GUITAR LESSONS BY MIKE UPCHURCH

OFFERED AT MY BRICES CREEK RD.

STUDIO, NEW BERN,

NORTH CAROLINA

Mr. Mike says: 

"I do not consider myself an advanced guitarist. Because of this I prefer to teach beginners- up to intermediate players at this time. If you want to learn heavy metal shred style playing, find another teacher. It's not in my heart or in my fingers. Listen to a few of my songs in the Audio Gallery here. That's my style.

It is often recommended to only touch lightly upon music theory during the first year of guitar lessons. So do not expect a lot of boring repitition of scale playing. Not much music theory taught here.

I have been teaching guitar a while now and can honestly report no problems except students not practicing enough, thus wasting their money and forcing me to reteach the previous lesson. Otherwise, I love teaching guitar!

If you are just getting started on guitar and want some help moving forward, contact me. I have 36 years experience teaching elementary and high school students how to read, write, do public speaking, acting, prepare for the S.A.T., etc. - experience I know helps me be a good guitar teacher. I have been placed in 'Who's Who of America's Teachers' over a dozen times by my previous students who got on their university's dean's list or honor roll, plus two other honors organizations. I know how to relate to students!"

POSSIBLE Solutions to Students Not Practicing Enough, Not Making Good Progress:

 As I stated above, the only real problem I have with teaching guitar is that some students simply waste their money coming to lessons but not practicing what they are taught ENOUGH to make any discernable improvement. Sure, they still make progress, but it is incremental. Not enough to satisfy me. Of course I realize we are all different, we tend to learn differently, and are motivated by different things. But, when I have to backtrack and reteach a previous lesson, I don't like it. I am a "results oriented" teacher. Always have been. I've only recommended that one student quit guitar lessons. She simply didn't have the maturity to practice enough. In a couple years she might grow enough to handle the responsibility that comes with spending her parents' money.

So what steps could a student do to practice more?

1. MAKE YOU GUITAR IMMEDIATELY ACCESSABLE TO YOU. Don't keep it in its case, tucked under your bed. It's too much trouble to get it out. I found guitar hangers great for making the instrument quickly accessable. Just don't use cheap "U" shaped garden tool hangers found in hardware stores! They may be rubber-coated, but that rubber WILL react to the finish on your guitar neck and noticeably mar its finish, thus lowering its resale value. Yes, I learned the hard way.

Buy a $14 guitar hanger that fits your headstock fairly tightly and you'll love being able to take it down on a whim just to strum a few chords. Those "whims" add up! Plus, it looks great hanging on a wall.

Or carefully lean the guitar in a corner of the room. I try and never lean a guitar against a flat surface. I watched my Martin guitar slip off such a surface and pick up what I call a "hundred dollar dent." Never leave your guitar where it can be knocked over easily by little kids, dogs, etc. Never leave it where it gets full sunlight on it for long periods. Wood reacts to heat (and humidity.)

2. REALIZE YOU CAN MAKE ASTOUNDING PROGRESS BY STICKING TO A SCHEDULE FOR PRACTICING.  If you only practice when you feel like it, your progress will be severely limited. You'll end up wasting money by dragging your lessons on and on. You actually SAVE money by practicing more!

One student of mine made a simple sign reminding him to practice. He put his sign on his refrigerator. Whatever works for you. But do something to accelerate your learning process. Do not accept stagnation.

3. BLAME THE TEACHER FOR YOUR LACK OF PROGRESS. I can't believe I typed that. But to an extent it is true. IF your personality isn't compatable with your teacher, find another. IF you've made it through many lessons, learned many of the teacher's songs he chose because he knows that by learning them you will make progress, and you still don't care for the songs your teacher selects, find another teacher. I don't play heavy metal, and I abhor rap. I don't teach them. I do teach rock, country, gospel, and bluegrass. But there are other teachers out there. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. Maybe with another teacher you'll make decent progress. Maybe not.

4. CONSIDER CHANGING INSTRUMENTS. I would be foolish if I said I believed guiter could be "mastered" by anybody. IF you've given guitar lessons a good try and practiced regularly and still are not making good progress, maybe a change is needed. Some folks just are not cut out for learning a musical instrument. Others just need to look at learning a different instrument. Consider learning bass,  drums, or even keyboard. Consider taking singing lessons. (Yes, your voice IS an instrument.) Change is good.

Mr. Mike’s Recommended Guitars:

I wrote this because there are different needs a potential guitar student has for learning, but number one is their need for an instrument. Some have little to invest in learning guitar. Others have more.

I find it better to START playing guitar on an instrument that is 1. EASY to PLAY and 2. AFFORDABLE in case you get discouraged and quit.

Ease of playing is usually determined by the distance of the strings from the fretboard (the point to which you have to PRESS those strings.) This is usually measured halfway up the neck.

