Why measuring progess is critical for your child's success on guitar

Children (like most adults) want to succeed at what they do. They do not want to appear to fail but sometimes success can seem elusive or just not worth the effort. Basically they lose their confidence to succeed.

Success on guitar can only be achieved if the student perceives some kind of progress. This perception of a  progress comes from having some kind of measuring system. The G4 GUITAR METHOD provides that measurement system. Of course students need to be moving forward to actually progress and this can only come from practice but more importantly the right practice. Doing the right practice happens as a combination through a combination lessons and monitoring their practice. For most children there is one very critical almost make or break factor that ensures the right practice will occur. PARENTS. 

Children need to be coached into doing the right kind of practice. Parental support is the magic ingredient. Young children are often not self disciplined enough to sit down and focus for 20 minutes of practice a day. They need help in establishing the routine and also help understanding the material. For teachers 30 minutes a week is only enough time to guide them in the right direction and check on progress. Teachers simply can't make students practice with weekly lessons. Only daily lessons could provide such a result. 

The teacher's responsibility is to inform parents of what needs to happen at home.

Children go to school six hours a day so school teachers have more time to monitor children as they learn. In the case of weekly music lessons parents need to do that work at home. At G4 GUITAR our best young students are the ones whose parents sit in on lessons from time to time, regularly check in with the teacher, check their child's practice log each day or better still help them with their practice, ask questions and read our blogs. We also have many parents who learn with G4 GUITAR and this is without a doubt a winning combination. Basically the more involved you are the better your child will do.

If you have any questions please feel free to email myself directly at david@g4guitar.com.au.

Students who continue lessons in holidays have a big advantage

School holidays are a well deserved break for children who have been at school all year 5 days a week 6 hours a day not to mention homework and extra activities. The summer holidays are 6 weeks and as a child I remember looking forward to this time as it meant I could spend all day doing the things I enjoyed such as swimming and guitar.

Guitar lessons on the other hand are a very different story. We don't learn 6 hours a day 5 days a week so a break is really not necessary. Students who continue through holidays do far better and over years end up far better guitarists. When a student who learns guitar breaks for holidays it adds up to 12 weeks a year. Basically 20%. Most of the students who don't attend lessons in holiday periods tend not to practice. Years ago I would not teach students in holidays until I read a report on how students who break fall far behind over the long run.

Over 5 years students fall behind by one year but research has shown the effect is actually much more dramatic. Children who are on holidays have more time to practice and therefore make more progress then normal. Some students can actually end up 6 months ahead of those who do not do holiday lessons. 

We therefore encourage you to continue lessons in holidays if possible. It will make all the difference.

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The Shadow Effect. Why some students give up guitar.

Students (especially children) often become victims of the shadow effect. When two people compete for the same space the one who seems to have no chance of winning will usually bow out. In guitar this means they will give up. Imagine two siblings learning guitar. As one gets ahead usually by doing more practice the other begins to lose confidence. Overtime the shadow grows and the less progressive students loses confidence and eventually gives up. Many studies have been conducted on this problem but there are also some good possible solutions.

The problem is the student is comparing themselves negatively to a more progressive student.  I will usually point out their individual strengths and challenges and encourage them to compete against themselves . I often use the Practice Log as an example. I will ask students to beat their own high score and not to be concerned with other students. Its all about keeping them focused on themselves rather than their siblings or class mates. Faster progress while usually the result of more practice can also be the result of earlier experiences such as learning another instrument, having a strong reason for learning (E.g. a guitar hero) or just listening to more music in general. 

When I teach groups of children say five kids all trying to be number 1 may result in one or even 2 winners but it leaves the others feeling crushed. The way to do it is to always talk in terms of team. 1 + 1 = more than 2 so to speak. Keeping them supporting each other and working as a team turns a potential negative experience into a positive one.

You can't always get what you want...

Many teachers fall into the trap of just pleasing students at the cost of sticking to a proven program. I am all about keeping things positive but if a teachers only goal is making someone happy in the moment this can be a problem. Think of children. If your child wants to eat sweets every meal saying yes to them may keep them happy in the moment but it won't serve them well in years to come. They will end up a very sick adult probably with diabetes. Good teaching is basically like good parenting. We need to balance what students want with what is actually good for them.

