Today's my 3 year guitar lesson anniversary. A thank you to my guitar teacher

Todd_FindingMyWay

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Sep 18, 2013
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Listening to your music, watching your videos and the general level of guitarsmanship here, sometimes I feel like I dont belong here because I am such a beginner.

Having said that, today (to the day) is the first time I set foot in my guitar teacher's lesson room. I have come a long way but still acknowldge how much of a beginner I still am and how big the mountain in front of me remains.

BUT, you always seem to know where to turn me when I need to be turned. Always slowing something down when it needs slowing, always sending me a looped track of something at 70% speed etc. Giving me the right amount of exercises and teasing me with a piece of a Rush song. ;-)

I know that teaching is an art..Doesnt matter if you are Jimi Hendrix, if you cant teach, then it is meaningless to me as a student.

You, Donald Parkhurst Jr...Can TEACH!
You are humble, friendly and easy to sit next to. You make my lessons fun and enjoyable with just enough direction. You also turned me on to PRS with the McCarty you play. Thank you Don.

Don recorded me about 6 months ago (I listen to it now and cringe a little LOL) I needed to improve my palm muting as you will hear in this example.
Scroll down to 'Todd Guay - You Really Got Me'.
http://www.rock-lessonsonline.com/student-spotlight/

That was me. He's got some other really good stuff on here as well as some really young kids.

Thanks for listening and reading this everyone.
Todd
 
Listening to your music, watching your videos and the general level of guitarsmanship here, sometimes I feel like I dont belong here because I am such a beginner.

Happy anniversary/birthday/guitarist day! Don't ever feel like you don't belong here... we are ALL students no matter how long we play. I have been playing for 31 years and I still buy instructional DVD's and cop licks from guys I listen too... If I ever stopped learning I think I would quit. The funny thing is, I can still learn something from someone who just started too... That's why I keep on keeping on!

Why am I starting to sound like my dad?
 
What a nice story! Your clip sounded great to me. Doesn't seem to me that there is any "mountain to climb". Yeah, we can all strive to get better, but that shouldn't stop anybody from getting out and having fun making music because that'll always be the case....
 
Cool story, thanks for sharing!

It just made me think of something, I've recently taken up surfing and someone told me a quote from Duke Kahanamoku:

"The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun"

I think this should be applied to guitar playing too! So as long as you're having fun playing (and love all things PRS), I think you do belong here :)
 
Cool story, thanks for sharing!

It just made me think of something, I've recently taken up surfing and someone told me a quote from Duke Kahanamoku:

"The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun"

I think this should be applied to guitar playing too! So as long as you're having fun playing (and love all things PRS), I think you do belong here :)

There is a LOT to this type of advice/mentality. I've helped quite a few budding guitarists over the years (not, that I'm a master by any means... just been playing a long time) & I always told everyone the same thing. It doesn't matter how good you are, or how great it sounds, it only matters how much you enjoy playing that ONE chord, ONE riff, ONE song, or ONE note. If you are enjoying it, then it's a success!
 
Thanks guys! appreciate the kindness..
100 pounds ago I taught and studied martial arts for over 20 years. Some of it was full time at 3 different schools.
I always enjoyed working on the basics..same punch, same kick, same same same..quicker, harder, more precise etc etc etc...

So sometimes my guitar teacher thinks I would get bored with a natural C scale up and down the neck..I always think of that basic front kick..I never got tired of it becuase I knew deep down it was part of something much bigger...and with a strong foundation comes many good (even great things)

I still love my scales :biggrin:
 
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