Yep, in a few weeks I’ll have been teaching guitar in UK Schools for two full years. The six Schools grew to seven at the start of my second term, and by the end of my first full year I was teaching at 9 Schools (it’s now 10) and two specialist Music Schools.

Music Schools have a very different vibe; one where I teach requires its students to attend Music Theory and Aural classes as well as their instrument classes and has the option that the students can take part in an ensemble session. The other provides instrument tuition only.

So, what have I learned? Oh yes, this is a much an education for me as for my students, and you’ll find the same thing if you go teaching guitar.

I’ve learned that I should have done it years ago; I guess I just wasn’t ready to make the change before.

I’ve learned that the guy in my local guitar shop who said he filled up with private students within a few weeks of opening his shop was talking bull. I was more than a little surprised to find that I’d almost got to the end of my first full year teaching guitar in Schools, and nobody – repeat, nobody – had asked about private lessons. That’s changed now, of course, because some of my students went up to secondary school last September and suddenly I was getting phone calls about how their new guitar teacher was, what’s the word I’m looking for here…lacking.

I’ve learned that being in the right place at the right time is as important in music as it’s ever been. Being in the right place at the right time got me a week providing music for a local school’s production of the musical “13″ which paid quite nicely thank you very much even after I’d allowed a discount in anticipation of getting first dibs on the next show. And, one week at music school, the drum teacher came up to me and said “We’ve got a Big Band…” and I’ll talk about that in a future article.

And I’ve learned to accept that the only time some of my students take their guitar out of its case is at the start of their lesson with me. It’ll happen to you too. Don’t beat yourself up over it.

Episode 6 – Some things to watch out for

Yes, sadly you have to deal with issues that are nothing to do with playing guitar; and you cannot promise your students that you’ll not say anything about it.

Don’t panic! You’re not required to solve all the world’s problems.

One young chap turned up one week. I asked him how he was (“Morning, dude, how are you?”) and he told me straight that his grandfather had died the previous week. I suggested we play some music and dedicate it to the old guy. “Good idea” he said. So we did.

And there are things which will make you laugh.

“This piece of music is by Anon, who has written more music and poetry than anyone else ever in the history of anything.” I said, introducing a new piece of music to a student. “Anon is a heffalump” she replied. I’m still trying to work out what to do with that gem of information.

And there are some things you cannot keep quiet.

If your student tells you she thinks she might be pregnant but her Dad will kill her so please don’t tell anyone, you have to pass that information on regardless. There is an appointed Child Safeguarding person at each School, and you need to talk to them about such stuff. If you’re teaching in an inner city School with a large immigrant population holding different cultural beliefs, she might be right when she says her Dad will kill her.

And, if a student tells you that they’re being bullied then you dare not keep it quiet. If you don’t pass the information on straight away, then the second it comes out (and it will come out, be in no doubt about that) the student’s parents will make it all your fault because “My kid told the School and they did nothing about it.” You’re not attached to the staff at the School, but the kids don’t really know how the niceties of your contracts work, and the parents don’t care; if you go into that School and teach, then you’re on the staff.

And, finally, enjoy it. I get to spend my entire working life with a guitar in my hand. It’s not work, not really.

As well as performing, Alan Green teaches guitar in ten mainstream Schools, and two specialist Music Schools in Essex and provides private guitar tuition. Contact him about private lessons via his website Rollmop Music. This advice first appeared in Volume 4 # 6 of Guitar Noise News. Sign-up for our newsletter to receive more free tips like this by email.

© 2011, Alan Green

More on Making a Living as a Guitar Teacher

• Making a Living as a Guitar Teacher Part 1
• Making a Living as a Guitar Teacher Part 2

Making a Living as a Guitar Teacher Part 3 was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise

If you read the first episodes, you’ll remember that I’d got some work in an Investment Bank, during which time I’d auditioned for the local Education Authority’s Music Services team and we’d agreed to start working together.

Tip number 5 – Getting the Music Services job doesn’t guarantee you any work

That’s an interesting statement; let’s look at how it works.

Some County Music Services teams will phone you and say “Can you do this day at such and such a School?” Either you can, or you can’t, and if you can’t then do say what days and times you can do. Where I’m based, there is a newsletter that comes out just before the end of the School Term, listing the vacancies available for the next term. Luckily, Kathy, my partner, was at home the day the first newsletter came in and she sent it to me at work.

I got a bit excited when I read the vacancies list; three schools local to me all looking for guitar tutors. I replied to Music Services that I’d take them, and when I got a reply with the phone numbers and contact names I started phoning round. By the end of the day I’d filled three mornings so I dropped Music Services a note to let them know.

