Knowing what you know now wouldn't you want a coach?

So you have now been playing guitar for let's say 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. The time doesn't really matter because we both know that if you could go back and talk to yourself as a beginner guitarist you would offer some very sound advice on how to avoid many of the the mistakes you have made along the way to guitar mastery. This is what often frustrates us as guitar teachers. We see students making the same silly mistakes we made. Perhaps it's their technique or their impatience to learn new songs or the weak excuses they make about not having enough time to practice or just the lack of self discipline. We know that given our time over we could work a lot smarter and probably get to the same level we are now in half the time. I know I certainly could.

Same mistakes, different day.

Here is the thing. If you are starting out as a guitar teacher chances are you are repeating your mistakes all over again. You are likely trying to teach yourself how to be a successful teacher and small business operator believing you have all the answers when the truth is in 5 years you will look back to see all the time you wasted telling yourself "If only I knew then what I know now." You can be forgiven the first time around because you didn't know any better but now as a guitar teacher you are actually promoting the benefits of a coach/mentor. The problem is if you are not seeking out coaching for your teaching and business. You are not practicing what you preach.

If you want to save yourself a lot of time and get your teaching business right the first time get a coach. Seriously. Go and find a business coach right now before you do anything else. Don't waste the next 5 years.

David J Hart.
www.g4guitaronline.com

Are you losing more than 5% of your guitar students in the first year?

In the last 12 months what percentage of your guitar students stopped coming to lessons? 10%, 20%, 50%, 100%. What were the reasons? Did they tell you they could no longer afford the lessons? Perhaps they just didn't have time to practice. Or was it that they simply didn't have the passion? I bet that in just about every case you were able to claim that their reasons had little or nothing to do with you. What if I told you that 95% of your students who quit did so because of you? That's a pretty serious accusation but its actually good news because it means you can do something about it. You are responsible for the success of almost every student who signs up with for 3 important reasons which are as follows; 1. Induction. When you first speak to a potential student what you say at this point will play a big part and whether they succeed long term. You should be honest about what it takes in terms of practice and long term commitment. If they are a child you should make it clear to parents what is expected of them. If there is any doubt or hesitation from the student you should explain that anyone can learn guitar but to do so they need to make a commitment from the start. This process will reduce around 50% of your drop outs. 2. Your program. Too many guitar teachers take the approach that they will teach the student what they want to learn and this in most cases backfires. When teachers do this they are sending a clear message to their student that they have no program. Students quickly realise that the teacher has no plan so they quit. Students want teachers with a plan. 3. The teacher misses the signs. Every student will show early signs of an impending decision to quit. Successful teachers know to look out for the signs and address them early. The strongest sign is a reduction in practice. It always surprises me how many teachers don't ask students to keep a practice log. This is an important early warning system for the teacher. When a student reduces or stops practicing and the teacher is aware they can ask questions and find out why and then take steps to get their student back on track before its too late. The above 3 will eliminate 95% of your student dropouts but more importantly they will ensure the success of your students and therefore you as a teacher.

What can guitar teachers learn from pilots?

As a teacher and student I have always found it useful to study how people learn in different areas. Pilots are a good example because unlike most skills it can be life or death. If teaching guitar was akin to flying it would be somewhat like knowing that if one of your students failed it would be potentially fatal for both you and your students. While obviously not that serious being able to produce successful students is the goal of every guitar teacher so its worthwhile looking at the pilot's training manual. What I noticed immediately was pilots used simulators. This allowed them to gain valuable experience without putting lives at risk. When they had gained enough simulated experience they could begin to fly real planes with the assistance of an instructor. Guitar teachers I realised rarely if ever did simulations of any kind. Ironically they would practice guitar for hours every day but would never rehearse their teaching. They would simply learn on the job but the problem with this is it doesn't allow you to hit the pause button and analyse the situation. Pilots will practice a manoeuvre on a simulator over and over again. Taking off could be compared to conducting a first lesson. Practicing what to do and say will ensure a smooth delivery. I began holding weekly sessions with teachers going through simulations and the performance of those teachers dramatically improved. They lost far less students and their confidence as teachers increased dramatically. Aviation is just one example. As teachers we should always be scanning successful industries to see how they get results.

www.g4guitaronline.com

You need a plan for learning guitar.

