As many of you know, I enjoy wearing numerous hats. One of the true joys of my life is teaching music: guitar, theory, musicology, various music technologies (recording techniques), stage performance, and one of my faves - the demystifying of musical improvisation.
I was incredibly fortunate to have three guitar teachers who "saw me through", from little-kid-hopeful to full-fledged-pro. These men gave generously of their time, expertise, and most importantly - great spirit, and because of their selfless dedication, I realized somewhat early on, that I was destined to "pass the torch".
I began my professional teaching career in 1966, having been invited to teach in Lima, Ohio; a far cry from my native New York City. My mentor was a gentleman named Bill Smith, who owned the local music emporium, called Custom Percussion. Bill oversaw much of my early teaching; he was the kind of fellow who believed that all aspiring musicians deserved an equal shot at gaining "the knowledge'". I guess the reason I bring this up is that he 'busted' me on several occasions, for favoring those students who possessed an intuitive grasp on the complexities ...and seemed to learn more quickly.
What I learned from Bill's sometimes less-than-subtle feedback, was that in order to become a really good teacher, one required infinite amounts of patience (along with sense of humor), and that the rewards for seeing numerous guitar playing hopefuls improve their skills - and most importantly enjoying themselves, were priceless. (By the way, "infinite amounts of patience" is itself a great skill to develop.)
Fast forward to today. I maintain a small but dedicated group of students, teaching "one-on-one", and find myself consistently delighted by watching and hearing their musical skills grow. To see the "lightbulb go off" as a student suddenly grasps a concept they thought was beyond reach, whether technical (execution), or theoretical (innate grasping of a concept), is always a thrill beyond description.
There are two questions I am frequently asked:
1. How did you do that?
2. Why did you do that?
It's the second of the two that makes me happiest; while the "how" is a request to demonstrate a particular set of notes or chords, and their literal execution, the "why" indicates a further curiosity and quest for deeper meaning. Someone is in search of the Lost Chord ...or Holy Grail, if you will. That's when I know I've done my job effectively.
I will be forever indebted and grateful to Bill Suyker, Roy Smeck, and Sal Salvador for giving me the tools with which to further my own musical journey; a quest that will never end.
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E.R.'s Recommended Reading:
I had the pleasure of contributing to this fine book, which totally demystifies improvisation!
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Copyright 2011 Elliott Randall / ELZ Music & Multimedia - All Rights Reserved
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