There was a fourth school, but they were difficult to get hold of and wanted to fill up another morning whilst I wanted to fill some afternoons; I spoke to Music Services and they told me about another guitar tutor they had who wanted that school himself and was looking to drop two smaller schools to fit them in. I called the guy; we arranged a swap – he took the school I was after because it was close to where he lives and I took the two smaller schools he wanted to drop. Fortune favours the brave; five schools. I was still looking…

Let me tell you this – some schools are fairly relaxed about things, and some have ideas. Music Services were very clear about it; the entire syllabus was my choice. The Thursday Morning School’s admin people, on the other hand, had one very specific instruction – “We don’t want students learning pop songs from Tab” they said, but they softened up a lot when I played my ace card; “I have a Distinction at Classical Guitar Grade 8″ I told them. “That’s all right then” they said.

So, it had been a successful few days. There was one other school, but they had already decided they wanted a guitar teacher with “Qualified Teacher Status” – it’s what you need to be allowed to teach curriculum in classrooms here – and my 30-odd years of playing, performing and teaching experience simply wasn’t enough.

I told my boss at the Investment Bank I was going part time at the start of the September term. He didn’t care; he’d just resigned to go travelling in Africa.

Episode 4 – “You must be Eddie”

“Yep,” he replied.

“Come on in, Eddie, and join the party,” I said, and he sat down. “Tell me, Eddie; have you got a guitar?”

“Yep,” he replied.

“Okay,” I said; “where is it?”

“It’s at home,” he said; “I didn’t think I’d need it today.”

Thus went my first conversation with my first student at my first School on my first day as a visiting guitar teacher. The School had some guitars, but they were strung right-handed and Eddie is a left-hander; so that first lesson was a bit of an improvisation.

I went to get my second student. “He’s sick today,” said his class teacher. A great start to my new career. Luckily, the School had loaded me up with 12 students for 12 lessons each, so I was cautiously optimistic about the place. I survived.

The School for that afternoon was one I’d taken in the swap with the other guy. He said there was about 45 minutes work there; three students.

Tip number 6 – Get friendly with the School Admin team. They put your details on the School Newsletter which is how the kids and their parents pick up on the fact that they can get guitar lessons at the School.

The ladies in the office had done a terrific job; seven students (and by the end of that term I had eight there.)

Tip number 7 – If you take sugar in your coffee, have some sweeteners in your bag. If you’re a man, it’s 90% certain that you’ll be the only man working at that school apart from the caretaker, and 99.99999999% certain you’ll be the only one who takes sugar in your coffee.

What a day.

I got a call from the Music Services people. “We’ve had a tutor drop out, can you take another School?” I called the School and went to see them. Six Schools, tick in the box.

As well as performing, Alan Green teaches guitar in ten mainstream Schools, and two specialist Music Schools in Essex and provides private guitar tuition. Contact him about private lessons via his website Rollmop Music. This advice first appeared in Volume 4 # 3 of Guitar Noise News. Sign-up for our newsletter to receive more free tips like this by email.

© 2011, Alan Green

More on Making a Living as a Guitar Teacher

• Making a Living as a Guitar Teacher Part 1
• Making a Living as a Guitar Teacher Part 3

Making a Living as a Guitar Teacher Part 2 was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise

So, there I was. It was March 2009. I’d been made redundant, for the second time, after twenty years in Investment Banking. And at the worst time that had ever been known in the industry too; jobs were being slashed everywhere.

So, there I sat in the study. I’d done some job-hunting online; I’d been doing some every day, registered with loads of agencies, and the outlook was gloomy.

I’d done all the job-hunting I could for the day. I tuned up a guitar, fired up a recording of an orchestra rehearsal on the PC, and started working on some material.

I could always turn pro at this, I thought.

I’d done some guitar teaching before, when I came back from living in Germany. I used to have Saturday afternoons full of students. Why couldn’t I do some more? I hadn’t done any marketing in the two years since we moved house; I dusted off my business cards.

The first time I went looking for students, it took about eight months for the first one to call me up. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to be as casual about getting students this time. I went and spoke to all the local guitar shops – both of them. On the way home, it dawned on me that I might be able to do something through Adult Education; most local colleges had loads of courses, pottery, knitting, languages, why not music? Why not guitar!?!? I dug out e-mail addresses for the County Council’s three adult education offices and wrote telling them all about me.

A couple of days later I got a reply. “We’ve got nothing for guitar in Adult Education,” they said, “why don’t you talk to mainstream?” and they gave me an e-mail address for the local Education Authority’s Music Services team. I wrote, telling them all about me.

Two weeks later, I’d got an interview with an Investment Bank for some temp work. I got the job too. Then I got an e-mail from the Music Services people. “Give us your address,” they said, “we’ll send you an application form.”

Tip number 1: Talk to your local Education Authority’s Music Services people.

Episode 2 – That 90-Minute Audition

So, it was May 2009. I’d got a job with an Investment Bank, and I’d started working there. I’d sent off the application form to the Music Services people and had more or less assumed they weren’t interested

Tip number 2: Music Services take ages to reply about things.

