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Learning to play musical instrument is not easy. You have to familiarize all the important things in playing musical instrument such as learning to play guitar, piano and many more. People sometimes attend music lessons in order for them to learn how to play those things, but my cousin try to use music instructional dvds. She said that it is also good to do lesson with it unlike attending music lessons, you will consume time and money. Well it’s the choice of the one who wants to learn, ‘coz we all have different choices.
I think it was said best by my music theory teacher in college... learning to play an instrument is easy, learning to play it well take a lifetime. He also said that learning to play correctly is just like learning a new language, but a language that has never ending interpretations and that everyone can appreciate.
I used instructional DVDs, private lessons, group lessons, honor band rehearsals, and I also continually sat in on our county orchestra rehearsals to learn how to play. It's not just playing music... it's learning the preparation, how to sit, how to hold your body, how to maximize movement but keep it subtle.. how to tell a story without words.
Back in the late 80's I was a pretty good drummer that wanted to get better. I answered an add in the local paper for a series of 10 lessons from a guy that had said he had over 30 years of experience and had taught some of the best session players in Nashville and the LA scene. I was eager to get started so after meeting with him at his home, I scratched out a check for the tuition, which at the time was way more then I could afford, but heck, I wanted to be the best. So I hauled my gear to his house the next week (I'm left handed so I could not use his kit setup), got set up, and it took about 10 minutes to realize that I was teaching him. I could play circles around this clown. After the first "lesson" was completed, I repsectfully asked him for 90% of my payment back (had to pay up front for the entire thing) as I would no longer be needing his services. He basically told me "tough luck there long-hair". I pleaded my case and it only started to get ugly, so I packed up my gear and left without my refund and the remaining 9 lessons I had coming.
Music instruction from qualified teachers can be priceless. Just make sure you get the real background of the instructor and also a list of references.
Back in the late 80's I was a pretty good drummer that wanted to get better. I answered an add in the local paper for a series of 10 lessons from a guy that had said he had over 30 years of experience and had taught some of the best session players in Nashville and the LA scene. I was eager to get started so after meeting with him at his home, I scratched out a check for the tuition, which at the time was way more then I could afford, but heck, I wanted to be the best. So I hauled my gear to his house the next week (I'm left handed so I could not use his kit setup), got set up, and it took about 10 minutes to realize that I was teaching him. I could play circles around this clown. After the first "lesson" was completed, I repsectfully asked him for 90% of my payment back (had to pay up front for the entire thing) as I would no longer be needing his services. He basically told me "tough luck there long-hair". I pleaded my case and it only started to get ugly, so I packed up my gear and left without my refund and the remaining 9 lessons I had coming.
Music instruction from qualified teachers can be priceless. Just make sure you get the real background of the instructor and also a list of references.
When I was young my Mother played the Acordian. My little sister was always fasinated with it so for Christmas Mom bought Sis a small electric organ. She never played it but I always messed with it. Soon I gave up the Trombone for this little chord organ that I loved so much. By high school I had many friends who played their respective instruments above average. We jamed often, played for the high school football pep rallys and at the Saturday night football victory parties. We always won. Yours truely was one hell of a running back. Most everyone was bigger then me but no one was faster on their feet. If they caught me they killed me but they did not catch me too often. The team nicknamed me Twinkle Toes. Go ahead and laugh.
When we all graduated high school, only one of us got that lucky break. He went on to super stardam in the rock world. Everyone here knows him if not by name then by the band that is famous. I lost touch with him but found him in Tampa Florida in 2003 some 30 years after graduation. We swapped some stores of old times when I blew the doors off his Mustang with my GTO all the time. He promised to send me some back stage passes for future shows but never did.
The past 5 years I shot off a few emails to him but I guess he is too good for us peasants now because he dont write back. Big house, private music studio as well as a big commericial music studio that has seen the likes of some of the greatest rock bands in history all cutting records there. Pictures line the walls of the greatest names in rock music.
I played some clubs and such over the years. But these days when I could tear away from this damn forum I play weird church or funeral sounding deep deep chord organ like Elton Johns Funeral For A Friend and lot of heavy keyboard stuff like Eric Burdon and the Animals music. Most of all I like to play all old Genesis but especially one of the worlds greatest and most difficult keyboard solos: Tony Banks of Genesis doing "In The Cage". Now that is good stuff!!!!!
Last edited by desertsun41; 07-16-2009 at 12:32 PM..
