Jazz is hard. Especially if you want to be more than a novice improviser, you better be ready to spend some serious time studying and implementing things on your instrument. When I think of jazz musicians that I really like, they treat it more like a life style than a hobby. This is not to say that playing jazz isn’t a great hobby, it is, it’s just that to reach the upper echelon of this field you have to be very committed and willing to put in long, frustrating hours to get where you want to be.
Don’t Go It Alone. Find A Great Private Lesson Teacher.
This is essential for anyone who wants to get more out of their time on whatever instrument they play. When we listen to ourselves play day in and day out, it’s tough to be objective and hear what we are getting better at and what we need to work on more. We might think that we sound great on something that, sadly, needs a ton more work or we might get frustrated and think we sound terrible on something that we are right on the verge of having down.
Becoming a jazz musician is a tough thing to achieve without guidance from someone who has been there and gone through it all before. Sure, there are a million books and study guides out there but nothing comes close to the regular, one-on-one interaction you get by studying with someone privately.
Jazz Lessons Are The Missing Link For Some People
Some aspiring jazz students will quit before they even scratch the surface because they don’t have the guidance of a veteran. Trying to navigate how to get better without someone to help is like being in a foreign country without knowing the language and with no roadmap. You need someone that knows the lay of the land.
Most people don’t know how beneficial this can be for them so it becomes like the missing link. Then, when they finally find a teacher that works for them, they can’t believe they ever tried to do it alone!
Three Main Advantages To Studying Privately With A Quality Teacher:
1. Accountability
This can’t be overstated. When you have a quality teacher that you want to do well for, you feel more pressure to get the work done and not come to your lesson unprepared. This type of motivation and accountability can make or break you as a musician and can be the difference between becoming a great improviser or not.
2. Direct Answers To Your Most Burning Questions
Have you ever tried to find the answer to something online? It can be very frustrating, time consuming, and you don’t always find the answers you want. When you have a teacher that you meet with on a regular basis, you can ask questions directly to someone you trust and get straight answers. The internet doesn’t do background checks so who knows if they website you found is written by someone who has ever played jazz or an instrument. This could set you back years if you don’t know where to turn. Being able to write down questions as you go and ask them directly to your teacher is a life saver, in my opinion.
3. Someone In Your Corner
We all need people who believe in us and want us to succeed. Any great teacher is going to take pride in you as their student and will be invested in your success. Sometimes just knowing that you have someone there cheering you on to be as good as you can be is enough to get you through those times when you want to quit and find something else to do with your time.
Skype Lessons Are The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread
With technology as ever-present as it is today, taking lessons from anyone in the world is easier than ever. It used to be that if you lived 300 miles from the nearest city you were basically out of luck on finding a great teacher. Now, all you have to do is pull up Skype and boom, you’re instantly connected with one of your favorite players.
No More Excuses!
That’s it, there’s no more excuses on why you can’t be taking private lessons with an awesome teacher! Time to get serious about this music thing and be the best you can be!
If you would like to inquire about Skype Lessons with Nick Mainella, please click HERE.
Talk Soon,
Nick
Leave a Reply