I got home from work one evening, and there was a letter from Music Services. It was a pretty thin envelope so I assumed it was a “Thanks, but no thanks” letter. Instead it said, “Please come for an audition and interview on this date.”

Now, I’m used to Investment Banking interviews which run for about an hour and probe into every ounce of your capabilities, motivation, leadership and practical experience and then expect you to pledge your soul to working twelve-hour days for little thanks. My interview technique was pretty hot, and I’d never failed an audition so along I went. I played “Capricho Arabe” by Francisco Tarrega, which I’d played at Grade 8, and “Classical Gas” by Mason Williams.

Tip number 3: Play something by a living composer. Examiners and Music Services people love it.

There followed ninety minutes of intense grilling about capabilities, teaching technique, motivation, leadership and practical experience, and safeguarding (including exactly what you can and can’t keep confidential from that conversation with your students.) “Right,” they said at the end, “subject to references and criminal record clearance, we’ll start working with you from September.”

Job done.

Tip number 4: Enhanced Criminal Records Clearance takes two months to come back.

Then it starts to get a bit complicated. I’ll tell you about that next time.

As well as performing, Alan Green teaches guitar in ten mainstream Schools, and two specialist Music Schools in Essex and provides private guitar tuition. Contact him about private lessons via his website Rollmop Music. This advice first appeared in Volume 4 # 2 of Guitar Noise News. Sign-up for our newsletter to receive more free tips like this by email.

© 2011, Alan Green

More on Making a Living as a Guitar Teacher

• Making a Living as a Guitar Teacher Part 2
• Making a Living as a Guitar Teacher Part 3

Making a Living as a Guitar Teacher Part 1 was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise

Who? Ahmond has worked in movies (including “Having Our Say”), commercials and as a songwriter for an Atlanta theatre group. This is his debut album

Any good? This is very unusual material. Title Track “A Boy You Once Knew” features fingerpicked guitar lines, understated piano and some mellow string lines. The rhythmic qualities of “Go To Africa” will work their way into your head and soon have you tapping along. “Thundershoes” is superb, the simple guitar line reminiscent of “Hero” by Enrique Inglesias, and this is the standout track. Or is it? “Those Darn Things” opens like a show tune but once the guitar kicks in it has more hooks than a fishing trip and you’ll be singing along before you know it. This is a standout track too; it‘s a hard decision to pick just one. “Everything Eden” reminded me of “Dear Jessie” from Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” album, not because of any huge similarity in the vocal lines but by the well-balanced use of strings. Closing instrumental “Collision” is used on the HBO series “Rome.” As you’d expect from his stage training, Ahmond’s vocals are crystal clear. The cover artwork (reproduced on his website) is excellent.

Try before you buy? http://www.myspace.com/ahmondband Turn the volume up loud

Cash in your pocket? The regular sources – iTunes, Amazon, Napster and others. Access from Ahmond’s website www.ahmond.com

Ahmond – A Boy You Once Knew was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise

Who? John Scott Evans has an impressive CV. He’s been on the same bill as Chet Atkins, and worked with Corinne May and the Atlanta Chamber Orchestra, amongst a very long list. This is his third solo album.

Any good? JSE’s playing is sublime, and his recorded tone is excellent. This is an album of melodic fingerstyle work that you can put on and work to and isn’t going to have the neighbours complaining in the middle of the night. “Streams In The Desert” has moments of Irish folksong, “Alive”, the album’s opener, leaves you wanting more (and wondering why it isn’t ten minutes longer). No particular standout track, although “Sailing” makes you sit up and take notice and “Allen‘s Town” is hugely enjoyable. It’s a good collection but you’re not going to hear it on mainstream radio; it’s tailor-made for the film industry so expect to see it mentioned in closing credits, not to mention on someone’s soundtrack CD sometime.

Try before you buy? No problemo – www.johnscottevans.com has tracks to hear – the player is down at the bottom left corner of the screen.

Cash in your pocket? Click the “Buy Music” tab on John’s website and you’ll find links to iTunes and CDBaby. You can also use John’s website to order his tutorial book, “Guitar Basics Book 1.”

John Scott Evans – Above the Sun was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise

Who? Asteria. Do pay attention. An ambitious five-piece from Crown Point, Indiana. They’ve toured with Rookie Of The Year and Forever The Sickest Kids. “Hide your daughters…” reads the press pack “…Asteria will be rolling into a city near you …with no regard for public safety.” Brave words. Does it deliver?

Any good? Yep. “Top 30 album on smartpunk.com” says the press pack. These guys are not Punk, they’re not nearly radical enough. They do rock like there’s no tomorrow, though. Opener “I’ll Get You My Pretty (And Your Little Dog Too)” tips the lyrical hat to the Wizard of Oz screenplay, and there’s nothing wrong with that. “Finding Love In A bottle Of…” shows an early Cars influence, and “Paper Scissor Stone” shows a sophisticated musicianship that will have you hitting the repeat button. And then “I’d Swear You Were Steam” screams that they’ve been listening to The Coral. How much better can it get. This is the standout track. A huge pity my review copy wouldn’t play in the car, I’d have opened the window and ramped up the volume.