When it comes to learning a skill like guitar this is best achieved using a clear structured plan for a very simple reason. There are many different styles of music and of course many ways to play a guitar but the fundamentals are much the same. A clear structured plan is a way of learning that will reliably bring about a result and ensure the fundamentals are being developed. For beginners this is the best way to learn because having no plan is risky. Very risky. By starting with a clear structured plan and reaching lets say an early intermediate level you can then begin to focus on your favorite style. Often when experienced students enquire about lessons with me they are motivated by frustration. They feel like they are not getting anywhere. A structured method of learning solves this problem. If you are learning guitar without a plan I would recommend seeking one out. If you are a beginner it is best to start with a recognised method of learning. At the very least divide your time between a structured method of learning guitar and what I like to call random learning.
www.g4guitarmethod.com

Do you hate your job?

Your job may very well be shortening your life by years. In the book 'The blue zones' the author presents the latest scientific research on longevity. One of the strongest indicators of early death is prolonged stress and for many this kind of stress is the result of their work. Working long hours is not a problem if you enjoy what you do. It only becomes a problem when the job becomes stressful for long periods. Everyday I speak to people who want to start their own teaching business not so much because of the lure of self employment but to escape the stress of their current job. It seems that the more their job pays the harder it is to leave. My advice is simple. Your stressful job will likely shorten your healthy years of life by about 10 years. Throwing in your job might mean you lose the house, the car and your current lifestyle but you will adjust. Now focus all your energy on building your happy life. Study business and within 1 to 2 years you will be earning the same money as your job but you will be doing something you enjoy. You will look forward to getting out of bed everyday and best of all you will have another 10 years or more to enjoy life.

Http://www.g4guitarmethod.com

Take your guitar teaching online

Teaching guitar or any musical instrument has really not changed in hundreds of years. Students typically find a local teacher, book in a lesson and meet the teacher face to face once a week. Well this model is changing and changing fast. In the 90s our social life was something we did primarily in person. Today we mostly socialize online via Facebook etc. Learning online is only just starting but it will become the norm in the next 5 years or so. You only have to look at how much the Internet has already impacted on our lives. I believe the only thing slowly down online lessons from exploding is the technology and people's general confidence. Skype and Google video are good enough now on most computers but not all but it won't be long before its 99% reliable. Teachers who I speak say they are not sure how to teach an online lesson so this presents a confidence issue. Students are keen to try but they just don't know where to find the reliable online teachers. There is still a trust issue which I am sure we will work out very soon. I have successfully been teaching online since 2009 and I am now helping other teachers to do the same. If you are looking to take your teaching online please feel free to email me. g4guitar1@gmail.com

How much do your students spend on learning guitar?

Your average student will spend $1000 or more this year on learning guitar. Your students knows this is money well spent because your lessons will in fact saved them possibly hundreds of wasted hours spent in inefficient practice methods. As an experienced guitarist you can help your students avoid the mistakes you made. So how about you? Are you studying teaching? Business? Marketing? Are you investing in your education to avoid expensive mistakes or to increase you income and efficiency? When I started teaching back in the 80's my teaching methods were based on what I had learnt from my own teachers. This included guitar teachers, drum teachers, school teachers, football coaches as well as my parents and family members. I was a teenager at the time and had spent my life being coached so I was an expert right? The sad truth is that once I left school my education came to a halt and this happens to most of us. We think because we can play guitar we can teach it and even worse we believe we are natural born business people. My family were in business so I definitely had an advantage but once I left home my education stopped and it wasn't until I found my business in serious financial trouble that I began to seek out coaches. Let me tell you this made all the difference. Like our students we need to always be learning and seeking out coaches. Self taught teachers are like self taught guitar students. A select few manage to succeed (usually the hard way) but most fail. 95% of small businesses fail but those who have a coach or mentor tend to be in the 5% who succeed. I think as teachers we owe it to our students to be continually learning and this means investing in successful coaches.