That was fun! (And a ton of hard work) Agree with most of what you said, faced similar issues through the years. I have recently moved to another city and just starting to pick up more students in the area. Also playing a local cover band and “trying” to keep the balance right without overbooking myself. Had 40 students at one point before (dunno how you did 60!) which nearly burned me out. Now, keeping it to the manageable number and trying to work towards the youtube/social media career. Just starting out though! :)

[@Aeduo]

even 25 skilled people playing guitar at once would probably be crazy loud.

[@seanslatter4311]

I’ve experienced many of these myself. Thanks for sharing your experiences

[@misterwillguitar]

congratulations for your persistence and success sir! I know all those issues you are talking about - essentially it all comes down to really wanting to share the joy that guitar has brought to one's own life and really try to get others to experience the same magic - of course over the years we just realise that not everyone is the same as us - alot just want to play when they feel like it (which I think is a wonderful and life affirming thing, but often a teacher is just put in the role of some taskmaster to make excuses to), others are just MADE to do lessons etc. and so on, and it all comes down to just appreciating that everyone wants to put in different amounts and get different rewards from the guitar. That takes a few years I think to just realise its just that basic fact. I know a guitar teacher whose "student" is a man in his 60s who really just shows up to have the guitar teacher play his favourite riffs to him. The teacher in question really is a fine guitarist who performs regularly, and the "student" appreciates the fact he can pay and just have his riffs played by a great! The practicalities of running a business are the same for every industry of course (problem clients in terms of organising or paying or being difficult)

[@shayh.3556]

I also like how you filmed the lessons so the students can see themselves playing. I film myself playing just to see progress over the years. Never had a teacher unless you count books and youtube 😂

[@waltjames407]

I can relate to a lot of these. I've gotten over the quitting students one after about 21 years or so. No student is forever, and most of them don't last a year. I doubt I'd still be a private instructor if guitar were still the only instrument I taught, though. I took up piano teaching about 7 years ago, and piano gives (almost) instant gratification, whereas you have to fight with the guitar a bit before you finally get past how touchy it is at the start. I also have a hard time trying to teach when I'm not allowed to teach theory, scales, notes by name, reading, etc and I'm forced to use nothing but tabs and rote learning. My student success rate with kids who don't do the formal music stuff is pretty low. With teaching piano, those problems evaporate. I think if I had to move on to another career, that would be the #1 thing I don't miss about teaching guitar...the idea that reading and formal music are for squares. Nowhere is that more prevalent than in guitar instruction.

[@mikegoodspeedmusic]

Wow, I can relate to this. Instead of piano, it’s double bass and (most) electric bass lessons that help me maintain the feeling that I’m actually teaching music, as opposed to “put your fingers here to play this song”. It’s not for lack of trying with my guitar students!

[@waltjames407]

@@mikegoodspeedmusic Strongly discouraging learning nothing but songs by tab/rote has cost me some students for sure. Probably some short-term income, maybe. But you can't pay me enough to encourage that, because it simply doesn't work. The only thing that does work is practice. And when you are a musician on the job talking to other musicians about the music you're playing, you really need to get to know the language and preferably how to write it and read it so any written material has meaning. A student and their teacher are both musicians. I'm lucky enough to teach at a formal music school where I'm an employee, though. Landing that gig and getting better at piano so I could teach it as well was what saved me from feeling like parents were wasting their money. Teaching guitar at a retail store is something I hope I never have to go back to.

[@evanelliott8231]

Just started teaching formally and let me tell you, it’s hard not to take it personally when they show now interest. However the 2-3 kids that are really excited, work hard, and continue to grow musically makes it all worth it.