Asteria EP was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise

Any good? You bet. “I’m angry” she sings in the opener of the same title, and you’d better believe it; this lady is upset. There’s no bitterness here though, just a straight-to-the-point statement of intent. As if to leave you in no doubt, the guitar solo smacks you between the eyes like a cork from a well-shaken champagne bottle. The title track, Cheap Escape, brings in an accordion and suddenly you’re in Counting Crows territory. October Blue is very good, with its vocal harmonies; Dear Diary is nothing like you’d expect from a song with a title like that; and closing track Something I never knew about love is simply top class. Difficult to pick a personal favourite from such a strong collection, and I’ve had this on rotation in the car for the last week and a half, so just go buy it.

Try before you buy? No problemo – www.myspace.com/natashaborzilova has tracks to hear, and there are lyrics at www.natashaborzilova.com so you can sing along – you’ll want to. There are videos on Youtube too.

Cash in your pocket? Head off to Amazon, iTunes and CDBaby – all linked from the website.

Natasha Borzilova – Cheap Escape was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise

Any good? Freight train rhythms abound in opener “Avant Groove”, “Circles of Cotton” creates a melodic line over a repeated arpeggiated pattern, and “Grooving in Blue” will have you reaching for your axe to copy what’s going on. Marins is a technical master of his instrument and this is a good album to listen to when you’re in technical mode – after a day spent training paralegals in classroom, it certainly worked for me. “D Prelude” is the most immediately accessible track and shows off his classical skills. Marins uses repeated patterns a lot, and all of a sudden will surprise you with scale runs played at speeds you wouldn’t believe possible. There’s intelligent use of silence between patterns and strummed lines too, especially in “Internal Dive,” the title track and the longest offered here, as well as plenty of unexpected changes of direction.

Try before you buy? There’s more music and video over at www.andremarins.com

Cash in your pocket? Head off to CDBaby – linked from the website.

Andre Marins – Internal Dive was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise

The concert footage is from the Frankfurt Festhalle – amazing, I used to work a few hundred meters from the venue when I lived in Frankfurt. It’s almost the concert I saw in London; there are one or two changes to the London set list, but everything else is as I remembered. The video and sound quality is first rate, and if you turn it up loud you can feel the atmosphere. Rush have a reputation for a live sound that is very close to their recorded sound, and this offering maintains that reputation. Alex Lifeson is one of the world’s most underrated guitarists, Geddy Lee’s bass technique is (bizarrely) all upstrokes, and Neil Peart’s 9-minute drum solo is the subject of another series of DVD’s. On the stage, they’re simply unbeatable.

What do you get for your money? The “deluxe” version includes the full concert and a second DVD full of interviews, archive video footage and interviews (the 2 DVD’s are what you get in the basic version). There’s also a double CD of the concert so you can enjoy it again without the video. On top of that you get a 24-page book full of photos, a reproduction backstage pass, and two autographed guitar picks. I added my ticket stub.

Highly recommended.

Rush: R30 – the Rush 30th Anniversary World Tour DVD was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise

Guitar Noise staffer Alan Green managed to get Dave to take a little time to answer some questions about his new CD, Songbook, songwriting in general and the influences different artists have had on his writing.

GN: There is a definite Joni Mitchell feel in the opening track, and some Beach Boy harmonies later. What were your early influences and have they changed as a result of your studies?

DS: I got into Joni Mitchell pretty late (in the late 1990′s), picking up vinyl copies of her albums at car boots and record fairs. She’s one of the greats and I’ve tried to make up for lost time by listening to her a lot. However, I can’t say she is has been an influence upon what I do necessarily (even though I’m delighted if someone might think she could be!).

Beach Boys. Well, again…I like the album Smiley Smile. I suppose if they’ve had an influence on me. This has been the result of being influenced by a band or artist who have been influenced by them first! 10cc, for instance.

My very early influences would stem from the music played in the house by my parents and older sisters. Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Stones, The Who and Pink Floyd to name a few although I’m simplifying it a great deal there as you can imagine. I was a strange kid at school. I liked Chic and Earth, Wind and Fire as much as The Police and The Stranglers. It’s quite acceptable for kids to like anything now but in my day, the seventies, you were seen as a poof if you didn’t just like the same heaviest, nastiest band that all the other kids liked. Later, I got into bands like Rush. Then heavily into Frank Zappa. Then a little later I caught up with XTC’s back catalogue. Those are the ones that spring to mind today. Although there was so much else I could have mentioned (as with anyone’s love of music).

