It maybe doesn't add up to "mentoring" as such but it could make all the difference to a young players potential.


That's pretty much how it worked for me. When I was a kid the guys who really helped me would show me something and then tell me flat-out to get lost and "don't come back until you can do like I showed you."

I think a lot of teachers get too wrapped up in hand-holding. It's a good idea at first glance to try and make things as easy as possible for the next generation of players, but you have to balance that out with the fact that dealing with challenges on your own is a huge part of the learning process. It's not enough to learn the notes for one song. You have to take the core concept of the style and the instrument and find a way to make it natural. That's not an easy process because it involves getting around a lot of self-imposed limitations. You have to hit the wall. Once you're at that point any help you get actually slows things down because finding a way to get around, over, through or under that wall is where the real understanding of the craft comes about.

With banjo or guitar I really only see students in a formal lesson setting three or four times. We'll go over the basic stuff for a few visits and then I'll drag them to a jam session. I always tell them that after the basics the only thing I can do in a lesson is teach you how to play individual songs - and that would be a waste of my time and your time. Come with me and let's get used to the most important part of music - rhythm. Play rhythm and start following the chord progressions. Can you feel the chord changes coming? No? Okay, don't look at everybody else because by the time you see them change chords you're already out of time with the group. Let's relax and really listen. What key are we in? G? Okay, we know that the next chord has a good chance of being C or D so lets just roll along and see where she goes. . .

After a while they start singing. A while after that I'll see them for an afternoon and get them working on scales. Not "this is such and such a scale". The way I usually do it is to go over the concept of scales and how the relate to the fretboard and chord forms. In other words, this is how they all work.

After a while they start blending in melody. About then I stop thinking of them as students.

The thing that meant the most to me as a kid trying to learn the guitar was when an experienced player treated me like a human being. The idea that I was expected to have the sense to figure out how to take what I was shown to me and expand on it was pretty empowering. It drove home the idea that the only difference between me and the professional was time, experience and hard work. Talent and even tradition never came up. It was just a skill that I could learn if I was willing to work hard enough.

It wasn't always easy, but then again if it was easy it wouldn't be worth doing.

-Patrick