Reason: spelling
When I was young my Mother played the Acordian. My little sister was always fasinated with it so for Christmas Mom bought Sis a small electric organ. She never played it but I always messed with it. Soon I gave up the Trombone for this little chord organ that I loved so much. By high school I had many friends who played their respective instruments above average. We jamed often, played for the high school football pep rallys and at the Saturday night football victory parties. We always won. Yours truely was one hell of a running back. Most everyone was bigger then me but no one was faster on their feet. If they caught me they killed me but they did not catch me too often. The team nicknamed me Twinkle Toes. Go ahead and laugh.
When we all graduated high school, only one of us got that lucky break. He went on to super stardam in the rock world. Everyone here knows him if not by name then by the band that is famous. I lost touch with him but found him in Tampa Florida in 2003 some 30 years after graduation. We swapped some stores of old times when I blew the doors off his Mustang with my GTO all the time. He promised to send me some back stage passes for future shows but never did.
The past 5 years I shot off a few emails to him but I guess he is too good for us peasants now because he dont write back. Big house, private music studio as well as a big commericial music studio that has seen the likes of some of the greatest rock bands in history all cutting records there. Pictures line the walls of the greatest names in rock music.
I played some clubs and such over the years. But these days when I could tear away from this damn forum I play weird church or funeral sounding deep deep chord organ like Elton Johns Funeral For A Friend and lot of heavy keyboard stuff like Eric Burdon and the Animals music. Most of all I like to play all old Genesis but especially one of the worlds greatest and most difficult keyboard solos: Tony Banks of Genesis doing "In The Cage". Now that is good stuff!!!!!
"In the cage". Boy, that's right up my alley. On the "Three sides live" version, Chester Thompson's drum track is incredible (I know Phil is no slouch either). If I ever get over to Texas, maybe I'll look you up and we'll get a jam session together. Love playing that type of music.
"In the cage". Boy, that's right up my alley. On the "Three sides live" version, Chester Thompson's drum track is incredible (I know Phil is no slouch either). If I ever get over to Texas, maybe I'll look you up and we'll get a jam session together. Love playing that type of music.
Yea ain't nothing like Phil Collins and Chester Thompson doing dueling drums. I been to so so many Genesis concerts and the memories are priceless. Genesis invented stage theatrics. During Trick of the Tail they played cartoons on the back stage wall with those little mouse creatures while they performed. They were the first to use lazers. The first to use synthasizers. Peter Gabrial was the first to come out wearing costumes and changed them for each song.
Life will never be the same as they age and probably did their last tour 2 years ago.
Back in the late 80's I was a pretty good drummer that wanted to get better. I answered an add in the local paper for a series of 10 lessons from a guy that had said he had over 30 years of experience and had taught some of the best session players in Nashville and the LA scene. I was eager to get started so after meeting with him at his home, I scratched out a check for the tuition, which at the time was way more then I could afford, but heck, I wanted to be the best. So I hauled my gear to his house the next week (I'm left handed so I could not use his kit setup), got set up, and it took about 10 minutes to realize that I was teaching him. I could play circles around this clown. After the first "lesson" was completed, I repsectfully asked him for 90% of my payment back (had to pay up front for the entire thing) as I would no longer be needing his services. He basically told me "tough luck there long-hair". I pleaded my case and it only started to get ugly, so I packed up my gear and left without my refund and the remaining 9 lessons I had coming.
Music instruction from qualified teachers can be priceless. Just make sure you get the real background of the instructor and also a list of references.
Lesson learned for me, so to speak.
for future reference here's some red flags:
1. Most musicians with one foot in the studio prolly only teach close friends and relatives because they can make over $2000.00 a day doing two sessions at Union scale. If they are really good they can go out on tour as a side man and make up to $250,000 a year . Also the musicians union was known to have a pretty good retirement program. With 30 years experience ( studios are union) he should be doing okay
2. the only difference between a left handed drummer and right handed drummer is you pick up the Hy-hat and snare and move it to the the left side, you learn this in middle school pep band
3. most ethical teachers won't sell you x-number of lessons because every one learns at a different pace and your practise time is not going to be the same from week to week. You may not need more than a few lessons to improve one aspect of your playing.
And most importantly don't confuse teaching and playing. Some of the best musicians can't teach and some of the best teachers don't play professionally. IMO Visual aids are for advanced players who's technique is so good they don't need feed back. The video monitor can't look at you and say drop your left shoulder a little more
I took piano lessons from my Grandma when I was a kid and I did pretty well at it. I even played in front of my school once. But, my Grandma was always bugging me to practice and I just got tired of it and gave it up. In a lot of respects, I wish I hadn't. I think if I was to learn an instrument again, I'd learn synthesizers as I love electronic music and many of them have keyboards similar to a piano.
I took guitar lessons for the first 18 (maybe 24) months I started playing.
The theory is what's the hardest part for me. All the modes/scales/progressions/chord contructions/etc.
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