I don’t think my influences have changed as a result of my studies. Though, I know my approach to working has!! I’m far more disciplined than I was…put it that way!

GN: With Muse increasingly prominent these days, a lot of attention is being focussed on the West Country. How strong is the music scene there?

DS: I’d like to think there’s more focus and more opportunity for people in the West Country to be heard. I remember the buzz around Muse before they jumped up a rung or two and made it big. And Joss Stone seemed to just appear out of nowhere.

Generally, things progress rather slowly down here but I’ve come across (and personally know) some very talented people from round these parts. So it’s only a matter or time before there are more stars and starlets from the area.

GN: How many instruments do you play?

DS: Piano is my first instrument. In the past, my role in bands has always been ‘the keyboard player’ and rightly so while there were people like my good friend, Arthur Cook, to play guitar!

All the songs on Songbook were made so purely for guitar (deliberately so to maintain the same sound world throughout) but I’m currently making up for it by working at the piano again for the next album.

I still intend to do a lot on guitar though. Steel-string, nylon-string…also the Nashville tuning which really proved effective on the recent songs.

I love playing bass. Just bought a new Yamaha five-string and the Bass Pod so I’ll be using those on the next album, I should think!

I’ll sit behind the drums if the seat’s free and there’s no other drummer about. But I wouldn’t say I’d join a band to sit there full-time or anything like that! I have about three different patterns I can muster reasonably.

GN: What would be your typical stage setup?

DS: Well…an answer to this could prompt a long sober reply if I’m not careful. Suffice to say, I’m not gigging any of the material on Songbook. I wouldn’t even like to say ‘watch this space’ because I don’t plan on doing it. Now, this could be like shooting myself in the foot with a view to getting the songs heard and selling copies of the album. BUT, as well as having misgivings about my own live performance these days, it’s evident to anyone who listens to the album that so many compromises would have to be made to produce it live. I didn’t make the album with any plan to play it live afterwards. I wanted it to be heard as it is on CD (and still do!). I know this is not a common or shared view amongst musicians but that’s the way I see my own work these days. I’ve never played or sung to my best in a live situation. I much prefer recording, getting it right with no pressure and with a nice hot cup of tea to sip from after a good take.

GN: What’s your approach to songwriting?

DS: I’d like to think there’s more going on in my head than just ‘here’s the verse, here’s another, now a chorus’ etc. I’m sure, for instance, my sidestep into composing concert pieces has had some impact somewhere upon my approach to songs.

I’m going to have to go back in history for a moment.

As a child, I started at the piano by dabbling, like so many do, without any intention of writing ‘songs’. I’ve still got recordings of about thirty or so pieces from that time (precious only to me, I suppose). Some of them are still the best things I’ve ever done (maybe I should give up now!).

Anyway, I remember all of those pieces developed by just playing, playing and playing…leaving it, coming back later, and adding the next bit.

Later, when I took along some notated pieces to a composition tutor at an interview for a music course, I was asked, “do you compose at the piano?” (er, yes) and “do you make it up as you go along?” (er, yes, again). While I studied composition there, I tore myself away from the piano to compose once an idea was taking shape. Also, I got into drawing up plans for pieces and an altogether more adult way of composing, or so it seemed. Composing a longer work for orchestra got me into the idea of using film structure as a template. That intrigued me for a while.

When recently, say in the last five years, I got back into writing on guitar and I found songs would just start forming naturally. A chord structure would suggest a melody, a melody would suggest certain vowel sounds to be sung, those vowel sounds would become words, and so on. That’s pretty much the way the songs on ‘Songbook’ have come together.

I’ve always been a ‘music rather than lyrics’ fan so yes, it’s the music first!! I wouldn’t come up with a poetic gem like Joni then put music to it. That feels odd to me. But, having said that, I won’t settle for any old words and I worked very hard on the lyrics for the songs on ‘Songbook’. In fact, I’ve said so much about what I really think of things (rather than going ‘ooh baby, I wanna love you all night along’) that I’m not sure what I have left to say for the next album.

Something’ll come along, I’m sure (that’s been the basic approach up to now!).

GN: “I was asked, “do you compose at the piano?” (er, yes) and “do you make it up as you go along?” (er, yes, again).”

A number of our readers – me included – will be thinking “so, what’s wrong with that?”. If there was just one tip you could share about composing a song or an instrumental piece, what would it be?

