Some of you know I'm a guitar teacher - I've been doing it for 39 years now, and I own a music school that teaches all instruments.
Today I had a new guitar student. He came in with his father last week to check the place out. His father told me he'd been taking lessons for 2 years, but was disappointed that he hasn't been taught to read music.
The kid comes in today for his first lesson. I ask him what music he's been working with, and he pulls out a spiral notebook that's all handwritten tabs. I ask him to play something for me. He plays the melody for Ode to Joy. Decent tempo and finger placement, but lots of extra movement and he picks every single note with his thumb. I ask him what chords he knows. He plays five of them - and had the name wrong for one. He tells me that's all he's learned.
I didn't ask where he'd been taking lessons. But he at least doubled what he knows about the guitar today.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
