Ernest Allen Requested that I provide more verbal descriptions on how to
learn from my website
In trying to write something that would fill the bill, and looking over my
site, I don't see any way to do any better than I've already done.
I read through the nine blogs at the beginning of my site, and let me say
that swifter people than I have trod the face of the Earth, but I can't say
it any better than I already have. I read through the stuff, and to me they
nail the images I'm trying to convey.
What it comes down to is mere words are not truly capable of conveying the
inner realities of music. A truly good teacher leads a student into
EXPERIENCING what they want them to learn. When the student begins to find
words to describe an aspect of the inner reality back to the teacher, using
their OWN words, that's when the teacher knows they're getting across.
Every student will show up with their own inner conception already in place,
such as it is. The teachers first job is to SENSE what that is, not blindly
dog pile the students conception with their own conception. A good teacher
goes to, and senses the students conception, and takes it from there. It's
not about "raising" the student up to the teachers "lofty level. In
addition, when the teacher "feels" the students conception out, They may
discover things they didn't know that will improve their own conception.
These things can only take place in an intimate one on one context. This
being said, I guess there's a limit to what a website like Jazz Guitar
Starting Right can do as it is. I'll have to get into videos or Skype, or
something like that, if I'm going to increase the effectiveness of the site.
Right now, I don't have the technology, the hardware or the money. However,
there's nothing like two people getting to know each other, and sitting
across from each other with a couple of Guitars. That's the best.
Dave Woods.