DS: Composing at the piano suits me fine, of course. But when the benefits of working away from an instrument were introduced to me it made a lot of sense. If I’m writing something for piano I’ll pretty much stay sat at one for the whole process BUT it’s when you’re writing for orchestra, string quartet or wind quintet (you name it) of course, that it makes sense for me to sit elsewhere and extend the ideas with a pencil and paper with a violin (or whatever it is) playing in my head instead. It’s so easy, otherwise, to get stuck on the piano enjoying its own distinctive sounds when you’re meant to be writing for an instrument for a completely different sound world. Plus the lines you compose for an instrument (other than piano, of course) end up just playing the notes that fit comfortably under the composer’s fingers on a piano. Oddly enough, there are plenty of examples in the orchestral repertoire that show evidence of this…famous chunks of Stravinsky’s ‘Rite Of Spring’ for instance…but, it’s healthy to have an orchestra operate differently than that sometimes!! So, I had to get used to it and allow the sound of a string quartet playing REAL pizzicato in my head rather than plonk around on a keyboard using Bank 1 Preset 14: Pizzicato Strings or whatever the patch would have been.

I’m not sure that’s the most important tip I can think of…but it’s pretty important, that one. You feel liberated when you do all that and get an exciting result. Mind you, that’s writing for orchestras and ensembles for the concert hall!

An Interview With Dave Sanderson was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise

Joni Mitchell melodies and Beach Boy harmonies, liberally sprinkled with a touch of “Oh, wow, that sounds like…” highlight Songbook, the latest album from Flowerbed. Who? Flowerbed, that’s who. David Sanderson, specifically. In fact, Dr David Sanderson to you. David has a fascinating history in writing radio jingles, but what shows in every track off this album is his PhD in composition. As you’d expect from someone who lists influences as far apart as Earth, Wind and Fire, Frank Zappa and The Stranglers, this work comes up with some unexpected moments.

Travelbag, the album’s opening track grabs hold of you and says “listen to me”. Then, by the time you realise that it’s done it, you’re halfway through the album. It’s been beside my CD player for the past six weeks. Ships is the most surprising song there. Don’t believe me? Check it out on David’s website: http://www.flowerbedmusic.com where there are mp3′s.You can also buy the album through the website, and CD Baby too.

Keepsakes has also been getting some local radio play. Listen out for it on Vibraphonic FM. You can also read the Guitar Noise interview with David Sanderson.

Flowerbed – Songbook was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise

If you listen to any amount of blues, you will notice one or two little touches that really make something swing, and we’re going to look at one of those elements in this lesson. I did toy with the idea of introducing Marching Bass in this lesson, but decided against it after I started drafting the words; it’s quite chunky, so we’ll look at it next time.

Copyright Notice: The attached files form an original composition by the author; and may be downloaded, printed and distributed freely.

Right, then, down to business – The End

No, it’s not what you’re thinking. What is that little bit of any blues melody that really gets you fired up and wanting more? It’s the End, or more particularly, it’s the last two bars of the twelve, and we call them the Turnaround. In these two bars, we can either bring the whole piece to a satisfactory conclusion or kick the piece off into another twelve bars. Classical theorists will know that I’m talking about messing around with a Perfect Cadence here. What am I babbling on about? Let’s have a look at some music

Download mp3 (Right-click and “Save as”)

Those of you who are of a nervous disposition have probably gone weak at the knees by now. “What has he done here?” you are asking. “What are all those brackets about? Is there life after lunch? And, why has he written 3′s all over the place?”

At this point, I am going to recommend that if you haven’t read two other lessons on this site:

1. Before You Accuse Me
2. (Going To) Kansas City

Before You Accuse Me talks about Triplets and the Blues Shuffle and (Going To) Kansas City talks about the Turnaround.

Why have I written 3′s all over the place? Because we’re using Triplets, that’s why. Have you ever noticed how a lot of blues playing feels like it’s built round a count of three? This is how it’s done – what we do when we play Triplets is play three notes in the space normally taken up by two; which is proof positive that three into two will go if you squeeze it.

The music plays at 60 bpm – here’s a MP3 which will give you the idea (clickety-click)

Now let’s look at what you’re actually going to do.

You’ll notice that each beat in the first bar plays an open 6th string – this should cause no problems; we played that with the thumb in the last lesson, and I’d like you to play those four notes with the thumb again here. Play it a few times

To play the triplet patterns – you’re going to get sneaky. Put your 4th finger on the 4th fret of the first string. Put your third finger on the 4th fret of the 3rd string. Why the 3rd and 4th fingers? You’ll find out at the end of the next bar. You’re going to play those three notes using the index and middle fingers of your picking hand using a simple “i-m-i” pattern – play the 3rd string with the index finger, the first string with the middle finger and then the third string with the index finger again. You’re going to use that pattern for each of those three sets of triplets. How does this look in practice? Like this:

You’ll see that I’ve sketched out the whole bar. Which fingers should you use on your fretting hand? To play the pattern in the third beat of the bar, slide the 3rd and 4th fingers down to the third fret of the 1st and 3rd strings, and in the 4th beat slide them down again to the second fret. This is not easy – your fingers will come off the strings, you’ll be somewhere near one of the frets and it will sound dead, and these things are all to be expected. Don’t worry – take it gently and it does come with practice. Use this to replace bar 11 in Study in Blue.

