How To Spot And Avoid Bad Music Tutors

You are interested in learning to play the guitar. You look for a specialist tutor to learn to play the blues. After a couple of lessons, you really HAVE the blues. You signed on with a lion tamer!

This type can be subdivided into two subspecies. These are:

The Inflexible Specialist

The Guy Who Plays A Bit

The Inflexible Specialist is incapable of responding to change in the world. He learned to play competently many years ago and he knows how to do it properly now. He is not interested in new music, new styles or anything out of his comfort zone. He is frightened of learning alongside or looking silly and will do his best to school your child exactly the way he was schooled.

Sometimes his results will be good technically, especially with older children who share an enthusiasm for the style he presents. More often he will be responsible for unmotivated students who easily give up and are afraid to try new stuff for fear of failure. He will probably be unable to teach improvising or composing alongside playing because he probably never learned that himself and lacks the experience or motivation to try.

The Guy Who Plays A Bit probably learned a particular style he enjoyed as a teenager - he might even still be a teenager! He knows what works for him, but his lack of formal training as a musician or teacher will probably result in him passing on damaging habits. He will not understand that small hands can be injured by repetitive strain; his favourite phrase may well be "No pain, no gain!"

PAIN HAS NO PLACE IN MUSIC!

The Guy Who Plays A Bit will insist always that his way of playing is the correct way and everyone else is wrong - that doesn't necessarily mean he is right. He is likely to be uncomfortable with music reading himself and therefore will tell you theory is not necessary or "a waste of time these days" and he knows the music business well!

An occasional weekend gig will give him the authority to say he is a "professional musician". A demo tape will make him a "recording artist". If he could make it big, he would, he is teaching only because he has either missed the boat or it hasn't yet sailed into harbour!

Keen on learning lead guitar? Interested in learning guitar scales? Want to learn guitar fretboard?

Oh my, is this guy good! He probably has half a degree from Berkeley he knows so much theory of music - but does he know children? During his own musical education he practised and practised and became really rather good but he never learned educational theory. As a consequence, all his students are adults in variable sizes.

He knows nothing about educational stages, child development or just children - he does not realise all children are individuals and at varied stages for their age. He will ask abstract thought before children are capable of it and set extremely long term goals for pupils whose idea of the future is an hour's time!

He might do well with highly intelligent pre-teens, but much before that he is likely to confuse and disorientate his students who none the less will adore him because he plays so well and knows so much. Beware, this enhances the taste of failure....

Looking to learn classical guitar? Watch out for this one! This guy lives or dies by his exam results. He will be planning grade 1 entry for your child from the moment you first call him! He teaches strictly to a syllabus and has little time for games, improvising or off-syllabus music. His students will be encouraged to jump through a series of hoops one by one. Scales and exercises will be learned in isolation because they are on the syllabus. Pieces will be chosen because they are easier, or he has the book!

Some of this guys pupils will do really well, the older, well-motivated ones with a competitive streak will enjoy the kudos of passing grades. Others, the shy and nervous ones or those who wanted to play for enjoyment will soon learn that music is competive and therefore not for them....

My belief is he will be able to name all his grade 8 distinctions and college successes quoting the marks they got and the career successes that followed. He will be unable (or embarassed) to number the children who gave up pre-grade 1 - but they weren't musical or motivated, so it doesn't matter.

This teacher is the most damaging of all!

His methods belong to the 18th Century. Stress levels in his lessons will be horrible. Any mistake at all will be picked on. The pupil will be continually required to stop and start again. His methods will be book and lecture, he may count while the pupil plays, but will do no work on pulse other than that.

He considers he is doing a good job because nothing gets past him. He enjoys teaching the most able, but limits their experience. Some children will become miserable as they learn each lesson is about failing and when they give up he will probably feel relieved that he doesn't have to teach them anymore.

This guy loves books. All his lessons will be taught off the music stand. He is likely to do everything in the order it appears and go from book to book. He is unlikely to use call and response, aural work, games or creative work.

If questioned about this, he will say it isn't part of learning an instrument, which should be about work and results, not play. He will blame parental disapproval for his own lack of a sense of fun!

His pupils will learn that music is something written on a page which we play until someone says it is time to move on. They will probably lack self-confidence as they are not required to think about things for themselves. The chances of them composing or improvising are very small!

So you read this lens and others and thought:

"But I only wanted to learn a few electric guitar licks? This business of finding a good tutor is tougher than I thought - let's save money and use a video or computer course! What are the best online guitar lessons?"

Beginner guitar lessons online - such a tempting plan! The videos are fun to watch, the music is great and the student can choose whatever lessons he wants according to taste. Motivation is very high for teenagers in particular with this method BUT..... and there is always a BUT....

Who is looking to see that his technique is sensible, safe and economical or brutish and potentially dangerous because of the potential for injury? Guitar lessons for beginner need more specialist input than say, top up lessons for someone who can already play well!

Who is listening to check that his musical interpretation is correct in pitch and time and has personality and character?

Who is advising him how to improve, looking for sensible shortcuts, or different explanations when the first one is hard to understand?

The answer is probably NOBODY!

I will doubtless make myself unpopular, but there are times when even a bad teacher can give some sort of guidance. Video and computer courses benefit mostly the people who put them together. They are a way of delivering an hours work and reaping the reward of thousands of hours....

Persevere looking for that good teacher, sit in with your child if you can so you understand what is happening in lessons. There ARE good tutors out there, the school district or LEA Music Service can probably advise you where to find them.

Good luck, because Music Matters to your child!