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Post by jerryjenningsband on Jul 4, 2009 9:20:58 GMT -8
I teach at Northridge Music. My favorite scenario is you've been playing for a long time, even as a pro, and wish to understand more of what you are doing and build upon it. But I do enjoy working with beginners as well. My main styles are rock, blues, jazz, fusion, and country. I have a kind of unique approach which is different for each individual. If you want cookie cutter this aint it. I write instructional books which you can see here: www.jenningspublishing.com If you're a beginner this may be the better site: www.startoutjammin.com Feel free to call me on my cell: 549-0387. If you just want to check out my tunes, go to my myspace page: www.myspace.com/jerryjenningsband |
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Post by jlev on Jul 4, 2009 14:29:05 GMT -8
Jerry is a great player, great teacher with much experience and a heck of a nice guy!
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Post by questor on Jul 9, 2009 9:46:21 GMT -8
I'm glad to read that someone who teaches music is valuing the differences of each student.
I've seen that happen in other fields, that a student who was written off as worthless becomes quite proficient because the next teacher was willing to teach them in the form that made sense to them. (It's like those students who won't make it behind a desk by going to college, yet hands-on are fantastic in making those very credenzas.)
I've seen this with the theory vs. performance spectrum in music too. Some people take up the theory first, then discover what to do with it. Others have had the feel for a while and now want to take their playing to the next level(s) which merely requires some grounding in the basics.
Incidentally, I've never understood why some musicians take pride and joy in saying they can't read a single note of music. They're missing out on a lot.
Well, good luck to you and your students!
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Post by jerryjenningsband on Jul 12, 2009 6:41:11 GMT -8
Very well stated. I've met a lot of people that say, "I just play be feel, man". There is nothing wrong with that. But what is being overlooked is, anybody who ISN'T playing by feel, (whether they read or not) is not playing. You need 'feel' to play. To them I say, don't think you'll lose your feel if you learn something about theory and written music. If you have feel, then you just have ONE of the compontents needed by all good players. You actually possess the more difficult part of musicianship. Now just add the easier part.
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Post by jerryjenningsband on Jul 12, 2009 6:52:39 GMT -8
That all being said, there is a thing I call "theory abuse". Say that in your noodling you have stumbled on a cool riff. You like everything about it. Then you learn a theory concept, and suddenly you feel the need to change to riff to something that fits a new 'rule' that you learned. Now the riff isn't as cool, but it's 'right'. That is theory abuse. I've done it myself. There is nothing 'right' in music except that which has the sound you want it to have. Music theory is the study of trying to explain WHY something works. If it works in your ear, it DOES work. Don't change it. There are many layers of theory that have to be learned before you may understand WHY a particular thing works. That's because we self taught players go far ahead of our intellectual understanding with our intuitive understanding. Then when we start learning some theory concepts we think they are rules, when they are not. They are paths.
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