Let’s look at the final bar. No problems with those quavers in the opening beat – three open strings. Play the bottom string with your thumb and the top string with either your middle or your ring finger (I’ve played it both ways to make sure it can be done) and then use the thumb to play the open 5th string. Play our famous “Blue note” in the second beat using the thumb and fret the note with the 1st finger of your fretting hand. In the third beat, play the 5th string using the thumb and the 2nd finger of your fretting hand to fret the note. OK so far? Leave the 2nd finger where it is, and let that note ring until the end of the bar. This is where you find the benefit of using the 3rd and 4th fingers in the previous bar – bang the 4th finger back down on the 2nd fret of the top string, and the 3rd finger down on the 2nd fret of the 3rd string and play that “i-m-i” pattern again. It looks like this:

Again, play the MP3 so that you can hear exactly what is being done, and then replace your existing 12th bar with what we’ve done here.

Whilst developing this lesson, a suggestion was made that on the last beat of the last bar you could substitute a B7 chord (x2120x or x21202) for the triplets. This sounds really good, too.

Download mp3 (Right-click and “Save as”)

And there you have it. A simple turnaround that just sounds so good. If you replace the 3rd and 4th beats of the last bar with a big fat “E Major” chord then you’ll find it sounds good as an ending. The Classical Theorists are asking “Where’s the perfect cadence then?” – it’s the B7 in the 3rd and 4th beats of our new bar 12 resolving to the E Major tonic in the first beat of the next bar. If we finish on a chord of E in the 3rd beat, then we’re created an Imperfect Cadence.

Comments and feedback should be addressed to alan.green@argonet.co.uk

There’s a Hound Dog barkin in the yard was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise

Yes, it’s going really well.

Until, that is, Aunt Lisa and Uncle Darren turn up unannounced.

“Oh, your mum said you’d got a guitar. Give us a tune, then” says your favourite Aunt.

Blind panic sets in, but you mumble something about being just a beginner and launch into the best performance of The Grand Old Duke Of York and Good King Wenslesslosslass, Good Kind Wencl, Good King Woos, Silent Night that you can muster.

“Lovely” says Auntie.

Uncle Darren is completely underwhelmed, but talks to you about your instrument and even has a go – he tried to learn when he was young, he says, but “couldn’t get on with it”

So, you’ve just given one of your first performances to someone who doesn’t live in the same house as you do, and you’re writhing with embarrassment. You wish you could have played something that would have really knocked them dead. Let’s see what we can do about that, shall we?

Copyright Notice: The attached files form an original composition by the author; and may be downloaded, printed and distributed freely.

At this stage, some of you will be thinking “Uh-oh. Original Composition? Hey, we’ve seen this guy on the Forum Pages – he’s a Classical Player. What have we just let ourselves in for?” Don’t worry, this isn’t a Classical Study, and I promise I’ll be gentle.

OK, put down your plectrum. I’d like to introduce you to your fingers.

On your fretting hand:

• The Index finger is 1,
• The Middle finger is 2,
• The Ring finger is 3
• The pinky is 4.

That’s not too horrible.

Your playing hand strangely seems to have turned Spanish.

The thumb is now “Pulgar”, and the fingers, in order, are Indice, Medio, Anular and Chico – collectively p-i-m-a-c for short. Remember these – you’re going to be seeing a lot of them.

Let’s look at the music. This Study is called Study in Blue and it’s a simple twelve-bar Blues. First of all, I want you to take some things on trust. This Study is in the Key of E Major. The Primary Chords in that Key are E, A and B7 (don’t worry if you don’t know how to finger them) and by using these three chords we can achieve good harmony with every note in the E Major scale.

We’re going to be using a special scale for playing Blues, called the E Minor Pentatonic. Hang on, you say, I thought you said we were in E Major? And so we are, but we’re going to achieve that distinctive Blues sound by tinkering with some of the notes, particularly the 3rd and 7th notes of the Major scale.

Down to business. Look at the first bar/ measure of the Study. Ah, yes, “Measure” is the modern term, and “Bar” is the Classical definition – they mean the same thing. You’ll see that the open 6th string (E) is played on beats 1, 3 and 4. Try this now – use your thumb (p) to play those three notes on the open string – 1, rest, 3, 4. Let the notes ring, and play it a few more times.

Download mp3 (Right-click and “Save as”)

Now let’s look at the other notes in that first bar. On beat 2, you’ll see we play the open 1st string (E’), and I’d like you to play that with your middle finger (m). Playing these four notes should be quite easy at the moment, so play it through a few times – thumb on the 6th string, middle finger on the 1st p-m-p-p p-m-p-p.

Download mp3 (Right-click and “Save as”)

What have got on the 3rd beat of that bar? We’ve got two quavers/ eighth notes in there, that’s what.

Quavers? “We need an interpreter”, you say. A Quaver is the Classical term for an Eighth Note.

