Newsletter Vol. 4 # 6 – July 3, 2011
Greetings,
Welcome to Volume 4, Issue #6 of Guitar Noise News!
In This Issue:
- Greetings, News and Announcements
- Guitar Noise Featured Artist
- Topic of the Month
- New Articles, Lessons, Reviews and Stuff
- Great Advice from Great Teachers
- Spotlight on the Sunday Songwriters Group
- Events Horizon
- Random Thoughts
Greetings, News and Announcements
Hello and welcome to the July 1 edition of Guitar Noise News (your free twice-a-month newsletter from Guitar Noise). It’s a bit of a strange time here because it’s sort of being between the last school calendar year schedule and the new schedule of summer. It may be another week or so before things start seeming like a bit more of a routine.
In the meantime, I’d like to make a big announcement on behalf of Tom Serb, long time contributor to Guitar Noise and just one of the nicest and most giving people you could know. Tom’s son Charlie, who’s been gigging for a few years now, and his band have got a big announcement.
Charlie’s latest band, Hollywood Nightmares, has been together for just a few months, but they’re getting tons of gigs and good local recognition. One upcoming gig is kind of a big deal for them, with a lot of potential.
There’s a British band, Capelle, doing their first US tour. Their tour is being filmed for a TV series titled “All Roads Lead to America”. Here’s the band’s website with some info about it.
As part of that tour, they’re playing at a Chicago venue called Memories Bar, 4358 N Cicero, this Sunday, July 3rd. Show starts at 8pm. Hollywood Nightmares, is one of the other acts on the bill (there are five acts, total, for a four-hour show – not a bad deal for $6 general admission!)
The entire show is being filmed, including any backstage stuff between the bands. If it survives the cutting room floor, Charlie might get a few UK fans out of the deal. If nothing else, it’s great publicity. Speaking of which, the following is from the show producer’s release:
“The Hollywood Nightmares play fast and furious pop punk in the vein of Screeching Weasel, The Queers, and Squirtgun. Hailing from Woodridge, Illinois these kids harken back to a time when punk rock meant bubblegum, Chuck Taylors, and leather jackets.”
So if you’re in the area and you get the chance, check it out. Tom is one of the people who makes it a habit to drop in on other Guitar Noise members’ shows when he can (and how he does it while running his music school and handling everything else I can only envy and wish to be more like him!) and we want to help him wish Charlie the best of success with this show and possible film project.
Guitar Noise Featured Artist
Even though his career as a musician ended over fifty years ago, today’s music and musicians owes a great deal to Buddy Holly. Read about the July Guitar Noise Featured Artist of the Month on the Guitar Noise Profile Page.
Topic of the Month
Not everybody sings and even those who do sometimes prefer to have their guitars do the singing for them. You can learn an incredible lot about the art of Chord Melody here at Guitar Noise. From lessons that demonstrate this technique in the simplest terms to those that guide you through crafting your own personal chord melody song arrangements, you’ll get all the tools you need to have your guitar become a one-person orchestra. Come visit the Guitar Noise home page and check out all the lessons and articles you’ll find by clicking on the latest “Topic of the Month” up in the top left corner, just below the blue banner.
New Articles, Lessons, Reviews and Stuff
Putting The Rhythm In The Blues
by Nick Minnion
Nick Minnion provides a short video lesson to help beginners add riffs taken from the blues scale into their playing.
Speed Secrets – Part 2
by Tom Serb
Many guitarists will choke up when trying to play fast. Tom Serb shares some advice on keeping your muscles relaxed while practicing speed drills.
Barre Chords – Part 1 (Forming and Playing)
by David Hodge
Learn how to play barre chords by taking them one step at a time. David Hodge walks you through playing your first barre chord making them as easy as possible.
Burning Gums
CD Review by David Hodge
A terrific “debut” CD from Ron Jackson, Norbert Marius and Matsuura Hiroyuki, three talented artists with a wealth of musical styles to draw upon.
Great Advice From Great Teachers
Before we return to Tom Serb’s multi-part series on “Speed Secrets,” let’s check in on Alan Green once more for the latest on his first two years as a full-time guitar teacher:
Episode 5 – Two years down the line
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.
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Don’t forget to keep up with Alan at his website, Rolltop Music and also keep an eye out on the News page of the Guitar Noise Forums, where you can find out about Alan’s latest concerts, like this one.
Spotlight on the Sunday Songwriters’ Group
Vic Lewis is taking one the Spotlight on SSG duties this month (and hopefully August as well) and he’s got an interview Chris C. of Australia (the West side!) about one of his songs. Chris always has an interesting take on things and has been a big source of encouragement and advice to those at the SSG for quite some time now. I’m sure you’ll find his thoughts entertaining.
Events Horizon
This summer, Tom McLaughlin is sitting in with a new band, “Life is Drama” and they’ve got a big outdoor show on Monday, July 4th at the Channahon Comunity Park (23200 W McClintock Rd, Channahon). You can bring the kids out to this outdoor event! The music goes from 6:30pm-9:30pm and Tom hopes to see you there!
And Marilyn Miller will be playing a solo show tomorrow, Saturday July 2, at the Hyde Park Brewery at 4076 Albany Post Road in Hyde Park, New York from 8:30 ’til 11 PM.
Random Thoughts
Not to be all superstitious or mysterious or anything, but keep your fingers crossed – there’s a good chance we’ll have some very interesting news for you in the July 15 newsletter.
In the meantime, play well and play often. And for those of you going out and about, my best wishes for safe travel.
And, as always,
Peace