Often we see learning guitar as a fun hobby. Somewhat like bike riding. Its true that it doesn't take long to learn some basic chords and songs but this can be deceiving. Guitar is actually quite challenging if you plan to get past the beginner stage and should be seen as an ongoing challenge where constant improvement is the focus. Taking this approach will keep frustrations at bay and you will soon find yourself loving the practice. If your focus is on the challenge opposed to the results you will end up a far better guitarist.

Note for parents.

If you are a parent paying money for your child to learn guitar you should feel free to ask questions either directly with your teacher or by contacting our student coordinator. This is especially important in the first year. I can assure you that no matter how good the teacher or the method of learning a curious parent can be the difference between success and failure. A parent who asks questions gets answers and is in a better position to help their child. Many of my blogs are motivated by parents who ask questions. As a teenager when I first began teaching I would dread the parents who ask questions for fear of not having the answer. But over time I realised that the parents who asked questions were the same parents whose children were my best students. There was an 'Aha!' moment in there somewhere. I realised at that point that parents who were involved made a difference.

So please, feel free to to ask questions of your child's guitar teacher. It is for the good of all.

Kind regards,

David Hart - Program Director

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Learning Guitar and preparing for the journey

The well known saying 'An hour of planning is worth 3 hours of execution' most definitely applies to learning guitar. Think of it like climbing Mt Everest (assuming you have never climbed Mt Everest of course) its hard to know what to expect and how to prepare for it. Having prior knowledge of the climb ahead as well as information on required clothing, essential supplies such as food, water, a first aid kit, a map, a guide book etc. will make all the difference when you are half way up the mountain. The same can be said of guitar. Many students embark on their journey to the summit of guitar mountain only to get lost and confused along the way. The excitement soon wears off and the students begins to lose interest. 
 
As with mountain climbing the best plan is usually to find an experienced guide. A guitar teacher will help you in several ways.


Your teacher has many roles but in my opinion the key roles are to;

1. Set clear goals. (Which mountain)
2. Set clear expectations by giving you an idea of what to expect. How long it will take, required practice etc. (How long will it take to climb)
3. Explain the technical aspects of playing guitar with exercises to ensure development. (The theory of mountain climbing) 
4. Show you the best approach to your practice. (How to actually climb)
5. Motivate and inspire you to become an accomplished guitarist. (Staying positive during the tough climb)

If you have any question marks concerning your lessons please feel free to email me at david@g4guitar.com.au


Hope that helps.


David Hart - Program Director


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Visit the G4GUITAR METHOD Website
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Why children do not want to practice guitar and what to do about it

One of the big deciding factors between children who succeed on guitar and those who give up is parent involvement. It is the emotional support from parents that makes this critical difference. This is especially true in the early phase. Statistically children of musical parents have a higher chance of success. A great example is Mozart whose father Leopold was himself a music teacher. But the reason is not so much because the parents are musical (which helps of course) but it is because they understand what is expected of their child at home. They understand that almost any child will not want to practice on a daily basis but that practice is necessary for their success. So how do you get your child to practice?


Firstly you don't have to be a musical parent. You just need to ensure your child practices on a daily basis. We typically get parents saying 'She doesn't practice so we have decided to stop the lessons for now'. That is like saying 'She doesn't want to eat vegetables so we just let her eat ice cream'. Children will not want to practice because it requires concentration and effort. Their appreciation for practice will not come until 6 to 12 months of regular daily practice when they see the rewards. Until that time it is critical that parents help their child through the early phase. The teacher will map out what needs to be done and your child will know what is required so what to practice is covered.

Children are not able to see the long term benefits of practice like adults do. Working together with your child will show them that you hard with them and that you will work through it together. Try to sit down with them and help them with their practice. Especially in the early months. Over time they will need less support as they begin to reap the rewards of practice. They will eventually look forward to their practice time.

I hope this information has been helpful but please feel free to email me your questions at david@g4guitar.com.au

David Hart - Program Director

Become a G4 GUITAR FAN on FACEBOOK.
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Visit the G4GUITAR METHOD Website
www.g4guitarmethod.com.au
Ph:0405-274456

Inspirational drummers

I think anyone who plays electric guitar appreciates a good drummer. Here are some of my favourites.