The first of those two notes wants to be played at the same time as the bass note. We’re going to play those quavers with our index and middle fingers (i-m). Practice this a few times, and then use the thumb to play the bass note at the same time as you play the 2nd string with the index finger. That’s actually our first bar done, and you will find you’ve been using this finger action:

Download mp3 (Right-click and “Save as”)

On to the second bar.

A definition: A Crotchet is the Classical name for a Quarter Note.

There are no surprises here; simple crotchets/ quarter notes for the first three beats. Play the open strings on beat 1 using your thumb and index finger. Use your middle finger to play the second string on beat 2, and then your thumb and index finger to play the two open strings on beat 3. The fourth beat is quavers/ eighth notes again – play them using m-i this time. Once you put this bar together you have a finger action of:

Play this through a few times.

Download mp3 (Right-click and “Save as”)

Sound good? I liked it so much I bought the Company. Sorry, got carried away there – I like it so much we’re going to play that two bar pattern twice, and that will be the first four bars of our twelve-bar Blues done. Go get a coffee.

Download mp3 (Right-click and “Save as”)

Have a look at bars 5 and 6. The top line is the same, but the bass note is different. Our finger action is going to be the same as bars 1 and 2, except that the thumb will be playing the open 5th string (A). Try it a few times until you get the hang of it, and then……. add it to the first four bars. Does that sound good, or what? Onto bars 7 and 8. These are bars 1 and 2 repeated and should cause you no further problems. Try playing all eight bars together a few times.

So, what have we done? We’ve used a simple two-bar finger pattern four times and the only change throughout was the use of the 5th string in bars 5 and 6. Make sure you’re comfortable with these eight bars before going any further. Who said Blues had to be complicated?

Me, that’s who. In bar 9, we get busy. Play the bass notes with the thumb as normal. The top line starts with a quaver/ eighth note rest on the first beat, and the first note of the top line is played at 1&. The six notes of that top line should be played m-i-m-i-m-i, and I would like you to practice that for the next fifteen minutes. When we add back the bass notes, we get a finger action for that bar/ measure of:

Take some time to practice this, as the index finger of your fretting hand (1) should hold the bass note (B) throughout the first 3 beats, and the ring finger (3) should fret the 2nd string at the 3rd fret on the two occasions it is necessary.

Download mp3 (Right-click and “Save as”)

Bar 10 is the same as bar 9, but the index finger of the fretting hand (1) is not needed. You should still use the ring finger (3) to finger the 2nd string at the 3rd fret. Play these two bars together a few times, and then add them to the first eight bars.

Onto bar 11. Ooh! Funny symbols! Panic not. Remember we talked about tinkering with the 3rd note of the scale? That’s all we’ve done here. In the 2nd beat of bar 11 we play the G# from a standard E Major scale, in the 3rd beat we play a G natural from the E Minor pentatonic, and in beat 4 we flatten that G once more to give us Gb, which is usually written as F#. Use the thumb to play the bass notes as before, and the middle finger to play the top line, so your finger action looks like this:

And so to bar 12. There will be times when you need to do some fancy fingering in the bass line, but this is not one of those times. Use the thumb to play all four bass notes, the index finger to play the open 1st string in beat 1, and the middle finger to play the fretted 1st string in beat 4. Your finger action should look like this:

Download mp3 (Right-click and “Save as”)

Now, if you play bars 11 and 12 for a while, and then add them to the first ten….Result!

Download mp3 (Right-click and “Save as”)

I want you to look at the bass note on the 2nd beat of bar 12. You’ll hear the “blue note” mentioned from time to time, and this is what it means – it’s the sharpened 4th/ flattened 5th of the Major scale. Don’t overdo it with this note when soloing. It’s hugely dissonant (being a tritone from the root – you don’t need to understand this) but it’s good fun to use in careful doses.

You’ll notice that our bass line used the notes E, A and B, and that we said the Primary Chords in the Key of E Major were E, A and B7. Harmony doesn’t come much simpler.

One final thing. The thumb on the fretting hand. You’ll hear a lot of discussion about the Classical Position for the thumb and the Baseball Grip. I’m going to confess that I use both, and my advice to you is to use whatever thumb position gets you through the exercise with the notes sounding clearly. I have played the Study completely in Classical Position, and completely in Baseball Grip, and I suspect you will find that a mixture of the two will be best.

So, there you have all twelve bars. It’s time to put them all together. Once you can play the whole Study from start to finish, set your metronome to something slow (the Study and the MP3 files play at 60 bpm) and don’t play it any faster until you can play it smoothly at that speed. Remember, Blues is an art-form defined by interpretation, not by speed. Enjoy.

Feedback and questions to: alan.green@argonet.co.uk

Well I woke up this morning – Study in Blue was written by Alan Green for Guitar Noise. A good guitar player you will be if you visit the above site. © 2012 Guitar Noise