Today, however, many people do not realize that "real" music lessons on guitar are a rare thing. This exists in part due to deception created by videos, games, and the media in general where a majority of entertainers barley play at all, and some just fake guitar playing, with the guitar being used as nothing more than a stage prop. With professional musicians playing behind the scene the actual music the term "Stunt Guitarists" is becoming common. Is it any wonder the public is often confused and unaware of real guitar playing skills. This is not to say that all our favorite artist are fakers, there are truly many good, real players out there, but much of what we see and hear is just an act, like playing a part in a movie. Much popular music is produced like movies with special effects and stand ins for the actual people that are assumed to be performing, these real musicians are usually behind stage, but even occasionally out in front. Therefore, perspective students often think taking lessons is like buying a CD, DVD or Video Game, they believe they are purchasing something that is going to turn them almost instantly into a guitar player. This is the furthest thing from the truth, for "real" music lessons are an on going process of hand, eye, mind and muscle training... along with actual, age old, music knowledge, that gradually all comes together to eventually create an awakening in the student to the deeper sounds in all music he or she hears everywhere. It is then, and only after years of training that one becomes connected with the instrument as if it were a part of the body itself, and music flows creatively from the soul with truly inspired self expression.
This is the "Way Of Guitar", and the way of music. It is not the way of "Guitar Hero" and the silly world of nonsense and deception. All educational systems essentially work this way, and many individual systems of training in such skills as Martial Arts, Dance, Golf, Olympic Athletic Training, Medical Procedures, Piloting an Aircraft... and the list goes on, work this way. Remember, making and playing music even precedes many of these fields by thousands of years... and even precedes such ancient practices as the Martial Arts. In fact the guitar itself is one of the world's oldest instruments, with images of it's existence in paintings and sculptures as old as 5000 years on view in museums worldwide. Even the second syllable of the word Gui-tar (tar), means string in various languages around the world... having it's origin at the beginnings of civilization over 7000 years ago. Because of it's antiquity the guitar has acquired a unique set of techniques for it's learning and playing that are necessary to learn. There are very few variations in these techniques that do not affect the outcome of one's ability to learn and play easily and without a variety of setbacks, discomforts, or complete failure altogether. This, once again... is the reason for "real" guitar awareness, and lessons guided step by step so the student can finally become one with the instrument and the music.
This is what "Real Guitar Lessons" are about, and why there are consistently hundreds of requests for acceptance and admission into such training, the same type of "real" guitar training in the lessons I offer. Even though there are no actual tests to pass, such as those required to enrol in higher education, there is a necessary evaluation period (usually taking between two and six weeks) required to discover the sincerity of the student, his or her interest in music, what previous abilities or knowledge in music or guitar has been acquired, and for myself to demonstrate to the student what good techniques are and how bad techniques can affect the entire process of development. Also, if one has already learned some guitar, I will explain what procedures are alright to do, and what things need to be corrected. These lessons are not for the week of mind, heart or spirit. Like all real training systems if you cannot do the work, don't... don't waste your time or mine. Remember there are between 100 and 200 new requests each month for those really interested, and who want to either learn to play or improve their playing, I can generally only consult briefly with some of these individuals, let alone consider teaching them. And, this intense need by those really interested individuals has been on going for all the roughly 40 some years I have "taught" guitar. In addition, I myself dedicate hundreds of hours of free lesson times to individuals locally, and worldwide on the web. These students are selected because they understand the value of the programs offered, and really need the help... perhaps more than many of those who are more than willing to pay. What I offer is not about money and income, but about creativity and the art of music.
In addition, learning the guitar and music in general affects much more than just ones abilities in music. As it is well known and documented, "real" music lessons increase the learning potential of students as much as 35% in almost all other academic areas. This increase is often seen in Math, Language Skills, Science and a wide variety of studies. Also, music is a serious interest in the field of health and well-being. There are legitimate studies in what is known as "Music Therapy", taught in many colleges and practiced along side medical procedures with patients in hospitals and elsewhere. And, if that is not enough... the study of music is also a substantial part of the lives of many students that are physicians, but also many who are or want to go into Engineering, Architecture, Physical Sciences and Communications and Language Studies. So your guitar may serve you quite well far beyond the enjoyment of just playing your favorite songs. It has been directly responsible for many of my own students higher education accomplishments. People do better with music in their lives than they might imagine.
Even today, at the forefront of understanding the universe and the planet we live on, scientists studying the atom... and sub-atomic particles, have a new perspective which hints at music. It is called the String Theory, and while it is infinitely more complex than this simple explanation... it may seem that so called sub-atomic particles are perhaps nothing but vibrations such as musical notes, and their harmonic relationships together create the material world jsut as we do in music with what we call "Chords". If these ideas are correct, and it would be just rather cool if they were, it might be that the entire universe and all we know... including ourselves, is just music at a higher level, good vibrations making up our natural world. Just imagine "In The Beginning There Was The Word" ??? (Sound!). While this seems perehaps a silly idea, some of the worlds greatest minds are kept awake every night thinking about it, and spend their days working on this theory. Maybe we're not so far away from Star Trek as we think, a good deal of scientific discovery has first come from science fiction.
So do not take guitar and music lessons lightly, people have been making music sounds for tens of thousands of years, in imitating animal calls in the hunt, to early ritual... that have become our world religions. Music has been a part of almost every aspect of our survival as a species on Earth. Finally, thousands of years ago the making of actual instruments began in attempts to expand the types of sounds we could make... and the " tars", that is the string family, were one of those earliest attempts. And, to today... "The Beat Goes On"... with the modern guitar being not much different in design than it’s early relatives thousands of years ago, having a body, and a neck with frets.
Craig Smith