Electric guitars are generally easier to play, but CAN be frustrating to learn on, as your mistakes WILL be amplified. However, with some effects on the sound (like reverb, chorus, a little distortion) these mistakes will become less audible. So, if you decide to get an electric guitar to learn on, get a small amplifier that has BUILT-IN EFFECTS. You’ll be much happier. (See page bottom.)

Go to http://mikesboomerblog.blogspot.com/ and scroll down to Thurs. Jan. 20, 2009, to find the piece I wrote called “Learn to Play Guitar.” I cover how to find a good first guitar in this blog, including used and vintage guitars.

 AS OF 5/11:

>I highly recommend the Ibanez V Series V70C acoustic-electric full-sized guitar (sold at www.musiciansfriend.com for $200.) Get it in clear finish (not black that shows every fingerprint.) It plays well, has a cutaway for finger access higher up the neck, has a pleasing tone, can be plugged into an amplifier later when you get one, and will serve the purpose of learning nicely, as well as probably last you a long time because of its versatility. I have not seen or played anything better for the money.

>For young children – under 12-  just learning guitar I recommend a ¾ sized guitar like the Yamaha JR1 for $130 with gig bag included at www.sweetwater.com.

I’ve never played this model, but know Yamaha products to be well made for the price. My only concern with this guitar is I can see no way to adjust the neck should it warp or twist later on.

>I have played a ¾ sized Taylor Baby guitar and loved it! Get the mahogany version for a warmer midrange sound, plus it just looks great hanging on the wall! It sells for $300 at Sweetwater.com. Again, I see no way to easily adjust the neck, but Taylor guitars are known for higher quality, and you shouldn’t need an adjustment for a very long time. This guitar is offered locally for the same price. Make sure you get a case or gig bag for it.

>The Fender Squire Bullet Strat is hard to beat for an electric guitar at the $120 price point.

> The Fender 25R Frontman Series II amp (in RED!) for $100. The amp has built-in distortion, but no reverb, so look for an inexpensive reverb or chorus pedal box.

>The Line 6 Spider IV 15 for $100 has TONS of sounds and effects. Hard to go wrong at that price! It has lower power than the Fender above, but you don’t need lots of volume when just starting out.

REMEMBER: You need a cheap clip-on type tuner ($15-25) a gig bag ($25-50) or case ($50-100) to protect your guitar, a cord if you’re playing an electric guitar ($10), and 3 or 4 guitar picks (I recommend nylon picks that don’t break like plastic ones.) You do not need a guitar strap unless you plan on standing to play. For my classes you will need a 3 ring binder and some loose leaf notebook paper, plus that above mentioned tuner.

HOURS OF INSTRUCTION:

(I just opened up more hours for instruction!)

 Thur.  1 to 7pm

Friday 1 to 6pm

 Sat. 10 to 4pm  

CURRENT AVAILABLE TIME SLOTS:

THUR.  1-2, 2-3pm

FRI.  1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5pm

SAT.  2-3, 3-4pm

 CALL FOR OTHER HOURS!!

Call me at 252-474-3990 email  (bricescreek@gmail) and ask questions regarding hours, etc. For instance, I could teach an hour or two on a Wednesday. I could add an hour on Saturday. I could teach a night lesson if I had to, etc.

I like to do a FREE 30 minute assessment, a sort of "meet and greet" session with the potential student to see if we will be compatable, to check and see if their guitar is suitable for learning, etc.

RATES:

MONTHLY-

$100 for four 55 min. lessons

 THAT'S $25 A LESSON!

During a 55 minute lesson I  use lessons from TeachGuitar.com, the most comprehensive lessons I have found, PLUS my own materials and ideas, lots of them. 

I ask that older students practice one hour per day, and younger ones practice a half hour per day.

My students are required to bring their guitar,  loose-leaf type notebook, and  guitar tuner to each session. 

ONE FREE LESSON offered to each student that gets on the honor roll at school or college. This is to encourage students to try hard at school and in life, like at playing guitar.

Also, if a student sticks with me for 52 lessons (one year) or more, I offer them a chance to write a song at home and have their song recorded in my studio. Their rhythm guitar part and lead vocal done  seperately usually takes one hour, and any solo work by them usually takes another hour. Then, with their permission, I add back-up vocals, bass guitar, and drums to their song. I then edit it all and mix it down, handing them a CD of their first studio recording! Go to the Audio Gallery- Students' Songs page to give a listen to their work.

DIRECTIONS:

I have a Guitar Lessons sign out in front of my home and studio at 1401 Brices Creek Road.

As you drive down Madame Moore's Lane   from Outback Restaurant, just drive two miles (it will change into Brices Creek Road!) and look on the left for the Guitar Lessons sign. 

The studio is across from the 45 mph speed limit sign on the right.

If you pass Merchant's Store and gas station on your left, you have gone too far! Turn around and come back, looking for the BACK of that speed limit sign,  now on your LEFT. My studio is across from it.

 GO TO OUR "CONTACT" PAGE FOR A GOOGLE MAP OF NEW BERN.