Guitar Lessons in Laredo, TX

Instruments: Piano Violin Viola Fiddle Music Keyboard

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
When I was in high school I had a teacher who was around 70 years old. He has since passed away, but his wisdom and advice constantly lives on in my practicing, teaching, and performances. He was the first person to genuinely believe in me. He actively encouraged me to pursue music. Without him, I don't think I would have had the courage to even attempt it. I only studied with him for a few short years, but he was by far the most influential teacher I have ever had. He had so many fun and amazing anecdotes that he always shared, taught me how to practice effectively, and corrected a lot of bad habits I had formed with previous teachers-and in so doing helped me understand the importance of playing in a healthy way. He was always so kind and sincere. He called us all his kids, and even encouraged me to refer to him affectionately as my grandfather, telling me the name his grandkids used for him and that I could call him that if I wanted. He was also quite blunt when it came to making corrections during lessons, and enforced me being completely honest with myself about my playing. "You can lie to anyone else," he would quip, "but never lie to yourself." That wisdom helped me to progress so much. Throughout the years I have included so many of his examples, analogies, and sayings into my teaching...one that always made me laugh was "rhythm is like the bones in your body-without it you're just a blob on the floor!" I learned a lot about the world of music through him, and seeing it through his eyes was always so much fun. He is always in the back of my mind when I'm teaching, and I am constantly striving to meet the high expectations and jovial spirit of the music he instilled in me.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Practice slowly and thoughtfully. My favorite teacher from high school used to always tell me "Practice smarter, not harder!" I love using practice journals to figure out practice trends and get to the bottom of recurring mistakes. Recording yourself is another great tool to use. And of course using a metronome is always extremely important.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
When they get super excited about music! The year I started taking violin lessons I literally begged my parents to let me learn. I was always a quiet child, and never asked for much...so when I told them all I wanted for Christmas was a violin and lessons they realized how badly I wanted to learn. My advice is to always have music on in the background. Allow them to ask questions and encourage them to express themselves. When they are ready to start lessons they will let you know! :)

When will I start to see results?
What a great question! It's different for everyone. I find that with my students it can be a bit slow at the beginning. I want to make sure they are set up for success in the future, so I am pretty detail oriented about things like posture, eliminating tension, and producing a beautiful sound. Once those things are happening I find that my students tend to progress pretty quickly. In general I dislike making comparisons and blanket statements, so I won't hazard a guess with specific numbers (again, every student is unique!), but if you are dedicated and determined enough to get the basics down first then you will ultimately be able to progress much more rapidly and will have a much more gratifying experience with music.

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