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Frequently Asked Questions:
These answers to frequently asked
questions will help you decide if "The Guitar Lesson Companion"
books are right for you, whether you are a teacher or a student
guitarist.
Teachers FAQ
Do students need to complete Volume
One before starting Volume Two?
What will students learn in
Volume One?
What will students learn in Volume Two?
I already
have a system for teaching, why do I need my students to purchase
these books?
I know this stuff is important, but how do I
convince my students to learn it?
I only teach songs to my
students, why should I change?
How do I assure my students that
these guitar method books are cost effective?
What if I don’t
know all of the concepts well enough to teach them to my students?
Do you have a sample lesson plan I can use with my students?
Why
did you write these books?
Students
FAQ
Do I need to complete
Volume One before starting Volume Two?
What will I learn in
Volume One?
What will I learn in Volume Two?
I can’t afford
guitar lessons right now. Can I learn guitar with these books and
free videos on my own?
I can’t find a good guitar teacher in my
area, what should I do?
If I use these books with my teacher, how
long will it take me to get good?
Won't learning all this stuff
make me sound unoriginal?
Why should I buy these guitar method
books when I can purchase a cheaper one?
Why did you write these
books?
Teachers FAQ
Do students need to complete
Volume One before starting Volume Two?
Most students will benefit
by completing Volume One before they start Volume Two, but you may
decide that Volume Two is a better fit for some of your students. If
your students are brand new to the guitar, I recommend Volume One.
If they have been playing for a while, they can apply the CAGED
system to chords and scales and they know how to read standard music
notation, or they are not interested in learning standard music
notation, I may recommend Volume Two for them.
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What will
students learn in Volume One?
Students will learn
the crucial concepts they need to play blues, jazz, rock,
and folk styles by following a clear, step-by-step plan.
Students have plenty of progressive exercises to help them
master those concepts, and a Jam CD to make practicing fun.
Besides learning the chord shapes that are used to play most
music in these styles, students also learn the design of the
guitar through the CAGED system, how to read standard music
notation, basic soloing skills and music theory. Learn more
about The Guitar Lesson Companion,
Volume One.
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What will students learn in Volume Two?
Students will learn more advanced concepts used in jazz,
blues, rock, and folks styles such as: college level music
theory, chord tone soloing, and stylistic chord studies.
Special focus is placed on learning in all 12 keys and the
8+ hour jam CD backs students up while they apply their
knowledge to the guitar neck. Students who have worked
through Volume Two have the skills to improvise
intelligently over many tunes, and will benefit by reviewing
the material on a regular basis. Learn more about
The Guitar Lesson Companion, Volume
Two.
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I already
have a system for teaching, why do I need my students to purchase
these books?
“The Guitar Lesson Companion” series helps you teach
your way, only better. I know that you’ve got a unique way of
prioritizing, explaining and applying musical concepts to your
students, and I know that you want your students to get the most out
of their lessons with you. You and I would probably agree that there
are certain concepts that are important for all guitarists to know,
and these books make it easier for our students to master them.
This series provides a basic road map for teaching and plenty of
progressive exercises that sound cool, so your students will learn
them faster. If you already teach the fundamentals of music:
Reading, Chords, Theory and Improvisation, these books will truly
complement your style. When your students use these books with you,
there won’t be anymore crumpled-up, disorganized pieces of paper in
your students' guitar cases, and you won't be spending all your time
planning lessons and assignments for each student.
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I know
this stuff is important, but how do I convince my students to learn
it?
Explain to your students that a person with a solid
foundation of music skills can play more songs and be a more
adaptable and creative guitar player. Talk to them about the
guitarists they admire and point out the skills that make each
player great. Tell them that with these books, you can help them
learn those skills quickly and effectively.
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I only teach
songs to my students, why should I change?
You want to keep your
studio full of happy and successful students, and if you use a more
effective method to teach people the songs they want to play, you
will attract more students. If you teach people to understand music
on their instrument, you will gain the respect of other musicians,
who will refer new students to you. If you use a clear system that
keeps students on track and learning new concepts each week, your
students will stay with you for longer periods of time.
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How
do I assure my students that these guitar method books are cost
effective?
Show them that it contains more concepts and exercises
than the competition’s entire series; if they buy this book, they
will save money. Tell them that this book was specifically designed
for students who are studying with a teacher, so it will help both
of you make the most out of your lesson time. Finally, play one of
the studies with the CD from this book, and then compare it to a
study from another book and ask them which one inspires them to
practice.
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What if I don’t know all of the concepts well
enough to teach them to my students?
Check out the free online
lesson library if you need help understanding a concept, or if you
would like a suggestion on how to teach the concepts to your
students. You can also become a member of the
Online User Support
Group
and ask questions.