[@lifeunderdeborahspalm-thed8114]

I took lessons briefly in elementary school, but I didn't like the teacher. She wanted to play folk stuff, and I wanted to learn rock. It didn't last long, but when I was 20, I went to a local music school. My student complaint is that the teachers kept quitting. I also wanted someone to teach me to read music and play songs. The music school told me that most of their guitar teachers were "street players" (their term), and they didn't read music, just taught tabs. Finally, I got a great teacher who did both. The music school changed venues, and we ended up in those cages. The room was maybe 6'x8' with no artwork and no air conditioning. In the summer, it was a sweatbox. It was so small you had to be careful the guitar necks didn't bang into the other person's guitar body. After a couple years, he quit as well. When he told me he was leaving, I told him I would probably quit because the place lacked what I was looking for in a teacher. He replied, "It would be unethical of me to tell you that you could come to my house for lessons, but if you asked me if I am continuing at home, I could answer you." I took lessons from him for four years and put the guitar down for a while because life happened. Now I'm back at it and play monthly which definitely keeps me motivated to practice.

[@philipfreedom2773]

I too used to teach guitar to beginners. I only lasted 6 weeks! Got so tired of students who only played during the lessons and would never practice! So each lesson just was trying to get them to learn the same basics over and over! And yes the micro rooms were very creepy.

[@2760ade]

I could never be a music teacher, for all the reasons you mentioned, and more! It may be rewarding in some respects, but that is far outweighed by the stress of it all, in my opinion. Total respect for all music teachers out there!!

[@danmurphy5715]

As a high school math teacher I can appreciate the challenge of working with kids that want to be in your class versus those that don't. My goodness, Mike, how have you been teaching for 30 years? You look so young!

[@federalagent9950]

Loved seeing those faith no more and mr bungle albulms in your old classroom. I hope you got some of your students to listen to some good music lol

[@Demiglitch]

Please continue with as many points as you need in the “good” video. I’d personally love to hear them, even if it doesn’t end up as an even number or something.

[@samgrant4827]

Nail on the head man, I could relate to all of this and most of it is still going on!

[@ckelly5141]

4:11 You know what is not a bummer though Mike? That beautiful SG, and I’m not really an SG guy.🎸👍

[@WillFlyTheLightingGuy]

Interesting that you saw a spike in interest when Guitar Hero came out, because it killed my business. My biggest issue (and most teachers of any kind usually say the same thing) was always with parents. Sure, there would be the kids wasting their parents’ money because they’re not putting anything into it, but some parents were unbearable…and it always came down to money and cancellation. I had a 24 hr policy on cancellation on whether they would be charged or not, and gave every parent a print out of my policies…and they would still try to argue with me. And it’s tough to maintain a good relationship with a kid when they know you’re at odds with their parents.

[@TheArtofGuitar]

I guess I was fortunate that I had so many students start up wanting to learn for real all the songs they learned on Guitar Hero. I thought the opposite would happen. I actually had the game in my lobby at my school.

[@WillFlyTheLightingGuy]

@@TheArtofGuitar I had a bitter hatred toward that game for too long. I eventually came to love it for the fact that it introduced great music to kids who never would’ve paid attention otherwise. But at the time, I had a few kids quit lessons saying it was because it’s easier on Guitar Hero. Incidentally, I also hated the game because people at parties would judge my ability as a guitarist based on my ability to play a video game…and that was infuriating.

[@quailstudios]

Wow Mike, your experience is really different from my experience. Maybe I'll have to do a video on my experience.

[@in2livinit]

Full time teaching anything can be a drudge. I loved Teaching Tech to protege's in the Navy & Industry, Mechanics to my boys, Little League to my teams. But there's always that 5%>. All of us remember a gifted teacher(s) who made a mark, but personally it seems better as a side gig for enjoyment & play $ than full time employment. Looking fwd to the +'s video Mike. 👍 Love the channel 🎸🎶

[@VashStarwind]

Man it would be really cool if you recorded some of your old bands songs today. Would be awesome to have some high quality recordings to listen to. I really wanted a demo of Incomplete, but I couldnt find one on the playlist. If you have an old demo of it, you should post it. If not, it would be cool if you guys recorded a new version ha. Idk probably a pain to do, but it would be cool. And I saw you made those videos of you guys playing some old songs a while back. Might as well record them! ha

[@SapulpaGuitarAcademy]

I've been playing guitar for almost 30 years and I've been teaching part-time for the last year. This video really hit home. Had a kid punch a guitar once during his 2nd lesson. That was a first for me. It's a brutal business, I can't imagine doing this full time. Also, I can concur with hunting down money and dealing with awful parents. Worst part of the job.

