GuitarSlinger:Newsletter for April 2003

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Something New

It seems like I always have schedule updates or other information to share with all of my students and their families. I'm going to try putting out a newsletter from time to time. I'm not making any big promises about how often but I'll try to do it quarterly and we'll see what happens. I'll include any scheduling info, gentle reminders about matters of policy and some useful hints and resources to help everyone have a better learning experience.

Be Prepared

My grandfather owned a store that sold Boy Scout equipment so the idea of being prepared was in my mind from an early age. It is important that your student come to each lesson prepared to tackle the job at hand. This really amounts to three things:

Have an instrument that is in playable condition. That means no broken strings, the electronics are working, nothing else is broken.
Have all materials; lesson books, assignment books, picks.
Have practiced. If the student hasn't practiced then we have to do it in the lesson. Little progress is made.

I emphasize to the students that this is their responsibility and that they need to be self-sufficient. But they are, after all, still students so a little help and support from the adults in their lives can help them to take this next step.

Next time we'll take a look at what a guitarist needs to have with them at all times to be ready for life's little emergencies.

Until then, be sure to practice everything on your list every day.

Just So You Know...

I have students in three or four school districts and at least 5 private schools. Their schedules of breaks and vacations vary. It is not safe to assume that I will observe your school's schedule.

Cancel Early...But Not Often

In the past the cancellation policy was a flat "no excused absences". The following is clearer and more flexible. It is modeled after other professionals who work by appointment.

You have a set day and time. If you cancel by telephone (a message on my machine counts) or email 48 hours or more before the lesson, you receive credit for the lesson. If you cancel between 24 and 48 hours before the lesson, you forfeit half the lesson. Cancel less than 24 hours before the lesson and you forfeit the entire lesson. Messages left with Mills Music do not count as advance notice. Call me (206 725-0182) or send email JWH@BeadGame.net.

Acceptable reasons for cancellation include illness, family emergency, travel and occasional cultural or school events. Ongoing sports related cancellations are not acceptable. It is expected that a student will have four lessons each month from September through June. Excessive cancellations for any reason may result in loss of your time slot.

I can sometimes find a way to reschedule a lesson . The more advance notice, the better the chances but I make no guarantee.

Shameless Commercial Plug

You may have heard that my band, The Trouble Boys, has just released our first CD, Blues All Over. If you're curious, go to our website, www.TheTroubleBoys.com and find out more. You can listen to streaming audio of most of the songs on the album. Since, regrettably, we don't often play in "all ages" venues, this is a good chance for students to hear what I do out in the "real world". Hope you like it.

update -

As of the summer of 2004 The Trouble Boys are no longer performing. "Blues All Over" is still available.
George and Joe have put together Boneyard and are playing some really big sounding classic rock.
Jimmy is fronting Jimmy Free's Friends.