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Do you have a sample lesson plan I can use
with my students?
If you order Volume One
here, you will also
receive a User Guide and a Weekly Lesson Planner. You will also be
invited to join the Online User Support
Group, where you can ask
questions.
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Why did you write these books?
I wrote these
books to help students get more out of their guitar lessons and to
help teachers save time and be more effective in their studios. I
have been frustrated with most method books because they do not
follow a clear and progressive structure, they omit important
concepts, and there never seem to be enough exercises for students
to really learn the material. While no method book works well with
every type of student, I created a method book series that is more
flexible than other books on the market. I also decided that in
order for these books to truly be successful, they should be used
with a guitar instructor; that's why these books are designed so
different than other books you have seen.
Back to Top ▲
Students FAQ
Do I need to complete Volume One before starting Volume Two?
Most students will benefit by completing Volume One before they
start Volume Two, but your teacher may decide that Volume Two is a
better fit for you. If you are brand new to the guitar, I recommend
Volume One. If you have been playing for a while, you can apply the
CAGED system to chords and scales and you know how to read standard
music notation, or you are not interested in learning standard music
notation, your teacher may recommend Volume Two for you.
Back to Top ▲
What
will I learn in Volume One?
You will learn the
crucial concepts you need to play blues, jazz, rock, and
folk styles by following a clear, step-by-step plan. You
will have plenty of progressive exercises to help you master
those concepts, and a Jam CD to make practicing fun. Besides
learning the chord shapes that are used to play most music
in these styles, you will also learn the design of the
guitar through the CAGED system, how to read standard music
notation, basic soloing skills and music theory. Learn more
about The Guitar Lesson Companion,
Volume One.
Back to Top ▲
What will I learn in Volume Two?
You will learn more advanced concepts used in jazz, blues,
rock, and folks styles such as: college level music theory,
chord tone soloing, and stylistic chord studies. Special
focus is placed on learning in all 12 keys and the 8+ hour
jam CD backs you up while you apply their knowledge to the
guitar neck. When you have worked through Volume Two, you
will have the skills to improvise intelligently over many
tunes, and will benefit by reviewing the material on a
regular basis. Learn more about
The Guitar Lesson Companion, Volume
Two.
Back to Top ▲
I can’t afford guitar lessons right now. Can I learn
guitar with these books and free videos on my own?
The best way
to learn how to play the guitar is to study with a good teacher, and
this series of method books was specifically designed for students
who are taking guitar lessons. If you do not have the opportunity to
learn from a teacher right now, the Free Guitar Lesson Library and
the Online User Support
Group
will help you work through the book on your own. For suggestions on
finding a good teacher in your area, check out this
article.
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I can’t find a good guitar teacher in my area, what should I do?
There are lots of teachers, including myself, who teach “webcam
guitar lessons.” If you have a computer with a camera and high-speed
internet, you can study with good teachers no matter where you live.
Please review my article, “The Benefits and Limitations of Webcam
Guitar Lessons” for more information about webcam lessons.
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If
I use these books with my teacher, how long will it take me to get
good?
That depends on your practice habits and your goals. This
book will definitely help you become a better player because it
contains the concepts that you need to learn in order to play a lot
of music. You will save time if you use this book because it breaks
down challenging concepts and walks you through each one,
step-by-step, so you learn the material right the first time.
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Won't learning all this stuff make me sound unoriginal?
If
you learn the fundamentals of music, you will be able to play more
songs in a shorter amount of time, and you can apply those skills to
whatever songs you want to play. If you know the fundamentals of
music, you will be able to express yourself more clearly, and
understand your fellow musicians easier. Without training in the
fundamentals of music, you will eventually reach a road block and
need to come back and learn the fundamentals to overcome it. Yes,
there are a handful of absolutely amazing guitarists who did not
study music, but they are not amazing because they did not study
music.
Back to Top ▲
Why should I buy these guitar method books when I can
purchase a cheaper one?
These are better books and a better
value. They contain more concepts and exercises than the
competition’s series; so if you buy these guitar method books, you
will save money. You will improve faster with these books because
the unique and flexible structure will help you and your teacher
stay on track and make the most out of your lesson time together.
The studies also sound better, especially with the jam-CD, which
will make your practice time more fun for you.
Back to Top ▲
Why did you
write these books?
I wrote these books to help students get more
out of their guitar lessons and to help teachers save time and be
more effective in their studios. I have been frustrated with most
method books because they do not follow a clear and progressive
structure, they omit important concepts, and there never seem to be
enough exercises for students to really learn the material. While no
method book works well with every type of student, I created a
method book series that is more flexible than other books on the
market. I also decided that in order for these books to truly be
successful, they should be used with a guitar instructor; that's why
these books are designed so different than other books you have
seen.
Back to Top ▲
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