[@OriginalJayByrd]

My first guitar teacher, 20 years ago, was a really laid back guy. He was the uncle of a girl from my class in "high school" (we don't have high schools in Denmark, different system). He would always make little jokes and make sure it was a nice time. But as a student I wasn't diligent enogh and definitely should have practiced more. And at the same time I was a bass player in a band, so I kinda split my attention and didn't give enough to either instrument. So he was probably a good teacher to get me going, but I probably could have used someone a bit more strict 🙃

[@WoockerSocket2]

I really needed this video! Came at the right time, so relatable!

[@gregorylumpkin2128]

That little kid on the thumbnail pic is prime material for stardom!

[@RPSchonherr]

Don't feel bad if someone quits taking lessons from you. I only took 1 week of lessons or was it a month. Anyway I didn't stop playing and learning though. I just needed that kick to get me started.

[@goguitargo]

Agree with you 100% I teach guitar 5 days a week for the last 3 years.

[@NeonRadarMusic]

Man the part about parents not paying you when THEY canceled class hits too close to home

[@jaycollins9244]

I've been teaching for 40 years and I can identify with every single one of these. I still teach but only 16 year old's and up and no beginners. Intermediate to advanced.

[@Groovychu]

I’m I new guitarist but I have hella shows and need a teacher I went to the local guitar shop recently, ima go tm n hopefully og can teach me sum stuff I just don’t have a lot of funds rn

[@davel7507]

I have nothing but admiration for private teachers. I'm a keyboard player. I decided to take vocal lessons to expand my musical skills. The teacher seemed happy to have a student who practiced, was prepared, and who listened. I'm sure he had plenty of students who didn't want to be there, didn't practice, and didn't care.

[@ericnaylorguitar]

I thought it was funny when you were talking about making sure you had a bigger room in your own studio & remembering when I was teaching there sometimes having to teach out of the storage room because my regular room was double booked with another teacher 🤣 But it was fine, I had much worse rooms at other studios I remember one I had clarinet lessons in the room next to me that was so loud I could barely hear my student. But what hit home the most of the things you listed (& it's nice to hear other people had the same issue) was what you said about being burnt out after teaching. That was me for many years I often would not pick up my guitar between lessons & I instead put my energy more into martial arts which I also teach. But I always felt guilty about not playing guitar more & only really got back into practicing when I started my you tube channel (which I did during covid when I couldn't do much else). Because having to create content that more then just my private lesson students would see & also teaching less has reignited my desire to play & practice. anyways good video 🤘👍

[@TheArtofGuitar]

We'll have to talk about that on the podcast. I remember I think doing a lesson in the repair area too. haha

[@JakeTerch]

Great video Mike! I’d like to see you make a list like this for playing gigs.

[@TheArtofGuitar]

I did. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fV6QqHShecaNZ9Esi=omEKtvf7QzIXy5OG

[@christineyeong]

This is all too relatable 😂 Especially the babysitting and collecting payment points.

[@arghapirate2427]

My parents are forcing me to watch this video, I'm I one of the 5%?

[@in2livinit]

Could be worse. Could be the Inquisition, then they'd be Bbqing you or selling you into indentured servitude for life.

[@guitarman394]

I can totally relate to all of these

[@Aeduo]

With the learning video game music in lessons, you really got my number with that one haha. But it's the music I'm passionate about and at some point I would like to create, and i like the tones/timbres you can get out of guitar, and it's just a nice, convenient instrument that doesn't need a lot of space and it's easy to move around and use where ever and get comfortable versus a piano. :p

[@kassemir]

The thing about the 5 % rule is so true. And, it is such a dangerous thing. In business, at least, it is so worth it to rid yourself of people like that, because they can just drain you, so much.

