50 years ago today, Boston released their self-titled debut album...❤🎸
What an incredible way to announce yourself to the world...Tom Scholz’s signature guitar work, Brad Delp’s unmistakable vocals, and songs like “More Than a Feeling,” “Peace of Mind” and “Long Time” made this album an instant classic.
For me, it’s always been my all time favorite album. And with my son named in honor of Brad Delp, Boston holds a very special place in my heart...The greatest debut album of all time, if you ask me...🎤🎸❤
The problem with teaching guitar sometimes is that many students vastly underestimate how much time and effort attaining even the most basic skills takes.
If you still can’t play the F chord, I’m looking at you. lol
See, the conventional wisdom of modern times dictates that you have to teach students what they want to learn and not what they need to know. The whole idea is to keep it fun and easy.
This sounds great in theory but often leads to unrealistic expectations in the lesson room. For example, I taught a young man once of about 14 who was displeased with his first lesson with me, his first ever, because I couldn’t teach him to play the entire Hendrix Woodstock album in 30 minutes. He didn’t know the names of the strings or how to hold a pick yet. He had the TAB book, though, and couldn’t understand why that wasn’t enough.
When I teach beginners, my goal is always the same: to give them a base of knowledge and skill they can use to continue their musical journey and to experience the joy of playing the guitar. I try to explain to them that becoming a musician isn’t a trick you learn but a process that you go through.
That’s why we always celebrate each little victory along the way to the stage. Anyone who has started from nothing and learned to play ten power chord Ramones-type songs up to speed in a year or so has accomplished something huge. Nothing on the musical path is easy, not even the simple stuff, and grit and determination are the only things that make any difference at all.