[@robbiegarnz7732]

Very interesting take on this topic ! I wonder if many of these issues wouldn’t have been mitigated by teaching adult or more mature teen guitar students? From personal experience, I am a much better student now than when I was younger. I completely understand the concept of the “five percenters”…in the Army no matter what level you attain there are what we used to refer to as the “10 percenters”-basically guys who were pushed through training because some general wanted to see better numbers. Either way, I suspect that you will find them in all lines of work. Great topic and I can’t wait to see your ten good things. I’m thinking of doing something like this on my channel but it will be about retiring from the Army; top five or ten good and bad things!

[@Khaos_HaSatan]

I taught private guitar lessons back in the mid-eighties for a very short period of time. In my situation they paid up front or they didn't get any lessons. My biggest problem was the students wanting to learn songs before learning the fundamentals of playing the guitar. Therefore, regardless of how many lessons they paid for, they would get the same lesson until I believed they were actually practicing it. Because of continued and ongoing lackluster performances, I quit teaching very soon. When I began playing guitar, back in the early seventies, I would play 8 - 10 hours every day. The only way to get me to put down my guitar was put a bullet in my head and pry it from my cold dead hands. My fingers are so calloused from playing for 50+ years, I can pick up a hot lump of charcoal out of a grill, with no harm done. That's the kind of commitment it takes to be a guitar player.

[@waltjames407]

Had a student recently wanting to learn "Bohemian Rhapsody" on guitar. I told her to read the interview with Brian May where he goes on about how hard that song is for HIM to play, and in the meantime here's an E, an F and a G. I get that all the time. I wish I could help them, but 21 years of teaching experience tells me that when you're new at it, the best place to start is with Hal Leonard. The best guitar students I've had were all either band kids who already knew how to count/read, or kids who were willing to do at least one book before we get to attempting songs. The ones who insist on nothing but "show me the moves and give me the tabs" never get anywhere. Ever.

[@billybrad204]

I tried to teach guitar to a few people and stopped. What I hated most was that never learned the basic chords. When it was the next lesson, we were back to square one. "How did you play that Cmag chord, again? When I got my first electric guitar in 1972, I immediately buried myself in my Mel Bay guitar chord manual and spent at least 4 hours a day practicing. Self taught!

[@peterrebhahn1113]

I've always wondered whether guitar teachers don't have an inherent advantage over piano teachers when it comes to young students because piano is (traditionally speaking, anyway) the instrument that parents push on their kids whereas interest in guitar tends to come more from the kids themselves and, therefore, you're dealing with (on average) more motivated learners. It's common to hear an adult guitarist say something like, "I started with piano lessons when I was 10 because my mom really wanted me to learn piano. So I didn't start with guitar til I was 14." Or something like that. And let's face it, motivation is key because teachers (of anything) don't so much 'teach' as they do facilitate learning. In the end, it's the student who must do the work.

[@A.P.I.-2bon2b]

I'm changing my ways! 😮 😅 Thank you teacher ❤🎉

[@befosocial]

I got interested in guitar with 16, after I wasn't forced to go to guitar lessons. From 6-16 I hated my guitar. I taught myself from this point on and play still, now exactly 16 years later.

[@stephenlennartz3466]

Regarding 'The guy who wouldn't pay.' A lot of the stores that offer lessons have a policy where you pay each month in full ahead of time.__ this includes their online lessons. And for those students who bail the same day as the lesson? That's a no go. Must give 24-hour notice to cancel and reschedule a lesson. This is what most stores are doing in the St. Louis market. Other options?

[@Sergio2006A]

Yeah it really sucks when they cancel or sometimes not even say they were not coming. 🤦‍♂️

[@TheBcoolGuy]

1:23 Very cute :)

[@johnthebassman]

You said you sold guitars for a while. Everyone I know who worked at a guitar center has some horror stories-you should post a video of those if you have some crazy memories!

[@egoncorneliscallery9535]

I feel your, and my own..pain

[@chrispodesta8105]

You're gonna get this comment a lot I'm sure, but yeah... I remember this 😅 It was so weird teaching video game music... As you're aware, some of it is really good, so you can kind of get into it and forget that it was a total desperation move to get somebody interested, since no music at the time was. I got lucky - most of the rooms I used, most of the time, were pretty good. Hung it up in 2014.

[@yksityinenoma7821]

Guitar teacher here. I teach kids, teens and adults, private and in groups. One thing which has surprised me is that teaching adults can be more difficult than teens. I see quite often that middleaged students behave badly especially in groups. They might be disrespecting and doubt the things we are doing. They quite often get angry or brake down mentally when we are learning new things. They can’t handle the pain what comes when learning new things. We who have studied guitar for decades know that learning new things means trial and error and some kind of mental pain. They seems to think that learning guitar is just easy and struggle-free.

[@Evan-tj1te]

I don't teach instruments. However, I teach Music History on the college level. As a professor, there's nothing I hate more than the students who come in and sleep through the whole lecture. Or they are on their phone, staring at the ceiling, etc. On the flip side, there's nothing I love more than the students who love music and actually want to learn about it. It's one of my biggest thrills to see the younger generations feed their appreciation of music.

[@jordanpratt3821]

They would turn off their phones or they woudnt be in my class. Or will they not let you do that?

[@TheGalilee416]

When I started I had 3 different teachers. They all wanted me to do theory and I hated it. I just wanted to play SLAYER!!! Haha. At almost 50 I now enjoy theory.

[@sinenkaari5477]

Mitch Mitchel told a story of Hendrix making bacon and eggs in the morning while still having his strat strapped on his back and swapping it around to play a little between cooking

[@brooklynsoundgarage]

It doesn’t take many students to experience the worst typical interactions. If they all just had passion it makes up for most of the issues.

[@jaimeflor4181]

I had a few students from 2017-2020 and 2-3 more after the pandemic. I enjoyed it, but it was disappointing if 1 of them wasn’t practicing. Also, some just wanted a few lessons & couldn’t afford it. The extra spending $ was nice, but I eventually stuck w/ being a TA at my university and a student. Now I just compose when I have time. Occasionally I miss having students.

[@Mognam]

Taught guitar myself and I would agree disinterested students was not good. Not enjoyable for me or them.

[@JKGuitar]

In my experience, you can feel when you're gonna lose a student in the lesson before they actually stop. The atmosphere is different, their demeanour is different. And normally, not so soon after, they stop. Practice is a big one. Especially if teaching a song which has different sections with the aim to play through all of it. It's almost impossible for the student to do it if they haven't practiced the sections or tried to put sections together at home.

[@droidfilmz]

I can’t be the only one that, when the rat in a cage number came up, I thought of the smashing pumpkins lyric

[@michaeloberly6129]

The worst thing about teaching guitar or anything else is a disinterested/ unmotivated student. The best thing about teaching is a student who is super motivated or passionate. I never taught young kids, you seemed to have done that a lot. The rough times with young kids must be very rough indeed. As you note, sometimes they’re not there because they want to be, more because their parents want them to be. Good list, I think many of us would have a similar list.

[@joshuahussey7623]

I've never been a teacher, I'm 43 years old and taking lessons with a good friend of mine, but I feel like I let him down. I practice, about an hour a day, but don't feel I'm improving. I don't want to waste his time. I do pay him.

[@chidbro23]

Hello!

[@teresathomley3703]

You're not required to answer this. Did you have many students who were older than you? Thanks.

[@TheArtofGuitar]

I'd say out of 60, 15-20 of them were grown ups.

[@teresathomley3703]

@@dleifteHsemaJ All right there Zombie- let's run through those modes again...ah hell, your hand fell off.

[@teresathomley3703]

@@TheArtofGuitar thanks

[@ericd4910]

As a guitar teacher since 2005, I feel this. I would also add that for most guitar teachers in the US, you’re going to be an independent contractor and not an actual employee. And you will feel the pain when taxes are due.

[@PromptSupercritical]

You've been teaching for over 30 years, so...since you were in grade school? I can identify with #3. I was a flight instructor for about two years and had a couple of "students" who were in the 13 - 15-year-old range - too young to fly solo (gotta be 16), but their parents brought them in anyway, and the kids weren't really interested. It was painful.

[@supernothing77]

How much did you know when you taught piano? Marge Simpson said you only need to stay one lesson ahead. You should play some more keys. Or maybe do a series 'keyboards for guitar players'